Entwined Fate: A Pratap Ajabdeh Story

Confession or Confusion

Kunwar Pratap had never been so nervous in his life. Not when he was going for his first war, not when he left for Gurukul and definitely not when he left the Mahals. Today was a different kind of fear, anxiety, excitement and nervousness altogether.Her Payal made him turn. His heart was thumping hard and he gulped as she approached with a smile. The moonlight made her eyes and Maangtika shine. Was she always this beautiful and I didn't notice? Kunwar Pratap wondered smiling at her. Ajabde looked away awkwardly making his smile disappear."You wanted to say something?" She broke the silence as he nodded." Ajabde." He cleared his throat and closed his eyes to take a deep breath. When he opened them she was looking at him, brows narrowed and confused." Ji?""I... am not who I am here..." He frowned at his sentence."I know, you are Kunwar Pratap." She looked confused."No...I know who you are, but you don't know who I am." He smiled at a good start."Pardon?" She looked confused."Do you know Baijilal and Sakhaveer?" His question made her scared as she looked at his smile."Kn...now Th...Them?" She inhaled. " I... everyone...""I know you are here. I know you are Baijilal." Ajabde stared at him as her vision blurred. How did I get caught? Did he see me sneak out? Did he search my room? Will he take me to Chittorgarh? Where is Sakhaveer? Why is he smiling? Questions clouded her head as he took a step forward and she moved two steps back."What you don't know is..." He smiled.For a second Ajabde didn't know what she felt. Then she shouted "Kunwar Pratap! That's enough now." He looked confused at her angry red face. No way can he know. He's accusing."You may be trying to catch them for your loyalty to your father, but I don't know who they are and you can not accuse without proof." She was teary-eyed. "If you want to catch them...""You don't understand Ajabde? I am Sakhaveer." He looked restless. She seemed more miffed with this than believe it."Why will you be him? Why will you need a disguise? Why will you tell me all this? Kunwar Pratap! I request you keep me out of this. I know nothing. If you think my family is sheltering them you are wrong." She folded her hands as tears rolled down her cheeks."Ajabde!" He stopped her. "I can show you my attire. I am...""Kunwar Pratap, you are the most intelligent man in Mewar, what will it take you to make such attire? You are here with a plan. I get that. Just don't use the name of friendship to get information out of me. I know nothing. Neither does my family." She ran away as he called in vain."Ajab! Ajab! I..." Kunwar Pratap was distraught. She was misunderstanding him.

Ajabde locked herself in her room. She sat down on the floor recollecting what just happened. She ran to check her Baijilal attire and everything seemed untouched. She was clueless. No way could he be... could he? But if he wasn't Sakhaveer how did he find out she is Baijilal? And if he was what did he want by saying all these? Ajabde felt like crying all night. She was in a mess. Baijilal put her there. She was happy until Sakhaveer came to her rescue. Her life was perfect until Kunwar Pratap offered his friendship. He was actually using her, wasn't he? He was leaving and wanted to take Sakhaveer and Baijilal as a gift for his father. She was wrong about him. He was like any other royal. Ajabde sobbed herself to sleep. She startled awake remembering that wound she saw on him the other day, could he be? No No! Ajabde is just accusing. She hoped he hadn't gone to her father with his theory. She spent her night praying.
Kunwar Pratap was sleepless. He had messed it up, she misunderstood him and she was stubborn enough not to listen again. What would he do now? As soon as he closed his eyes, Ajabde's teary face came in front of his eyes and he felt more restless. He had made her cry when he planned to give her all the happiness in the world. At dawn, Kunwar Pratap had left in a hurry to meet Chakrapani at the Bijolia Hatt. He was there with his wife, clueless at why they were called. In a hurry, he had called upon his friend for help. Time was running out and yes, she was stubborn.

