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The dawn in Neelambargarh was unusually silent. No ladies were gossiping in the gardens collecting flowers, no maids chattering in the corridors, no sound of the Veena from Priyambada’s room and no sound of the anklets and music from the Kothi. The dead silence of the calm morning was broken by the sound of horse hooves. Priyambada stretched her eyes and rubbed them as she sat up on the bed. She had spent a sleepless night, staring numbly at the ceiling. Every time she closed her eyes, Tarabai’s lifeless face seemed to float in front of her, and she shuddered. She sat up on the bed and sighed. Gently putting her hand on her belly, she looked around the room. There was no sign of Adhiraja Ishaan Dev. He hadn’t come into the chambers the entire night. Worried, Priyambada clapped her hands for the maid in waiting. As Vrinda helped her with a hot bath silently, Priyambada felt her tired, tense muscles giving up. She shook herself awake and ordered some breakfast in the king’s bedchambers. She had decided against telling him about Ravi Varman’s involvement until he recovered from the previous day’s nightmare.
Dressed in a white drape wrapped around her body, Maharani Priyambada walked down the corridor and stood at the threshold of the Adhiraja’s closed chambers. She eyed Mallal, who gestured that he had not opened the doors since he walked into the palace. Maharani Priyambada knocked. The lack of response made her frown as she pushed open the door. The room was dark, the curtains were drawn tight, and Ishaan Dev was sitting on the edge of his bed, in the previous evening’s clothes, like a breathing living ghost. As Priyambada entered the room and opened the curtains, Ishaan Dev looked up at her, wincing his eyes a little at the sunlight. Priyambada proceeded in silence to his trunk and directed the servant she summoned to get his bath ready. As Priyambada turned to face him for the first time, he looked away towards the floor. Priyambada silently sat down beside him on the edge of the bed. As soon as she placed her hand on his gently, Ishaan Dev shook his head.
“I couldn’t do it, Priya. I couldn’t let her go. She should know and see that her death is avenged. Justice is served. Otherwise… she wouldn’t forgive me.” Priyambada nodded at him understandingly. “Devdoot told me you wanted the urn placed in the Kothi until then.”
“I need to avenge her. I need to teach the people who tried to harm my child a lesson.”
“You will. We will keep her safe until we find a way to avenge her.” She said firmly, “But to do that, you need to be healthy and well.” Ishaan Dev looked away as Priyambada smiled faintly “I know the loss is irreplaceable…”
“Do you… Feel hurt, Priya?” His question startled her. “Did I upset you?”
“With your concern for her?” Priyambada shook her head, “No, you can never.” Priyambada smiled, placing her head on his shoulder. “But I am concerned for you.”
“I will get ready, and we can eat together?” Ishaan Dev asked, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. “Will that lessen your concern and help you rest?”
“It might. But first, we need to make an appearance in the court at midday.”
“In court? But I dismissed court for the week.” Adhiraja Ishaan Dev frowned.
“We have to attend the Court of Justice.” Ishaan Dev raised his eyebrows at her words.
He knew the Court of Justice was held in an open arena surrounded by the people of the city, witnessing a trial where a criminal was dragged in chains and judged for his crimes. He had been to quite a few of those with his father every time they caught a spy or some fraudulent important person. “I didn’t want to concern you with it yesterday, but Unmukt has been caught, and I told them to bring him to the court of Justice this morning.” Ishaan Dev looked up at her words. “Along with Rani Surachana and Priyam Dev.”
“Priya, are you sure…? We can do this later.” Ishaan Dev’s words made her nod. “If you are concerned about my health, I assure you I can sit through a court session seeing justice being served to my people and my child.” Priyambada nodded as Ishaan Dev’s jaws tightened. If it were up to him, to not care about the process, Ishaan Dev would have executed Unmukt, Surachana and Priyam with his own bare hands. But… He eyed Priyambada instructing the maids with breakfast and sighed. The last thing he wanted was to upset her more and cause her harm. These people, who he was now sure, dared to help someone else harm his child, cost Tarabai her life wouldn’t be spared.
Trishaan Dev punched his fist into the wall of his chambers as the spy brought him news from Neelambargarh. “That filthy rat ruined everything!” Trishaan Dev shook his head. He needed to think quickly and act before Ishaan Dev did. He summoned the guards. “Tell Rajputra I request a meeting with him, it is urgent.” Trishaan Dev paced the room.
Rani Ratnawati was sitting in her chambers with Rajputra Ravi Varman pacing the room.
