❝ ɪ ᴀᴍ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴋᴜɴᴡᴀʀsᴀ, ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴛᴀɴᴛʟʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴋɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴜs ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀɢᴜɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ.❞

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The fort of Udaipur was decorated like a newly wedded bride. And why not? It's beloved Kunwarsa Adhrik Singh Raghuvanshi was returning after seven years of constant war and victory.

His three mothers, Maharani Jayvanta baisa, Rani Sajja baisa and Rani Dheer baisa were busy decorating every nook and cranny of the palace.

And on the other hand, the ladies of the harem, including his wife kunwarani Veer baisa were busy decorating themselves. Sola-shringhaar were going on in each corner of the harem.

Though the queens were quite displeased with the irresponsible behavior of their daughter-in-law, they didn't wanted to mendel today.

"Jija, it would have been really nice if badi kunwaranisa was to be present here. She would have been of immense help," expressed Sajja baisa to Jayvanta baisa. The chief queen sighed at her statement.

"You're right Sajja behna. But remember, not to talk about her in front of kunwarsa Adhrik. Otherwise he would be very much displeased." Reminded the chief queen to her co-wife from the experience of the past.

Though seven years have passed, she still doesn't know the mental state of her son about his marital relationships.

Also, she had no idea of what exactly went wrong with him and her first daughter-in-law. Through the letters, she has concluded her to be a perfect example of an ideal queen.

"No one even knows her name jija. Yet, I do admire the hold she has on the entire harem. Ranaji is right when he says, he sees your reflection in her," answered Dheer baisa, the third queen of Maharana to Jayvanta baisa.

Ranaji, their husband was also impressed by the young lady. He often said that if he would have been blessed with a daughter, she would have been exactly like his badi kunwaranisa.

"I just pray to Eklanji, that we can meet her soon," replied Sajja baisa. Both the other queens can do nothing but agree with her.

They all have developed quite a liking towards their first daughter-in-law. But they have yet to know about how much of their family background and identity was she aware of.

"Khama ghani maharanisa, kunwarsa Adhrikji has entered the fort. He will be at the palace gates soon." A maid servant ran to them with enthusiasm. All three of them smiled and went towards the gate to welcome their son.

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Whole Udaipur has been decorated with flowers and diyas. There were musicians and dholis performing folk dances on the occasion of the crown prince's welcome, on either side of the streets. The songs of lore and heritage of their culture, were sung and danced upon by the graceful performers of Awadh.

When Kunwarsa Adhrik Singh Raghuvanshi entered Udaipur, he was showered with flower petals and greetings from the subjects crowded around him for at least his single glimpse. He has decided to enter his city on foot to meet as many subjects of his he could in person.

He greeted each and every person with utmost love and respect. He knew the name and family background of every influencial person and courtiers of Udaipur, even if he was not present there for the past seven years.

He also addressed each and every common subject very politely and exchanged his pleasantries. Not even a single person present should feel lowered or not of importance in his presence, was his single aim.

He addressed his subjects including himself as one huge family, whose head was his father and their king, Maharana Udaipratap Singh Raghuvanshi himself.

His subjects offered him love and sweets, which he accepted as much as he could due to the sweets being offered in excess.

The maidens present around him, subtly ogled at him giggling among themselves. He was quite obvious to the said renderence.

While he was rather interested in the dance forms displayed by enthusiastic subjects of his. The elegant movements in sync of the songs conveyed stories and legends of his ancestors and praises of himself.

He even joined some of the performers and danced elegantly matching their steps relishing the feeling of belonging amidst his own people.

The simple yet graceful movements of folk dances, that are passed from generation to generation by every citizen of Awadh, always made him feel connected to his culture and made his attachment towards his country and his subjects deeper while dancing amidst them.

By doing this, he was successful with his efforts of making people believe that he was no different from any common man of his empire.

He considered himself one among his subjects, and he made sure to convey it to them. He repeatedly urged them to directly approach him anytime for sharing their problems and sorrows.

He promised them to be present for their aid till his last breath. He would always be in service to make their present and future better even if it cost his own.

His subjects were reassured and his praises continued to be sung all over the land. Just a merry glimpse of his or a slight touch of his hand or clothes made the subjects feel blessed.

And the crown prince tried his level best to reach as many people as he can of his country. Not only from Udaipur, people from all over Awadh have come for his single glimpse.

But one thing that everyone noticed was his ever present mask. His mask stating his position as the crown prince and chief of the army, his pride was ever persistent on his face throughout the day.

The people of Awadh sure wanted to see his face, but they also respected his privacy and the intent to wear his pride over his face, though it was unknown.

They were content with the aura of peace and protection his presence radiated. His love and devotion poured out his body regardless of the mask that obscured his face.

He entered Udaipur at dawn and now, it was currently twilight when he stood before palace gates and his beloved mothers.

They welcomed him after doing his aarti and tilak. He frowned as soon as he realized the absence of his wife for his formal welcome as per the ritual and custom of the royal family.

