In a beautiful estate, the sun rose early morning spreading its golden rays along with the positivity to each and every corner of the prestigious estate, Suryagarh. The wind blew and the trees swayed rhythmically making the atmosphere worth capturing. In the middle of the estate, proudly stood a dreamy royal palace belonging to the royals, the Shergills! 

The Shergills have been ruling Suryagarh since more than a century and all the generations have impressed the citizens with their work. Till date no man raised a voice stating that they disagree from the ruler's decision. Not because of fear, but because of them being right. The royal palace is the proof of the wealth & power the royals hold. The magnificent gates, the hand-carved windows, the marble, the stone of the walls & the decorative fountains just added more glamour to the beauty of the palace.

Inside the palace, in a huge room the king of Suryagarh, Maharaj Pratap Singh Shergill could be seen draping his shawl around his left forearm. That man held a unique aura of his own. Strong yet soft, these words describe him perfectly. The sternness his face holds could make anyone's steps halt. His way of giving a touch to his rounded moustache reflected his powerfulness. While he was giving a last check to his look, a lady entered his room who made even the great king's head turn. 

Draped in a Rajasthani handcrafted golden-green lehenga, cladded with beautiful and unique gold jewelry from top to bottom, the seal of beauty entered the room. Though she had a lot of jewelry on herself, but the one that completes her look was her smile which makes even the tough ruler melt. 

"Aaj bina pagdi pehne hi jayenge kya?" Maharani Kiran Pratap Singh Shergill, Pratap's first wife asked. She picked up the turban kept on the table and started tying it around her husband's head. Pratap kept looking at her through the mirror and smiled widely and lovingly admiring his love.

"Aap nahi aayi thi to humne socha aaj aise hi chale jate hain!", Pratap replied still adoring her through the mirror. "Kyu? Hum nahi baandhenge to aap nahi pehnenge?! Leejiye, ho gaya!" Kiran was done with her work of tying the turban and took a few steps back from Pratap, but he was quick enough to hold her wrist on time & pull her towards himself. 

"Aap keh to aise rahi hain jaise aapse pagdi bandhvaye bina hum kabhi darbaar gaye ho." Pratap stood and now faced Kiran. "Pagdi raja-maharaja ki izzat hoti hai, aur unki raniyan unka guroor. Ab hum apni Rani se pagdi nahi bandhvayenge to kisse bandhvayenge? Bataiye!" Pratap's statement made Kiran's cheeks heat up and she lowered her eyelids sensing her husband's continuous intense gaze at herself.

The king and his queen were having some beautiful quality time with each other when one of the servants came and knocked at the giant door first while keeping his head hung low in respect of the king & queen. Pratap permitted him to speak, and he bowed deeply.

"Pranam Maharaj! Pranam Maharani! Rani Rekha aapse bhet karna chahti hain. Kya unhe aapke kaksh (room) mein aane ki ijazat hai?" The servant finally asked being terrified of the king's wrath if he had messed up a bit. But to his surprise, the king who hardly smiles, nodded at him while smiling. "Bilkul! Kahiye Rani Rekha se andar aa jaye" Kiran replied instead of Pratap and that was something usual for everyone. Maharani Kiran had the liberty to take decisions instead of Pratap and can also change his decisions, that's one reason why she's everyone's favorite. The servant ran away from there being surprised by the wonder, but not before bowing at the king and queen first.

A woman cladded in an orange-golden lehenga, wearing heavy jewelry and adorning her face with arrogance, entered the room. She was Rekha Pratap Singh Shergill, Pratap's second wife and the estate's second queen. As she entered the room, her face fell seeing the closeness of Pratap & Kiran, but she still maintained her witty smile. Rekha came forward & bowed slightly to the King and the Queen and stood near Pratap. 

"Kahiye Rani Rekha, kaise aana hua humare kaksh mein?" Pratap questioned as usually Rekha doesn't come in Pratap & Kiran's room, especially when they're together. If she wants to meet him, she rightfully calls him in her room which is Pratap's too. Rekha's visit to Pratap & Kiran's room was something new and surprising to both the King & the Queen. 

