Ira-The lost Princess

Kyaa?

Private chamber of King of Suryagarh was filled with deafening silence. They have just learned a secret that changed their whole life.

It was first time this royal family was actually facing internal politics.

Rajmata was standing besides window, knowing eyes which once held respect for her were looking at her with betrayal and hurt. Her once deeply buried secret was now exposed in front of everyone and credits to her own sister. She felt nothing but pure hatred towards her. What was the need to be suddenly truthful. Just so she can clean her conscience and get to imaginary heaven, she throwed under the rath.

The letter her sister sent through pigeon was lying on the table.

'My dear nephew, and King of Suryagarh. I am writing this while on my deathbed. All my life I have followed my elder sister, married by her choice in her kingdom, standing with her in every situation. Please don't hate her for what I am about to reveal. She needed to follow through her Raj Dharma and you would have never agreed.

While writing this I want to express my deep apologies to both you and Chandravali.Because i was part of plant to take your beloved daughter away from you. Yes you were told she was a stillborn but, it was a lie.

Yes she is alive .On day she was born Raj Joyatshi told jiji and me that she will bring doom for this kingdom if she stayed here.To save this kingdom she needed to stay away from this kingdom palace and family for 16 years

So we gave her away to Vasundhra, she was daughter of one of the friends of Jiji from another kingdom and was childless. She adopted her.

When 16 years passed we thought to tell you truth , to bring her back but couldn't get enough courage to uproot her and your life.

But then when she was 17 and half, Vasundhra died.After that we don't know anything.

I hope you will forgive me for this mistake. I want to go to god's abode without any sins on my head.'

'Yep' King thought, 'forgive, no your sin can't be forgiven. You separated me from my daughter.....gave her away....she spent all these years alone.....and person who was responsible for all this was none other then woman who gave birth to him.No he can never call her maa now, she might be rajmata of this kingdom, after all she did not thought anything beyond Raj and her so called Raj Dharma. But he will not follow her footsteps. If can't be a good father he can't be a good king. He will do everything in his power to bring her back.'

He looked at his wife, maharani Chandravali,once regal queen was now sitting on floor with hope and tears in her eyes. Hope that they will get their daughter back. They will have their gudiya with them but tears of betrayal. She gave her entire life to this kingdom, to this family and what she got in return. Her daughter was separated from her. Naintara and her mother were trying to console her.

'Bai maa we will get her back, have belief in god.' 

'God?' Queen spoke ' which God? the same due to which my daughter was separated from me? And what belief that poisonous belief your mother's brother, so called Raj Purohit showed in his lies. How dare he call my daughter a curse?' She said last line while looking at her devrani, naintara mother, Rani anjalika. 

Rani Anjalika just bowed her head. She had no response to questions that were raised. She might believe in her brother's astrology knowledge but how can she justify separation on one day old baby from parents.

'Apne ashru mat bahayie maa.' A 24 year old lad, wearing royal clothes said while entering the room with two more males. 'Mai aapka putr aapko vachan deta mai kuch bhi karunga., par apni behen ko dhundunga, use sansaar k har khushi dega.'He said kneeling in front of his mother and hugging her.

'Tumhe uske baare mein kuch pata chala?' King asked with his voice shivering. 

' Jahaan Devi Vasundhra rehti thi vaaha kuch guptcharon ko bheja hai.Vo jaldi hi koi sandesha bhejenge'

'if only someone was ready to give us information.' His father said looking at rajmata with hatred.

'Maa,' anjalika called her 'agar aap kuch jaanti hai kripya boliye. Agar aap bhaiya k bhavishyavaani ke baare mein bhi soche to 16 saal guzar chuke hai.Hum use vaapas laa skte hai.''Vo is Raj parivaar kaa hisaab nhi banegi.' Rajmata said.

Both vijayditya and Aditya closed their eyes in frustration while chandravali looked at her with pure hatred. 'Since you are queen of deceased king' Vijayditya said in tone as cold as ice ' please return to you respective chambers before I lose control of my mind.'

