•KOTHA•

Is bazaar mein jism ki numayish ki jati hai janab, pyar ki ghazal nahi sunayi degi, Khair har sham tooti chudiyon ki khanak jaroor gunjti hai.

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Author's POV

The whole Rathore palace was adorned like a newly wedded bride, shining proudly under the blanket of night.

The Royal servants were immediately moving here and there doing their work at a fast pace as the time of Groom's procession was so near.

"Is everything done?" Gayatri asked the head servant, who immediately nodded his head with bowed neck.

"Rudra kaha hai Gayatri? Subah se dikhayi nahi diye Aapke Ladle," Ratnamala Devi cascaded down the stairs adorned in a heavy traditional Rajasthani lehenga and asked her daughter-in-law.

"Masa, he is not attending the marriage his secretary just called and informed me," Gayatri answered making Ratnamala Devi frown.

It was his most loyal servant's wedding, the man who always shielded him before his life, who devoted his whole life just to protect him and he neglected to come to his marriage.

She knew it was Rudra, so it wasn't that shocking, he had always mood issues but still, the man who was so interested in this marriage till tomorrow now neglected to be part of it was slightly doubtful.

"And who Is not coming except Ladesar?" She asked her daughter-in-law but got alarmed by another voice at the same time.

"Everyone will attend the marriage Masa after all the most loyal servant of Rathore's is getting married, "It was Ratnamala Devi's elder daughter-in-law Aarartika who answered making her turn around.

Ratnamala stared at them to see her elder son Baldev, his wife Aaratika, and his both sons Abhiraj and Arth except her elder granddaughter-in-law Aparna.

"Where is your wife, Abhiraj?" She directly asked her elder grandson who was taken aback but answered.

"She is sick Dadi Sa...She needs to rest."

She nodded her head and in a few minutes, her husband Digvijay, younger son Harshvardhan and younger grandson Rakesh too came.

Now it was just the groom who came after getting ready, looking handsome in cream colour sherwani, but the happiness of getting married was far away from his face.

"Is everything okay Araysh?" Abhiraj asked looking at his tense face who shook his head immediately and answered.

"I am fine sir."

