In 1580, the story is set.

Mohini POV

'Patra aaya hai, Rajkumari!' 

'Letter has came, Princess!' 

The moment I heard this, a small smile came upon my face. 

Suddenly my life seemed much more brighter and everything I endured this past month the insults, humiliation which my father put me through vanished away just like the rays of sun during sunrise take over the night completely, vanishing away the darkness. 

I left my knitting and sewing box along with my saree and looked down from the terrace taking the support of railings. 

I saw Devika my best friend and my helper in this place, running from one point of gallery to another point across the garden. 

'Patra aaya hai Rajkumari aapke liye!' 

'The Letter has came for you, Princess!' 

I instantly smiled and came running down the stairs and met her in the middle of the long gallery. 

I was breathing heavily by the time I caught up with her due to excitement. 

I signed so fast in excitement that Devika couldn't understand what I am saying. She started laughing while stopping me. 

'Itni bekrari sirf ek patra ke liye. Tanik swas toh le lijiye ruk kar.'  

'So much desparation just for one letter. Please stop and take a breath.' She said teasingly. 

Taking a deep breath, I nervously asked in signs, 

'Did the letter came from Rao?' 

Devika with huge smile and teasing expression said, 

'Ji ha, Rao ne hi aap ke liye patra bhej waya hai. Lagta hai Rao, aapko bahut yaad kar rahe hai tabhi toh unhone 6 patra in 6 mahinon mein bhej diya. Lagta ab unhe bhi ye doori pasand nhi aa rhi hai.'  

'Yes, Rao has sent letter for you. It seems like he is missing you very much that's why he had already sent 6 letters for you in the span of these 6 months. 

It seems he isn't liking to stay away from you.' 

Rao for me, but his name is Sripad Rao. 

At the age of 14, he had gone on a mission of 'Swatantra Bharat' and his last mission is to dethrone my father and take command of Malwa with me on his side. 

These past years he was gaining trust and supports of neighbouring princely states. In these years he had trained himself and lived like a soldier. 

It was 6 months ago when he sent a letter and told me that he has almost completed his mission and is currently staying in Chandavanipur where he will group soldiers and then attack Malwa. 

He expressed how much he is missing me and very soon we will be together with me on his side. 

From that day onwards every month he sends a letter to update me of his plans and to show that he also can't wait to see me. 

Me cheeks turned red thinking of his last letter where he described how much he was missing me and what he will do when we will meet again. 

I blushed furiously as I remebered desiring all those things with him which he wanted to do to me and thank god I was alone as I would have melted in puddle of embarassment if someone had been there. 

Devika snapped her fingers in front of me and looked at me with furrowed brows and dimnutive smile, 

'Kahan kho gayi? Aap toh yahan khare hoke sirf man hi man muskurayi ja rhi hai?'  

'Where did you get lost? You are standing here and smiling at nothing for what?' 

I signed, 'Nothing'. 

Then I asked her to give me the letter but her expressions turned mischievious and suddenly she tucked the pallu of her nauvari saree in the waistband and started running away from me with letter high in her hand screaming, 

'Agar itna pyaar hai Rao se, toh aaiye le lijiye humse apne Rao ka patra.'  

'If you love Rao so much, Then come after me and take your Rao's letter from me.' 

I turn shocked and my mouth fell open at her childish antics but recovered quickly, I also tucked my pallu in the waistband of my saree and ran after her. 

We ran from long gallery and turned towards the wide corridors of chambers of the palace, I gained speed on her very fast as I trained myself everyday with swords and exercise. 

This is like a warmup for me, that's why I am not tired even a little bit but I could see Devika panting for running those long, magnificient galleries and corridors but just as I got my hand on her. 

She abruptly turned and ran with full speed towards the big couryard and training area where I practice everyday. I also turned and ran after her. 

'Ye kya ho raha hai?'  

'What is happening here?' 

Suddenly a loud voice interrupted us and we stopped dead in our tracks, 

'Humne kuch puchha hai, ye kya ho raha hai, ye aap dono kya kar rahi hai?'  

'I asked something, what is happening here and what are you two doing?' 

I was so focused in getting Devika and Rao's letter that I didn't pay attention to my surroundings which has happened to me first time in my life since I was always aware of my surroundings from young age, especially after what happened to my mother. 

I am fortunate that right now I am in my surroundings and not some enemy's. 

I looked around and found all my friends in training area, Ramaji Dada, my real brother, Ganesh Bhau, and Jayant Bhau, as they are my and Rao's friends. 

They are looking at me with shock and bewilderement as I have never done this, entering in training area without any announcement. 

I slowly untucked my pallu from my waistband and put it properly, I apologized to Ramaji Dada with signs. 

Ramaji Dada smiled adoringly at me and said, 

'Aapko dhyan rakhna chaiye, Mohini, aap kaha ja rahi hai, kese ja rahi hai. Aap hum sabki hone wali Ranisaheb hai. Agar humare siva aur log yaha hote toh kya karti. 

Ye sainik jald hi aapko Ranisaheb ke roop mein dekhenge par usse pehle hi aap apni chavvi inke samne ek bachhi ke tarah nahi rakh sakti. Samajh rhi hai na aap?' 