His mothers deciphered his thoughts and merrily grimaced, shaking their heads in disappointment. He couldn't help but just sigh back. How irresponsible can this woman get?

As a wife of the crown prince, she is expected to abide by formal customs of the royal family. What example would she set in front of his subjects?

He swore he would have found her plastering white powder on her face somewhere in his harem at the moment. And in a flash he recalled Baisaa.

He couldn't help but notice that she would have followed the atticates and customs as the next queen of his empire after his mother. He discarded the thought immediately recalling the base of their alliance.

"Where is dajiraj, ranimaa?" he inquired. He would have to approach his beloved father himself. Because for Maharana Udaipratap Singh Raghuvanshi, his pride as a respected king was his everything.

He didn't expect his father to be waiting for him at the door like his mothers, but that doesn't mean that he was not waiting eagerly for a glimpse of his son.

"He was last seen with your bhai Shakti, going towards the royal sitting area with chieftains of Awadh," replied his middle mother Sajja baisa, chuckling. Which made him laugh nonetheless.

Sure his brother and father had a unique bond. They always teased and taunted each other, though having immense respect for each other.

While he was the one with a tender relationship with his father. From engaging in deep conversations regarding life to learn fencing and horse riding from his father, all was experienced by him as a first born of his father.

"I am your father kunwarsa, more importantly your king. Thus I don't appreciate you arguing with me." Came the cold, heavy and deep voice of his father cutting sharply throughout the royal sitting room.

He can immediately hear the annoyed reply of his brother, "That doesn't mean we will have jalebis in dessert today. I was promised kheer!" his brother exclaimed while emphasizing on the names of sweets to get his point across.

He couldn't control but laugh out loud while removing his mask, when he realized they both were fighting for desserts in dinner before the important chieftains of Awadh.

By hearing his laugh, his father's eyes snapped towards him immediately. The replica of his own eyes, found his face. Maharana Udaipratap Singh Raghuvanshi's cold gaze softened while he stood up from his throne.

Adhrik immediately went and bent down at his feet to take his father's precious blessing.

Maharana picked him up from his feet and hugged him tightly. Caressing his hair and feeling his body as to ensure his presence in front of him as a reality and not just a mere figment of his imagination.

"Wah Ranaji, kunwarsa is a ditto replica of yourself," stated the old friend of his father and the most trustworthy person of Awadh, Rawat Chundawat. While Maharana smiled at him in pride, he went and touched Rawat Chundawat's feet.

"Khama gani Rawatji." He greeted.

"Ghani khaama Baujiraj," replied the father-figure to him quite emotionally. He was as important to him as his father. He then greeted every honorable chieftain present there.

"If your melodrama is over then can we proceed to eat kheer dadabhai?" muttered Shakti yet again emphasizing on kheer to agitate his father some more.

"How many times I have to tell you kunwarsa Shakti, that today your badimaasa has prepared jalebis and not kheer?" Maharana snapped annoyed. On which Shakti groaned and others merely chuckled.

These family moments were worth his return. He can't help but let this feeling of happiness spread over his heart at the moment. Yet, he felt that something was lacking. Or was it someone?

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sʜᴀʙᴅ-ᴋᴏsʜ :- ᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴᴀʀʏ

sᴏʟᴀ-sʜʀɪɴɢʜᴀᴀʀ : sɪxᴛᴇᴇɴ ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ ᴛʏᴘᴇs ᴏғ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ-ᴜᴘ.

ᴊɪᴊᴀ : ᴇʟᴅᴇʀ sɪsᴛᴇʀ. ᴏʀ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴜsᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴇʟᴅᴇʀ ᴄᴏ-ᴡɪғᴇ.

ʙᴇʜɴᴀ : sɪsᴛᴇʀ.

ʀᴀɴᴀᴊɪ : ᴋɪɴɢ.

ᴇᴋʟᴀɴᴊɪ : ᴍᴀʜᴀᴅᴇᴠ/ʟᴏʀᴅ sʜɪᴠᴀ.

ᴅɪʏᴀs : ᴇᴀʀᴛʜᴇɴ ʟᴀᴍᴘs.

ᴅʜᴏʟɪs : ᴛʀᴀᴅɪᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴅʀᴜᴍᴍᴇʀs ᴘᴇʀғᴏʀᴍɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ғᴏʟᴋ ᴛᴜɴᴇs.

ᴀᴀʀᴛɪ : ᴡᴇʟᴄᴏᴍɪɴɢ ᴠᴇɴᴇʀᴀᴛɪᴏɴ.

ᴛɪʟᴀᴋ : sʏᴍʙᴏʟ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴏɴ ғᴏʀᴇʜᴇᴀᴅ ғᴏʀ ᴀᴜsᴘɪᴄɪᴏᴜsɴᴇss ᴡɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴅᴇʀ.

ᴊᴀʟᴇʙɪs : ɪɴᴅɪᴀɴ sᴡᴇᴇᴛ ᴅɪsʜ.

ᴋʜᴇᴇʀ : ʀɪᴄᴇ ᴘᴜᴅᴅɪɴɢ.