As per all rituals Taravati and Abhimanyu's marriage took place. At their wedding night, Abhimanyu went to Taravati's room. He entered the room and found the room decorated with loads of flowers and Taravati sitting on the bed. He moved to the bed. Hearing his footsteps, she clutched the bed sheet with her toes. He walked across the bed and put off his "pagri". Abhimanyu sat beside her and touched her hand. She pulled her hands away and put them on her knee. Abhimanyu thought that she was shy. He moved a bit closer and put his hand on her shoulder but she moved away slightly. This time Abhimanyu felt bad. He frowned.
"Aapki iss uddandata ka karan?" he asked. "Kya iss vivah se aap prasann nahi hai?"
She remained silent. "Kuch kahiye. Hum aapke uttar ki pratiksha kar rahe hai", he said.
"Aap shur veer hai. Acche manushya bhi hai parantu fir bhi iss vivah se hum apna maan nahi jor sake", she said. Her voice was barely above whisper. "Humne vivah ki liye haan toh kar diye kintu abhi tak ek hone ko humari maan ne humein aagya nahi di hai", she added.
"Hum aapki aadar karte hai, aapki bhavnao ka sammaan karte hai. Hum apko kisi bhi baat ki liye vivash nahi karenge. Ab hum apke nikat tabhi ayenge jab aap ka maan apko aagya dega", he said and walked out of the room.
.
A couple of months passed.
When Prince Dayanand returned from the war he came to know that Princess Taravati got married to Prince of Bijapur, Abhimanyu. He broke down. He regretted the fact that he couldn't tell his father about Taravati, his Tara...
On the other side, over all these months Taravati and Abhimanyu became close to each other. Friends they said they were.
One day Prince Abhimanyu was passing by Taravati's room when she heard the melodious voice of her, singing arti. He put off his shoes before entering her room. Going in he slowly walked in behind her. She felt his presence and looked up. She put forward the dish to him and he took arti and taking the vermilion in between his thumb and index, applied it on her forehead and she touched his feet. Then he left the room.
.
A few days later Taravati went to the Goddess Durga temple of Bijapur. Dayanand somehow got the information and went there in disguise to meet her. When Taravati was returning to the palanquin, from behind of a tree Dayanand pulled her. Seeing Dayanand Taravati was shocked. She asked him where he was when she needed him. When he told her the circumstances she couldn't stop her tears from slipping down her cheeks.
"Kintu ab sab samapt ho chuka hai. Hum ab kisi aur ki ardhangani hai",she pushed him away.
"Kya aap iss vivah se prasann hai?"
"Haan hum prasann hai. Aur ab humare saath aapka koi sambandh nahi ho sakta. Chale jaiye aap", she said wiping off her tears. Dayanand knew she didn't mean it but he left. On the other side a guard saw them together. He informed this to Prince Abhimanyu. Abhimanyu was shocked, disappointed and angry. He called Taravati in his room.
.
"Rajkumari kya ye baat sach hai ki aap Golkunda ki Rajkumar Dayanand se mili thi?" Abhimanyu asked. Taravati was standing quite, looking at the floor.
"Kya ye sach hai rajkumari?" he repeated. Taravati gained some courage and gave a slight nod. Abhimanyu shook his head and said, "Aap ja sakti hai". Taravati left and went to her room. She was scared about the consequences. She was hoping that Dayanand left the kingdom already.
At Pradyuman's room, he was talking with Abhimanyu.
"Aapko iss vishay ki baare mein pata tha na kunwar?" King asked.
"Daajiraj, hum ye avashya jante the ki rajkumari ko humse koi lagaav nahi hai parantu Kunwar Dayanand ki vishay mein hum kuch bhi nahi jaante the", Abhimanyu replied. "Daajiraj hum ek baat kehna chate hain."
"Kahiye", Pradyuman gave permission.
"Rajkumari se kuch maat kahiye. Hum jaante hai ki unhone kuch nahi kiya. Iss vishay mein hum unse swayam baat karna chahenge", he said.
