Janeman ❤️
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Happy reading, Sakhi... ❤️
• The Girl Behind the Veil •
It was only when the late morning sun had climbed high to spill through the narrow window slits that Dilshana finally stirred.
For several moments, she remained where she was. Her throat burned with thirst, every limb felt unbearably heavy, and the silence surrounding her seemed suffocating.
She slowly pushed herself upright and immediately glanced toward the locked door. Her fingers instinctively tightened around the silver bangle resting beside her, and she remained seated for several moments.
Then a faint, familiar scent reached her.
Her gaze slowly shifted toward the small table beside the cot. A brass platter had been left there, covered with warm flatbreads and a bowl of spiced lentils, the aroma awakening the hunger of three days.
She stared at the platter for several seconds before finally reaching toward it. Her hand trembled as she pulled it closer. Even then, she hesitated before taking the first bite.
The moment the food touched her tongue, her body seemed to remember what survival felt like.
She ate slowly at first, almost cautiously, before hunger overcame restraint and her fingers began moving faster until the sharp twisting in her stomach finally began to settle.
She lowered the empty platter onto the table and remained seated for a while.
When she finally rose, her knees nearly buckled beneath her.
She caught the edge of the cot before looking toward the small mirror fixed to the sandstone wall.
She almost wished she had not.
The girl staring back at her looked unfamiliar. Her cheeks had lost their colour, dust clung to her skin, and strands of her long hair were tangled with dried blood. The face she had known all her life seemed buried beneath the exhaustion of the past few days.
She turned to the chest kumud had mentioned and opened it. Inside lay a few pairs of simple cotton lehengas, blouses, and traditional odhnis.
She ran her fingers hesitantly over the unfamiliar fabric. She had lived in Ratangarh for six months and had seen women dressed in such clothes every day. She selected the simplest set and carried it toward the small bathing area.
Before stepping inside, she glanced once toward the locked door. There was nowhere to go, and no one she could call.
She slowly removed the blood-stained clothes and set them aside, her gaze lingering on the dried crimson marks that covered the fabric.
She reached for the clay jar resting beside the bathing area and lifted it. The first stream of cold water poured over her head, running through her tangled hair and down her face.
The moment the water touched her skin she trembled, tears slipping freely from the corners of her eyes, disappearing into the streams of water, allowing the blood, dust, and exhaustion to wash away from her skin.
When she finally stepped away, she wrapped herself in a plain cloth and reached for the clothes she had chosen.
The cotton blouse felt unfamiliar against her skin, while the layered lehenga seemed heavier than anything she was accustomed to wearing. She adjusted the pleats carefully before draping the long odhni across her shoulder.
She finally stepped out of the bathing area. She stopped before the mirror again.
The reflection staring back at her looked strangely unfamiliar. Her damp hair fell in heavy waves beyond her waist, her face remained pale from exhaustion.
She slowly touched the edge of the odhni near her shoulder, adjusting it more securely around herself.
She looked like someone who belonged inside Mewar. The thought frightened her more than she expected.
A click echoed as the door unlocked, and Kumud stepped into the room carrying an earthen pot to refill the drinking water.
Kumud stopped dead in her tracks, the pot nearly slipping from her hands. She stood completely shocked as she stared at the captive girl.
Dilshana's appearance was breath-taking. She possessed the alluring beauty of the deep deserts. A high-boned facial structure balanced by an athletic, lean, and strikingly toned body built from years of resilience.
Her posture was naturally commanding, yet her green eyes held a nervous shimmer as she tracked Kumud's reaction.
Kumud quickly recovered, setting the pot down and pouring a clay cup full of water. She extended it toward Dilshana.
"Ab chehra nahi chhupana?"
(You are not hiding your face anymore?)
Dilshana slowly shook her head from side to side. She took the cup and drank it down to the last drop.
Dilshana looked at Kumud. She raised her slender hand, pointing toward the platter on the table and then toward Kumud, tilting her head in an inquiring gesture.
Kumud understood the sign instantly and smiled warmly.
"Haan, maine khana kha liya. Tumhaare jaise main bhookhi nahi rehti."
