Rajputra Mahendra woke up with a loud thundering noise that shook the fort.
“They are here! They are here!” One of the guards announced before the bells in the tower rang. Mahendra immediately walked out to the balcony, looking over the city. At night, it was supposed to be dark and quiet. But he could see in squares and public buildings, shrines and shops, little fires rose to the sky in dark clouds and amidst the galloping horses, thundering catapults and screaming citizens, Medini Rai had marched his troops into the fort. Mahendra grunted under his breath and reached for his sword. He instructed one of his loyal men from Meendeep to protect his parents and added additional troops to the inner palace. He then instructed his men to march to war, stopping the enemy before they breached the palace walls. The guards stationed on the walls used fire arrows on the foot soldiers trying to breach the city walls, the horsemen were attacked by Mahendra’s troops, and the soldiers indulging in a massacre across the city were being chased by the Neelambargarhi troops. Soon, Mahendra realised that his troops and sources were far fewer than those Medini had with him. Still, he needed to fight till the end. Save Neelambargarh and his parents. The smoke that rose into thick clouds above the fort now circled like a storm above the capital, and the screams seemed to increase across the fallen city. The assault lasted from midnight to midday without anyone knowing of it. The messenger Mahendra had dispatched reached General Shivanandan by midday.
Kumar Mahendra held the resistance at the crossroads that led to the palace for as long as he could. When he saw more of Gandak’s troop joining Aswar’s, he knew he was fighting a lost cause. They wanted the troops from the port, and it could take more than half a day to reach the capital. All he now expected was to prevent them from raising the flags before help arrived. When he saw each of his men fighting two or three, he turned around and swung his sword in frustration. He would not see his child. Or save his parents. He was good for nothing. As his vision began to blur, he could sense someone assaulting him with a dagger from behind.
“Coward.” He screamed before swinging his sword at the man’s neck. He then fell off his horse and breathed his last.
It was when he saw his troops successfully destroying the city and killing the commander, Mahendra, that Medini Rai decided to slip into the royal palace with his troops, not through the wall but by the very gates that once welcomed them. Elephants were brought to smash the gates down. On the other side, mahout elephants tried in vain to push the gates back. When the gates cracked, the maids ran screaming, and the servants picked up the nearest weapon they could find, from vegetable cutters to daggers, anything would work. Nobody was going to surrender. Vrinda looked at the gates being crashed as she rushed inside, teary-eyed and heart-thumping towards the chambers where Mridula Devi sat beside her husband’s bed.
“They are here.” She made the nurses gasp and run. Mridula Devi seemed unnerved. She kept gently patting her husband’s head. He seemed to be in a deep slumber.
“Do you not hear me?” Vrinda asked. “They are here, we have to go.”
“And leave him?” Mridula Devi asked with a frown. Either she was in too much shock, or she could not comprehend the situation. Vrinda took the woman’s hand, and she shrugged it away.
“He is going to die anyway, but if you don’t run…” A slap resonated across Vrinda’s face as Mridula Devi looked furious.
“I am not leaving him.” She said sternly. Vrinda shook her head at the lost cause and eyed the doors that led to the balcony. The side of it had steps for maids to go down to the pantry. She could make her escape. Perhaps even reach the queen. Someone needed to let them know… Who knew that Gandak and Aswar would attack the capital? She opened the door and screamed as three soldiers pushed her inside the room and jumped in.
Medini Rai realised he remembered every nook and corner of Neelambargarh's palace. He reached for the prison cells. The clamour and chaos could be heard from the deepest dungeons, and the guards had already left their stations.
Kumar Priyam Dev adjusted his eyes to the sudden splash of sunlight that came through the closed door of the corridor where he was the lone prisoner. His beard was rough, and he felt weak on his knees. He had only one small outlet in his cell from where he could see a part of the blue sky.
“What is happening?” He said almost to himself. He was scared. He had heard of the war when he pretended to sleep, and the guards gossiped about the royals. He had even heard of his nephew and had once thought of sending a message to his sister to propose reconsideration. The guard had laughed and kicked him in the gut when he got angry. A shadow appeared in the sudden sunlight.
“Priyam, it's me.” He said as Priyam Dev stepped back.
“Medini? What are you doing here, cousin? Aren’t you at war?” He asked, surprised.
“I am. Against them. I am here to free you.” Priyam Dev couldn’t believe his ears. Medini Rai was nothing short of heaven-sent to him. He watched the prince clank open the lock and chains to his door. He was a free man. Medini Rai turned to the man following him.
“Take the Rajputra to camp. The king of Suryapali is waiting.” Priyam Dev looked unsure at his words. Could he trust his cousin? What if he was handing him over to Suryapali for some leverage? Priyam Dev was amused at his own thought. His life had little value to those around him to be held as a benefit. He walked out of the cell, a free man.
Medini Rai slashed two inexperienced servants as he ran through the palace corridor. He watched his men set fire to the curtains from their torches, and some of the rooms burned down in minutes. Amidst the chaos, he walked up to the royal quarters. He could see his men had held three people captive in a room. One of them was a sick old man struggling to breathe, the woman beside him held him and wept, her attire and jewellery royal, and there was a young girl. Probably a maid. She didn’t weep; she stared him right in the eye. His jaws tightened.
