It has been a tradition since time immemorial in the face of the earth that the men marched to war, seeking glory for their states and kings, adorning their bodies with bruises no less gaudy than the most precious gems of the land, while the women waited and prayed for their safe return. No war was easy or certain. At least that is what they grew up learning. But does it stop the war? Or the need for power? Absolutely not. The royal blood demands shedding it. Kumar Viraj could have left Maanwari as a child but Maanwari had not left his veins. That was perhaps why he was braver and more skilful than men his age. When Adhiraja Ishaan Dev offered him Neelambargarh’s mighty troops to capture Maanwari, he knew they would surely outnumber his uncle’s one by hundreds. But he made sure he refused Adhiraja's personal help. Battles made Ishaan Dev’s adrenaline rush. He wanted to lead Kumar Viraj to victory. But when Kumar Viraj said that it would only demean his claim to be ready for the throne and that he wanted to lead the war himself, Ishaan Dev reluctantly agreed to provide the best of Neelambargarh’s army and Niranjan Verma accompanied him.
Maharani Priyambada had missed her lessons with Niranjan Verma while at Suryapali and ever since she stepped into Neelambargarh she made sure she never missed a lesson. In her supervision, over the past months, many of the royal and noble ladies of Neelambargarh had taken up defence lessons with Niranjan Verma. After the fateful Suryapalian war, Priyambada found it even more important that the women of Neelambargarh knew how to defend themselves. Not only did the royal dynasty have the privilege of learning, but these lessons in her prospectus would also reach far and wide into the corners of a new Neelambargarh. However, she wasn’t satisfied with just that. She learnt to attack, defend and make strategies from Niranjan Verma himself and even trained against his best of men. Maharani Priyambada wanted to defend her state and people if the time and situation demanded it. The last thing she wanted to do was run or submit like her mother. Every time she would mention it, Adhiraja Ishaan Dev would tilt his head and laugh a little amused saying nobody would ever dare to go against the alliance of Suryapali and Neelambargarh across the seven seas. She would be quiet. Maharani Priyambada’s life experience taught her not to be sure of anything.
At dawn, when the first birds took flight against the white sky, she had stepped into the ladies' arena, sword and shield in hand, ready to begin again. But she was surprised to see that she was not alone. Niranjan Verma was shaking his head as if to make sense of something he was saying to none other than Smriti. Seeing the Maharani approach them, they both bowed promptly and Priyambada’s eyes narrowed questioningly at Smriti.
“Pardon me, Your Highness, I have been telling her that it is impossible to learn war strategies within a month.” Priyambada’s heart skipped a beat at Niranjan Verma’s words. Was Smriti thinking of accompanying Kumar?
“It is not safe for you out there.” She found her authoritative voice as Smriti stood silent. “Trust his skills, he will be fine.”
“But…”
“Smriti” Priyambada approached her and held her hands in her own “I know you are worried, but if you accompany him now, he will have to think of your security and protection over himself and that can hamper his campaign. You can learn. There is no harm in that. And someday you will accompany him to war as an aide, not a worry.” Smriti looked up at her reassuring words. “Trust me on this Smriti.” She nodded reluctantly.
“Besides when you are the queen of Maanwari, you can do whatever you want. Until then let me have the pleasure of commanding you.” Priyambada smiled slightly as Smriti suddenly felt a little pale.
“Will I be a good queen?” Her prompt question made Priyambada eye Niranjan Verma who took their leave with a bow as she made Smriti sit down on the stairs of the arena beside her.
“What makes you unsure?” She asked in return. Smriti rubbed her hands nervously.
“Well for one, I am not of royal blood like you or him.” Priyambada shook her head to make Smriti stop.
“No.” Priyambada shook her head “That doesn’t matter. I know the priests say your birth is your fate but it is not. You make your fate. You are brave enough to make yours.”
“Will he be fine?” Smriti fumbled as Priyambada surprised her with a reassuring hug.
“Come with me.” She said, trying to lighten the conversation. “Since it is your first day, let me have the honour of teaching you a few skills?”
“It will be my pleasure.” Smriti smiled faintly.
It was unusual for Niranjan Verma to seek an audience with the king in the evening. Adhiraja Ishaan Dev frowned at Devdoot who was carrying the message to him.
“Let him wait at the courtroom, I will be there.”
When Ishaan Dev arrived in the empty courtroom, Niranjan Verma was pacing the room. He looked rather serious, almost worried, as he spotted Ishaan Dev and bowed to him promptly.
“Your Highness.”
“What brings you here at this hour?” Adhiraja Ishaan Dev didn’t waste time in pleasantries.
“Sire, we are leaving for war in three days.” Ishaan Dev nodded at his words as he continued. “My wife is alone here without me, can you make arrangements for sending her back home to my sons?” Ishaan Dev was taken aback by his request.
“Niranjan Verma you are a trusted and faithful ally to both Suryapali and Neelambargarh, she will be well taken care of in your absence.” Ishaan Dev reassured him politely.