(Yes, I have eaten. I don't stay hungry like you.)
Kumud sat down on her low stool, launching into a steady stream of chatter about the daily chores, and the strictness of the kitchen supervisors.
Dilshana sat quietly on the edge of her cot, her eyes fixed on Kumud, listening to the comforting drone of the girl's voice as it filled the lonely silence of the room.
Suddenly, The thud of hurried footsteps echoing down the stone corridor caught Dilshana's attention. Her survival instincts kicked in, she grabbed the long edge of her odhni and pulled it forward, draping a long veil.
The door barged open with a violent crash. Three fiercely built female palace maids stepped into the room.
Dilshana's breath hitched. She instinctively shrank back, her fingers clenching into the bedsheets as terror clawed at her throat.
The head maid barked out a command.
"Chalo yahan se! Utho jaldi!"
(Get out of here! Move quickly!)
Dilshana shook her head violently, her body trembling in terror. The three maids lunged forward together, their hands clamping onto her arms to drag her off the bed.
Dilshana fought back with everything she had. Kumud rushed forward, tears streaming down her face as she tried to pull the maids away, crying out in panic.
"Kahaan le ja rahe ho use? Chhodo use!"
(Where are you taking her? Leave her alone!)
One of the maids swung her arm back, shoving Kumud away, making her stumble. "Apna mooh band rakh, Kumud! Beech mein aane ki zaroorat nahi hai!"
(Keep your mouth shut, Kumud! No need to come in between!)
Dilshana reached blindly onto the side table, clutching the heavy brass platter. She swung it violently. The sharp edge of the metal slammed across the second maid's forehead. The skin split, and blood began to ooze down.
The injured maid let out a sharp hiss of pain. She lunged forward, grabbing Dilshana's wrists in a crushing grip.
"Nakhre mat karo! Chalo yahan se... tumhaare asli sthaan par!"
(Don't throw tantrums! Get moving... to your real place!)
Kumud screamed out from the corner.
"Senapati tumhe chhodenge nahi! Unhone hi ise yahan rakha hai!"
(The Commander will not spare you! He is the one who kept her here!)
The head maid let out a cold sneer as she stepped closer, looming over the bed.
"Senapati to yaha hai hi nahi."
(The Commander isn't even here.)
The words hit the room like an ice-cold wave. The maid lunged forward again, her hands reaching out to grab Dilshana by the hand. Dilshana scrambled backward until her spine hit the stone wall. She grabbed clay cup and hurled it at them.
"Toh unhe bulao! Woh hume yahan lekar aaye the! Hum kahin nahi jayenge yahan se!"
(Then call him! He was the one who brought me here! I will not go anywhere from here!)
The voice cut through the room like a silver blade. She was not mute.
Her voice was deeply feminine, yet underlined by a strength that echoed powerfully against the walls. Even behind the deep veil, her posture suddenly transformed, radiating the undeniable power of a woman who refused to be handled like cattle.
An absolute silence fell over the entire room.
Kumud stood in the corner, her eyes wide, her jaw dropped in absolute shock. Her breath hitched in her throat as she stared at the captive girl. The silent creature she had been comforting had just spoken.
The maids slowly lowered their arms. For a brief moment, they exchanged a quiet glance before the head maid stepped back.
She turned and walked out of the chamber, the other two following without another word.
As they stepped out of room, the head maid gave a slow nod to the guard standing at the distance.
This had been Agnijeet’s order from the beginning. He had deliberately sent the maids to break Dilshana’s mute act, knowing that fear and desperation would eventually force her to speak.
The moment her voice finally broke through the silence, the purpose of the entire confrontation had been fulfilled.
The guard immediately turned and marched toward Agnijeet’s chamber to report what had happened.
Inside the room, Kumud stood frozen in the corner, her fingers still digging into the rough wall. The shock on her face slowly curdled into a bitterness. Tears of welled up in her eyes. She had poured her heart out, felt agony for this girl's suffering, and treated her with unconditional warmth, only to realize it was all a calculated lie.
Dilshana scrambled off the cot, and took a step toward Kumud, extending her hands in a pleading gesture.
