Year 1
Princess Priyadarshini looked lovingly
at the throne once again.
Set amidst the lesser gilded ones,
the Sun Throne was majestic, regal and more importantly held the seat of power
across all Rajputana.
Whenever she looked at the Throne
from behind the curtains on the veranda, she felt as if the throne was calling
out to her. It seemed to smile at her, talk to her and call her to come and
claim it as hers.
His Royal Highness Veer Bhadra
Singh entered the court as all fell silent as it ought to be.
The princesses and the royal women
waited in anticipation. Today was the day the king was going to announce the
arrival of a successor to the Sun Throne. And that he did.
Princes from across India had come
over for the Raj Tilak of the young prince, her little brother. Princess
Priyadarshini beamed with pride.
Suddenly a hand pushed her aside.
Without even turning, she knew who it was. Only her elder sister Princess
Rajnandini, would have the audacity to do that. Whenever Rajnandini came close
to her, she could feel the stings of jealousy engulfing her. Rajnandini
justified her name and her title. At twelve, she showed all the signs of
blooming into the most beautiful princess of entire Hindustan. She could ride
the horse, fence with her father and even shoot down a dove from the sky. She
was clearly the favourite child.
Princess Priyadarshini knew that
her looks did not imply royalty. Few would believe that she was of royal blood,
had it not been for her attitude and grace. Her mom while on her deathbed, just
after giving birth to the heir of the Sun Throne had told her time and again
that the greatest treasure of a princess was her attitude and the way she
carried herself.
Year 10
Kumar Ranendra Pratap Singh adored
her eldest sister. A proper spoilt brat, brought up by ever fawning servants
made him the most disagreeable kid to have ever lived in the palace. Never a
healthy child, he followed Rajnandini as a little puppy and derived great
pleasure out of destroying the doll’s houses of his other sister under the able
directive of Rajnandini.
Princess Priyadarshini knew how to
ignore them all. She had persuaded her father to let her marry early into the
Royal Family of Sindh and was getting ready for her marriage. Stories were told
in hushed manners how the princess knew her limitations when it came to how she
looked and had settled for one of the oldest princes around, who was rarely
known for any kind of bravery.
Her father was all too happy to
let her go. His favourite kids would still be around him.
When Princess Priyadarshini
reached Sindh after her marriage a royal pigeon courier announced the tragic
death of her Brother in a freak accident where his favourite gun had
mysteriously gone off in his hand, killing him almost instantly.
Palace sources said that the king
was devastated and everyone in hushed tones said that the Kumar had not been
keeping good company.
He clung on to Rajnandini even
harder for support and when she married a commoner two months later no one
spoke a word against it since they knew the king would pass on the throne to
her.
The news reached Princess
Priyadarshini. But like during her brother’s death, she showed no emotion. In a
matter of fact voice, she informed her husband that she was pregnant.
Year 20
The country rejoiced as they heard
Princess Rajnandini was expecting a child after almost ten years of being
married. The Sun Throne would have an heir again.
The country had prospered under
her. For all but in name, she controlled the kingdom. The old king depended on
her completely. The murmurs about her marrying a civilian were rarely heard. In
fact, few had seen the man she had married.
Princess Priyadarshini decided to
pay her sister a visit with her son Veer Vikram Singh. The entire army of Sindh
travelled with the Queen Mother and the absolute monarch of Sindh after her
husband’s untimely death.
The sisters met in a not so
cordial situation.
“What brings you here suddenly?”
queried Rajnandini, her beautiful eyebrows showing the glint of steel.
“Jijisa, in your situation you
should not get excited. I just wanted to congratulate you and show Veer his
mother’s country. Here drink this, it will cool you down.”
Rajnandini could not say no. After
all, it was a hot day and slowly she felt drowsy. It seemed that the guards at
the door changed. The insignia of the Royal House of Sindh seemed to flutter in
and out of her vision.
Priyadarshini’s voice seemed to
come from far far away.
“How did you get pregnant in the
first place? The man who had wooed you was never a man! But that you must have
realized soon.”
Ahhh! Jijisa!!! You never realized
the first rule of being a Princess. You must never become the show itself, for
then you can’t be the puppeteer.
Tomorrow the country will learn
how you died of a medicine you took to ease the pain of labour. And how father
passed away hearing your tragic end.
I have decided to announce a month
of national mourning.”
Rajnandini stared at her sister as
the glass fell on the cobbled stone.
His Royal Highness Veer Vikram
Singh, a boy, no more, but the undisputed ruler of Sindh and Rajputana, entered
the court as all fell silent as it ought to be.
Whenever she looked at the Throne
from behind the curtains on the veranda, she felt as if the throne was calling
out to her. It seemed to smile at her, talk to her and call her to come and
claim it as hers.
Set amidst the lesser gilded ones,
the Sun Throne was majestic, regal and more importantly held the seat of power
across all Rajputana.
Rajmata Priyadarshini looked lovingly
at the throne once again.
