Keshar Mahal.

And many such rooms.

At hall a elderly man at his late 50's was sitting with a sad face. A lady of his age came to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He came out of his lane and wiped a lone tear and look at her.

Lady: ke hua Chote Thakar Sa? Ke soch rahe se?

So the man is anika and Ratan's uncle and the lady is his wife and their anuty.

Bhuvan singh (Chote Thakar Sa)

Sushma Bhuvan Singh (Choti Thakrani Sa)

Bhuvan: kuch nahi Choti Thakrani Sa. Bas soch raha tha ke ab sab theek ho gaya hai. Datahukum (ratan) ke sar se ab khatra tal gaya hai. Diya Baisaa Hukum ab unhe sara business aur sari zimmedari soupne ja rahi hai. Sab theek hai.

Sushma: toh aap ro kyu rahe se?

Bhuvan: aaj Laado ki yaad bohat aa rahi hai. Pata nahi kyu par aaj bohat hi zyada yaad aa rahi. Aapko yaad hai bachpan mein kaise Kaako Sa Kaako Sa karti thi aur maari godh mein aake beth jati thi.

They chuckled and were talking about Anika's childhood. How they use to pamper her and love their "Laado". All call her "Laado Rani" as she was the..... or she is the only girl child. So they used to love her alot. Even the servant and the workers used to call her as "Laado Rani"

Here the choppers landed on the plain land little far away from Keshar Mahal as anika wants to surprise her second parents, her uncle and aunty. All jumped off the chopper. There were few cars and a open jeep for them. All the elders sat in the cars. Anika went to the jeep.

Anika: kisse aana hai mere saath?

Ru: mujhe

He ran to her and sat beside her on the passenger seat.  Gauri Om Ratan Diya Soumya Priyanka and Sahil also joined.

Shivaay: ab main kahan bethun?

Anika: aap Mahi aur Mona ke sath dusri car mein aaiye

Shivaay: kyu? Tumhare sath aaunga toh koi problem hai?

Anika: aisi baat nahi hai shivaay aapko dhul mitti se allergy hai na issiliye and we have to take the desert route.

Shivaay: okay

He left and sat in the other car with a grumpy face.

Mahi: koi baat nahi bhai. Hota hai

Shivaay glared him and he giggled

Shivaay: ruk beta tujhe dikhata hun. Meri baari aane de.

Anika tied a scarf around her head and wore her shades.

Anika: guys aap sab bhi apna sar dhak lijye bohat dhul udegi.

They did so. Anika started the engine and ran the jeep with high speed as she was very eager to meet her family. The other cars also followed her.

Here Bhuvan and Sushma were missing anika badly.

Sushma: hum toh thakar ji se yeh hi prathana karte se roz ke humari Laado Rani jahan bhi ho khush ho.

Anika and the rest reached there. She silently went to hall and saw her uncle and aunty, her second parents. Her eyes got teary. Shivaay saw that and squeezed her hand lightly. She looked at him and he blinked his eyes to give her some support. She nodded

Anika(cracking voice): Kaa...Kaako Sa

Bhuvan(absent mindedly): manne toh Laado Rani ki itni yaad aa rahu hai ke unki awaz bhi sunai dene lagi hai ab. Aisa lag rah he jaise abhi aaiyegi aur phirse maari godh mein beth ke bole gi "Kaako Sa hum aap pe bhaari toh nahi lag rahe?"

Anika smiled and went to him and sat on his lap and circled her hands around he neck.

Anika(teary eyes): Kaako Sa hum aap pe bhaari toh nahi lag rahe?

Shushma and Bhuvan were shocked. It would be understatement for them. Anika stood up followed by the two of them. Bhuvan and Shushma couldn't believe their eyes that their Laado is standing infornt of them.

Bhuvan: ree Choti Thakrani Sa main....main koi sapna toh naa dekh raha. Manne chuti kaato.

Anika(chuckled): nahi Kaako Sa koi sapna nahi hai. Aap ki Laado aapke samne khadi hai.

She bent down to touch his feets and take blessings. He holds her shoulders and made her stand properly and caress her face.

Bhuvan(teary eyes): maa...maari Laado Rani the (you in rajasthani language "the" means you)... the zinda hai. Maari bachi

Anika(holding his palms): haan Kaako Sa aap ki Laado Rani zinda hai. Aap apni Laado ko gale nahi lagayenge?

