A Royal Affair

Continued-

"Kaisi baatein kar rahe hain aap, Pitaji? Hum aise bhi sambhal hi rahe haina sab karya..toh iss Rajtilak ki kya avashyakta?", Anubhav said, strongly disagreeing with Aadarsh's wish.

A- beta hum jaante hain..parantu yadi tum sab sambhal hi rahe ho, toh apatti kaisi?

AS- aapke rehte hum kaise raaj kar sakte hain? Kadaapi nahi..

A- hamare bhi toh armaan haina beta..samjho na..

AS- Kya samjhe? aap ek kaabil raja hain aur rahenge..hum kuch nahi jaante, hum aapka saara karyabhar sambhal lenge parantu ye sab nahi..raja aap hi rahenge..(stubbornly said and went)

As he passed from the doorway, Sidhika came from the other side..

A- tum hi samjhao isse..(helplessly)

S- Humari bhi nahi sunega..Haseena se kaha hai..wo koshish karegi..(hopefully)

In Anuseena's room-

AS- Kya kar rahi hain?(he asked, as she was standing on the bed with a stick in her hand)

HM- Bed ke neeche chipkali hai...(scared)

Anubhav laughed..he remembered the first time he got to know about her fear of lizards and chuckled..

HM- Aapko hasi aa rahi hai?! besharam hai aap!!(irritably)

AS- Accha nahi haste..parantu aapke aise khade hokar chhadi ghumane se kuch nahi hoga..wo bed ke neeche hai toh nikal jayegi apne aap....aapne khidki khuli rakhi thi kya?

HM- Haa..hum aise hi bahar dekh rahe the aur bhul gaye the band karna..(embarrassed)

AS- Phir toh ye hona hi tha..

HM- Aap..aap gyaan mat dijiye..usse bhagaiye abhi!(Angrily)

Anubhav shook his head and took the stick..he hit the side boundary of the bed and the lizard popped out from the other end..and went out in no time..Haseena was just jumping and screaming on the bed all the time.

AS- chali bhi gayi wo..aap ab bhi kud rahi hain?(Laughing)

Haseena hit him with a cushion with puffed cheeks..he faked an 'ouch' and made her sit on the bed first..

AS- Theek hain aap? 

HM- hm..bed par hi toh kud rhe the..usse kya hi hoga..

AS- Hmm..chaliye ab hatiye humein letna hai thodi der..sar dukh raha hai hamara...(he said, tired)

HM- Sar dukh raha hai?(made him sit)..aap baithiye hum daba dete hai..(she said, rubbing her hands)

AS- Are iski koi avashyakta nahi..kuch der sojayenge toh theek hojayega..

HM- Aapse pucha nahi hai, bata rahe hain..seedhe hokar baithiye hum do minute mein aate hain..(she said and went towards her closet, he shook his head helplessly)

She came back in a minute, with a bowl of hot oil..

HM- Ab dekhiye kitni acchi neend lagegi aapko..(took some oil in her hands and brushed it on his scalp)

His eyes relaxed..he had never experienced this feeling since childhood..as he was always alert, always on-duty. He probably had never even felt or imagined the need of feeling relaxed. He took it as a sin, to sit back, think absolutely nothing and enjoy the moment. But as her fingers did magic on his scalp..he felt truly relaxed. Seeing his shoulders drooping, Haseena bit her lip..she decided this was the moment to speak.

HM- Waise Anubhav...humein woh..aapse kuch poochna tha..

AS- Hmm..(closed eyes)

HM- Wo..aap..aap toh jaante hi hain Maa-Pitaji kya chahte hain..hum-