~Mewar~

Candle light reflected over the lifeless face of Meera, as she lay on the floor with her eyelids shut tight and a palm over her chest. Her body turned blue in patches, indicating that poison had found way to her body somehow or the other.

Poison, for the second time.

"Baisa!? Baisa!" Anju placed her head on her lap, frantically caressing it while Sulekha began to sprinkle water on the unconscious damsel. "Baisa, what happened? Please open your eyes!"

"Hey! Som-someone go and request for assistance!"

"I-I, let me go and get a physician fast!" Sulekha immediately rushed out of the chamber, running down through the corridors. Two more joined her in the process, all of them scattering in different directions eventually.

The women who stayed back were helpless; what can they possibly do without any physician? They all began to simultaneously rub her feet and hands, hoping that she would respond but in vain.

No one from the palace had yet come hearing their shrieks for assistance. 

No one...

"Baisa, please! Open your eyes, Baisa!" Shivli burst out in tears, "If anything happens to you how will we forgive ourself!?"

"Baisa please try to wake up!" they were almost pleading in front of the unconscious figure, while trying their best to do everything possible to bring back her senses.

The children gazed at each other with tear-stricken face. Though they couldn't grasp what had occurred completely, they knew that their Meera Bai was in danger. While the women were drowning in agony and trying to revive her at the same time, the three girls frantically crept towards the idol of Lord Krishna.

"Gopal, Baisa says you always protect those who are good," one of them whispered in front of the idol with drooped eyebrows and folding her tiny palms. Copying her innocently, the the other two performed the same, "Yes Gopal, please save our Baisa!"

"Gopal, please we love our Baisa very much!" the girls gazed and exchanged glances, wiping their tear strained cheeks. The idol appeared still in the swing, which swung slightly because of the wind which rustled around the chamber.

"Bhagwan, bring back Baisa Bhagwan!"

"Please bring back our Baisa!" the children collectively closed their eyes and began praying.

~Mewar~

"The deed is done, Sir." Sulekha removed the veil which covered her head, revealing herself. The man facing his back behind her placed his hands behind, as a satisfied grin spread over his face, "I agree you are the most sly woman to ever exist," Utpal Singh's body vibrated as he left an evil chuckle. 

Sulekha's lip shifted into a smile, "All you need Sir is observation, careful observation. And sheer pretense, of course." she eyed Utpal Singh's men with a proud look, believing that the deed which they couldn't do was done by her. They bowed down their heads, their hands joined in front of them.

"Here, is your handsome reward." Utpal Singh strode forward towards the lady, handing her a pouch bag filled with gold coins. It was quite heavy, enough to spend her entire life. As she accepted it, her eyes shone with delight. She bowed down in front of him, with a smirk on her face.

"Remember, flee from here and don't you dare return," Utpal remarked in his deep voice, making Sulekha nod. Covering herself again with the veil, she rushed out from there as soon as possible.

"Never knew Janmashtami would be so pleasing!" he laughed tossing his head back, now eager to blast the news of Meera's death to Vikram Singh.

~Mewar~

A soft tinkling of the anklets caught the attention of the women in Meera's chamber, as well as that of the children who suddenly gazed back at the door.

A young lady clad in a royal blue saree and head covered with a lime green cloth strode inside a chamber, with a cloth bag hanging from one side of her shoulder. Though her head was completely covered, it was as if the glow on her face could be deciphered from even behind it.

It was as if life had re-entered the chamber with the entry of the lady all of a sudden.

The women stood up frantically, all in awe and gazing at the mysterious woman.

"Y-yes?" they responded, all in a sudden state of transcend. The golden-complexioned one smiled from behind the veil and responded, "They call me Rai out of love," her smooth voice made everyone glancing at each other.

"The Physician has requested me to aid Baisa ," she commented, striding towards Meera who was asleep as dead on the floor. The woman around began feeling heavy and numb, all standing still and being able to utter even a single word.

It was as if an unknown charm had garbed them all.

They along with the children blankly stood, blinking their eyes dreamily as the mysterious golden-complexioned woman who brought out a pestle and began grinding some medicinal herbs with it. Soon it was completed, the female physician brought the bowl near Meera's lips and poured the liquid into her mouth.

Laying her delicate hand upon Meera's warm forehead, she whispered, "How long will you sleep Baisa? You have still unending deeds to perform..."

"Open your eyes Meera! The world is yet to witness your divinity!"

No sooner did she uttered those words than Meera's pupils began to shift under her closed eyelids. A smile left the woman's face as she quietly left the chamber, with nothing but the tinkling of her anklets leaving the trail.

The maids immediately blinked their eyes, as if the trance was broken all of a sudden. Shivli began to massage her forehead while Anju and the others gazed around in confusion.

Meera began to cross her eyebrows, her palm shooting above towards her forward as she massaged it gently, "Ummm, uh--"

"Baisa!" a sharp squeal of joy left their lips as they rushed towards Meera who slowly fluttered her eyes, "Baisa, Baisa! You-you are fine!" Shivli and Anju flung their arms around her.

"Wh-what happened?" Meera closed back her eyes for sometime, her body still retaining the effect of the poison. She opened back her eyes and gazed at them, her lips leaving a soft smile.

"Baisa, you fell down unconscious and your entire body had turned blue!" Anju stopped in between, confused. "Yes Baisa, we thought we had lost you, but then--"

"Then?" Meera curiously gazed at them and the children.

"We had lost all hopes then! But don't know, Baisa what happened- Umm...uh--" they cluelessly gazed at each other and then at Meera who was lying on the bed, gazing at their stunned faces. 

"Uh, umm-"

Their possibly confused and lost faces made her even more puzzled, when her lotus-eyes shifted towards the idol swinging on the swing with full glory. 

It was lifeless, yet full of life....

"Meera ke prabhu Giridhar Nagar, Radha ke Manmohan,"

"Radha nith shringaar kare aur, Meera bangayi jogan..."

"Ek Rani, ek Daasi, dono Hari-prem ki pyaasi!"

"Antar kya dono ki tripti me bolo, 

Antar kya dono ki tripti me bolo..."

"Ek jeet na maani, ek haar na maani!"

So we come to the end of the book 😍😍😍😍😍.

Also did you notice the symbolisms in the chapter 😍?

The Physician which Rai was talking about 😍🥺😍😭🥺

And doesn't Rai's dress remind you of--

😍😍😍😍🥺🥺🥺🥺❤❤❤❤

Signing off for today!

~Kiritija Nushkie 😍~