He nodded and hugged her tightly and sobbed. Anika frowned and broke the hug.

Anika: Kaako Sa aap ro kyu rahe hai?

Bhuvan: yeh toh khushi ke aanshu hai.

Anika was going to say something but her eyes caught a sobbing lady. She moved towards her.

Anika: aree Kaaki Sa aap bhi ro rahi hai. Mat roiyena.

Shushma: hum ro nahi rahe hai

Anika: aree haan aap kahan ro rahi hai. Meri aankhon mein koi problem hai nahi

Shushma smacked her shoulder and she wiped her tears and Bhuvan's too.

Anika: ab koi nahi royega theek hai

They nodded. Then anika took Shushma's blessings

Shushma: jeevti re maari laado rani.

Anika: Kaaki Sa kya aaj aap meri favorite kheer banaiyengi?

Shushma: yeh bhi koi puchne ki baat se? Jarror banaungi.

Anika: Yash Banna kahan hai?

"Yahan" a voice came. It was Yash standing with tears. 

He ran to her and hugged her tightly. Anika strokes his hairs. He was not ready to leave her. Ratan also joined them.

Gauri: koi humse bhi mil lo

They broke the hug and looked at her.

Bhuvan: re chori the kab aai? Aur aap sab?

Gauri: Kaako Sa aap humse mil ke khush nahi hue?

Bhuvan: nautanki karne main the laado se bhi aage hai. Aaja.

She smiled and hugged him. Then Shushma.

Shushma: laado yeh sab kon se?

Anika: Kaaki woh yeh.....

Bhuvan: re bol

Anika: woh yeh log mere.... sasural wale hai.

Bhuvan: kya??

Anika(bend her head): haan.

Bhuvan: Rajput hai?

No response

Bhuvan: aap se kuch pucha ja raha hai. Kya yeh log Rahput hai?

Tej: nahi. Hum Rajput nahi hai.

Bhuvan: kya?? (To anika) toh phir aapne isse shadi kaise ki. Kon hai woh? Kon hai thara pati?

Anika didn't said anything. Shivaay was confused but he spoke

Shivaay: jimain hun. Shivaay Singh Oberoi.

He came and bend to take blessings. He raised his hand and gave silent blessings

Bhuvan: Laado.

Anika: ji....ji Kaako Sa.

Bhuvan: aap ko pata hai na ke humare ghar mein Rajputon ke alava kisike ghar rista nahi joda jata.

Anika: par hum shivaay se bohat pyaar karte hai Kaako Sa. Aur woh bhi humse bohat pyaar karte hai. Sirf woh hi nahi pura parivaar humse bohat pyaar karta hai.

He came to her and placed his hand on her head.

Bhuvan: aap khush hai?

She nodded yes. Bhuvan also nodded imitating her.

Bhuvan: toh phir hum kaise khush nahi ho sakte?

She smiled and hugged him.

Anika: thank you Kaako Sa

Bhuvan: maari bachi ne bohat kuch saha hai. Toh usski khushi ke liye hum itna nahi kar sakte?

She broke the hug and introduce them to everyone. They sat and were talking about anika's childhood how naughty she was. And how she changed after Ratan was born.

Shushma: ab aap sab thodi der aaram kijiye.

Anika: theek hai. Chalo sab ko rooms dikha deti hun.

Shushma: nahi laado kamla(servant) dikha dengi aap aaram kijiye.

Anika: theek hai.

She and shivaay went to her huge room.

Shivaay was stunned. He was exploring each and every corner

Anika: kaisa lag mera room?

Shivaay: beautiful

Anika: ek aur chiz dikhati hun chaliye.

She took him to a secret room. It was completely dark. She on the lights. There was a sofa like swing on which only two persons can sit. It was in the center of the whole empty room. The surrounding was black.

Shivaay: anika yeh kya hai?

She snapped her finger. Shivaay gave a confused look. Anika pointed her finger on the ground. He looked there and was shocked he took a step back. He saw a huge shark.

Anika noticed him shocked or say scared. She then clapped her hand twice. Then suddenly the whole surrounding turned blue. It was like they were under the ocean. The Aquatic animals moving around.

Shivaay(surprised): Aquarium?

Anika: aree nahi yeh aquarium nahi hai

Shivaay: toh yeh?

Anika: technology you know?

Shivaay: really?

Anika: haan. Iss jagah ke baare mein kisiko nahi pata. Sirf aapko bataya hai. Yeh mera secret relaxation corner hai. Aur yeh julaa (she went and sat on it) aaiyena.

