Galleria Of Short Stories ✅

King to my Queen - E2.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and I see a familiar face. He is none other than the host of the fight which took place few mins back. He smiles at me. He introduces himself as Ranchod.

Ranchod: Aap Ratangarh kis kaaran padaare hai? (What brings you to Ratangarh?)

Sid: Jeevan Sangrah hetu (For Livelihood)

R: Toh aap kya vyapaari hai? (Are you a businessman?)

S: Nahi Mahashay.. Humare paas toh bhojan ke liye bhi mudra nahi thi, isiliye sparda mein bhaag liya humne. (No Sir, I didn't even have money for food, hence I participated in the competition)

R: Kya Vidambana hai! Kahi rehneka aashray hai kya aapka? (What an irony! Do you have any place to stay?)

S: [He had no plans to stay but the greed to see her once again popped up] Ji nahi, kahi koi rehne ka prabandh ho jata toh.. (No, I wish I had some place..)

R: Chinta na karo mitra, aap humare saath reh sakte ho, humaara ek akhada hai jaha hum chote baalakon ko malla aur shastra vidhya ka prashikshan dete hai. Aapki ichcha ho toh aap bhi ek guru ke roop mein baalakonko abhyaas kara sakte hai.
(Don't worry friend, you can stay with us, we have a small training centre where we train little kids in defensive techniques. If you wish, you can teach the kids as well)

I readily agreed to his offer. I asked him about the Royal palace and he told me where it was. After the training hours, I stroll in the palace vicinity just to get a glimpse of her but it's been a week and I had no luck.

I am getting restless and I feel I cannot stay without looking at her anymore.

Ranchod told me that there is an archery competition in the palace tomorrow where Kings and Princes from various neighboring states would visit. He said we can attend the competition as audience. I immediately agreed as I might get to see her.

I eagerly wait for the morning as I was unable to sleep reminiscing about her. I don't even know her name yet. If my name ought to be Sidharth, named after a King, I would call her Shehnaaz, the queen my mother mentioned.

"Shehnaaz" I call out loud lying in my bed. A smile forms on my face and I fall asleep.

I wake up at the first break of dawn and get ready for the event. Ranchod and I go to the palace. All these days I had seen the palace from outside however it's interiors could make anyone spellbound with its extreme beauty. We enter the huge arena built specifically for such events. The stadium was full of Ratangarh citizens.

However, my eyes were searching for my Shehnaaz. The Royal family enters the royal block from where they could view the competition and address to audience with ease.

The royal servant announce their arrival in the manner they enter and King Sehdev Singh, followed by Queen Durgeshwari Devi and their only daughter Shakuntala Singh. My heart skips a beat. Dressed in a Royal attire, green lehenga blouse and a thin veil and loads of jewelry enters my Queen Shehnaaz. And her name is Shakuntala but I would still call her Shehnaaz.