“The royals of Meendeep.” The guard whispered into his ear.
“Behead them.”
“No. No. NO.” The girl threw herself between the soldiers and the old couple, and she was kicked out of the way. She stumbled across the floor as the swords slashed near her head. Blood was spattered across the floor and on her face.
“No, no, what have you done?” Vrinda screamed.
“Should we put the Suryapalian flag or should you do the honours, Your Highness?” A soldier interrupted as Medini was about to approach Vrinda.
“Do it.” He said as he grabbed her by her hair.
“Let me go.” She struggled. “How dare you…”
“A fiery little one.” Medini smiled. “I know just what to do with you.” He dragged her as she resisted. Her clothes were tattered across the stone floor, and her body was bruised. He pushed her into the next empty room and jumped on her. Vrinda moved away, shrieking, as he held her down. Vrinda’s screams were muffled as his hands came over her mouth.
The soldier who was about to fly the Suryapalian flag stopped as he was about to take down the blue one. There was a dust storm on the horizon of the plains below. That was strange. There was no wind. An arrow suddenly hit him in his hand. He screamed in agony. General Shivanandan lowered his bow. He could see the smoke bellowing from the fort. He picked up speed, leaving his cavalry behind. He was not letting them win.
Medini Rai stopped panting as the bells rang. Vrinda looked terrified as he stood above her, and she knew she was saved by whatever it was that was alerting the Suryapalians now. Before Medini could get out of the room, she saw General Shivanandan barge in. Like a messiah from the skies, before Medini could raise his sword, General Shivanandan swung his across his chest in a fit of rage. Vrinda didn’t scream. She watched him twitch as blood oozed out of his body.
“Are you alright?” The General startled her as she nodded. He proceeded to unfold the flag he was carrying with him and let Vrinda cover her exposed body with it. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“Help is on the way. I reached first with a handful of men.” Shivanandan managed before he rushed out of the door, leaving Vrinda sobbing.
Maharaja Ishaan Dev had received the news of the attack while he was at battle. He was not surprised at how his brother chose to attack the capital. It meant he was scared or perhaps unsure despite having Aswar turned over to his side. He was angry. And his anger made him jump down from the Rathamusala, take his horse Vidyut, and gallop across the field, killing as many enemies as he could. He didn’t care now for Trishaan Dev; he wanted a bigger prize. Ravi’s head is at the end of his spear. Dusk seemed to be a boon for the Suryapalians that day, as the only conversation that wrapped the camp was Ishaan Dev’s fury. Ravi Varman and Trishaan Dev were waiting for news of the successful capture of the capital, but to their dismay, the dawn brought them news of yet another failure.
“Priyam Dev is on his way?” Trishaan Dev shook his head. “He is of no use to us.”
“We don’t know what he knows.” Ravi Varman said calmly as he parted the curtains of his tent and watched Madan Rai weeping for his son.
“Like Madan Rai. He can give away some of their strategy to us.” Ravi Varman murmured.
Maharani Priyambada’s hands trembled on the scroll Sashi had brought to her. The capital was under siege. Her brother was free. It was happening again. Her people. Her city. Death. Massacre. Abuse. Priyambada felt like she couldn’t breathe as she trembled a little, making Urvi hold her. Had she failed? What would Prithvi think? She let it happen again. Was she any different from her mother?
A scroll had also reached Maanwari. Rani Smriti looked grim as Mandakini Devi gasped. She knew Shivanandan was posted in the capital. He would never let this happen as long as he was alive. Did that mean he was not? Mandakini cursed herself. She was always bad luck to those around her. Could Ishaan Dev come out of this loss and betrayal? She shut herself in the room and refused to eat or drink. Her maids tried. Rani Smriti and the kin of Maanwari tried. She didn’t open her door. But Rani Smriti couldn’t afford to let a Suryapalian royal fall ill under her watch. There was too much at stake, and everyone was on the edge. She let Rajputra Mrityunjoy knock. There was no way his grandmother would refuse to open the door to him. Rajputra Mrityunjoy did not understand why, when he offered his food with his tiny hands to his grandmother, insisting that she eat, she hugged him and cried. It was not until noon of the next day that her fears would be put to rest by a letter from Shivanandan himself. That was the longest night of Mandakini’s life.
Maharani Priyambada wanted to see her husband and hold her son. She had the urge to tell him to reach any terms of the treaty and stop the war. All her traumas came back to her, and no matter how much Urvi reassured her that the spies said they were doing well, she was not convinced. She even questioned the authenticity of the letter that Shivanandan sent about reclaiming the capital. Urvi was worried for her mistress. That was when she received the news of Mahendra’s death. For a moment, Urvi was numb. It was as though her senses were not working, or she didn’t know how to react. Either way, she prayed for the departed souls at the shrine, like she did every day, telling the Goddess in all honesty that she forgave the man for his sins. Then she prayed for Devdoot’s safety. She also prayed that her mistress could regain her confidence. She didn’t know what it was that Maharani Priyambada needed to make herself feel useful and significant again. But she also didn’t know her answers would come in a way least anticipated by her.
