Chapter 8

The moment the heavy oak door closed behind her, Abhimanyu let out the breath that he did not know he had been holding. For a good measure he locked the door, like he had locked his heart. Just an hour with the witch had drained him of all his energy. He envisioned what a lifetime would do to him and shuddered at the thought. Life, in the form of his dear father has thrown a curve ball at him and he had no option but to face it.

He reminisced the time when his father broke the news to him.

TWO YEARS AGO

The Study, Vilaspore Palace

Chandra Raj Singh summoned his son to his study to discuss something of great importance. Abhimanyu stood in front of him in absolute obedience. He adored his father and although his father had left all the decisions relating to their various businesses to him, he still considered his father as the ultimate authority. Now looking at his father, he tried to make out what was going on in the monarch's mind.

"Son, you are twenty four now", the king started speaking twisting his pipe in his hands. "In a few years you will have to do what every male in our family has done. Marry . . . a woman and produce an heir so that the line will flourish and prosper", he cocked his head to a side. "Do you harbor any affections for anyone?".

An image of a girl floated in front of his eyes but he quickly brushed it away. He would not think of her. No!

"No father", he said in absolute surety. "I have better things to do than take a risk in the business of the heart".

Chandra Raj Singh laughed at his son's choice of words but sobered immediately,

"Everything is not business Abhi. Love . . . is not a business", he explained.

"I understand father but I would rather not fall in love. Any way we royals have political alliances right? It has been that way since ages. I do not want to change that tradition", Abhimanyu's voice had a finality to it and even his father did not dare broach the subject further.

Chandra Raj regarded his son for some time. Abhi the light of his eyes, his flesh and blood. He was extremely proud of his son so would have been his mother. Abhimanyu saw a flash of pain cross his father's eyes and he understood the reason. His father was thinking about his wife. As if on cue his father spoke,

"I wish your mother was alive to see this day. She wanted to be the one to break the news to you. She was always talking about how she will pull your leg and tease you to no extent but now . . . ", his father's eyes became distant. Abhimanyu could no longer bear the waves of emotions that was threatening to drown him. His mother's death had pushed him into a deep dark hole and no matter who all tried, he did not want to be pulled out. He had an inkling of what his father was getting at and he hoped against all odds that he was not referring to his worst nightmare.

"What is it father?", he pressed his father to continue. His father sighed "Guess I have to do the honours now. When you were young my best friend and I made an agreement that would bind our two families forever. My son", he paused for the grand effect "Maharaj Virendra Singh and I have made an arrangement in front of the Mahasabha and according to it few years from now on an auspicious date you and Princess Nandini will be tied together in matrimony".

His nightmare had come true.

The humming of his phone broke him from his thoughts. He glanced at it once and ignored it.

When his father had broken the 'great news', he had tried high and low and every possible way to find a way out. His father had not budged and nor will he ever. After heavy consultations he realized that if he wanted to break off from the arrangement, both the maharajs' should be willing. He for one was quite certain that his father will never be willing. Basically, his father had somehow got the wrong impression that the union was his late wife's wish and come what may his father would see it fulfilled.

If she had appeared anywhere near him at that time he would have gladly killed her. Even today it took immense restraint from his part not to reach out and break her beautiful neck. Yes! She was beautiful but then she had been beautiful five years back, snaring everyone and making them eat out of her palm. At that time however he did not realize that the girl was a seductress. She had made a great show of innocence and hell he had even fallen for that back then. Lucky for him he had come to know her true nature by then. He was amazed by her canny ability to forget things. How could she forget the person who treated her like her own daughter? How could she forget all that happened five years ago? She had reduced him to a pitiful person in front of his mother who had died believing her only son was a pervert. Rage clouded his eyes as he remembered the accusation that was leveled by her. 'I should have gone ahead and made the accusation right', he told himself in frustration.

Feeling the need to replenish his energy, he walked over to the cabinet by the wall and poured out a dark golden liquid from the fancy decanter. It was not his usual style to drink mid-morning but he needed this shot to clear his head. He downed the drink in one go and felt the golden liquid burn his throat.

