Chapter 32
The sabha was still shaken when Rani Kalyani Devi finally spoke.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm that ended arguments, not invited them.
Rani Kalyani: Jaisa ki aap sab ne suna,Rajkumar Randhir ne is shaadi se inkaar kar diya hai.
Her gaze swept across the stunned court.
“Toh ab is jabardasti ke rishte ko zinda rakhne ka koi arth nahi hai.”
A murmur rose again but it died instantly under her presence. Saanvi turned sharply, eyes blazing with disbelief and fury.
Saanvi (angrily): Aap log humare saath aisa kaise kar sakte hain?
Her voice trembled.not with pain, but wounded ego.Rani Kalyani looked at her.
Not harshly.
Not mockingly.
Just truthfully.
Rani Kalyani: Saanvi,
She paused deliberately.
“Humne tumse kabhi ye nahi kaha tha ki Randhir tumse shaadi karega.”
The words landed clean and precise.
“Prastaav humesha yehi tha,” she continued,
“ki agar tum dono ko manzoor hoga tabhi ye rishta aage badhega.”
Her eyes hardened slightly.
“Aur jaisa ki tumne dekha, Randhir ne is rishte se saaf inkaar kar diya hai.”
The finality in her tone left no room for argument.
Saanvi let out a sharp, humorless scoff. Insult burned across her face.
Her pride crushed, exposed, humiliated in front of the entire sabha.
She turned away abruptly, silk swirling in anger.
Without bowing.
Without another word.
She stormed out of the sabha chin high, attitude intact, rage simmering beneath every step.The doors echoed shut behind her.
The echo of Saanvi’s footsteps had barely faded when Raja Subhan slowly rose from his seat.
Beside him, Veena stood as well, her expression tight, lips pressed thin.
Both of them bowed their heads respectfully before the throne.
Subhan: Maaf karna, Maharani.
Bacchi hai… samajh jaayegi.
Rani Kalyani Devi did not soften.
She inclined her head just slightly acknowledgment, not reassurance.
Her voice carried calm authority, sharp as truth.
Rani Kalyani: Jitni jaldi samajh jaaye,
utna hi achha hai… uske liye.
The words were neither cruel nor kind.They were final. Subhan nodded, accepting the verdict without argument. Veena followed his lead, her eyes avoiding the court as they turned away.
Together, they left the sabha steps controlled, pride wounded but intact.
Behind them Aaryan moved quietly.
He followed with the other servants, head bowed, dupatta still covering his face. His steps were small, careful, as if afraid even the sound of his feet might draw attention.
He did not look back.
Did not dare.
His heart still pounded from everything he had witnessed the raised voices, the rage, the word that had shattered everything.
Naa.
That single word echoed again in his mind.As they disappeared down the long corridor, the sabha slowly began to disperse.
..............
Rani Kalyani Devi sat near the window of her chamber, evening light brushing softly against her calm face.
“Randhir.”
Moments later, the doors opened.
Randhir entered and bowed respectfully.
Randhir: Maa… aapne bulaya hume?
Rani Kalyani turned slightly, her lips curving into a knowing smile.
Rani Kalyani: Haan. Aaiye… baithiye.
Kuchh baat karni hai.
Randhir obeyed immediately, sitting beside her, posture straight, eyes attentive.
Randhir: Ji, maa.
For a brief moment, Kalyani simply looked at him.
Not as a queen.
But as a mother.
Randhir shifted slightly under her gaze.
Randhir: Kya hua, maa?
Her voice turned light almost playful.
Rani Kalyani: Kya chal raha hai?
Randhir frowned faintly.
Randhir: Kya… maa?
Confusion crept into his tone.
Kalyani chuckled softly.
Rani Kalyani: Rajkumar Randhir.... maa hoon aapki.
Her eyes sharpened gently.
“Aur maa ki nazron se kuchh bhi chhupta nahi.”
Randhir stiffened.
Rani Kalyani: Kya chal raha hai… us ladke ke saath?
Randhir’s breath hitched.
Shock flickered across his face.
Randhir: Maa vo ”
Kalyani raised a brow.
Rani Kalyani: Haan.Unhi kaali aankhon wale ke baare mein pooch rahi hoon.
Randhir looked away instantly.
Randhir: Maa… aap j... jaisa soch rahi hain… Waisa kuchh nahi hai.
Rani Kalyani: Maa ke saath-saath is rajya ki rani bhi hoon.
Her voice carried quiet authority.
“Aap humse kuchh chhupa nahi sakte.”
She leaned back slightly.
