Once there was a king 16 February 2022: Gayatri come to kitchen and says she will prepare food for Brahmans. Raaj Mata comes and sends the cooks out saying after so many days there is happiness in the palace. She gets sentimental that she came to kitchen after a long time and forgot it is peaceful to work in kitchen. Swarna hugs Gayatri asking her not to be sentimental. They head to work, Gayatri goes to get Zafrin outside. Bari Rani maa comes saying the fragrance is heart touching. Raaj Mata tells her to leave, but she asks her to let her earn some good will.
Rana ji stops Gayatri, and says today he thought for a while that she deliberately got late for Pooja. Gayatri asks why she would punish him, for which sin, for which night. She recalls the bruises on Rajeshwari’s back. Rana ji says he didn’t get it. Gayatri says when he and Rajeshwari… with tears in eyes she heads to leave. Rana ji holds her back.
Bari Rani Maa opens a pot, she smells the aroma. She tells Raaj Mata what is there on her forehead, Raaj mata rubs the flour on it. Swarna laughs. Raaj Mata goes to wash it. Bari Rani Maa points at Kokilla, Kokilla calls Swarna. Swarna asks Bari Rani Maa to take care of the Kheer.
Bari Rani Maa nods, then says one must not leave a cat near the milk.
Rana ji asks if she really thinks he and Rajeshwari… Gayatri says Rajeshwari’s bruises on the back told her the story of that night. Rana ji holds her arms, and says only humans don’t lie, sometimes bruises also does. He press Gayatri’s arm, it gets marks of fingers. He says not all the marks are of love, he holds her face and says he only has she in his life, heart, soul. All his feelings lie with her, pain is what she has given, if there will be love that would also be given by Gayatri only. He leaves.
There in the kitchen, Bari Rani Maa mix Kalonji seeds in the tarka. She thinks this food won’t be worth serving to Brahman.
Swarna meets Gayatri in the way, she laughs and tells Gayatri that her mother in law had forgotten what she called her for. Gayatri and Swarna come in the kitchen, the milk for Kheer was boiling. They come to take care of it, there Bari Rani Maa was mixing Kalonji in a pot that fells off. Gayatri watches this and says it shouldn’t have got into the dishes today. Bari Rani Maa feels worried that she was going to commit a bad omen. Raaj mata comes there and asks Bari Rani Maa to take pea seeds nearby.There Rana ji welcomes Brahmans and says Raaj Mata herself is preparing the dishes today.
Raaj Mata tells the girls to get ready, the dishes are ready. They will first serve them to Goddess and then to Brahmans together.Rajeshwari, Kokilla and Kunwar ji were together. They smell something bad. Bari Rani Maa comes inside with fishes stuck on her shawl. She says once it gets into the food, nothing will remain perfect then.Gayatri prays in the temple that any bad sight should remain away from her husband. Kokilla, Rajeshwari and Kunwar ji come behind them and were about to mix the fishes in the dishes. Raaj mata, Gayatri and Swarna turn. The three goes down the stands.
The ladies drag the trolleys out, Kunwar ji, Kokilla and Rajeshwari walk down with them. Bari Rani Maa stood on the way.
Rana ji pours water for Pandit’s to wash their hands, as the food must arrive anytime. Swarna feels jerk in the trolley she was dragging, the soup fell off. She goes to get a cloth piece. Kokilla puts in the fish and runs away. Raaj Mata dragged the trolly, Kunwar ji pushes in her shoe. She bends to watch it, when he mix the fishes in the dish and runs away. Raaj Mata straightens up and drags the trolley. Bari Rani Maa appreciates Gayatri that she prepared the food herself. She pushes in a vase in front of her trolley. Gayatri sits to watch it. Rajeshwari takes the chance to put the fishes in the pots. Gayatri takes the pot, Rajeshwari had come out. She pants.
Rana ji watches the ladies bring the food. Gayatri brings the dish to Pandit ji. Rana ji serves along with Gayatri. Gayatri and Rana ji look at each other during the prayers. The Pandit opens his dish and says this is tragic, there is fish in his plate. Everyone is shocked. Kunwar ji, Rajeshwari and Kokilla laugh.Pandit ji complains to Raaj Mata if she had called him here to disrespect his religion. Gayatri was worried and says she didn’t mix the fishes. Gayatri says to Rana ji why she would do this. Raaj Mata says this isn’t possible, she, Swarna and Gayatri cooked this food themselves. Swarna says this is a planning, they were there all the time. Gayatri says none other than Rajeshwari can do this. Bari Rani Maa thinks she did this and Rajeshwari is being blamed.