"Kya hum humare Maharaj ke kaksh mein nahi aa sakte?" Rekha who was burning due to Pratap & Kiran's closeness, was still burning in insecurity & jealousy as Pratap was still holding Kiran & his hand was wrapped around Kiran's waist. Following her line of sight, Kiran got that why she's asking in such a way and felt embarrassed. She immediately distanced herself from Pratap making him scrunch his nose and Kiran chuckled. "Nahi nahi, aisi baat nahi hai. Vo to aap bus aati nahi hain to..." Pratap was quick enough to answer Rekha. 

"Aap abhi tak nashte ke liye nahi aaye thhe, to humne socha bula le. Aa jaiye Maharaj, aap bhi aa jaiye didi." Rekha didn't want to invite Kiran but had no choice. "A..haan haan, aap chaliye, hum aate hain." Pratap said eyeing Kiran and she widened her eyes & her cheeks started to heat up as she got his intentions. 

"Aap aate rahiyega Maharaj, hume jana hai. Zara rasoi ka intezaam dekh le!" Saying so, Kiran ran from there along with Rekha and Pratap too followed his queens being defeated. Maharaj Pratap Singh Shergill who's defeated by none, is defeated by his own queens!

In a big dining hall, there was a long table, with royal and antique interior & a beautiful crystal chandelier in the center, the Shergills have their meals. There enters the head of the estate, Maharaj Pratap Singh Shergill who was greeted by the porters and the servants. Nodding sternly at them, Pratap came and sat on the chair that belongs to the head of the family. He was just waiting for his food to be served when he heard some quarrels behind himself. As he turned, he found the musketeers of the royal clan arguing like kids. 

"Maine aapse kitni baar kaha hai, mujhse puchhe bina mere kamre mein na aaya karein, lekin nahi. Chhoti hoon to koi maanega thode hi humari baat!" Rajkumari Sanjana Pratap Singh Shergill huffed at her elder stepbrother, Rajkumar Anoop Pratap Singh Shergill who irks her every time by entering her room and scattering her things all over just to purposely piss her off. Pratap who was already seated at the dining table, heard their hustle and shook his head as such fights between Sanjana & Anoop aren't something new. 

While coming down the stairs, Anoop was troubling and irking Sanjana again and again by sometimes pulling her hair or by calling her with silly names. They both stopped in their steps when they saw someone standing in front of them and glaring at them with extreme anger. She was Suhasini Shergill, the Rajmata of Suryagarh. 

"Ye kya ho raha hai yaha?!" Listening to Suhasini's anger-filled shrilling voice, both Sanjana & Anoop were scared seeing the anger sitting on her nose but knew how to pacify her. Sanjana ran with baby steps like a 5-year-old and immediately hugged her grandma. Everyone there knows what special place Sanjana holds in Suhasini's heart and it just takes Sanjana seconds to make her anger vanished. Sanjana tightened her hug, but this time Suhasini didn't budge, so Sanjana got another idea and smirked. 

"Hum Rajkumari Sanjana, apni Dadiji ko aadesh deti hain ki vo abhi ke abhi hume maaf karein" Sanjana ordered and knew what's going to come up now. Suhasini squinted her eyes and smacked her forehead and twisted her ear hard. "Badmaash, hume aadhesh dogi tum?!" 

"Apne ladle se nahi milengi, dadiji?!" The voice was enough to let everyone know who's there. Everyone's attention averted towards the voice. Pratap who was sitting, stood up in happiness & Suhasini left Sanjana's ear but Anoop was the only one who frowned. 

It was Karan, Yuvraj Karan Pratap Singh Shergill, the prince of Suryagarh who has just returned from a business trip of 15 days. He was decked up in his usual formal 3-piece suit, but his aura was killer. The shine on his face reflected royalty but his smile was humble, his demeanor was threatening but eyes were calm. A servant came and took away Karan's luggage and Karan just opened his arms for his people. Suhasini hugged him tight with tears as she has missed him like anything. Karan touched her feet and Suhasini showered him with her blessings and plenty kisses. 

"Kaisi hain aap, dadiji?" Karan asked cupping Suhasini's face and wiping her tears off. "Ab tum aa gaye ho na, bahot achhe hain hum ab!" Karan smiled widely on Suhasini's reply and went to his father. Karan first of all touched Pratap's feet but Pratap lifted him up by his shoulders and hugged him directly, making Anoop clench his jaws in jealousy.