"Kumud... Humari baat suniye," Dilshana begged, her voice trembling. "Humara maqsad aapko dhoka dena hargiz nahi tha."
(Kumud... listen to me. My intention was never to deceive you.)
Kumud stepped backward to avoid Dilshana's reach.
"Dhoka nahi tha? Tin din main tumpar taras khati rahi, aur tum meri bhavnayo ka mazak banati rahi!"
(It wasn't a deception? For three days I kept pitying you, and you made a mockery of my emotions!)
"Nahi, Kumud, Khuda gawah hai aisa nahi hai!" Dilshana's eyes swam with tears. "Hum kab se us zahrili dawa ke asar mein the... Humari awaz chli gai thi. Aur abhi ek dushman sarzameen par hai. Yha hume kis par aitbaar hota? Hume khauf tha.. bahot sari chizo ka khauf."
(No, Kumud, God is my witness it isn't like that! For days I was under the influence of that poisonous medicine... my voice was completely gone. And now I am in an enemy land. Who could I trust here? I was afraid... terrified of so many things.)
Kumud wiped a tear. The warmth she had held for the captive girl completely evaporated, replaced by the bitter reality of their warring kingdoms. "Aitbaar?" Kumud spat, her voice shaking with quiet fury. "Maine tumpar daya dikhai, aur tumne mujhe hi chhala."
(Trust? I showed you mercy, and you cheated me.)
Dilshana flinched as if she had been physically struck. She opened her mouth to plead further, to explain the agony of being hunted and captured.
But Kumud turned away sharply, her face twisted in utter anger, she marched straight to the door and stepped out without casting a single glance back.
• The Sultan's Silence •
The chamber deep within the fortress of Ratangarh was drowning in darkness. Only a few flickering wall torches cast long shadows across the floor. The scent of burning bakhoor and myrrh hung thick in the stagnant air.
The dim glow revealed a imposing figure seated upon a jewel-encrusted throne.
It was Sultan Sikandar shah.
He was wearing a pitch-black silk, embroidered with dark silver threads. His face was ruthless, and weathered by decades of bloodshed, his eyes gleaming with a cold intelligence.
He held a dagger in his hand, casually spinning the sharp blade between his fingers as if it were a toy.
A man rushed inside the chamber. It was Raja Bhanupratap of Ratangarh, his face was contorted with anxiety and rage.
Bhanupratap stopped right in front of the elevated dais, his voice shaking with anger as he broke the silence.
"Sultan! Chaar din beet chuke hain... Woh senapati Dilshana ko uthakar le gaya hain! Aur hum yahan haath par haath dhare baithe hain!"
(Sultan! Four days have passed... That commander have abducted Dilshana! And we are sitting here with our hands tied!)
Sultan did not even stop spinning the dagger in his hand. He slowly tilted his head, his eyes fixing upon Bhanu Partap with a chilling calmness.
He nodded his head once.
"Koi baat nahi."
(It does not matter.)
Raja Bhanupratap froze. His jaw dropped in utter shock, his eyes widening as he stood completely dumbfounded.
• The Conspiracy of Court •
For three long days, the locked room became a tomb of solitude and pain. Kumud came every day like clockwork, carrying a platter of food and a fresh jar of water, but she would enter in silence, set the tray down, and leave without casting a glance toward Dilshana.
The suffocating stillness of the room, bruised Dilshana's heart far more than the physical walls surrounding her.
Dilshana's mind churned with endless, tormenting questions. It had been nearly a week since Agnijeet had ripped her away from her life, slung her over his shoulder, and dragged her into the Mewar.
During that terrifying journey, she believed that the moment they crossed into Mewar's stronghold, she would fall victim to his lust. She had braced herself for the absolute worst a ruthless military commander could inflict upon a captured woman.
But, the reality had turned out to be far more nerve-wracking. The moment he threw her behind these locked doors, he simply walked away. He had never returned.
This was feeding her terror instead of soothing it. The unknown was far more terrifying than a known threat. What was this monster planning? What game was he playing with her existence? The impossibility of understanding his intentions drove her mad with anxiety.