“I beg your pardon for my audacity, Adhiraja, but she is homesick.” Ishaan Dev nodded silently at the man. Honestly, he had been homesick too recently, strangely not for Suryapali where he was, but for Neelambargarh. He was yet to accept his feelings of belonging to this land and people now, perhaps even more than before as his days of marital bliss had just begun. He agreed to make the necessary arrangements.
“You are not going?” Priyambada sat upright on the bed, keeping aside the scripture in her hand, looking up at Ishaan Dev disrobing after a tiring day. He shook his head.
“Kumar Viraj wants to prove his worth to his people, alone.”
“But his uncle is very cunning and he is emotional… what if he manipulates him?” Priyambada sounded worried. Ishaan Dev smiled faintly.
“We have Niranjan Verma to be our eyes and ears.” Priyambada looked up at his reassuring face, still unsure.
“But his wife is sick and alone.” Maharani seemed worried.
“That is why he has requested for her to be sent back to Suryapali.” Ishaan Dev sat down on the bed beside her as her brows arched a little more.
“Suryapali? But why? We can…” Priyambada stopped as Ishaan Dev held her hand firmly in his “It is home to her, Priya, at the end of the day, her sons and her house everything is there. Niranjan Verma said she is homesick.” Priyambada shot an immediately doubtful glance at her husband.
“Are you?” She asked as he looked up at her. “Are you homesick too?”
“I was.” Ishaan Dev smiled faintly at her, cupping her face. “I am home now.”
Just when Smriti thought she had finally found peace and happiness she had to see Kumar Viraj reassure her of his journey with a gentle pat on her head, mount a stallion and ride away from Neelambargarh with the army accompanying him. His entourage hadn’t quite crossed the horizon when Smriti couldn’t help but remember that the last time he rode to war, he came back almost fighting for his life. Her heart skipped a beat. Smriti failed to understand that she, who was used to watching her father and brothers ride to war at the king’s call now and then even though they were merchants by profession and one of the noble dynasties living in Neelambargarh, had never been so scared of the outcome. Perhaps because they came back every time they left and somehow she never thought they wouldn’t until she knew better. Smriti had never aspired for a crown or the throne. She had liked Viraj as he was, a friend of the crown prince, never even imagining him as the prince of the land, ready to rule his people. The mere thought of it scared her. She had witnessed how the naïve Priyambada had changed into a politically shrewd leader in a matter of months. But that didn’t happen to everyone, nor was it expected of her. But her dream of a simple life was slipping away from her and she realised like many women around her, even perhaps Priyambada herself, she had no control over the life that was chosen for her. All she wanted now was to pray for his safety. Smriti didn’t care much if he won or lost, she wanted him safe. But she was also well aware of how much it mattered to him. So she prayed, as hard as she could, for his health and his victory, counting days in between his short and urgent letters, letting her know of the progress he made.
The dungeon below the abandoned palace of Hawanigarh was lit up with torches. The walls were damp, and the arches were broken. A mat was laid down on the cold floor as the rebels gathered around it, their faces covered with a piece of cloth to hide their true identities as per the norms of such rebellions. Only their leader would show his face. General Unmukht arrived, accompanied by two men in similar attires with their faces covered. He sat down on the mat and inspected the number of people around him. Familiar faces, eyes mostly, but his keen gaze looked for outsiders blending into the crowd. He was no fool, he knew Kumar Viraj was on to him, perhaps even Ishaan Dev himself. His men had killed a spy whom Kumar Viraj most probably sent. He needed to be careful.
“I thank you all for your unconditional support for Neelambargarh and her true heir.” He spoke to the gathered crowd gesturing at them. “The princess in her greed for power has forgotten her brother, the true heir of Neelambargarh, but we as people of the land, who have dedicated our sweat and blood for our motherland, can’t.” He was met with affirmative nods. “I have established contact with our queen and she has secretly agreed to support our cause. We are going to oust the Suryapalian and place our prince on the throne! Say, who is with me?” The rebels roared. General Unmukt smiled pleased. This was what he wanted. Placing the inexperienced and young Priyam Dev on the throne would earn him the trust of the queen and hence the authority over the prince till he was old enough to rule. With Bhupati Madan Rai signing a treaty with Neelambargarh to aid it, he was sure nobody else would challenge him. Surachana in her letter had hinted at a tiff with her brother, on whom she had now lost faith because of the treaty. That left General Unmukt as her last hope. His position would rise from a mere general insulted by the Suryapalian to that of a co-regent overnight. His dreams were big. Only, he needed allies.
“But how should we go about it?” one of the elderly men asked. “We have no army nor ammunition”
“Well, we have to make allies but be careful enough not to expose our plans.” General Unmukt lowered his voice, “There are spies everywhere.”
“But if we wage a war or even an internal rebellion against the king, Suryapali will come to his aid.” Someone spoke. A few agreed. General Unmukt nodded.
“Unless…”
“Unless?”
“Someone from Suryapali prevents the news from reaching the king there.” General Unmukt smiled.
“Who will do that?” The elderly man frowned “Betray their own?”
“Someone who would benefit from his fall from Neelambargarh’s throne.” General Unmukt shrugged “Think about it. Kingship knows no kinship. And he has a half-brother who isn’t quite fond of him.”