Ajabde was the only place she found peace. The Mahakal Temple. She closed her eyes and murmured her prayer. "Give me answers." It was a simple one that could change her life forever. She went home to find Kunwar Pratap was not there. She decided to make the daasis clean his room before he was back. Their problems won't hamper her duties as a host."Wait a minute she is Baijilal!" Chakrapani's eyes widened as Kunwar Pratap told him the details once they reached his place."Wait a minute You are ...Kunwar Pratap! And Sakhaveer??!!" Saubhagyawati smiled wide-eyed. "Panditji, when did you plan to tell me this?""Aree... You also know she is..." Chakrapani defended softly." Are! Solve my problem first." Kunwar Pratap raised his hand to stop the duo as they giggled at his helpless frown."Baisa, what is this?" Something shined as the daasi picked it up from under the carpet."My Maala?" Ajabde looked shocked. "How did it go there?""No that's my Maala." His voice startled her, as the Daasis took leave."Aree where are you all..." She rushed to follow them out but his hand stopped her."Give me my Maala back." His eyes teased hers."That is my Maala." She said firmly."No! I found it." He shook his head, "It's mine now.""I lost it, so you found it." She spoke up angrily."Wait... what? Where did you lose it? At the temple at...""Bhimlat." She spoke as they stared wide-eyed at each other and then at the Maala she held."You...take it." He said softly, remembering Chakrapani's words. A turn of fate..."No... You found it so you keep it." She said like a taunt. She remembered the predictions a little scared. You will lose something to win something."First you wanted it now you don't! Decide Ajabde. For once learn to trust and decide." He stared at her a little disappointed at her lack of trust in his words."I don't want someone else's things." She looked away."I thought you said it's yours." He looked angry."Aree!""Aree!""Kya?""Kya?""Jija! Jija!" Ratan's call made her dash with the Mala in hand. He shook his head disappointed.Ajabde sat curled up in her bed. She stared at the Maala at her bedside. Did he find it? Was this the answer I was looking for? He looked hurt. But Sakhaveer... she grew restless... I have heard Kunwar Pratap out. Now I want to know from Sakhaveer. If they are the same, I will... stop dreaming. She closed her eyes to check the coming tears. Something told her tonight, he would be there.Sakhaveer was at the broken temple gate looking towards the Bijolia Palace for her. The sound of hooves made him turn as she appeared on her brown ride. She refused to get down though as he stood in front of her."I just came from the Bundi borders." She spoke up a little disappointed. "The war preparations are in full swing.""I know that, but you risked going there alone, what if Surtan's men...""I can take care of myself." She cut in. She hoped to ask what she wanted to but she couldn't find the right words."The war is happening for us... for we mistreated..." She was guilty and decided to talk about other, easier things."No! It's happening for his misdeeds. And he will pay." He looked determined."Either way we will lose. If he wins he will find us and kill us and if Mewar wins Ranaji will do the same." She seemed worried. "I had no idea this could cause a war...""Nothing will happen, if you do good, good happens to you, always believe that." He interrupted her. "And I can assure you, Ranaji will take no action against us.""How can you say that?" She frowned at his overconfidence. She was afraid her family would suffer for her."Because..." He knelt down before her horse on one knee. "I told you, but you didn't believe me." He started opening the wrapped cloth as he spoke. "You wanted to know why I was telling you? Because with you I feel complete, with you I can be me. With you, I can be everything I want to be and I know I will find you right beside me no matter how mad I sound to others, you will always trust my plans and make them work with your prayers. You are my one. My Baijilal. My Ajabde." He revealed his face trying to read her eyes that shone surprised. "Your turn?" He asked softly with a smile extending his hand to her.Baijilal always did the unexpected. She made her horse leap on two feet, sending a cloud of smoke around him. He coughed and cleared his vision to see her ride away. He smiled.As Ajabde shut the door to her bedroom she sat down with tears rolling down her cheeks. Her worst fear had come true. Her scariest dream, the one she dared to dream. She couldn't understand why it didn't bother him that she was who she was. Not a real princess. She was Baijilal. The people's Baisa. Not someone for him. And here he was proclaiming her to be his One. She trembled at the thought. She couldn't be the cause of her family's doom. He should understand that.

Kunwar Pratap had never slept a more content sleep. Yes, she didn't reply, but she didn't need to. He knew her heart and soul. Truth be said he was never scared of rejection. He was scared of the reaction to his revelation and she had stood up to his expectation and made him work for it. But today, he planned to corner her alone and make her confess. With the new dawn, arrived a new hope as Kunwar Pratap smiled in his sleep.