“Don’t be so agitated, someone might see you and be doubtful.” She snapped at her son, cutting a few fine betel nuts with her silver cutter. “They still have enough loyalty around here.” She shook her head. “I assure you, the good news is coming soon.”
The guard came in and bowed, and Trishaan Dev was summoned immediately. As he approached them, his face gave away the clear news of a failed plan. Rani Ratnawati frowned worriedly.
“Is there any way this will all redirect to me?” Ravi Varman broke the silence of the room, making Trishaan Dev stop pacing and share a glance of disbelief with Rani Ratnawati. She sighed.
“Don’t be a fool, Ravi! Of course, it will. Ishaan will swing his sword at that pathetic general, and he will spill out everything to save himself.” She grunted. “How did he even get caught?!” Ravi Varman grew quiet at his mother’s rebuke. He was a grown man, capable of being a ruler, yet he couldn’t help but notice how his mother wanted control over everything.
“It was a mistake on our part even to think a rebellious Neelambargarhi capable of aiding us, and that nautch girl!” Trishaan Dev shook his head.
“What do we do now?” Ravi Varman asked, a little scared. “It won’t be long before the news of someone conspiring to kill his heir reaches the Rajadhiraja.”
“We act on it.” Rani Ratnawati rose from her seat and walked up to her son, intentionally. “You and Trishaan have positions now that you can use.” She made the men stare at each other. “Both of you control Suryapali’s army and messenger network in Ishaan’s absence.” She made Trishaan Dev smile. “I made sure of that, didn’t I?”
“I will ensure no message or letter reaches the Rajadhiraja before passing through me.” Trishaan Dev agreed. Rani Ratnawati nodded, satisfied. “But…” Ravi Varman looked up at his mother as she held his shoulders firmly. “Be prepared, Ravi, the day to decide your fate may arrive sooner than we expected.” A shiver ran down Ravi Varman’s spine as he looked up at Trishaan Dev, agreeing with his mother.
“But Mother, Rajadhiraja is still alive and well, and Ishaan is still the heir to the throne.” He frowned. “How do we turn this around?”
“Ishaan Dev is not here. You are. And…People die all the time, unexpectedly, that too!” His mother’s words made Ravi Varman gasp. He had grown up believing she was his father’s favourite wife and that she loved him. Rani Ratnawati seemed to read her son’s mind as she smiled faintly.
“I do love your father, Ravi, but I love you more. I have always been the lesser queen. I will not let you be your half-brother’s servant for the rest of your life.” She shook her head. “I promised myself that the very day I had you.” Trishaan Dev looked up at the mother-son and quietly slipped away from the room to take his course of damage-controlling actions.
The Court of Justice was flocked by citizens as soon as they heard rumours of their previous queen being imprisoned. They didn’t know what was wrong, but the gossip travelled through the city markets that there was something big at play here. Perhaps the Suryapalians wanted to do away with the Neelambargarhi blood? Was their queen in danger, too? Or perhaps the rumours of an uprising were true. They were aware that some of the statesmen wanted Priyam Dev on the throne, while others thought that would further Neelambargarh’s doom. Some put their pride and name over food and peace, while others debated that they were finally happy in the realms of the new rule. The debates continued in whispers in the morning markets and much louder in the wine taverns at night. Fearing yet another war, just when Neelambargarh had started flourishing in stability after war and flood, they all wanted to know why the court of Justice had been called to order after so many years, a first in fact in Adhiraja Ishaan Dev’s reign.
“Is this about that nautch girl dying?” One of the noblemen whispered to another in a disgruntled voice. “They are insulting the descendants of the Wind over it?”
“Why would our queen kill the nautch girl? It makes no sense.” Another shook his head.
“She is not our queen anymore. She ran away with her son while we burned and died here, remember? And don’t forget that the Maharani is one of us. Let’s trust her.” Another man agreed with the other.
“But just in case all this turns against them? A conspiracy from Suryapali, perhaps?” The first one asked as the others exchanged glances.
“Then we, as true Neelambargarhi, will have to end all cooperation and join the uprising.”
“It will lead to internal riots and civil unrest.” The second one gasped. The others nodded. “Will the king spare us after that?”