'Nandini', he rolled her name on his lips as he poured himself another drink. The rage ebbed away and a strange sensation washed over him as he recalled her image. He glanced at his left hand as he remembered the sensation of her soft skin under his fingers.

"That is the only soft feature in you", he remarked taking a sip from the glass.

After staring at his hand for some more time he ran it over his hair in a bid to wipe out the invisible trace of her skin.

"I need to get a hold of myself. This weakness would not do", he downed the remaining drink and placed the crystal glass with blunt force on the counter. She had to pay the price and she will he said to himself as he picked up his phone and dialed his secretary.

*********************************************

Roopa had always been vary of Keshav Satara. It was no rocket science to decipher that the old man did not like her. He was a traditionalist and as per tradition women did not run the affairs of the palace. Although she was appointed as the palace manager, the running of the palace and its large estate still fell on Keshav's shoulders. She could not by pass any of his decisions and she could not take any decision without his consent. Right now though all of that was beyond her comprehension. Two words utters by Keshav ji was etched in her brain.

Princess and to be betrothed.

Never in her twenty three years of existence had she hated her present station as she did now. She was embarrassed. Two pairs of eyes looked at her in a condescending way. The third pair was busy looking at the various photographs of the royal family that adorned the wall.

"Roopa ji, please apologize to the princess", Keshav's voice boomed in her ears. Roopa turned to where the princess was going through the pictures and mumbled a half-hearted apology. At her pathetic excuse of an apology Uday stepped forward.

"I understand that you were unaware of who she was, but now that you know, I except you to behave more appropriately. Apologize to her properly". Roopa looked at Uday in disbelief and somehow she collected herself and went to where the princess was,

"I . . . I am sorry madam. I should have known better. Please forgive me", she spoke clenching her fists so that her long nails were biting into her palm. Nandini did not budge or turn from regarding the pictures.

"No", came the restrained reply, "I do not feel like forgiving you today. Try your luck next time", she then called out to Uday and pointed a finger at one of the pictures.

"Look Uday, it's a picture of maa and Padmini maa". Uday went over to the wall to get a closer view. He smiled with a nod then turning to her he said in a serious voice, "We need to leave baby. We have quite a lot if distance to cover".

Ignoring him she turned to Keshav Satara.

"Keshav ji, where is the maharaj?". Keshav wanted to tell the truth to the princess but he did not dare disobey the yuvraj. There might be a good reason for why kumar sa wanted to keep it hidden.

"Hukum, maharaj is out of sorts today. The doctor has asked him to take complete rest. Nothing to worry about though", Keshav hoped that she would leave it at that. He did not want to lie to her after all sooner or later she would be a part of the family.

Nandini was not satisfied by the answer but she did not press forward either. Before asking the next question she looked at Roopa,

"You can leave"

Roopa could not understand what was more hurting the abrupt way in which she was dismissed or the apology that was not accepted or the fact that there was a contender for her prince. Bowing her head she left the three and hurried off to lick her wounds in the privacy of her office. After she left Nandini directed her question at Keshav Satara.

"How did Maharani Padmini . . .  pass away?". Uday gasped and Keshav sighed but both remained silent. Keshav was probably reminiscing about the maharani, too sad to speak of her untimely death. Uday on the other hand was desperately looking for ways to distract her.

"Nandini there would be some other time for questions. We need to leave now sweetheart", he tried gently pushing her toward the main door. Nandini pushed his hand away while looking at Keshav all the time.

"Please Keshav ji", her voice had a pleading tint to it "I need to know". The pleading worked enough for Keshav Satara to relate the details. His eyes misted slightly and his voice trembled which he tried desperately to keep under control.

"It was five years ago, Maharani Padmini was upset with something that happened on the evening of Dussehra after the festivities. No one knows what happened but the very next day she was filled with remorse. She was in no condition to drive but she did not listen to anyone, not even the maharaj. We got the news late in the evening that . . . that maharani Padmini was no more. She was killed in a car crash", Keshav's voice broke as he wiped his eyes with a kerchief that he pulled out of his pocket. Nandini stood still listening, absorbing and trying to place the information that she received. She vaguely recalled the festivities, the dance. Then there was darkness all around and she remembered there was a man . . . a man . . . a man, she repeated in her head. She closed her eyes concentrating hard forcing herself to remember more.

