Chapter 26
The air smelled of incense and smoke.Oil lamps flickered against mud walls.Thunder growled somewhere in the distance.
Inside a dimly lit room, muffled screams of a woman filled the air.
A woman was in labor.
Her voice tore through the silence.
Lady attendants rushed around her, wiping sweat, giving support, whispering prayers.
Lady attendant:
“Himmat rakhna, devi… bas thoda aur…”
The woman, pale and exhausted, cried out again, clutching the sheets.Outside the room
A man in his early 30's paced anxiously.
Wearing a royal angarkha, sword at his waist, hair tied sharply his presence was powerful, commanding.
He wasn’t pacing because he was scared.He was impatient.
Rajveer Singh Rathore.
His eyes gleamed with a strange excitement.His hands kept tightening around the wooden boxes he was packing
Suddenly
A loud cry pierced the air.
A newborn’s cry.
Clear.
Sharp.
Alive.
Rajveer froze.
His face slowly broke into a wild, ecstatic smile.
Rajveer:Mera… bachha!
He rushed toward the door just as the attendant opened it.
The tired mother lay breathing heavily, tears on her cheeks, but her eyes were shining.
The midwife carefully held a tiny baby wrapped in a saffron cloth.
Midwife:Mubaarak ho, Maharaj
aapke ghar putra ka janm hua hai.
Rajveer stepped in, unable to hide his happiness.He bent over the newborn and laughed, a deep sound of pride.
Rajveer (softly):Meri… pehli aulaad.
The baby’s tiny fingers curled, as if reaching for him.
.........
The moment Rajveer Singh Rathore stepped out of the birthing room with the newborn in his arms, the atmosphere in the haveli shifted.
The torches outside were already lit, the cool night breeze carrying the scent of wet earth.
Below the grand balcony, the entire Rathore sena, servants, villagers, and guards had gathered.
Hundreds of eyes waited.
Hundreds of breaths held.
The birth of the heir meant not just joy but political power, alliances, and future dominance.
Rajveer walked toward the massive balcony draped in crimson silks.
A prideful smile spread across his face as he looked at the child tiny, red, crying softly.
He opened the balcony doors.
A deafening roar rose from the courtyard.
“RAJVEER SINGH RATHORE KI JAI!”
“AGLA WARIS ZINDABAD!”
The crowd’s voices thundered against the walls.Rajveer stepped forward, holding the newborn carefully.
Then He lifted the baby high toward the sky.His powerful voice echoed through the entire haveli.
"YEH MERA BETA…
IS SAMRAJYA KA AGLA WARIS
RANDHIR SINGH RATHORE!”
An explosion of cheers shook the ground.People clapped, whistled, bowed, and chanted:
“RANDHIR SINGH RATHORE KI JAI!”
Rajveer basked in the glory, chest swelling with pride.Then he raised his free hand to silence the crowd.The courtyard fell quiet instantly.
Rajveer’s voice boomed with authority:
“Aur main Rajveer Singh Rathore
yeh elaan karta hoon…”
A pause.
The wind held its breath.
“Mere bete ka vivah mere mitra
Subhan Singh ki putri
SANVI SINGH
se tay hota hai!”
Cheers erupted once again.
People threw flowers.
Drums began beating.
Women cheered in celebration.
Rajveer smiled, was proud and satisfied.
He was not just announcing an heir
he was sealing an alliance.
A powerful future.
He turned slightly, gazing at his newborn son with fierce determination.
Rajveer: Tu mera khoon hai.
Mera garv.
..........
Year : 1887
Five years passed.The Rathore haveli grew richer, louder, more powerful.
And somewhere in its shadow… two children grew too.
SANVI SINGH - age 6
Daughter of Subhan Singh.
Promised bride of Randhir since the day he was born.A little girl dressed in expensive lehengas, anklets tinkling wherever she ran.
Sharp eyes for her age, too aware, too intense.
People always whispered:
“Bahut ziddi hai…”
“Apne hone wale pati ke bina kabhi nahi rehti…”
RANDHIR SINGH RATHORE -age 5
The heir.Quiet.Serious and
Cautious.
A child with far older eyes.
And one thing everyone noticed he didn’t like being touched.Didn’t like loud people.Didn’t like clinginess.
Didn’t like Sanvi.
Not even a little.
A Courtyard Afternoon
The sun was gentle that day.
Servants swept the courtyard.
Women were drying papads.
Men practiced swordsmanship.
Randhir sat alone under a banyan tree, playing with wooden animal toys.
His peace ended in three seconds.
“RANDHIIIIR!!!”
A shrill little voice pierced the silence.
Randhir’s head snapped up.
No.
No.
Not again.
Sanvi came running across the courtyard, dupatta flying, bangles jingling, two braids bouncing behind her.
Randhir (panicking whisper):
“Baap re… phir aa gayi…”
He immediately stood up to leave.
Too late.
Sanvi crashed straight into him, wrapping her tiny arms around him possessively.
Sanvi:Randhir! Tum kahan the? Maine tumhe har jagah dhoonda!”
Randhir stiffened like someone dropped ice down his spine.
He wriggled.
Randhir:Hato! Mujhe chhodo, Sanvi!”
Sanvi (pouting dramatically):
“Nahi! Tum mere hone wale pati ho! Mai kyun chhodun?”
Randhir groaned.
Even at age five, he hated these words.
Randhir:Main pati vati nahi hoon! Main khel raha tha akela. Chalo jao!”
He pushed saanvi a little.
Sanvi held his kurta tighter.
Sanvi:Tum hamesha mujhse bhaagte kyun ho? Mujhe pasand ho tum!”
Randhir’s nose scrunched.
He stepped back so suddenly that Sanvi stumbled.
He didn’t care.
He pointed a chubby finger at her.
Randhir:Mujhe tumhari baat bilkul pasand nahi! Dur rha karo mujhse
Sanvi gasped, eyes widening.
Then her expression twisted.
Sanvi (angry):Tum… tum mujhse duur gaye toh main ro dungi! Sabko bataungi!
Randhir rolled his eyes . He is five-year-old but has a legendary attitude level.
Randhir:mujhe koi farak nhi padta , tum ro lo chahe kuchh bhi karo.”
Sanvi stomped her foot.
Sanvi:Nahi! Tum mere ho! Papa ne bola hai tumse meri shaadi hogi!
Randhir’s eyes flashed.
He hated that sentence more than anything.Even at his age, something inside him rejected it violently.
Randhir:Shaadi toh main kisi se nahi karunga!
Sanvi froze.
Then her face turned red.
Sanvi (screaming):TUM MUJHSE HI SHAADI KAROGE! BAS!
Randhir covered his ears.
Randhir:Aahh! Chilla mat! Mujhe tumse dosti bhi nahi karni!
Sanvi’s breath trembled.
Something dark flashed in her eyes
something possessive…
something dangerous…
something no six-year-old should feel.
She whispered
Sanvi:Tum mujhe chhod ke kahin nahi jaa sakte, Randhir.
Randhir frowned, confused.
Randhir:Main kyun nahi jaa sakta?
Sanvi leaned closer, her tone almost eerie.
Sanvi:Kyuki jo mera hota hai…
Main usse kisi aur ko nahi deti.
Aariv, watching the vision, trembled.
Veeransh clenched his jaw.
Because of Sanvi’s obsession…
had already begun.
“Randhir!!!”
His mother’s call broke the tension.
Randhir darted away instantly like a freed bird.
Randhir:haa Maa aa raha hu!
And he sprinted inside without looking back.
Sanvi watched him go…
Eyes narrowing.
Fists curling.
As if a promise carved itself into her tiny heart that day.
...........
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