Pradyuman looked at his son, amazed that his son had grown up. He had become mature. Pradyuman nodded.
"Ab humein agya dijiye. Pranam," Abhimanyu greeted his father and left the room.
.
Abhimanyu was in his room, having conversation with his ministry. In the mean time Taravati walked through the long corridor which led to Abhimanyu's room with hesitation. She wanted to clear everything. She wanted to tell him that she didn't have any intension to hurt him. She wanted to share her dilemma with him because she knew he would understand. When she reached near Abhimanyu's room she saw a guard coming out.
"Suniye", she stopped him. The guard saw her and greeted her. "Kunwar sa bhitar hai kya?"
"Ji rajkumari", he replied.
"Aur kaun hai unke saath?"
"Sultan Singh aur Kunwar Rajatsubhra unke saath rajya ki baare mein kuch vichar kar rahe hai".
"Theek hai aap jaiye", she said and the guard left.
Taravati waited outside for them to come out. And a while later Sultan Singh and Rajatsubhra came out the room. A guard rushed to Sultan and informed him something and he went to the opposite direction Taravati was standing. She proceeded to Abhimanyu's room but Rajatsubhra stopped her.
"Bhabhi sa!"
Taravati turned back and greeted him with a smile. "Devarji aap yudh se kab laute? Humse milne bhi nahi aye!" she said.
"Wo bhabhi sa, yudh se laut te hi dadabhai ne kuch baat karne ki liye bulaya. Toh apse milna reh gaya. Iske liye hum kshama chahte hai", he joined his hands and Taravati was embarrassed. "Areh! nahi nahi, hum toh bas aise hi keh rahe the".
"Waise aap dadabhai se milne jaa rahi thi?" he asked mischievously.
"Ji, wo kuch avashyak baat karni thi..", she gave a faint smile.
"Agar aisa hai toh hum beech mein dakhal nahi dete. Aap jaake mil lijiye. Pranam," Rajatsubhra left with a smile on his face.
Taravati peeped in the room through the transparent curtains and saw Abhimanyu standing by the window. She walked in with small and heavy steps. As she walked, her gold anklets made a jingling sound which drew Abhimanyu's attention towards her. He asked her to sit but, "Ekaant!" she ordered and everyone went out of the room. She walked to him. Taravati stood beside and exchanged glance with her husband. The evening ray of the sun fell on their faces. Abhimanyu felt Taravati's beauty had increased due to the sun ray, which was distracting him and so he threw his glance outside. Taravati followed his glance and spoke, "Kitni vichitra baat hai kunwar?"
"Kya!" Abhimanyu frowned.
"Yahi ki jab humein baat karke baaton to suljhana chahiye tab hum yun chup rehke apne aap ko aur paristithi ko aur bhi uljha rahe hai", she looked at him and he averted his face slightly to see her.
"Aap ye keh rahi hai rajkumari?" Abhimanyu shot her a pair of questioning eyes.
"Haan. Kyun ki hum swayam sampurn roop se ulaj chuke hai. Hum toh swayam hi nahi jaante ki hum chahte kya hai", she sounded helpless.
"Parantu vivah ke itne dino ki pashchat ye saare baatein kuch advut nahi lag rahi?" Abhimanyu tried his best but couldn't hide his disappointment.
"Hum kshama chahte hai kunwar. Hum kabhi bhi apko thes nahi pohchana nahi chahte the", she joined her hands. Abhimanyu turned towards her and moved his face close to her.
"Ek baat bataiye, kya aap uss kunwar Dayanand se prem nahi karti thi? Kya aap dono ki beech koi sambandh nahi tha? Kya kunwar Dayanand hi wo waja nahi hai jinki kaaran aap ne humare saath apni dampatye ka shuruaat tak nahi kiya, dur bhaagte rahe humse? Bataiye... aur hum keval satya sunna chahte hai", he blurted in rage and she shook up. Taravati was shell shocked by his words. She was so shocked that she got numbed for a while.