Kumud stepped inside carrying a plate of food. Her face was cold and her eyes carefully avoided looking at Dilshana.
Dilshana stood up immediately. She took a slow step toward Kumud, her heart aching at the silence between them.
"Kumud... Khuda ke liye apni narazgi ki ye deewar gira do," Dilshana said softly, her voice carrying a sweet cadence as tears glittered in her eyes. "Tumhari ye khamoshi humare dil par shamsher ki tarah chal rahi hai. Hum qusoorwar hai, lekin humari majboori ko bhi samajhne ki koshish karo."
(Kumud... for God's sake tear down this wall of anger. Your silence is running like a sword through my heart. I am guilty, but please try to understand my helplessness as well.)
Kumud set the platter down on the small side table.
"Mujhe aapke kisi spashtikaran ki avashyakta nahi hai. Hum Mewar ke log hain, Chhal aur kapat hume samajh nahi aata. Bhojan yahan rakh diya hai, ise grahan kar lijiye."
(I do not need any of your explanations. We are the people of Mewar, we do not understand deceit and trickery. The food is kept here, please accept it.)
Dilshana stepped closer, taking a leap of faith to gently rest her hands over Kumud's stiff wrists. Kumud flinched slightly. Dilshana looked deep into her eyes.
"Tum hume saza de do, chahe toh taane maar lo, lekin is tarah begana mat karo," Dilshana murmured softly, her fingers tightening gently around Kumud's hands. "Is dushman sarzameen par tum hi toh humari akeli humdard thi. Kya humara ye gunah itna azim hai ki tum apna reham bhi humase chheen lo?"
(Punish me if you want, taunt me if you wish, but please do not treat me like a stranger. In this enemy land, you were my only compassionate soul. Is my crime so great that you will strip away even your mercy from me?)
Kumud looked down at Dilshana's hands, then up into her tear-stained face, the pain in Dilshana's voice began to melt the frozen barrier.
Kumud let out a long sigh, her shoulder visibly relaxing. She pulled her hands back gently.
"Tum bhojan kar lo. Main tumse koi shatruta nahi rakhna chahti."
(Please eat your food. I do not wish to hold any enmity with you.)
Dilshana swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded, accepting even this small softness.
Dilshana asked a sudden question.
"Kumud... kya humare liye kahin se koi paigaam aaya hai?"
(Kumud... has any message arrived for me from anywhere?)
Kumud turned her head slowly, looking at Dilshana. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"Paigaam? Aisa koi paigaam aaya bhi hoga toh mujhe iska koi gyaan nahi hai. Aur yahan tum tak paigaam pahunchega bhi kaise?"
(A message? Even if such a message had come, I would have no knowledge of it. And how would a message even reach you here?)
Dilshana didn't answer her question.
Kumud shook her head. "Tum kabhi kuchh sach btaogi apne bare me? Apna nam bhi?"
(Will you ever tell me anything true about yourself? Even your name?)
Dilshana looked into Kumud's eyes, her gaze heavy with an unspoken burden. "Zindagi ne ijazat di toh ek din sab kuchh batayenge. Par tab tak humari dosti ke khatir humase kabhi koi sawaal mat karna."
(If life allows me, one day I will tell you everything. But until then, for the sake of our friendship, please never ask me any questions.)
Kumud stared at her for a long moment, the mystery around the captive girl only deepening.
"Main yahan sirf bhojan rakhne nahi aayi thi. Maa Saheb ne tumhe bulaya hai."
(Anyway, I didn't come here just to drop off food. I came to get you. Maa Saheb has summoned you.)
A sudden bolt of panic shot through Dilshana's veins.
"Maa saheb?" Dilshana whispered, her voice trembling. She looked at Kumud anxious eyes.
Kumud's tone softened, answering the unspoken terror in Dilshana's mind.
"Bhaybheet hone ki avashyakta nahi hai. Woh Maharani Kalavati jaisi nahi hain... woh Senapati Agnijeet ki Maa hain."
(There is no need to be frightened. She is not like Maharani Kalavati... she is Senapati Agnijeet's mother.)