“We accepted him with grace because our princess insisted so. She wasn’t wrong when she stated bravely to Siyori that they won the battle fairly and ensured the safety of the survivors, and hence dignified Neelambargarhi should cooperate. I was there.” The arena of the Court of Justice fell into silence as Adhiraja Ishaan Dev appeared on the podium and took his seat. Maharani Priyambada followed him in slow, measured steps and took her seat beside him. The Neelambargarhi heaved a sigh of relief. She was fine. Maybe the rumours of the queen’s capture were untrue, too?
It was Devdoot who had blown the horn to signal the start of the court session. Everyone stared at the locked door, expecting it to open and for prisoners to come for trial. To their surprise, Adhiraja Ishaan Dev stood up to speak first.
“My citizens, nobles and ministers. We have always treated you as family and agreed to full transparency of our affairs involving the state with you as and when possible.” He looked up at the silent crowd, thousands of pairs of eyes staring at him. He continued. “So, the Maharani and I have some good news and some bad news. But here in the court of Justice, I have summoned you to witness judgment in an important trial, conducting which in the privacy of the palace courtroom would be unjust to the people of Neelambargarh.” Confused buzz and glances rose across the audience. What was happening? Adhiraja Ishaan Dev turned briefly towards his queen, who nodded her agreement.
“The good news first, we are happy to announce that the Maharani is expecting Neelambargarh and Suryapali’s heir soon.” The crowd erupted in joy and cheered as Maharani Priyambada smiled faintly at the fanfare and Adhiraja Ishaan Dev raised his hands to stop the crowd, his face still grim.
“We had no intention of publicly declaring our happiness yet, mostly because the Maharani and I were concerned about the safety of our child and rightly so, which brings us to the second part of today’s agenda.” The confused crowd exchanged glances as Ishaan Dev stopped briefly.
“We are here today because we have enemies amongst us, enemies who are so cunning and shameless that they joined hands with perhaps greater forces and tried to harm the innocent life of an unborn child.” Gasps went across the audience. Neelambargarh was always proud of its high morals, and among its highest orders of sin were infanticide and the killing of disabled people. They believed whoever committed such sins would face the wrath of God.
“Many of you, especially the ministers, are aware of the suspicious demise of Tarabai.” Ishaan Dev looked up as the midday sun made drops of perspiration appear on his forehead. His jaws stiffened as he said in a rather formal voice, “She died valiantly, trying to protect our heir from the possible poisoning that could not only take his life but his mother’s too.” The murmurs around increased as the people of Neelambargarh found it hard to express respect for the type of women they looked down upon, yet her deed was indeed respectful. “That brings us to … who aided such enemies.”
The gates leading down to the prison houses flung open as soldiers marched out and formed a barricade between the rulers and the anticipated prisoners. The sound of chains was heard, dragging along the ground as footsteps approached the arena. More than one. General Unmukt raised his hands to guard his face against the sudden exposure to the sun as his vision cleared, and he saw thousands of pairs of angry eyes glaring at him. His clothes were torn, and bruises from his last resistance to captivity were visible on his bare arms, legs and face. Two of his front teeth were missing. But even after enduring torture, he hadn’t given up much information on how the poison, the types of which were found in the high altitudes of the Heemdevi, reached the palace, nor who aided him with it. Until Maharani Priyambada came along and offered him an escape. He told her everything in the hope that his life would be spared. He gulped. He had been in the royal service of Neelambargarh enough to know how treason was treated. He just wanted to live. The crowd booed at him. As the other figure came into light from the shadows, her hands and feet chained, being dragged by the guards into the middle of the arena, the crowd stood horrified. Rani Surachana looked up at the podium and her daughter’s unreadable face. Even in the grim situation, the tension of which reflected on her face, Priyambada had a mother’s glow. Rani Surachana’s eyes filled with tears and blurring her vision, and her throat went dry. Then she cleared her throat and before Ishaan Dev could speak again, she flung her hands in the air, startling the guards and ran, as fast as her heavy chains permitted, towards the podium.
“Where is my son? What have you done to my son? He has been missing for more than a day now, and all your guards do is capture me? Traitors! Cruel inhuman…” One of the guards who had stopped her from reaching the podium threw her on the ground, and as she landed on her knees, sobbing, “People of Neelambargarh, ask your rulers what they have done with the only surviving heir of the Wind. Question them for your one true prince.” The crowd stood in silence, and some gasped as Rani Surachana looked up at the clanking of chains, and Priyam Dev appeared, visibly scared, from the gates, being firmly held by two of Neelambargarh’s soldiers. Another round of murmurs escaped the crowd’s lips. They hadn’t seen their prince since the fateful night. Rani Surachana looked up at the crowd.