"Haan hai ye satya!" she yelled. "Hum prem karte the unse parantu vivah se pehle. Pavitra agni ko sakshi manke apse vivah kiya humne. Uski pashchat kisi aur ki vishay mein hum sapne mein bhi nahi soch sakte. Aur aap ne ye kaise maan liya ki Kunwar Dayanand ke kaaran hum apse dur bhaagte hai", she paused and sniffed. "Hum toh bas itna chahte the ki apko janle, samajh le, kyun ki hum kisi aise vyakti ki saath apni jeevan ka naya aarambh nahi karna chahte the jinhe hum jante nahi, jinse hum prem nahi karte. Parantu ab jab humare hriday mein apki liye bhavnaye hai tab aap hum par itna bada lalchan laga rahe hai!" she stopped and her last few words stunned Abhimanyu. 'humare hriday mein apki liye bhavnaye hai' echoed in his ears. Taravati took a few steps backwards and sat on the couch place next to her.
"Ek patni ki liye apni pati ka vishwaas hi sab kuch hota hai. Apne aaj humpe sandeh karke humara sab kuch chin liya. Kunwar apne keval ye jaana ki ve humse mile the parantu apne ye janne ka prayaas nahi kiya ki humne unse kya kaha tha. Itna vishwaas bhi nahi raha apki hum par?" she said absently. "Humne nahi bulaya tha unko humse milne ki liye. Mandir mein hum Ambe maa ki darshan karne gaye the, kisi par purush se milne nahi", she added shrilly and ran out of the room.
.
At Taravati's room, she sat in front of the small temple situated at the corner and joined her hands. "Kyun kar rahe hai Kanha aap humare saath ye. Jab hum Kunwar Abhimanyu se prem nahi karte the tab humara vivah unse karwa diya aur ab jab humein unse prem hai tab unhone hum par itna bada lalchan laga diya. Wo swayam bhi toh ek Rajput hai. Unko ye baat acche se pata hai ki ek Rajput stri ki liye unka sammaan ki sab kuch hota hai. Phir bhi unhone humpar sandeh kiya", she paused. "Hum krodhit hai apse aur unse bhi", she uttered like an angry child. Abruptly she felt a hand on her left shoulder. She swiftly brushed off tears and turned her face back to see who it was, it was none but Abhimanyu, standing behind her with guilt all over his face. She frowned and removed his hand with a jerk and stood up.
"Aap yaha kyun aye hai?" she said shrilly.
"Hum jante hai Taravati humse bohot bada apradh hua hai aap par sandeh karke. Ek shan ki liye hum apna Rajput sanskaar tak bhool baithe. Humein aap par sandeh nahi karna chahiye tha. Kshama kar dijiye humein", he joined his hands in front of her lowering his head.
"Apki liye ye saral hoga parantu humare liye.." she paused and added. "Hum ye kadachit nahi bhool sakte ki saat vachan de kar jis pati ne humse vivah kiya wo hi humein diya hua apna pehla vachan bhool gaye", Abhimanyu shook up by rising shrill of Taravati's voice. She turned her back towards him. "Vinti hai apse ki chale jaiye aap. Akela chod dijiye humein", she demanded and her voice was clear as a metal. Abhimanyu left the room disheartened. After he left Taravati sat down on the floor and broke into tears.
.
Next morning Abhimanyu went to Taravati's room but she wasn't there. Divyalaxmi informed him that she went to the garden to spend some quality time with herself. So he walked through the long corridor towards the garden at the end of the courtyard. And as he reached her he saw a snake lying next to her feet which she didn't notice. She was about to step on it absently when Abhimanyu came running and pushed her. She fell on the ground. It took a few seconds for Taravati to understand what was going on and when she realized that the snake bit Abhimanyu, a scream parted her lips. She somehow got up and ran to him. Till then the guards had killed the snake and called the royal healer.