Regal Tale of Ratnagiri

1. Labb par aaye

Elder Rajkumar's day starts with either ghazals or thumri or khayal in the melodious voce of Shahbaaz, his singer friend. And ends with the rhythm of female dancers' anklets. Most of the times Shahbaaz himself brings female dancers of his friend's choice. Today he's singing a Ghazal on Mayank's morning greetings.

Sometimes later Rajkumar's servant Sam knocked the door with two cups of vaporized tea. The singer sniffed the smell as much as possible. "What a smell! Sam your hands are magical or what ?" Sam smiled widely, "it's not my credit sir. The tea has been brought from Assam, Maharaj's favourite brand for taste and smell"

Shahbaaz was busy in praising while Mayank sipped some and his face changed in sour taste before gulping it. He spat on the servant's face in disgust. "What did you make bitch ? Can't you add proper sugar ?"

"Extremely sorry sir! Just wait a minute, I'll m....ahh!" The poor boy recieved a push from his master enough hard to throw him on floor. The cup also thrushed beside him next moment and broke into pieces with lashing words of Rajkumar. "Feed yourself after a minute! Subah subah mood bigad diya haramzadey!"

"Relax buddy!" Shahbaaz tried to cool his short-tempered friend with his tricky words. "Don't snub the poor. He's your SPECIAL servant after all"

Mayank couldn't get rid from smirking in front of his spicy tongue. He bent on his knees beside fallen Sam, held his chin with two fingers. A sympathetic sound has came out from his mouth while cleaning the fair face with handkerchief and saying; "aww! I always hurt you"

"Nn...no sir, it's fin...."  His stammering stopped as Mayank had started to end the gap between them. Smirking Shahbaaz turned around to help in privacy but suddenly ---

"Bhaiyaaa......"

A boy with curly black hairs and bright smile rushed into the room with a colourful kite in his hands but soon he had use it to cover eyes as his brother was...

"Ahm!... You may go now"  Getting permission Sam stood up and opened his palms for Rajkumar's handkerchief to wash. Making sure his departure Mayank asked his brother in quite rude tone; "what do you want now ?"

The kite went a bit downward exposing a pair of eyes and still covering the lips, maybe they were smirking. "Please help me in kite flying competition bhaiya... My friends are playing on roof amd I'm losing again and again"

"Tell me first why did you take the newly bloomed tulips ?"

The boy bit his tongue, remembered last afternoon he couldn't control his greed to take colourful tulips from Mayank's balcony which is almost filled with tubs of saplings.

Shahbaaz put his hands on waist and asked with fake anger; "why are you silent Rachin ? Don't you know how much hardwork your bhaiya does to raise the saplings ?"

Rachin made puppy eyes before his brother's glare. "Sorry bhaiya. Actually I took them for  Mahadev's offering"

"Rachu, your devotion and pooja path should not harm my gardening. Remember it okay ?" Mayank said again followed by Rachin's nod, "now let's go... Dekhte hain konsa patangbaz tujhe harata hai!"

"Hum bhi chalein ?"

"Aajao mere yaar"

Shahbaaz joined the brothers on the way to stairs but maybe Rachin wasn't much lucky to win kite flying competition that day. Their aunt Juhi was standing on their way with her habitual meaningful smile.

"Where are my kiddos going ?" — Even the loving voice sounded bitter in younger Rajkumar's ears as he knows his aunt very well.

"Bua actually Rachu is participating a kite flying competition with his friends, so I'm...."

"Oh my son! Whole morning spent serving Mahadev and now going to fly kite ? Who will read your books bachcha ?" She said interrupting Mayank. "The era of kings' and princes' has gone. Don't expect a luxurious life except higher study"

"Bua please... Just ten minutes, bhaiya bolo na bua ko"

"Bua is right. Go and study Rachu"  The heartbreaking order was so unexpected from his brother. Bhaiya is tiger everywhere but before aunt, he becomes a domestic cat. After cursing the lady in mind he turned around.

"Patang mujhe de do"

Oh this lady! No way except handing over the kite to her. He cursed double before leaving the place. Now her eyes came on elder Rajkumar.

"And you Mayank, how long with Ghazal and thumri ? Go to your dad's office room and take part in the works"

The indirect pinch goodly affected Shahbaaz but he couldn't say anything as he knows... He's adored in this house only for his Rajkumar friend who is lackey of this bitchy lady. They left the place not looking at behind the lady was tearing Rachin's beloved kite.

"Dil chhota mat karo mere dost. Tonight I'm gonna arrange a special concert for you" — despite being unhappy, Shahbaaz didn't forget his duty to keep his friend entertained. It's his everyday's task also, to arrange ustaad (singers) and young dancers.

"Arey nhi Shahbaaz, tumhare woh tawaif pe ab dil nhi aa raha mera!" Mayank pouted. Shahbaaz read his mind as a smirk flickered in his lips. "I know a male dancer too... Umhu, he doesn't come to entertain shahzadas (sons of elites) at night"

"Dignity ?"

Mayank smirked followed by his friend's nod. "Tomorrow is harvesting festival right ? A cultural function will surely be arranged in our hall. Not ?"

Shahbaaz's eyes glittered on praising his friend. "Kya idea diya hai guru! I'm going to inform him right now"

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Haye rabba who's the dancer ?🌚

And am so sad. I came back after long and you guys didn't even asked how I am!😔💔

Poor me thought all time about my lovely and counted days, hours and minutes to provide new story. Okay don't love me but vote my story at least😢