Pandit stops Rajeshwari from accusing Gayatri. He stands up and says no Brahman would look at this food. Rana ji apologizes him and says he will just get new food made for him. Pandit ji says today Rana ji has disrespected Gods, and he considers Gayatri as responsible for this. He says ladies are responsible for what happens in the house, and the one who couldn’t handle a kitchen how she can handle Amirkot. He says she isn’t worth being a Rani. He curses Rana ji that there would be a big loss in his throne in the next twenty four hours. People will remember that there was a prince and a princess (ek tha raja ek this rani), after which the story ends. They leave the palace. Rana I stands in rage, Gayatri stops him but he leaves.
Raaj Mata goes behind him. Rajeshwari comes to Gayatri and asks what happened, was Gayatri going to light candles. She asks if she heard Brahman’s curses, now the whole Amirkot will burn and Gayatri won’t be able to do anything. She leaves.Bari Rani Maa gives Pandit ji a bundle of money, after which he leaves. Bari Rani Maa says everything will get destroyed. She enters the palace, watches the flame of Gayatri’s candle and thinks Gayatri won’t be able to save her first flame, burning the other one apart. Gayatri comes to save the flame, Bari Rana Maa shuts the door at once wondering who opened the door.
Bari Rani Maa says a human isn’t more than a stick in front of Gods, there is a storm coming. It is because of the curses of that Pandit. Raaj Mata says this is all because of her age, she says there is no difference between the curses of a Pandit and curses of an old lady. Bari Rani Maa says she is only saying what is written in books. Bari Rani Maa says she had also cursed them, this one is just like hers as well. She says she, Rana ji and Gayatri will apologize Pandit ji tomorrow. Gayatri watches Rana ji coming out of the room and goes behind him. Raaj Mata tells Bari Rani Maa strictly that Gayatri is already afraid, she must stop making her more fearful. Bari Rani Maa says as she asks her to. Raaj Mata leaves. Bari Rani Maa thinks there would be a storm here.
Gayatri comes to Rana ji on the terrace. She keeps a hand on his shoulder and says sorry. He asks for what. She says whatever happened. Rana ji says he broke his promise, not trust. She must take care in future. She was worried about the curse and says she won’t forgive herself if something happens to him or Amirkot. Rana ji asks how she can trust on these curses. He says from morning till evening people call British as a curse, did it affect them? He wipes Gayatri’s tears. Rajeshwari watched this from the other balcony, and says curtly that she tried to spread so much poison still Gayatri and Rana ji are having romance together.
Bari Rani Maa says that within next twenty four hours, the mistrust will prevail in between them. She shares a plan with Kunwar ji and all.
At night, Bari Rani Maa sails a boat with Rajeshwari.Gayatri comes to Rana ji and asks why he is awake so late. He says it isn’t because of the curse but work load. He asks her to… she asks to get him coffee. He nods and smiles. She leaves.
There, Rajeshwari and Bari Rani Maa throw away some bags in the river.
Gayatri brings the coffee. Rana ji tells her nothing will happen, why she is so afraid. He asks if she trust him. She says more than herself. He says nothing will happen, he asks her to smile but she doesn’t.
Bari Rani Maa throws the last bag in the river as well, the water gets a yellow colour. Bari Rani Maa sails back to shores.
The next morning, a man comes to the river and drinks from it. His gut was filled in acid that kills him all at once. The ladies filled water pots also die.
Bari Rani Maa says she forgot to keep clean water for herself. Kokilla says she has saved it for themselves. Bari Rani maa says it is a metal that dissolved like salt but causes burning in the body. Kokilla is worried what if Rana ji drinks this water. Bari Rani Maa tells her to let him, else how till the people know about Gayatri’s mistake. They hear people protesting outside the palace, who asked the people to save them as the water has become a poison. Gayatri, Raaj Mata and Swarna come to the balcony. Swarna says the whole water has been filled in the poison, the same water that goes to subjects come to palace as well. Gayatri at once runs calling Rana ji.
Rana ji was in his room, a servant had brought him water that he drinks. After one sip, he throws it all out, losing his balance. Gayatri runs inside along with Raaj Mata. They all help him lay on the bed. He spit white milky water from his mouth.
Next: once there was a king Thursday update