Pratap's hold on Karan got tighter as Karan reciprocated his hugged. The father-son duo, who are also like friends and sometimes each other's advisors are meeting after long and that was appropriately depicted through their tight hug. Pratap & Karan broke the hug and Pratap affectionately patted Karan's head making him smile wide.

Suddenly Karan's sight fell at the back and got to know that his mother is standing there with tears in her eyes and an angry pout. As Karan went near Kiran, she moved away and showed him her back conveying that she is very upset from him.

"Maa!" As this word escaped from Karan's mouth, Kiran couldn't control the tears which were in her eyes, and they made their way down her cheeks. Karan back hugged his mother and tried to shoo away her anger but this time, Kiran was adamant in not melting at Karan's antics.

"Bhool ja..bhool ja apni maa ko! Hum hain hi kaun jise Yuvraj yaad rakhe, haina?!", Kiran said emotionally making Karan chuckle inaudibly at his mother's everytime thing. "Jis din hum aapko bhool jaye, vo din humari zindagi ka aakhri din hoga, maa!", Karan's this statement was enough to make Kiran's heart drop. She turned towards him and slapped his cheek slightly with tears flowing through her eyes. Rekha rolled her eyes internally seeing Karan & Kiran's meet, "Inn maa-bete ka drama kabhi khatam nahi hota!".

"Aapko achhe se pata hai apni maa ko kaise manana hai. Haina?", Kiran said, and Karan hugged her with a wide smile. Everyone present there smiled adoring the mother & son duo.

"15 din se US mein tha. Na koi phone, na koi message! Aise kaha busy thhe aap Yuvraj?" Karan was about to reply at Kiran's complaint when Rekha interrupted. "Didi, ho sakta hai aapke Yuvraj ne US mein aapki bahurani dhundli ho. Ho sakta hai Yuvraj unhi ke saath busy ho. Kyu beta?", Kiran said in the most honey coated voice, trying to not to sound villainous. Anoop understood what she's trying to do and Sanjana who found cruelty dripping through Kiran's words, could just roll her eyes being irritated of them.

Karan went to Rekha with a short smile and took her blessings. "Kaisi baatein kar rahi hain aap, Chhoti maa? Aap bhi jaanti hain, Yuvrani to maa ki pasand ki hi aayegi! Kyu maa?", Karan questioned Kiran making Rekha fume as Karan didn't ask her for the agreement. Rekha was about to reply but Sanjana who was waiting for her chance to meet her dearest brother, couldn't keep waiting anymore and just went to him and hugged him or rather, she jumped on him making the whole palace chuckle at her antics. 

"Bhaiya, aap US se humare liye kya laye?", Sanjana questioned with twinkling eyes which made Karan sigh in disbelief. "Sach keh raha hoon maa, humare aane ki khushi sabse zyada humari behen ko hui hai. Kyu Rajkumari ji?", Karan asked in the most sarcastic way and the whole family understood that Sanjana was waiting for what Karan got for her and not for him. 

Karan handed over his whole luggage to Sanjana making her dig into it in search of her presents. Karan then went to Anoop and smiled wide at him. As stated for the royals, all the youngsters except the daughters are supposed to touch the feet of their elders in order to receive their blessings. Anoop hated this rule to the core as Karan is just a few months elder to him, still he has to bend in front of him and touch his feet. Anoop disheartedly did so and then both the brothers hugged each other sharing some words of concern and whereabout.  

After a few moments of enquiry and questions, the royal clan was seated for their breakfast. Pratap on the center chair, Karan and Rekha beside him, Suhasini beside Rekha and Kiran after Suhasini. On Karan's side, first Sanjana and then Anoop were seated. 

"Pitaji, itne din hum yaha nahi thhe to kuchh badi samasya hui?", Karan asked while having his favorite delicacy prepared by his loving mother. Before Pratap could detail him about the minor happenings, Rekha intervened. 

"Nahi nahi beta, kuchh nahi hua. Aapke chhote bhai Anoop ne kafi achhe se haath bataya Maharaj ka! Kyu Maharaj?", Rekha excitedly praised her son receiving a sharp glare from the Rajmata. While Karan felt proud on Anoop, the others like Kiran & Pratap found it odd while Sanjana didn't pay any heed. 

