Rajveer’s POV

“Roop, yehi naam hai na uska? (Roop, isn’t that her name?)” I asked to my brother who stood in front of me filled with nervousness and anxiety as he confessed his love in front of me.
“Ji, bhaishaab (Yes brother)” Dev said.
“Toh pyaar ho gaya hai tuje (So you have fallen in love)” I said.
“Aisi baat nehi hai bhaisaab meine use deka aur laga ki acchi ladki hai, aur Junaid ne bhi kaha ki voh zameendar ki beti hai aur.............(It’s nothing like that brother I saw her and thought she was a good girl and Junaid also said that she was the daughter of the landlord and..............)”
“Tumeh pata hai na ki voh kahi ki rajkumar nehi hai? (You know that right that she is not the princess of anywhere?)”
“Ji bhaishab (Yes brother)”
“Aur phir bhi tum use shaadi karna cahthe ho (And you still wanna marry her?)”
“Ji bhaishab (Yes brother)”
“Chalo mere saat (Come with me)”
I took him inside my bedroom where there was an old picture of Radhika before our marriage.

“Tumeh yaad hai ki hum tumhare bhabi sa se kaise mile the (Do you remember how I met your sister in law?)”
“Bilkul yaad hai bhabhi aadi Hindu thi aadi musalman aap unke rajya mein siyasi maslon ki vajah se gaye the aur unehe dekthe hi aap ko pyaar ho gaya (Of course I remember sister in law was half Hindu and half Muslim you went to their empire in connection with some political issued and fell in love at first sight with her)”
“Yaad hai kaise baba sa ne gussa kiya tha jab hum Radhika ko lekar aye the? (Remember how father got angry when I bought Radhika with me?)”
“Voh bhi kya din the (What a day that was)”

Few years earlier

My father sat on the throne and looked at Radhika from top to bottom.

“Tum isse shaadhi karoge? (You will marry her?) He asked.
“Ji baba sa (Yes father)”
“Paagal ho gaye ho kya (Have you gone mad)” He shouted.
“Baba sa hum pyaar karthe hai unse (Dad, I love her)”
“Ab thum is musalman se shaadi karoge? (Now will you marry this muslim?)”
“Maaf kigiyega par hum aade Rajput bhi hai (I am sorry, but I am also half Rajput)” Radhika said.
“Tumhari ithini himat ki  humare rajye mein aakar yaha ki rani banene ka baat karthe ho? Tumhe saza bhi mil sakthi hai (How dare you come to our empire and talk about being our queen? You can get punished for this)"
“Kiske talwar pe saar raku ye batha do humen ishq karana agar katha hai toh sazaa do humein (Tell me on whose sword I should keep my head, if falling in love is a crime then punish me)”
“Teek hai hum aapko ek mahine ka waqt dethe hai, ek mahine ke andar poori Rajputh banker dikado hum aapke shaadi humare bête se kar denge (Ok then I will give you one month in one month turn into a full Rajput and I will let you marry my son)”
“Baba sa yeh kaisa shard hai? (Dad what kind of a condition is this?)”
“Qubool hai (I agree)” Radhika said shocking me.
“Tumeh yeh karne ki zaroorat nehi hai (You don’t have to do this)”
“Zaroorat hai, humeh aapke saat rehna hai (it is necessary, I want to live with you)”
***
I went to Radhika’s room to meet her; the door was partially open so I stepped in Radhika was standing in front of the mirror wearing a heavy lehangha which all the other Rajput queens used to wear.
“Radhika...........” I called out.
She walked towards me but stumbled and fell due to the heavy dress; I rushed near her and helped her stand up.
“Kyu kar rahi hai aap yeh sab? (Why are you doing all this?)”
She adjusted my hair a little and said with a smile.
“Humne kaha na humeh aapke saat rehena hai (I told you right I wanna live with you)”
“Par iske liye aap apne aapko bilkul badal denge kya? (But for this will you change yourself completely?)”
“Are hum badal thodi rahe hai hum toh humesha se Rajput the, kapade todi motti ho jayenge aur kya? (I am not changing, I was always a Rajput just that dresses would get a bit thick)” She said with a smile and hugged me.

***

“Hum toh poora cauhk hi gaye the jab bas ek hi mahine ki andar Radhika poore Rajputh ban gayi thi baba sa ko shaadi ke liye haan karna pada kyuke Radhika ka baat karne ka dang bhi poora badal gaya tha baba sa mana hi nehi kar paye aur jis din se hamare shaadi hua tha Radhika ne kabhi bhi palat kar nehi dekha, hum janthe hai uneh apne poorani zindagi bahut yaad aati hai par voh bolegi nehi (I was absolutely shocked when within just one month Radhika transformed herself into a complete Rajput. Baba sa had to say yes to the wedding even her way of speaking was completely changed so there was no way he could have denied the wedding. And after the day of our wedding she never looked back at her past. I know she miss her old life but she will never say a word)”
“Bhabhi sa toh hai hi lakon mein ek (Sister in law is one in a million)” Dev said.

“Voh toh hai hi paar har raat jab hum uneh akele kade apne purani zindagi ke bare mein sochthe hue dekthe hai tab humara dil toot jatha hai, isliye Roop ke saat aisha bilkul nehi hoga voh yaha ki rani toh zaroor hogi par uneh apni zindagi apne marzi se jeena ka poora choot diya jayega (That’s true, but every night when I see her standing alone and thinking about her past life it breaks my heart, that’s why all this will never happened to Roop she will be the queen but she will be allowed to live her life according to her wish she will have all the freedom in the world)”
“Shukriya bhai sa (Thank you brother)” Dev said.
“Hum Radhika se kahenge ki kal hi Roop ki ghar ristha le kar jaye (I will ask Radhika to go to Roop’s home with a marriage proposal tomorrow itself)”