The mention of Agnijeet's mother brought a cold wave of apprehension over Dilshana as she nodded slowly.
As soon as she crossed the threshold of her room into the corridor, she pulled her odhni far forward in a sweeping veil.
Flanked by Kumud and gaurded by four gaurds marching behind them, Dilshana was escorted down the hallways toward the grand upper chambers.
The doors of the hall were pushed open.
Yashodhara Devi was sitting on a wooden chair. She was draped in cotton attire, her face radiated a calm dignity, though her eyes were sharp with the weight of ancient royal authority.
Kalavati was seated in side, looking smug as she glared at the approaching captive.
Dilshana was brought to a halt in the center of the vast chamber.
Yashodhara Devi's gaze settled on the veiled figure. She took in Dilshana's entire appearance. A silence blanketed the hall before Yashodhara spoke.
"Aapka naam kya hai?"
(What is your name?)
Dilshana remained perfectly mute. She stood like a statue, her head lowered beneath her veil.
Yashodhara Devi's eyes narrowed slightly. The treachery that had put her son in danger was a deep wound to her pride. "Ranbhoomi mein chhal karne ki kya avashyakta padi aapko? Kya aapko apni sena ke saamarthya par vishwas nahi tha, jo bina kapat ke vijay prapt nahi kar sake?"
(What was the need to resort to deceit on the battlefield? Did you lack faith in the capability of your own army, that you could not achieve victory without trickery?)
The accusation hung in the air. Dilshana's chest heaved softly, but she kept her chin tucked down, refusing to respond.
Yashodhara Devi's voice hardened into a firm command.
"Apna ghooghat hataiye."
(Remove your veil.)
Dilshana stood frozen in the center of the hall, clutching the edge of her veil in sheer resistance.
Kumud, standing a step behind her, leaned in closer to her ear, whispering in panic. "Apna ghoonghat hata do... Maa Saheb ka aadesh hai."
(Remove your veil... it is Maa Saheb's command.)
Yet, Dilshana remained stubborn, standing silently like an immovable pillar.
Kalavati leaned forward, her face twisting into a cold sneer.
"Apna ghoonghat svayam hatao, ya main kisi sainik se kehkar hatwaoon? Aur yadi main hatwaungi... toh kasht adhik hoga."
(Remove your veil yourself, or shall I have a soldier remove it? And if I have it removed... the pain will be far greater.)
Dilshana felt the room shrinking around her. Realizing there was no escape and taking a shuddering breath, she slowly raised her hands. She lifted her odhni and pulled it back.
Yashodhara Devi's eyes immediately locked onto the captive girl. She studied the sharp lines of Dilshana's face, and the distinct desert features.
Then, her gaze shifted directly into Dilshana's eyes.
The moment her eyes met those striking green irises, Yashodhara Devi froze. Her breath hitched in her throat. The color drained from her face. She sat completely paralyzed, staring at Dilshana.
Suddenly, a palace guard marched in with echoing footsteps, bowing low before Yashodhara Devi and Kalavati.
At the sudden intrusion, Dilshana pulled her odhni even forward, adjusting her deep veil.
The guard announced. "The King has ordered. Everyone has been instructed to present themselves in the Royal Court immediately."
Hearing the call, Dilshana slowly turned on her heel, preparing to return to the safety of her locked room with Kumud.
"Rukiye!" the guard raised an arm, blocking her path. "Yeh aadesh aapke liye bhi hai."
(Stop! This order applies to you as well.)
A cold wave of dread washed over Dilshana. Her heart began to hammer violently against her ribs. Raj sabha? In front of the King, the ministers, and the entire court of Mewar?
Dilshana stood frozen as four armed guards stepped around her, forming an impenetrable perimeter. With Kumud walking nervously beside her, Dilshana was escorted out of the chamber.
She walked down the long corridors toward the royal court, her heart trembling in terror.
They finally reached the carved wooden doors of the Royal Court. As Dilshana crossed the threshold, a suffocating wave of tension slammed against her.