"Rani Rekha, lagta hai aap raj parivaar ke niyam bhool rahi hain. Maharaj ke shabdon ko kaatna ya unse pehle bolna aapko musibat mein daal sakta hai!", Rajmata Suhasini declared in a dangerous tone making Rekha roll her eyes internally feeling irked & embarrassed. 

Kiran who predicted right that Rekha might feel offended and sad by what Rajmata said, she decided to shrug off this topic as soon as possible. "Kya beta, aap aate hi kaam-kaaj ki baat karne lage!" Kiran attempted to complain to her son and her act was successful in making Kiran feel comfortable.

Karan & Pratap smiled wide and laughed a bit at how Kiran complained about her son's engrossment in the royal works. Karan who has already decided to give some hefty amount of is time to his mother as she missed him the most in these 15 days, got surprised by what Kiran asked. 

"Maharaj, hume aapse kuchh chahiye!", Kiran said looking straight into Pratap's eyes and also having a hold of his forearm with full authority. "Humara sab aapka hi to hai Kiran ji! Aur kya humne aapko kabhi kisi cheez ke liye mana kiya hai?", Pratap said trying to cover up the amount of flirt his statement held. But the way he addressed Kiran with her name and without the title 'Rani', made heads lift from the dining table. Kiran felt hell embarrassed but had no way to escape so decided to continue with her demand. 

"H..haanji! To hum keh rahe thhe ki hum chahte hain ki aap aaj humare bete ko darbaar mein na lekar jaye. Itne dino baad aaye hain Yuvraj, dekhiye vaha ka rukha-sukha khaana khaakar kitne duble ho gaye hain! Hume aaj pure din apne bache par laad (affection) jatana hai. Aaj Yuvraj ko humare saath hi rehne dijiye!", Kiran asked Pratap and without even budging or getting surprised, he nodded his head permitting Karan to not to come to the darbar today. 

Pratap's decision felt very surprising to everyone including Kiran as he hardly allows anyone to skip their professional duties for their personal ones. Kiran smiled wide and Pratap too smiled looking at his wife. Everyone admired this lovely couple and decided to focus on their plates and not to embarrass them any further. But Rekha was the one who was taking deep breaths in jealousy. She was taunted for speaking before the king and Kiran's demand is easily granted. Rekha felt degraded and left out. Everyone had their meal and departed for their respective works. Maharaja Pratap Singh Shergill along with Anoop and Sanjana went to the darbar  to listen to the rants of the people of the estate, Rajmata Suhasini left to her room, Karan & his mother Kiran happily went to Kiran & Pratap's room and seeing that Kiran didn't call Rekha to her room, the fire of jealousy inside her flared up and she just left to her room.

As Rekha entered her room, the servants there got frightened looking how messed up and angered Rekha is looking. Her deep breaths and red eyes were clearly indicating that she's deeply hurt by what happened with her at the breakfast table. Rekha picked up a vase from the side table and threw it with all her might. But as it didn't bring any betterment in her anger, she just threw everything she got her hands on and didn't think even for a second before destroying those expensive and unique artefacts into fine pieces.

"Arggghhhhhhh!!!", Rekha growled in anger and her shrieked voice made the servants their flinch but none of them had the audacity to ask her to calm down. 

"Gus..takhi maaf ki..jiyega R..Raniji, magar a..ap itne gusse mein...", Rekha's one glare was enough for that brave servant to shut her mouth and bow her head in fear. Rekha's whole look was messed up. She threw her jewelry across the room as she felt suffocated with it. Strands of her hair were out, and she didn't look like a queen at all. "Bahot guroor hai na Maharaj ko Yuvraj Karan par...ek din zaroor aayega jab unke Yuvraj hi unki sharmindagi ka karan banenge. Aur uss din unhe mere Anoop ki ehmiyat ka ehsaas hoga!", Rekha said yelling it to herself while looking up as if she's saying this to the universe. Her words, just like her had rage, confidence and cruelty. The servants who heard her statement were terrified as they know Rekha can cross any limits to make her soon the next king of the estate. 

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