“Look, Neelambargarh. Look how your princess has turned against her own. Look how the blood of the Wind God is being treated, unlike promised.” She turned to the podium where Ishaan Dev stood, his eyes fixed on her. “They kidnapped my son. They killed the nautch girl and tried to frame us. This is all a lie!”
“Bring the soldier.” Ishaan Dev roared, making her stop as a shiver ran down her spine. She expected the people of Neelambargarh to be by her side, and Priyam Dev. What was happening? Why was the crowd standing mute as spectators?
A soldier came in briskly and bowed to the rulers as Priyam Dev shouted, “You traitor! I paid you in gold.” The man seemed to ignore the boy’s hapless rants as Ishaan Dev nodded at him.
“I am one of the guards stationed outside … where Rani Surachana and Rajkumar Priyam were kept. He had befriended me over the years, and as instructed, I had made him believe I was an ally.” Ishaan Dev nodded as Priyam Dev looked petrified. “A few days earlier…” The soldier took out a few gold coins from his pouch and displayed them. “He offered me this to help him escape the hideout and make it look like the … Adhiraja and Maharani had him kidnapped and harmed. He didn’t tell me where he wanted to go, but he did say there was something planned, the success of which can draw him under suspicion.”
Rani Surachana looked up in disbelief at her son. She recognised the coins well. It was one of the few things she had brought with her from her late husband. The coins were minted on their wedding day and gifted to her as per Neelambargarhi traditions. They were no ordinary coins that could fall into the hands of ordinary people.
“Fool.” She said under her breath as Priyam Dev looked away. “I was helping your cause. You ruined everything!”
“I had given my word to the Rani not to harm Priyam Dev, and I stood by my vows, but time and again they failed to stand by their words.” Ishaan Dev spoke. “But my father says the sign of a good king keep their promises even to traitors and pay their debts even to thieves. So, I spare him his life and hereby sentence Priyam Dev to life imprisonment. He will never see the light of day again.”
“No. NO. Mother. Help me. Please help me.” Priyam Dev threw his hands up in the air and resisted as he was dragged down the corridor he came in from by the soldiers who brought him in. Maharani Priyambada inhaled. She couldn’t help but notice how Priyam Dev didn’t look up at her or plead mercy to her even once. The boy still had some conscience left?
“General Unmukt.” Ishaan Dev spoke as the man fell to his knees.
“Your Highness, please. I told the Maharani everything she asked of me. I will tell you more if you spare me my life.” He stopped as Ishaan Dev suddenly looked amused.
“You have no other information, Unmukt.” It was the Maharani whose voice boomed across the arena while Adhiraja Ishaan Dev frowned slightly before resuming his duty.
“People of Neelambargarh, tell me, what punishment does a man deserve when he betrays the crown under oath of a general, instigates a rebellion and aids in infanticide? Some of his many crimes, I am sure.”
General Unmukt looked pale as the crowd echoed “Death, death, death!” Ishaan Dev turned to one of the soldiers standing in line. “Behead him.”
“No No NO!” General Unmukt tried in vain to resist as the man held him by his hair. The slosh of the blade could be heard, and the crowd fell silent as blood stained the grounds and the head of the traitor rolled across it. Rani Surachana, who stood a few feet away, suddenly shrieked at the blood that stained her clothes from the impact. She howled as she sat down on the ground, and the crowd stood silenced.
“Rani Surachana.” Ishaan Dev spoke again as Maharani Priyambada stood up, making him stop, concerned. He wasn’t sure such violence and stress were good for her. Was she sick? Maharani Priyambada stepped up beside him and whispered, “Can I do this one?” A little taken aback by the lack of emotion in her voice, Ishaan Dev nodded and stepped back. Maharani Priyambada turned to face her prisoner as Rani Surachana looked up at the daughter she didn’t recognise anymore.
“I have always been taught that trials are not personal.” Maharani Priyambada looked up at the crowd she addressed. “My father said, your grudges are not for others, when someone is on trial, a just ruler only punishes them for their crimes.” She inhaled as she stepped down from the podium with Devdoot’s help. Adhiraja Ishaan Dev frowned. He found it rather uncomfortable to watch his pregnant wife approach the prisoner closely. Four more guards followed his hand gesture to go and stand guard, alertly between the previous queen and the present.
