Published on:- 16/1/25 [Thursday]
...

"मेरा राज़ भी तू, पुखराज भी तू
मेरी आस, प्यास और लिबास भी तू
मेरी जीत भी तू, मेरी हार भी तू
मेरा काज, साज और मिज़ाज भी तू"

...

A day later, the large bathing room glowed softly with the warm light of golden lamps, making the marble and glass walls shine.

The bath in the middle was round and filled with warm, fragrant water. Rose and jasmine petals floated on the surface, and light steam filled the air with a sweet smell.

Samanvitha sat calmly in the bath as her long hair was falling around her shoulders as drops of water glistened on her skin. She looked graceful and calm, even while resting.

Kanchi knelt by the bath, carefully pouring scented oils into the water.
Mala gently washed her hair, moving slowly and carefully.

Ganga worked quietly, making sure the Princess was comfortable and relaxed.

Samanvitha, still relaxed in the warm bath, suddenly looked at her maid and asked, "Suno! Hume Kundarastra rajya ke bare me janna hai. Thoda sanchipt me batao."

The maid, startled for a moment, quickly composed herself and replied, "Kundarastra ek samruddh aur prachin rajya hai, Rajkumari. Kundarastra rajya ka naam kundar nadi se utpann hua hai. Yahan ke logon ka jeevan krishi aur kala par aadharit hai. Rajya apne sundar mandiron, sugandhit masalon, phoolon aur vastra ke liye prasiddh hai. Yahan ka shasan nyaay aur sadachaar par aadhaarit mana jaata hai."

Samanvitha rolled her eyes as she listened carefully. But her curiosity grew as she imagined the rich lands and vibrant culture of Kundarastra Kingdom.

'Kitna bhi accha kyun na ho. Hamare Rajdhara se accha nahi ho sakta'. She thought.

Samanvitha nodded outwardly but inside, her thoughts were filled with anger and disdain for King Abhisaar.

"Aur kaun kaun hai Raja ke parivaar mein?", she asked, her voice steady but sharp.

Mala, the maid, immediately bowed her head and replied cautiously, "Kshama chahte hain, Rajkumari, lekin yeh dasi Sahi parivaar ke baare mein yun hi baatein nahi kar sakti".

Understanding Mala's hesitation, Samanvitha chose not to press further and remained silent.

Just then, another maid, Ganga, stepped forward hesitantly. "Rajkumari!" she called, but before she could say more, Samanvitha snapped, her tone was icy, "Yuvraj hain hum. Yuvraj bulao hume".

Ganga instantly knelt down, bowing deeply as she replied in a soft, trembling voice, "Kshama kijiyega, parantu Kundarastra rajya mein sirf ek Yuvraj hain - Yuvraj Shivaal. Yeh dasi kisi aur ko Yuvraj ki upadhi se kaise bula sakti hai?".

Samanvitha's eyes narrowed, her frustration evident. "Thik hai. To fir hume Rajkumari bhi mat bulao", she said curtly and her words left an uneasy silence in the chamber as her command lingered in the air.

"Ji," the maids replied in unison, their voices were barely above a whisper.

The room grew silent again and the soft splashes of water was the only sound as the tension hung heavy in the air.

The maids exchanged cautious glances as they were unsure of how to proceed without further upsetting Samanvitha.

After the bath, Samanvitha stepped out gracefully and the water was dripping from her hair and skin as the maids quickly wrapped her in a soft towel.

They presented her with a freshly prepared outfit. It was an elegant silk long skirt, blouse, veil (lehenga/ Ghagra choli) embroidered with golden threads.

However, one glance at the dress was enough to ignite her displeasure. Her sharp eyes scanned it, and her expression darkened.

"Bahut sundar vastra hai parantu hamare kaam ke nahi hai. Hum aise vastra nahi pehente hai", she said and the maids froze.

Mala stepped forward hesitantly, her voice shaky. "Kshama chahte hain, Yuv... raj... hum samajh nahi paaye ki aapki pasand kya hai"

Samanvitha narrowed her eyes but said nothing, the silence more intimidating than her words. Finally, she turned away and gestured impatiently.

"Hume antariya do", Samanvitha

[A/N:- A simple small antariya or strip of cloth, langoti was attached to the kaya bandh at the center front, and then passed between the legs and tucked in at the back. Simply it's undergarment].

The maids quickly scurried away to fetch antariya, leaving Samanvitha standing tall, her expression was cold and commanding. The maid looked at the saris, lehengas, and ghagra cholis, tunics, robes, and all draped garments as they didn't understand what Samanvitha was asking for.

"Hamare liye kurta aur dhoti- churidar- pyjama le kar aao. Yaad rakhna safed rang hamara pasandida rang hai" Samanvitha commanded in a firm tone.

Ganga was startled by the unusual request as she hesitated before responding cautiously, "Parantu, ye vastra to purushon ke liye hote hain. Aap toh ek stree hain"

Samanvitha's sharp gaze fell on Ganga, silencing her at once. "Hum aise hi vastra pehente hain," she said with quiet authority and her voice left no room for argument.

Ganga bowed her head immediately as she sensed the finality in Samanvitha's tone. "Ji", she whispered and retreated quickly to fulfill the unusual request.

Samanvitha stood tall, her wet hair clinging to her back, unbothered by the whispers her command might spark among the servants. She was determined to live by her own rules, defying conventions and expectations without hesitation.

Moments later, Ganga returned, carrying the requested attire - a crisp white kurta paired with a finely woven dhoti-churidar- pyjama.

The maids exchanged uneasy glances, but no one dared to speak.

Samanvitha took the outfit without a word, inspecting it with a keen eye. Satisfied, she began dressing herself, waving away the maids' offer of assistance.

