Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. All characters are fictional. They have no connection whatsoever to reality.
Characters:
- Princess Indrani: 21 years old heir of the Chanderi rulers. Finnicky, but brave.
- Sultan Mahmud: Sultan of Delhi. Ruthless ruler, can dwelve to any depth for his own means.
- Charulata: Companion of Princess Indrani. Cunning, shrewd
"Chal j-jhuthi. Mai nhi maanti". Even though Princess Rudrani playfully pushed her companion Charu away, her voice was shaky.
"Maanogi kaise? Darr se kaanp jo rhi ho". Charu teased her, and everybody burst into laughter.
Princess Indrani, the heir of Chanderi had put up her camp in the outskirts of the forest. They were out on a pleasure trip, with her companions and a handful of guards. Companions were four: Charulata aka Charu, Dhani, Mala, Kamli.
As the sun dipped down the horizon and dawn descended, the princess had reclined in her tent with her companions, indulging in some chitchat.
"Sachchi bol rhi hu Indu, woh raat ko aata hai. Mai ne apni kaano se suna hai. Bahut bahadur log bhi na tik paaye iske saamne haa nhi toh". The voice of Charu was perfectly resonating with the uncanny atmosphere in the tent. All the other ladies were hunched on their elbows, their eyes shifting from the princess to Charu.
"Kehte hai, ki jo jungal mei Babool ke per hai na, uske saamne jaake khada ho jaao. Teen baar pukaarne pe, Bhoot aata hai, aur ghapp se pakadta hai. Phir, phooosh.."
"M-Mai nhi maanti. Agar aisa hi hai, toh bulao meri saamne. Dekhna, mai kaise usse nipat ti hu". Princess Indrani was not going to back off. Her prestige was on the line, and she would never agree to let her image down.
"Kaise laugi Indu ji? Bhoot jo hai. Usko toh khud hi bulaana padta hai. Ab agar tum yahi baithe baithe waah waahi leti rho toh..." Charu let a smirk complete her sentence.
The dim light of candle had fallen on Princess Indrani's face. Her beautiful facial features were marred with the wrinkles of thought. The only sounds in the tent were those of the Princess and her companions breathing.
"Mai.. Mai jaungi usse milne. Mai nhi maanti bhoot-woot kuchh. Yeh aise hi phenkti rehti hai daraane ke liye. Darpok kahi ki".
"Soch lo. Isse pehle koi bhi ladki uske saamne na gayi. Agar phir kuchh ho gya, phir Maharaj ko jaake kya kahungi? Aur phir Kunwar Bhanu pratap ka kya? Woh toh bas, Indu.. Indu.. Keh ke hi marr jaayega".
With the perfect impersonation of the prince, everybody burst into giggles, except the Princess. Within a month she had to return to the palace. Her father Maharaj Ratan Singh was engrossed in the preparations of her marriage. This might be the last time she would see the world outside the palace as a free princess. "Achha achha bahut hua. Mai jaungi bhi, aur laut ke bhi aaungi. Dekh lena tum sab ke sab. Hmph".
BEHIND THE SCENES
About 100 miles away Sultan Mahmud, the ruler of Delhi had established their temporary camp. The plan was to go for Gondwana, and the thick forest on the banks of river Son provided the perfect concealment to the army. The preparation for the attack was taking a long time, and the soldiers were losing their patience. To keep their morals up, the Sultan came up with the plan of hunting.
Every other day, Sultan Mahmud set out with his troupe on his horse, and came back with piles of animal carcasses. They moved in stealthily, to avoid raising an alarm for the enemy spies.
One such fateful day of hunting, as the Sultan rode his horse deep into the forest in pursuit of his prey, he heard a noise. It was a group of ladies, giggling & chirping among themselves. Curious, the Sultan kept moving in the direction. His mind rehearsing the scenes of his sexual conjugations back in his mahal.
Perched on a high Jamun tree, the Sultan witnessed as a young damsel indulged in enjoyment during in her bath, her companions splashing at her and no guards within range of sight. For a long time the Sultan had been away from his Begums, and his hormones had started going awry.
He stealthily got down, grabbed one of the lady's compaion and pulled her into the bushes.
"Shh! Chupchap sun. Chillayi toh kaat ke kutto ko khila dunga". His eyes were red, his face was the epitome of terror. Poor Charu, she had no way of escaping the Sultan's vicious grip.
"Ab bol, woh husn ki pari aakhir hai kaun, jo waha paani mei hai?"
Even in the troublesome situation, Charu's mind was calculating the potential reward. She quickly calmed herself down, and started blurting out every single detail about the Princess. The more the Sultan heard, the more his body began to react. He had already started planning his nights with the freshly blossomed beauty of the princess.
"Marhaba! Rajkumari bhi pati dhund rha hai? Rajkumari.. Indrani! Indu!" The Sultan felt as if the Almighty had sent him as the perfect groom for the princess. Nowhere else could she get a better one, he thought.
"Sultan khush hua. Yeh le. Aur jab teri Indu mere haath mei hogi, tab baaki inaam milega". He took a diamond ring off his finger and tossed it at Charu, who gratefully accepted it and skipped back towards the lake.
THE NEXT NIGHT
"Sab taiyyari ho gyi hai. Yeh lo Indu, yeh tabeez pehen lo. Isse bhoot kuchh kar nhi paayega". Charu put a tabeez around Princess Indrani's neck. The guards had already dozed off from Charu's charm, and Princess Indrani was on her own. She cast a last curious glance at her companions, but they all slithered back into their blankets.
"Darpok.." Princess muttered as she picked up the lantern and her belongings.
"Ruko. Mai aaungi aadhe raste". Charu picked up a small bag on her shoulder and smiled. "Aakhir dost jo hu.."