“But today is a little different. Today, Rani Surachana is on trial. Not only for conspiring against the throne of Neelambargarh, but also, as a mother and queen, she failed to be for all of you. She gave her only daughter away on a plea bargain to the sworn enemy for her son’s life, not even caring about the people she served. The citizens of Neelambargarh suffered the consequences of war while she enjoyed the luxuries Suryapali granted her in her voluntary captivity.”
“That is not true.” Rani Surachana protested feebly.
“She gave up on you, her children and me, her daughter, when it was her duty to face enemies. And when I offered her my assistance, she turned against me. Your Queen. She accepted every amenity provided by Suryapali and yet conspired against the governance of Neelambargarh.” The buzz across the court was loud. A true blood royal was always fighting for the throne over everything else. They never disrespected the throne they served, even in losses, which they took graciously until they could rise and challenge their rivals to take back what was theirs. If not, they accepted a gracious death, never a bargain for luxury. That was Neelambargarh’s code of honour.
“It is not true. I wasn’t in luxury.” Rani Surachana protested.
“Is that so, Mother?” Maharani Priyambada had a faint smile on her face, “Isn’t that what you accused me of when I approached you, willing to serve my people? Look, I am doing it now while you abandoned them.” The crowd erupted in support of their queen as Surachana looked pale.
“This is your grudge, isn’t it, Priyambada?” Rani Surachana spoke to her daughter almost in a whisper. “Yes, I have wronged you, and I apologise. We can talk about this. I know you have grudges…”
“And she aided the plan to kill the future heir of Neelambargarh’s throne. My unborn child. Your future king.” Surachana could feel how the crowd had turned against her. She had misjudged them. They were loyal to the throne and their queen, not a person. Priyambada had made a place in their hearts.
“Not only did she commit treason, she willingly committed the greatest sin a Neelambargarhi ever could. Trying to kill an unborn child.”
“Death. Death. Death.” The echo grew louder as Queen Surachana stood horrified, watching Ishaan Dev nod at the henchman whose sword already bled in Unmukht’s blood.
“As a royal, I have a last wish the king has to grant me.” The voices died down in Surachana’s words. “He can’t deny me that.”
“Stop playing your games, Mother.” Maharani Priyambada protested firmly. “It is all over now.” Rani Surachana looked up at Adhiraja Ishaan Dev.
“I am sure the Adhiraja knows the rules.” A reluctant Ishaan Dev tightened his jaws and nodded. It was a law across the land beyond the Heemdevi to honour a last wish if a royal was executed at trial. Rani Surachana smiled. This was her only way to survive.
“I want my daughter to behead me.” A gasp went across the arena as Ishaan Dev stood up, perplexed. Maharani Priyambada took two steps back, almost horrified at the words coming out of her mother’s mouth. “She claims to be your rightful ruler. She can prove it by executing me and giving you justice.” Maharani Priyambada’s jaws tightened. She knew why Rani Surachana wanted this. She was sure her timid child, who only took defence classes reluctantly, could never harm a fly. Maharani Priyambada inhaled and stepped back, drawing the sword from her scabbard. The crowd gasped.
“If the Lord wants me to do so, so be it.” A chill ran down Rani Surachana’s spine at Priyambada’s words. Adhiraja Ishaan Dev looked up at the sword in Maharani Priyambada’s hand. The sword of his forefathers. The sword of Suryapali had tasted the Neelambargarhi blood for centuries. But had it ever witnessed such a day? Adhiraja Ishaan Dev stepped forward in two minds. Should he ask Priyambada to stop? But would that not spare Surachana? He didn’t care. He wanted Priyambada and the child to be safe. Before Ishaan Dev could react, Maharani Priyambada had let out a shriek as if she was hurt, raised the blade to the sky as the sun shone on its steel and slashed at Rani Surachana’s neck as she knelt before the queen. Her strength wasn’t enough to behead the body as it lay in a pool of blood, moving as if in pain, the muscles in the hands and legs twitching as blood spattered across the ground and on the clothes of Maharani Priyambada. She stared at her hands, still holding the sword of Suryapali, blood-soaked and stained, as Priyambada sat down on her knees beside her mother’s lifeless body, staring right into her eyes. Adhiraja Ishaan Dev rushed to hold her firmly in his arms, scared that she might fall over as the silent crowd suddenly roared into cheers for their courageous and just Maharani. She had proven to be the true blood of Neelambargarh and their rightful ruler. All the cheers died down, and the vision of the blood blurred as Priyambada fainted in Ishaan Dev’s arms, with the last shriek from him calling out for her ringing through her ears.