The room was silent and the maids were watching as she tied the dhoti with practiced ease, the kurta fitting her slender frame perfectly.

Once dressed, she turned to face the mirror. The traditional male attire contrasted sharply with her delicate features, yet it suited her commanding presence. She braided her hair and then made a high bun of it.

Her reflection was not of a princess bound by societal norms but of a leader determined to forge her own path.

As she adjusted the folds of the dhoti, Ganga hesitantly spoke, "Aap is vastra mein... alag lag rahi hain".

Samanvitha glanced at her reflection and smirked slightly. "Alag hona hi toh hamara asli swaroop hai. Tum sab is baat ko jitni jaldi samjhogi, utna hi behtar hoga. Ye hai hamari Pehchan, Rajdhara rajya ka Yuvraj - Samanvitha Gayasen".

The maids lowered their heads and murmured their agreement.

Samanvitha who was now fully dressed and exuding an air of authority, stepped out of the chamber.

The quiet murmurs of the maids faded behind her as she walked with purpose and was ready to face whatever lay ahead.

Suddenly, the door swung open without warning, and Yuvraj Shivaal strode in, his presence as commanding as ever.

However, he froze mid-step and his sharp eyes widened in surprise as they landed on Samanvitha who was dressed in manly attire.

"Rajkumari?", he said as his voice was filled with both shock and confusion.

For a moment, he seemed unsure if he was in the right place.

Samanvitha turned slowly and her expression was calm and unbothered.

"Yuvraj Shivaal", she acknowledged as her tone was steady, almost challenging. "Kyun aap bina anumati ke andar aane ka shauk rakhte hain?".

Shivaal blinked, regaining his composure. "Mujhe laga Rajkumari ko dekhne aa raha hoon, par yahaan toh... yeh kya ho raha hai? Aap yeh vastra kyun pehni hui hain?".

Samanvitha raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "Yeh hamara nirnay hai. Hum jo pehne, usse kisi ko koi fark nahi padna chahiye. Aapko is par aashcharya kyun ho raha hai?".

Shivaal folded his arms as his gaze was unwavering. "Yeh vastra purushon ke hain. Aap ek Rajkumari hain, ek stree. Aise vastra pehankar aap kya pramaanit karna chahti hain?".

She stepped closer and her confidence was radiating. "Hum jo bhi karein, woh hamari pehchaan aur iccha ka pramaan hai. Agar aapko samasya hai, toh yahaan se jaa sakte hain".

Shivaal’s lips twitched as if suppressing a smile. "Aap hamesha se alag thi, par yahaan tak badalne ki umeed nahi thi".

Samanvitha tilted her head slightly, her smirk growing. "Humara alag hona hi hamari pehchaan hai, Yuvraj. Aur yeh badlav nahi, hamara asli roop hai. Jo apne aj dekha hai".

Shivaal paused for a moment before stepping back with a faint nod. His expression softened, and a trace of admiration flickered in his eyes.

"Satya kaha. Parantu aaj pehli baar nahi dekha. Hamari pehli mulaqaat yaad hai? Woh yuddh shetra tha. Us samay bhi aap purushon ke vastra mein thein, aur apka chehra dhaka hua tha", He said and Samanvitha’s brow arched slightly, intrigued by his words, but she remained silent, letting him continue.

"Bas jo hamare samne tha- woh thi aapke do samundra jaise nayan", he said as his voice was lowering and carrying a hint of reverence, "aur yuddh jeetne ki woh jwala, jo kisi ko bhi prabhavit kar sakti thi. Aap tab bhi alag thi, aur aaj bhi wahi hain".

His words hung in the air as it was heavy with meaning. For a moment, the tension between them shifted, replaced by something deeper- respect mingled with something unspoken.

Samanvitha’s gaze softened briefly, though her voice retained its edge. "Yuddh mein jeetne ki jwala sabhi mein hoti hai, Yuvraj. Kintu yeh bas kuch logon ko hi nazar aati hai".

Shivaal gave a faint smile, tilting his head slightly as he replied, "Ho sakta hai. Par un kuch logon mein se ek main bhi hoon".

The room fell silent again, their gazes locked in an unspoken challenge, yet beneath it lay a growing understanding of the kindred spirits they were.

After a moment of silence, Shivaal took a step back and, his sharp eyes were still fixed on Samanvitha. "Aap sach mein alag hain, Rajkumari. Shayad isiliye aap hamesha yaad rehengi."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and walked out of the chamber. His footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway, leaving behind an air of tension and unsaid words.

Samanvitha stood motionless for a few moments, her gaze following him until he disappeared.

"Ab bas ek talwar mil jaye," Samanvitha thought as her fingers were itching to hold the weapon that symbolized power and freedom to her.

She had no idea that her thoughts were not as private as she believed.

Shivaal who was standing a few corridors away, had already sensed the storm brewing in her mind. His connection with her was sharper than he would admit, and her desire for the sword was crystal clear to him.

"Koi aisa kadam mat uthaiyega, Samanvitha. Jahan hum dorahe pe khade ho jaayein" he thought to himself, his jaw tightening.

Without wasting a moment, he turned to the guards stationed nearby and commanded with authority, "Dhyan rakho Rajkumari ka. Unka ek kadam bhi is sheesh mahal ke bahar na pade".

The soldiers, startled by the sudden order, quickly straightened and saluted. "Ji, Senapati ji!"

Shivaal nodded, his expression unreadable, though his mind was restless.

He couldn’t let her rebellion turn into trouble, especially when so much was at risk. As the soldiers took their positions, he gave one last look toward her chamber before walking away.

His heart felt heavy with worry, mixed with a quiet respect for her strong and fearless nature.

....

How's the chapter readers?
Thank you
ShineeSunshine ♥️