Torn Pieces

4. Fight

Before Kunwar Pratap could utter a word, Ajabde climbed on her horse and started trotting towards the palace. She turned once and called out "Aayiye!" to everyone. Pratap was shocked, mesmerised and speechless. He could only quietly follow. Ajabde got down from her horse and waited for everyone to do so too. "Go and ask Ranima, Maasa, Balwant and Patta to come out." she told a servant. She undid the piece covering her face but Pratap could make out no emotion or thought from her stoic face.

"Acharyaji, please accept my humble greetings." Ajabde touched Acharya Raghvendra's feet.

"May you always be as brave, as kind and as just as your forefathers Baijilal."

"I thank you for the teachings you have imparted to me despite my circumstances."

"As a teacher, I only search for the thirst of knowledge, the humbleness of mind and strength of character in my students, all of which you have in amounts way beyond your age."

Pratap tried to initiate conversation. "Ajabde, I wa - "

"Have you not informed them yet? Go and see if my message has reached Maa." Ajabde addressed the servant.

"We are here, Ajab." Hansabai called out.

Ajabde climbed up the stairs and took Ranima's hand. "I apologise for making you a witness but I need you to clear Bijolia's name."

Ranima nodded and climbed down the steps. Pratap fell at her feet. "What crime did I commit that you left me, left us, Ranima?"

"I committed a crime. What it was, how it happened, who was involved is not important. You and Ajabde were not involved. What I fail to understand is how you could abandon your newly married wife, not even half a day after your marriage. Is this what I have taught you Pratap?"

Kunwar Pratap had no answer.

"Ranima, can we please not discuss this right now?" Ajabde said tiredly.

"You keep quiet Ajabde." Ranima said sharply.

"Ranima, I am not avoiding or ignoring the subject. We will discuss this, I promise. But attacking the Afghans right now is more important. This soldier came almost to the palace, he might have even sent a message to the Afghan army. We need to act quickly."

"I will take your word for it. Hansa, let us go prepare."

"Let us go to the strategy room. Maa will send refreshments there." Ajabde urged the others.

Pratap had never felt so out of place, so out of depth with Ajabde ever. Her indifference hurt more than her anger. But he kept quiet. Ajabde may not be acting like his wife but Pratap was her husband. He will take everything she throws at him, sad in her sorrows, happy in her joys. Her strategic outlooks and contributions to the soldiers' training made him immensely proud. But her declaration that she would participate in the battle, and lead a battalion herself was unacceptable to him.

"I cannot allow you to do this Ajabde."

"I am the acting vassal of Bijolia. This is a war for Bijolia's safety. My duty is to participate and fight for my people. I cannot sit back and relax." said Ajabde, calmly but sternly.

"And I am your husband. We don't need - "

"It is better if we discuss how you have fulfilled your duty as a husband since we have been married, after the battle. I assure you it is a discussion you don't want to tease now, when we have a purpose bigger than ourselves to serve."

"But Ajabde - "

"Do not call me Ajabde on the battlefield, you will give my identity away. Call me Baijilal. As for the matter of whether I should fight, we shall solve it right now. Guruvar, I am ready, capable and duty-bound to fight in this battle. Tell me, will it be wrong to fight in this battle when all these factors, including my own consent, are pushing me to contribute to a victorious result?"

"Baijilal, I cannot intervene in this matter but your reasons are completely logical, perfectly moral." 

Ajabde turned to Pratap. "Nobody knows these hills, these valleys, the river better than me in Bijolia. I trained from a Bhil woman sent by Acharyaji, I know the tactics they use. I have fought the Afghans all these months. Which individual in this army of yours can boast of such progress, such experience in a mere 8 months?"

"I have no doubt that you are capable. But please understand, I need to know you will be safe when I am not with you."

"Do not bind me emotionally. I was never safe, I will never be safe. My roles and relationships do not render me safety, they promise me challenges. I am not going to be left behind. I am fighting in this war. I vow to fight with all my power in the name of Bijolia and Mewar." Ajabde proclaimed loudly.

Pratap fumed. "Very well. If you have made this decision, I will make one as the commander of this army. Baijilal and her battalion will stick to mine, they will attack the areas that we attack."

"That is not a smart decision. I can lead them in the forests, there are many Afghan soldiers stationed there."

"I haven't finished. Our battalions will attack wherever necessary, wherever we see our soldiers falling weak. The goal of this mission is to find Badshah Khan and make him surrender, so that we can use him to find further information about where and how the other Afghan commanders are stationed."

He explained and plotted some more, then declared "We will meet at the gates in 30 minutes. Jai Eklingji!" As the crowd echoed back his sentiment, he stared at Ajabde, who promptly left.

He followed her to her room, and quickly silenced the servant stationed outside, who was going to announce his presence. He cautiously entered the room and saw that Ajabde had undone her pagdi, her long braid tumbling out. She was undoing her shield and other protective items. Before she would start undoing anything else, he called her name. She turned to him, wide eyed. She had been crying. Ajabde wiped her tears and asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Can I give you a gift?"

Ajabde looked alarmed. "This is not the time to engage in all this."

"I assure you the gift is absolutely necessary for the battle. Can I?"

Ajabde sighed. "Okay. But do not assume this to be anything else other than my obligation to you as a vassal has for their prince. And I reserve the right to deny the gift if I deem it unnecessary or inappropriate."

Pratap nodded. "Meet me at the temple after you are ready."

Ajabde watched him leave with teary eyes. 

Author's Note: The next week's parts are already scheduled to be posted on the 3rd and 5th of December. I will be on hiatus for a week after that cause exams, so there will be no updates in the second week of December. Updates will resume from the 17th of December. Thank you for your support and appreciation, though I won't mind some more ;)