He also came and sat beside her. She started swinging.

Shivaay: par sirf under water hi kyu?

Anika: aree aapko jahan jana ho wahan le jati hun.

She clapped and the surrounding turned into a forest with a slient waterway.

Shivaay: wow!!!

They were silently swinging.

Anika: kaisa laga mera ghar?

Shivaay: ghar? Isse palace kehte hai

Anika: haan par mere liye toh ghar hi hai. Papa Sa Hukum ne iss Mahal ka half section ek hotel mein convert kiya hai. Humara main business pehle hotel ka hi tha. Woh toh phir textile industries, schools, colleges etc etc mein develop kiya.

Shivaay: hmm. Aaj Kaaki Sa aur Kaako Sa ki baaton se pata chal. Tum pehle se hi aisi ho

Anika: haan kyu ke main iss ghar ka chota bachha thi. Papa Sa, Maa Sa, Kaako Sa, Kaaki Sa, Raghu Bhai Sa sab mujhe bohat pyaar se rakhte the.

Shivaay: par unhone kaha ke tum Ratan ke aane baad badal gai.

Anika: haan. Badal na pada. Raghu Bhai Sa kahin chale gaye. Maa Sa bhi hume chhod ke chali gai. Kaaki Sa bhi pregnant thi. Papa Sa ko business sambhal na tha aur Kaako Sa ko unka business sambhal na tha. Toh uss mein Ratan ka dhayan kon rakhta? Woh toh bohat chote the.

Shivaay: matlab tum tab se wonder woman ho. Wow

Anika: aisa nahi hai. Papa Sa humesha kehte the "Chahe kitna bhi responsible banna pada ho apne andar ke bache ko kabhi maar na mat. Humesha aisi hi rehna" aur main unki koi bhi baat kabhi nahi taalti.

Shivaay: itna pyaar karti ho unse?

Anika: you can't even imagine. Main unse sirf pyaar hi nahi unki izzat bhi bohat karti hun. Sirf main nahi sab unse bohat pyaar karte hai aur izzat toh bohat karte hai. Not just because he was the king. Par woh bohat hi achhe insaan bhi the.

Her eyes moistened up. Shivaay side hugged her. She looked at him and he gave a sweet smile. She also reciprocated it. They stayed there for sometime and then went to have lunch.

All were waiting for them.

Ru: aree aap dono kahan the hume bohat bhukh lagi hai

Ratan: haan Jiji Maa Sa

Anika: sorry sorry. Ab chalo.

They went near the table. Anika was going to sit on the side chair. When Ratan stopped her.

Ratan: aree Jiji Maa Sa aap kahan ja rahi hai? Aap yahan bethiye. (Pointing towards the head chair)

Anika: woh chair Datahukum ki hai. Matlab aapki.

Ratan: nahi yeh chair ghar ke head ki hai. Matlab aap. Aap ko yaad hai na Papa Sa ne ghar ke sare decisions lene ka hak aapko diya hai.

Anika: haan toh?

Ratan: toh aap hui ghar ki head aur iss chair pe aap bethengi (he made her sit on the head chair)

Anika: par..

Bhuvan: laado Datahukum sahi keh rahe hai

Anika: kya sahi keh rahe hai Kaako Sa?

Bhuvan: Bhai Sa ne aap ko hak diya tha. Toh yeh jagah bhi aap ki hai. Ab manne koi sawal na sun ne chup chap khana khaiye.

Anika: theek hai.

They had their lunch. Anika went to a room where her father's huge photo was hanging. And before it there was a sword on the table.

She took the sword up with utter most respect and proud and make it touch her forehead.

Anika: maine apna wada pura kiya Papa Sa Hukum. Aap khush toh hai na?..... Mujhe pata aap meri baat sun sakte hai. Aap humesha se mere saath the har kadam par. Humesha aapki di hui sikh mujhe sahi raah dikhati thi, hai aur aage bhi dikhaiyegi. Aaj itne saalon baad ghar wapis aai hun. Khushi toh bohat hai. Par aapke bina kuch adhura sa lagta hai. Kaash aap yahan humare saath hote. Par khair koi baat nahi. Aap yahan psychically nahi hai par hum sab ke dil mein zarror hai. Aur humesha rahenge..... I love you and I miss you Papa Sa Hukum

She caress the photo and wiped her tears and left from there

********