The grand court was packed to its limits. Scores of noblemen, commanders, and ministers sat along the elevated galleries, while armed guards lined the pillars.
The moment she stepped inside, hundreds of gazes dripping with hostility, disgust, and raw suspicion turned to lock onto her. The hum of the court instantly died into a chilling silence.
Durgpal was sat on the elevated throne, his face contorted in absolute rage. Before Dilshana could even process the room, his booming voice shattered the quiet like a thunderclap.
"Iske haath baandh do!"
(Bind her hands!)
Two guards stepped forward immediately. Grabbing her wrists, they bound them tightly with rope.
It was then that Dilshana's eyes fell upon the center of the court floor. A lifeless body lay sprawled on the floor.
The corpse was dressed in civilian clothes, belonging to no known military force, yet its presence cast a grim shadow over the hall.
Suddenly, Agnijeet entered the court. He had just returned after spending the entire night at the border camps, overseeing the medical treatment of his wounded soldiers.
He took three steps into the hall before his sharp gaze swept over the scene. He saw Dilshana standing bound in ropes. He saw the enraged King, the hostile faces of the ministers, and the dead body lying in the center.
Then, his eyes drifted toward the royal family's elevated enclosure and Agnijeet froze. His mother was sitting there quietly. He had no idea she had returned from the ashram.
Agnijeet instantly masked his shock, his expression turning back into an unreadable wall.

He looked straight at Durgpal, stepping into the center of the court, his voice echoing with authoritative gravity.
"Hume yahan kyun bulaya gaya hai? Aur is ladki ko yahan kis se poochhkar laya gaya?"
(Why have I been summoned here? And on whose permission was this girl brought here?)
Durgpal stepped down the dais with burning fury.
"Kisse poochhkar? Senapati, iska uttar aapko dena hai! Is ladki ke peeche shatru ke jaasoos hamare rajmahal tak pahunch rahe hain! Yeh dekho... yeh toh bhagya tha ki hamare pehredaron ne ise sahi samay par pakad kar dher kar diya! Yeh ladki Mewar ke liye kaal sabit hogi! Ise kis adhikar se rajmahal mein rakha ja raha hai? Yeh upeksha ab nahi chalegi!"
(On whose permission? Commander, you are the one who must answer! Because of this girl, enemy spies are reaching the very heart of our palace! Look at this... it was mere luck that our guards caught and killed him in time! This girl will prove to be the doom of Mewar! Under what capacity is she being kept inside the palace? This madness will not stand any longer!)
The ministers instantly chimed in, shouting their agreement. Prince Sangram stood up, demanding a formal explanation, accusing Agnijeet of putting the entire kingdom's security at risk for an enemy prisoner.
Agnijeet stood perfectly still in the chaotic tempest of the court, his arms clasped behind her back, his eyes shifting silently from one accusing face to another.
Yashodhara Devi slowly stood up from her seat. Her dignified voice instantly hushed the hall. "Agnijeet... Aap ek shatru kanya ko uthakar le aaye hai. Aapne use mahal ke ek kone mein rakh chhoda hai. Uttar dijiye, beta. Yeh sabha aapse uttar maang rahi hai... Mewar ko aapse satya jaane ka poora adhikaar hai."
(Agnijeet... you brought an enemy girl. You have kept her hidden in a corner of the palace. Answer, my son. This assembly demands an answer... Mewar has every right to know the truth from you.)
The entire court held its breath. Hundreds of eyes locked onto the Commander standing beside the bound, veiled girl.
Agnijeet took a deep breath. His gaze shifted away from the King and the shouting ministers, fixing directly upon the Kul Guru sitting in the council row.
His thunderous voice cut through the court, ringing off the tall pillars with absolute authority.
"Vivah ki taiyari kijiye, Kul Guru. Hum abhi is ladki se vivah karenge. Phir Mewar ko ya is poori sabha ko koi prashn nahi hona chahiye ki yeh ladki kis adhikar se yahan reh rahi hai."
(Prepare for the wedding, Kul Guru. I shall marry this girl right now. Then Mewar or this entire assembly will have no right to ask under what capacity she stays here.)
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