Ratnamala Devi signed her younger daughter-in-law to do some pre-rituals before the wedding and Gayatri followed before they headed to their destination.

~~~~~~~~

He stumbled with the excessive alcohol in his system but was enough sane to handle himself.

His secretary Yashveer stopped ten feet away from him and let him walk not wanting to keep his feet in that dirty place where his Sir visits from time to time.

His formal shirt was dishevelled and drenched in his sweat almost clinging to his hard chest and displaying his hard muscles, while the tie hung low around his neck.

The two beautiful pairs of onyx eyes lured his mind...he knew people were mad to think that a beautiful body could lure someone.

But in his case, one pair of eyes were enough to rule his day and night.

Today the owner of those beautiful eyes was getting married leaving him in the illusion of those stares so just to prove to her that she can't rule him without his permission he was there.

But he wasn't the man who would let anyone rule him, he was king and ruled people, getting ruled wasn't his topic that is also by a mere woman.

He entered the old palace carved in the old Rajasthani cultural Architecture, the camels, Rajasthani men, and women perfectly carved on the marvellous walls, telling folk stories.

It was called as Kotha famous for the women who are good at pleasuring men, in simple words prostitition.

In the city's shadows, where neon lights waltz, A scripted soliloquy, where souls pay love's false exalt.

Chandgarh the famous red light area of Jaipur, is silent during the day and violent at night with the haunting moans and growls of men and women.

Men go there every night, some to relieve their stress, some to expel their lust and some who don't know how to lead their lives.

But today it was silent with no noise of single Ghungroos of the girl working there or those drunkard men.

Rabiya Bai the owner of that brothel got the news of his arrival so How she would let any commoner enter there.

But What he was doing there? Respected royal blood in the whole of Rajasthan, A hidden treasure of Rathores was at the brothel.

Maybe the people were right? he was stained Royal blood, the dirtiest secret of the Royal family they kept hidden.

Each of the girls who worked there was lined up in the corridor behind the large pink curtains just to get a glimpse of Chand who decided to keep his holy feet in an unholy place like Chandgarh again.

Only one thought was going on in the head of each woman what if they would be enough lucky to catch his eye?

But a speck of dirt could never touch the sky and they were aware of the truth that they wouldn't be able to even walk on the path where once his feet touched.

His steps echoed making the heartbeats of all the girls beat rhythmically, each step speaking dominance and surrender.

Who would have thought? The man in whose veins run the blood of the Royal clan could visit such a place.

But Rudra Pratap Singh Rathore was always different from those Prideful Royals, he did every fucking sin that would cost the pride of Rathore.

Was he ashamed to accept them? NEVER.

He took a seat on the fluffy mattress that had always been the place where he sat, his ebony eyes staring straight with no hint of his heart being in the real world

Rabiya Bai who stood in the corner profusely sweating from the time she got to know he would visit here, didn't dare to even breathe the same air as him.

She nudged Munshi Ji who handled the girls in the brothel, and signed him to move forward, he gathered all the courage in his body and moved forward.

He bent on his knees and greeted in a shaky voice, "Khambhagani Hukum Sa."

Rudra didn't even lift his eyes and stared at the anklet dangling around his wrist with a small smile tucked on his lips.

Munshi Ji saw it and immediately moved away emptying the corridor that was filled with women giving privacy to the man knowing very well what he needed to do now.

His slender finger moved on those Ghungaroose creating a soothing sound, the beats flowing through every corner of his heart reminding him of those beautiful orbs.

Those orbs still stare at him with innocence under the layer of the masked mystery of her soul trying to get entangled with the darkness of his evil soul.

A Faded voice of Ghungaroors reached near his ear, diverting his attention a little, and with the passing seconds, the intensity of that rhythmic music increased.

He tilted his head a little resting his elbow on a cylindrical cushion and his eyes landed on the two beautiful feet, travelling upward from that golden Anarkali and just stopping on the face hidden under the veil.

"Humari taraf dekhiye..." he husked and the woman in front of him felt her knees weakening.

(Look at me)

She lifted her veil and moved her eyes upward at him getting him hooked to them.

The beautiful pair of onyx eyes.

Was he hallucinating? Does it matter? Because he loved that illusion.

He immediately straightened himself, making the woman flinch and moved his fingers in a gesture of greeting while that woman reciprocated.

She stared at the man with so much admiration and respect in her heart while a glint of respectful affection adorned her kohl-filled orbs.

She seductively walked near him not intending to lure him, just her usual walk and sat near his feet making him realize where he was.

He chuckled a little shaking his head at his stupid brain again hallucinating her and said to the woman, "Aap ko pata hai hum Aaj yaha kyu Aaye hai?"

(Do you know why I am here today?)

Lekha didn't lift her eyes to reply and shook her head so he continued with a chuckle, "Hume Aaj kal jindagi pasand Aane lagi hai, Jeene ka man karta hai."

(I like life nowadays and want to live my life)

"Kucch hua hai Hukum Sa?" Lekha carefully asked trying hard as always not to stutter.

(Did anything happen, My Lord?)

"Aap ko kya lagta hai? Hame kya hua hai?"

(What do you think? What happened to me?)

Lekha didn't dare to touch the slightest of his skin and replied, "Aqsar log aisi baatein ishq ka bukhar chadhne par karte hai Hukum."

(Most of the time people talk like this after falling in love Hukum)

His lips tucked upward and he replied, "Hum ishq nahi karte Lekha?"

(I don't do love lekha?)

"Ishq kara kaha jata hai hukum Sa, Vo kambakht bas ho jata hai."

(Love just happens, Lord)

"Aap ko lagta hai hame ishq hua hai?" He calmly asked staring at the silver anklet on his wrist and Lekha smiled.

(Do you think I fell in love?)

"Aap humse behtar jante hai hukum."

(You know better than me)

He smiled with a satisfying answer and continued with a composed tone, "Lekin Aap ko nahi lagta Hum unhe barbad kardenge."

(But don't you think I will destroy her)

"Ishq ka naam hi barbaadi hai hukum, Aap kandil lekar talashenge tab bhi Aapko Aabad Aashiq nahi milega."

(Destruction is the name of love, hukum, if you searched taking lamp too you won't find The lover who got colonized by love)

"Aur kis khet ki Muli hai Aap ka yeh begairat ishq?" He asked with a smile and Lekha said staring at him.

(And How many forms this love has?)

"Ishq? Ek ehsaas jo Aapko majbur karde Kisiko khud se jyada chahne ko, Ishq vo cheez hai jo Aapke us noor-e- chand ko bhi phika karde mehboob ke samne...ishq vo hai jo is jahnnum ki har Aurat Aapse karti hai.....Ishq vo hai jo aap ko us Sadhi se Payal mein bhi uska chehra dikha deta hai...Ishq vo tha Jo Aapki Masa ne Aapke Baba Sa se kiya tha Sari duniya ke khilaf jakar."

(Ishq? A feeling that compels you to love someone more than yourself. Ishq is that thing that dims the moonlight in front of your beloved's radiance. It's the passion every woman in this brothel feels for you. Ishq is when you see her face even in the anklets of that sacred thread. It's the love that your mother expressed to your father, defying the entire world.)

His smile fell hearing the mention of his mother and he leaned on the Sofa while caressing the anklet on his wrist and asked, "Lekin kya ek ishq hume itna majboor kar sakta hai ki hum unhe pyar ke badle Dard dena chahe?"

(But could love force me to give her pain rather than love?)

Lekha was speechless, in the 34 years of her life, she dealt with Animals, not humans, she is experienced in reading people but Rudra always left her astonished.

She has a soft corner for this man with immense respect and there is a strong reason for that but his inquiries always leave her with no words.

He is just like that newborn child, who is always filled with questions.....innocent with his words still leaving another person in the dilemma of puzzles.

"She is getting married, Lekha."

Lekha lifted her eyes enough carefully so she wouldn't look into his eyes and disrespect him, "Love is so rare Hukum not everyone gets it."

"Hum koi cheez nahi hai jeespar Aap keemat lagaye hukum, Aap honge sarparst naayab cheezon ke lekin hum unse mein ek nahi."

(I am not a thing on which you can put a price; you might be amidst precious things, but I am not one of them)

He smiled while getting up from his seat when those words rang in his head and replied, "Beshaq Aap cheez nahi hai Maherooh...Aap to jeed hai hamari...Junoon....jise ishq nahi kaha jata par Aap ek Dilqashi se kam nahi...hum Aapse ishq nahi karna chahte par Hassil jaroor karna chahte hai."

(Undoubtedly, you are not just a thing, Maherooh. You are my obsession, a passion... something that cannot be laughed off as mere love. I may not want to fall in love with you, but I certainly want to attain you)