“Aapko pta hai Is rajya mein agar ek patta bhi hilta hai na....toh pehle humse poochta hai.....”
Her eyes sparkled.
“Rani Kalyani, kya main hil sakta hoon?”
Randhir exhaled helplessly.
Silence stretched. Then very softly...
Randhir: Maa… hum use pasand karte hain.”
Kalyani turned fully toward him now.
Her tone was gentle, probing.
Rani Kalyani: Pasand karte hain?
A pause.
“Ya… mohabbat?”
Randhir closed his eyes.
And instantly those wide, teary black eyes filled his mind.
The fear.
The softness.
The way his heart had stilled.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
Randhir: …Mohabbat.
Kalyani smiled.
Not surprised.
Not shocked.
Just… content.
Randhir opened his eyes slowly.
Rani Kalyani placed her hand briefly on his arm.
Rani Kalyani: Aap jaa sakte hain.
Randhir stood immediately, folded his hands, and bowed deeply.
Randhir: Ji, maa.
He turned and left the chamber.
Rani Kalyani remained seated, her smile lingering.
Rani Kalyani Devi remained seated for a few moments after Randhir left.
The chamber was silent now.
She looked toward the door he had just walked out of, a faint, thoughtful smile playing on her lips.
Softly almost to herself she spoke,
Rani Kalyani (thoughtfully):
“Hum bhi toh dekhein…”
“Apne bete ki pasand...”
She paused, correcting herself with a subtle smile.
“Maaf karna…”
“Mohabbat ko.”
The smile deepened proud, curious, and quietly amused.She rose gracefully, adjusting her pallu, queenly composure settling back onto her shoulders.
With measured steps, Rani Kalyani Devi left her chamber, already planning her next move...
Not as a ruler.
Not as a strategist.
But as a mother who had just discovered where her son’s heart truly lay.
..........
The small chamber smelled faintly of turmeric and damp stone.
Aaryan sat on the edge of his low bed, carefully rubbing haldi onto his wrist. The skin there was red and tender still aching from when Saanvi had shoved him aside in anger.
He winced softly, trying not to cry again.
Bas thodi der… dard kam ho jayega…
But his mind refused to stay quiet.
Those eyes...
Sharp.
Dark.
Burning straight through him.
Rajkumar… The way the Rajkumar had looked at him in the sabha made Aaryan’s chest tighten again. It felt too intense, too aware like the man had seen something he wasn’t supposed to.
A sudden sound The door opened.
Aaryan gasped, startled so badly that the bowl almost slipped from his hands. Instinctively, he grabbed his white dupatta and pulled it over his face.
He stood up quickly and bowed low.
Aaryan: M.... maharani… aap…?
He dared to glance up.He dared to glance up.
It was Rani Kalyani Devi.
But not the fierce queen from the sabha.She was smiling warmly.
Rani Kalyani: Kya hum yahan baith sakte hain?
Aaryan froze.
“H... haa ji… bilkul…”
Flustered, he hurriedly cleared the chair near the wall, wiping it with the edge of his kurta as if it wasn’t clean enough for a queen. Kalyani sat down gracefully.
Aaryan remained standing, hands clasped tightly, heart racing.
He didn’t know what to do.
Didn’t know where to look.
Her voice softened even more.
Rani Kalyani: Beta… kya naam hai aapka?
The gentleness startled him.
Aaryan: J...ji… Aaryan.
Her eyes lit up.
Rani Kalyani: Aww… Kitna khubsurat naam hai.
She smiled fondly.
“Aaryan… aao, mere paas baitho, beta.”
Aaryan’s breath hitched.
Shock flashed across his eyes.
M–mere paas…?
Rani Kalyani(encouraging): Aree beta, dariye mat. Aaiye yahan…
Aaryan shook his head instinctively, fear curling in his chest.
Aaryan: N... nahi… m... mai kaise
b....baith sakta hoon…?
Kalyani tilted her head, mock-stern but affectionate.
Rani Kalyani: Humari baat nahi maanoge, beta?
The words weren’t a command.
They were an invitation.
Aaryan swallowed hard.
Slowly hesitantly he sat down beside her, keeping a careful distance, hands folded in his lap, eyes lowered.
His whole body was tense, unsure, bracing for something unknown.
Rani Kalyani glanced at his hands.
At the faint yellow stain of turmeric.
At the redness beneath.Something unreadable flickered in her eyes.
But she said nothing.
Not yet.
Aaryan sat there quietly, heart pounding, unaware...
That the most powerful woman in the kingdom hadn’t come as a queen tonight but she came as a mother.