“Is it not risky to approach someone from his family?” someone suggested.
“It is, but we have to endure some risk for the sake of our motherland and her rightful heir.” General Unmukt’s words send shivers down their spines. The young ones in the group now had a sense of purpose towards their motherland, to purify her from foreign blood. General Unmukt had managed to strike a nerve with them.
“But yes we will be careful.” he added quickly “We will not approach the prince directly, we shall not be traced until he is on our side.”
“Have you seen the sky today?” Maharani Priyambada’s sudden musing made Adhiraja Ishaan Dev look up from his stack of papers, almost amused at his wife.
“What?” His brows shot up “Will you be writing poetry about that now?” He chuckled slightly only to stop at her cold stare.
“I was thinking of summoning Smriti.” She wondered aloud “She must be lonely, being left a new bride by her husband.” Ishaan Dev looked up at her words, “Oh, you know that so well, don’t you?” Priyambada in her cheerful mood ignored the taunt in her husband’s voice and proceeded with her thought. “I think she doesn’t want all this, not that she ever said it out loud but she didn’t look particularly happy when…”
“Priya.” Ishaan Dev cut her words short as he approached her on the balcony, “We know as royals we do sometimes have to decide on things against our wishes no matter how hard it is.” Priyambada agreed to her husband’s words. “And nobody has it easy, neither her nor you.” She nodded silently.
“What is the news from the war front?”
“They have camped outside the fortress of Maanwari and his uncle has sent him a peace treaty which he refused, now everything is silent.”
“I wonder what his next move will be.” Priyambada wondered aloud. It seemed like a prophecy as right at that moment Devdoot arrived at their threshold with an urgent letter in hand, a letter from Suryapali. Ishaan Dev promptly took the letter and dismissed him. It was from Rajadhiraja himself.
“He has questioned our decision to send Neelambargarh’s army to Maanwari without consulting him. Maanwari is a Suryapalian ally. Viraj’s uncle has informed him.” Ishaan Dev sat down on the armchair as Priyambada frowned at his words.
“Was there any contract between Suryapali and Neelambargarh that said you need his permission to…”
“Absolutely not.” Ishaan Dev’s jaws tightened “Like I always said, Neelambargarh is autonomous, only its status is recognised by Suryapali as allies. And even if we did have to be careful initially because we needed the support, we are quite strong as a state now to make such choices.”
“The Rajadhiraja thinks otherwise.” Priyambada shook her head “But since there is no bound contract…”
“Do you think if we remind him he would send the Suryapalian army to aid the king of Maanwari?” Ishaan Dev’s question jolted Priyambada,
“Against the army of his heir?” She said her thoughts aloud. Adhiraja Ishaan Dev looked pale. Maharani Priyambada sat down beside him, worried. Silence filled the room. Priyambada’s mind raced. What made Ishaan Dev, who was so confident of the Suryapalian support say so? Ishaan Dev’s jaws tightened. On one hand, he had seen how his title as the king of Neelambargarh distanced him from his family in the name of the protocol and he was sure there were ample people in Suryapali to poison his father’s mind against him or Priyamabada or their intentions to help Kumar Viraj being just a friendly move and not something against Suryapali. He had to think.
“Should I write to the Maharani?” Priyambada’s idea made him look up.
“And say what?” He asked eagerly.
“I can explain the situation and subtly hint that our intentions are being misinterpreted by enemies, namely Maanwari’s Raja who wants a rift between the two states for his benefit.” Priyambada stopped as Ishaan Dev urged her to go on. “She will see right through and perhaps read between the lines. She is your mother, she will help. And she is the only one who can talk to the Rajadhiraja.” Ishaan Dev nodded, although unofficial, this was probably the only way to make sure Kumar Viraj won the battle.
Sashi, who now had access to Mallal had informed him about General Unmukt’s new hideout. The proximity of the place to the Suryapalian borders disturbed Adhiraja Ishaan Dev. But why would anyone in Suryapali, even his half-brother help the general? What did the General truly want? The throne? Ishaan Dev paced his chamber, lost in thought in the evening as the night grew darker. He needed to know more about the situation within his territory than think of others outside it. He ordered Mallal to inform Devdoot to tighten security around the previous queen and Priyam Dev and discreetly keep an eye on them and inform him. He also sent Sashi away to Suryapali to get a better picture of the unknown and didn’t want to involve Priyambada in the scheme before he had enough proof against any of their kin.
Priyambada’s plan worked as a rather impressed Maharani Trinayani Devi, in her diplomacy, convinced the Rajadhiraja that helping Kumar Viraj who saved the life of the heir apparent of Suryapali and helped him with utmost loyalty was the code of conduct they had raised their blood with. It would also end any chance of rebellion from Neelambargarhi commoners who were still hesitant to accept the Suryapalian Yuvaraja as their king. Hence the rejection of help from Suryapali left Maanwari’s ruler with no option but to meet his nephew on the battlefield. Priyambada was satisfied with the outcome and decided to arrange for a musical evening with the noble ladies to take their minds off the war and gloom for some time.
Comments
Post a Comment