Rajmata just sighed and went out. 'Naina chalo sabko khaana khilaana hai' Aditya told Naina. Both of them made maharani chandravali sit on chair and asked helpers to bring some food.'Siddharth and Naina made Aditya also sit and served them. But hardly anyone ate.

Just then Abhishek, bodyguard of Aditya came, 'Is prakar aane ke liye kshama kijiyega Rajkumar...Maharani...Maharaj' He said greetings everyone.

'Kya sandesh laaye ho Abhishek?' Aditya hurriedly asked him. 'Guptcharon ne yeh Patra bheja hai' Abhishek said giving scroll to Aditya.

Aditya hurriedly opened scroll. 'Kya likha hai Aditya?' King asked. 'Guptcharon ne Devi Vasundhra jis Ghar mein rehati thi uske ke aas paas pooch taach ki Pita ji, Logon ne bataya ki devi Vasundhra ki ek beti thi Ira. Aur Devi Vasundhra k mrityu ke baad vo apni maasi ke saath kahi chaligayi.''Aur unke kuch door ke rishteydaaron ke baarein mein bhi pata laga hai,' Aditya continued with hope in his voice ' I..Ira ka mamera Bhai Jo uske saath hi bachpan mein pala badha vo apni maa ke saath kisi darbari Rishtedaar ke paas aaye hain.'Aditya looked up. 'Uska naam Vikrant hai. Dhundo usse.''Vikrant?' Abhishek said.'Tum jaante ho use....beta jaldi bolo naa' Queen said. 'Ji maharani kuch 2 3 pehle Vikrant naam ka ek Naya ladka aayea hai yaaha. Shayad ek sahayak Koshadhyakh ka bhatija hai. Vo aur Maaya Jagatshetra gurukul mein ikathe padhte the.''aur ab uska mangetra',he said last line in his mind.'Use jaldi bulayo' King said his breathing hitched.Waiting for Vikrant seemed like eternity to them. Everyone Maharaja, Maharani, Yuvraj, Naintara, Siddhartha, Rani Anjali were praying silently.'Ji Maharaj Vikrant aa chukka hai' Abhishek said ending their wait. ' Use andar bulayo' King said.A boy maybe in his 20s entered. He looked like a good warrior not excellent maybe but good. His face was filled with nervousness. After all not everyday you are summoned by whole royal family.Queen Chandravali approached him first. 'Beta....Vasundhra...Devi vasundhra ko tum jaante ho?'

'Ji...vo meri bua hai...thi' Vikrant said shocked by this suddenly question.''Aur unki beti? Ira naam hai kya uska?' Aditya asked interrupting. 'Aap meri bhen ke vishay mein kyo pooch rhe hai' Vikrant back questioned, putting emphasis on meri behen.Aditya almost facepalmed.

'Kya Ira tumhari maasi ki saki beti thi?' Queen said trying to get more information.

Vikrant looked at her shock, 'Nhi...par saki se Kam bhi nhi' he replied with as much confidence he can gather.

He was trying to make sense of things, but only thing that was connecting dots was insensible.Just then they heard a sound from outside.

 'Kya ho Raha hai andar mujhe kuch to batayo.' 'Maaya' Aditya and Vikrant immediately said.

'Maaya ko andar bhejiye' Queen ordered following her intuition. Maaya entered inside, nervousness was clear on her face. Even though she and Abhishek were familiar with royal family but she has never interrupted royal family's meeting before. Coming inside she greeted everyone while her eyes were roaming between Aditya and Vikrant, looking angrily at both.

'Putr..' Queen Chandravali called Vikrant, 'Ab kaha hai tumhari bhen? Kiske saath hai?''Kripya aap mujhe ye bataiye aap Ira ko kaise jaanti hai maharani ji' Vikrant said joining his hands. Maya interest also got picked at this statement

King and Queen looked at each other while Aditya spoke losing his patience, 'Kyonki vo is rajya ki rajkumari hai, hamari bhen hai ab bataoge vo kaha hai?'

Both maaya and Vikrant looked at each other ' Ira kya hai....?'