Maharani Shakuntala devi, the first and once adored wife of Pratap Singh Raijada, is actually a cool and calm personality. She is one of the direct decendent of Shishodia family of Chittorgargh. Her parents were happy with her tying the nupital bond with the famous Raizada family. Pratap Singh was not at all a very obedient son of his father. Since childhood his stories of mischiefs were popular all over Rajasthan. His expensive tastes in women were also not kept secret to her parents. But even after that they were happy. Royal families are extincting from India, so getting married in a royal family is not at all an easy job.
Oh, she was so happy at her wedding day. They both were too much happy with each other. Too young, too immature, too naive yet too happy. They wanted to have a family as soon as possible. Happily they even fought while choosing the name of their first-born. In a royal family a girl is believed to be wedded to give birth to a son. She did not want to break the tradition. She fell on love with her husband so desperately that she even agreed to bear him a son.
"Why you think that we will have a son?" She pouted her lips in mock despair. "It can be a girl."
Her husband pulled her closer in his chest and embraced her tightly. They were smiling that day. Just smiling.
Long gone those days. She sighs heavily - "Hfff". Nowadays she does got any chance to meet him. He has changed a lot. He was naughty, but not maniac like now. He now cares only about himself and nobody else. But she stops complaining a long ago. Her whole world revolves around her only son Saksham Singh Raijada. He is like the oasis, the only solace of her mind and soul. Saksham is also a ditto image of his mother. Cool brain, sharp intellect, caring and loving son of her. Her only hope to live on.
She rests her head loosely on her favourite easy chair. Her relationship with her husband is quite complicated nowadays. Since he suddenly disappeared after her wedding night, she was heart-broken. She suspected many foul things. Like any newly married bride she was also scared about his life. She prayed to God rigorously. But when he came back after one year with another newly wed bride of his she hated him sincerely since then. At that time she was down with her post pregnancy complications. She just gave birth to her only son Saksham then. You could imagine what kind of shock it was on her. Her husband smiles at her like as if nothing had ever happened between them. He even forgot what promise he had ever made to her. He promised never to gey married again in her life-time. "That bastard" - she curses him under her teeth.
Since then he never came back to her. Even if she had every luxury of life, but she remained unwanted and untouched by her husband. Her life is now just like that of a "Yogin" (nun) whose only desire is to be with her God. However in her case that God is Saskam, her only son. She wants to fulfil her every unfinished dream in him.
"Hail the queen." Her personal maid Mayna asks for her attention.
She breaks up from her thought. She looks at her inquisitively. "What do you want to tell?"
Mayna bends before her and sits before her. "Ranimaa (queen-mother) I want to draw your attention to a serious matter."
Shakuntala devi looks at her with interest. She knows Mayna's nature very well. She came with her at the time of her wedding. She is like God-mother to her only son. If Mayna wants to discuss something, then it must be more important than she thinks.
"Rani Nayna devi is planning something evil. She is consulting daily with the nurses and nurse-maids alloted for Rani Amrita." Mayna seems worried.
Now Shakuntala devi is also dubious. Amrita is too young and ready to go in labour at any time now. Nayna must be planning something, unless she will never talk to the low-class people like nurses and nurse-maids. Maharani Shakuntala decides to search more. She instructs Mayna to be near Amrita in her labour time. She has to save Amrita from Nayna's evil clutches.