'It is important to pay attention, Mohini, where are you going, how are you going. You are the future queen of all of us. If other people had been here in place of us, then what would you have done? 

These soldiers will soon see you in the form of Ranisaheb but before that you will ruin your image in front of them doing these childish antics and the will see you more like a childish girl. Do you understand, right?' 

'Haan, Haan, samjhaiye inhe kuch'  

'Yes, Yes, make her understand.' 

Devika said mockingly to Dada while laughing up a little. She slowly hid behind Jayant and Ganesh Bhau. 

I narrowed my eyes at her then turned towards Dada and told him about Rao's letter and Devika's mischief of not giving me the letter back so I can read it. 

'Vahini, Raje ne kuch mahatvachhe khabar di hai kya?' 

Bhabhi, Did King sent some important information?' Jayant Bhau asked. 

Before I could tell him anything, from the corner of my eye I saw Devika slowly sidestepping towards the corridor. 

Before she could take another step towards the corridor I instantly took Dada's cloth from around his neck jerked it towrds her waist which encircled around her and then pulled back. 

Due to which she spinned and came back towards me and then pulled her leg with my leg which caused her to fall down, I took the letter from her and looked down at her victoriously. 

'Aai! Aai! Bahut tez lag gayi.' 

'Ouch! I really got injured badly', Devika screamed in pain. 

Now, I was feeling really guilty. Everyone Laughed and I forwarded my hand towards her to help her up. She took my hand and looked at me with mock anger. 

I indicated with signs, 'I am sorry', holding my ears. 

Dada came to me held my face adoringly and said, 

'Humari Ranisaheb hai yeh, aapko kya laga Devika, aapko woh itni aasani se aapne haathon se jaane dengi. Ranisaheb hai humare Raje ki aur shastra gyan mein nipud, unhe bewkoof banana asan nahi hai.' 

'She is our Queen, What did you think, that she will let you pass by her so easily. She is Queen to our King and steeped in the knowledge of weapons, it is not easy to fool her.' 

'Haan humari Maharani jo hain.' 

'Yes she is our Queen after all', I detected something in Devika's tone but ignored it. Maybe she is hurt that I pulled her so hard. I will make it up to her somehow.

Dada took the scroll from me and started to unscroll it while I was remembering his last letter, what he had written in it and thinking what he has written in the current letter while dying of embarrasment from inside thinking what will happen if Dada read what was written in it. 

I turned my head around timidly closed my eyes tightly and squinted one eye open to look at Dada but he only unscrolled a little and then scrolled it back up again giving me the letter back. 

I took the letter, looking at him with shocked eyes as to why he didn't open the whole letter. 

I instantly turned horrified that Rao has writthen something naughty in the first line which Dada read and in shame he didn't opened it completely. 

'Raje ne patra Mohini ke liye likha hai toh unhe hi padhne de. Aap tak aane wala har patra ki hum swayam janch karte hai' 

'King has bsent this letter for Mohini so only she will read it. Any letter which come to you is always checked by me.' 

Dada told to us which horrified me thinking that he has read every letter which came to me through Rao and I blushed furiously. 

I palmed my cheeks which suddenly turned warm and red thinking what Dada has read. 

Everyone looked at me and started laughing so I stared at them confusingly. 

'Chinta mat kijiye Mohini aapki koi gupt baat humne nahi padhi. Hum sirf patra ka upari hissa khol ke dekhte hai ki unhone kya likha hai namaskar mein agar aapka naam likha rehta hai toh hum nahi padhte hai.' 

'Don't worry, Mohini, I don't reead your letters. I just check whose name is written in salutations. If your name is there then I don't read it', Dada said slightly mocking me. 

'Raje aapke naam ke jagah gupt shabad, Chandani ka prayog karte hai, toh hum samajh jate hai ki Raje ne bheja hai patra aur agar koi jaruri baat hui toh aap toh hum log ko bta hi dengi.' 

'Raje use secret word Chandani in place of your name for us to understand that letter is sent by him and if there is anything important then you would have told us', Ganesh Bhau told me. 

I nodded my head about important information. 

'Sirf pichli baar ke patra mein unhone Ranisaheb likha tha parantu uske saath aaya ek aur patra jo humare liye tha usme Raje ne aapke liye aaye patra ko kholne se mana kiya tha.' 

'Only last time he had written Ranisaheb instead but another letter which was for us, it was written there not to open and read your letter.' Jayant Bhau told me. Dada gave me the letter back and said, 

'Ye lijiye apna patra, aapke Rao ka.' 

'Take this letter of your Rao.' 

I took the letter smilingly tucked it in the waistband of my saree hiding it under the pallu and ran from the training area to vast courtyard across towards long corridors to the stairs, running up to the upper floor in my chamber and locking myself in the room. 

I took a deep breath in anticipation, took out the letter and sat on the bed preparing to read it. 

Suddenly the announcer announced the entry of my father. I then turned scared about the letter from Rao. 

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Okay!!! I have already completed the first chapter of my first ever book.

It was really exhilirating but I think I did a good job. If you also think so then please like me and follow me.

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