"A man . . . a man", Nandini shouted as she clutched her head in agony. Uday immediately rushed to her side and held her before she could fall down. Nandini held on to Uday's shirt like a life line breathing heavily.

"Breathe baby! Breathe, that's it. Breathe slowly . . . ", Uday rubbed his hands up and down the small of her back trying to calm her down. Uday's phone rang at that precise moment and he fished it out from his pocket. "I'll call you back Vikram. She is safe and she is with me. Okay got to go".

Keshav Satara frowned as he witnessed the princess behaving quite oddly. He did not like the fact that the princess was in Uday sa's arms. He was surprised that she had asked about the death of the late queen. How could she have forgotten so easily?, he mused. True she did not attend the cremation, but she would have known about the queen's death wouldn't she? It was not his place to question, he had to broach it with the yuvraj, if the latter would deem to tell him.

"Uday sa shall I call a doctor?", he questioned with concern and hoping that they would move apart, "there is one in the palace right now". Uday refused the offer but requested for a glass of water.

"Of course Uday sa", he scurried to find a maid. Uday continued to hold Nandini and felt her body sag against his. It was a miracle that she had not broken down completely. He shook her, gently coaxing her to look at him.

"We need to leave Nandini. Pull yourself together. There are eyes and ears all over the palace. Please . . .", he pressed on. A single tear fell from her eye and rolled on her soft cheek to disappear down her throat.

"Why can't I remember anything Uday? Everything is a blur. It is just bits and pieces. What is happening to me?", she hiccupped as a sob caught in her throat. Uday exhaled but his grip around her didn't slacken.

"You are absolutely fine baby. Just hold on and we will be out of here quite soon", his soothing voice washed over her in comfort. It was good that Uday was holding her otherwise she would have sprinted up the stairs and flown into Abhimanyu's arms. Why she got this thought or feeling was beyond her comprehension but for that moment just thinking about Abhimanyu and imagining his arms around her made her breathe normally.

Keshav re-appeared with two maid, one carrying a glass jar of water and the other with a crystal glass on a silver platter. On reaching them the maid poured the water in to the glass and extended it to them. Uday continued to hold on to Nandini with one hand and with the other took the glass of water and offered it to her. Although she shook her head refusing to drink, he gently persuaded her to take a swig. As the cool liquid travelled down her throat she shivered involuntarily.

Uday placed the glass back on the platter while Nandini removed herself from his embrace. Keshav Satara breathed a sigh of relief at that. The sight of Uday holding on to the princess was not something he would encourage. The tongues would wag for sure, he noted as he saw the maids looking curiously at the duo. Such behaviour from a royal was not expected. No matter how the princess might have felt, she should have learnt to control her emotions.

"Are you feeling better? Can you walk?", Uday inquired softly. In a feeble voice Nandini said yes.

Nandini gave one last look at the wall, then peeked at Uday who was intently staring at a picture. She followed his line of sight and her eyes rested on the family portrait of the royal family with the maharaj in the center and a girl and a man standing on either side. Her heart lurched when she took in Abhimanyu dressed in royal finery his hands resting on the sword. She willed her eyes from him to the girl. She was dressed in traditional Rajasthani dress with the pallu draped over her head. She was extremely pretty and looked hardly nineteen or twenty at the most. She gasped as she recognized the girl. The pieces of puzzle arranged automatically and revealed itself to her.

"I have a hidden agenda",

"He will not find what he is searching for this side of the eternity",

"What is he searching for?"

All of the above statements lead to one answer. Nandini turned to look at Uday in new light recognizing the softness of his eyes and the faint smile on his lips.

The answer was:           Uttara

Uttara was his hidden agenda.

Uttara was Abhimanyu's sister.

Uday was in love with Princess Uttara Devi.

A/N: Hello all, thank you dear ones for your votes and support. It means a lot to me and makes me want to keep writing. Please let me know how do you like the story. Good, bad, okay . . . your comments would encourage me to do better. Thank you once again