Pact

Trishaan Dev shook a little as he read the terms of Ishaan Dev’s letter to Ravi Varman, who sat silently with his fingers resting on his chin, gently twirling his thin moustache. He eyed the king of Suryapali, looking down at the carpet on the floor of his camp chamber. The lamps flickered, and torches burned in the darkest hour of the night. The only other person in the room was Raja Sarthak of Gandak, and he wondered what the man was thinking. The terms were clear: give up the throne or prepare for attack should have been a known threat, but Ishaan Dev was tactical here. He asked for his mother to be safely brought to Neelambargarh. Clearing his name in exchange for a treaty to not attack his brother’s provinces anymore. For the capital to be handed over amicably. And for Trishaan Dev.

“He will not let you live or rule anything if he finds his way to the capital.” Trishaan Dev spoke in a hurry as droplets of perspiration appeared on his furrowed brows. Raja Sarthak watched his lips part, trembling a little, about to say something else before he checked himself.

“And he will skin you alive, without a trial. Did you actually kill his concubine?” Raja Sarthak had a hint of amusement in his voice. “What purpose did it even serve?” Trishaan Dev ignored the man as Ravi Varman sighed. 

“What is the strength ratio?” He asked, looking up at Raja Sarthak as if Trishaan Dev was invisible. 

“Theirs is more than double ours, Maharaja.” Raja Sarthak said truthfully, “Even if we sway some of them to our side, it won’t be enough to win fair and square.”

“Then we don’t win fair and square.” Trishaan Dev sounded agitated. “Who in the history of mankind ever raises a question towards the integrity of the winners?” He eyed the quiet Ravi Varman. “Don’t tell me you believe whatever he is saying! That is Ishaan.” Ravi Varman looked up at him with a scornful face, “Trishaan, are you scared?” His words made Trishaan Dev open his mouth in protest, but nothing came out of it. Raja Sarthak grunted in what sounded to Trishaan Dev as amusement. His jaws tightened. He would have punched the man if they were alone. 

“No, I am…” He shook his head, protesting feebly. Ravi Varman stood up. “Then trust me and draw up a letter addressed to Neelambargarh.”

“WHAT?” Trishaan Dev was shocked, “You can’t possibly…” He stopped at Ravi Varman’s hand gesture.

“I know what I am doing. I do not believe Ishaan of all people. But I am also a king answerable to my people. So, draft out a letter with my conditions.” Trishaan Dev nodded reluctantly as Ravi Varman dictated his terms.

“Well?” Maharani Priyambada seemed to taunt Raja Viraj, whose brows narrowed as he read the scroll. 

“I can’t believe he is so overconfident.” He shrugged. “I mean, he does know his troops are not even half of ours.”

“My father always said the number doesn’t matter as long as the leadership is effective.” She turned to glance over at the quiet Ishaan Dev pacing. “The question is, who is in their mind?”

“Obviously, Trishaan Dev. Otherwise, he would not have been protected so fiercely by Ravi Varman.” Raja Viraj spoke. “He even dared to tell us to stay in the Neelambargarhi territory, ask the islands to surrender to him to reinforce his status as Rajadhiraja and ask us for Mahadevi in exchange for the Rajmata.” Raja Viraj was quick to summarise the long, elaborate letter into a short gist. Ishaan Dev inhaled. 

“He wants war, he will get war. He will see what it feels like to mess with me.” Ishaan Dev grunted. Raja Viraj exchanged a glance with the Maharani as Ishaan Dev called for Abhranaga.

“Tell Devdoot to assemble the kings and generals. We are having a meeting.” He made the man dash as Raja Viraj stood silently. “Tell your workers we have waited enough. They should start building the platforms tomorrow.” Raja Viraj opened his mouth to protest as the Maharani spoke before him.

“The water has just receded. Autumn has just set in, and we are unsure if any rain is coming back. We should wait for …”

“The winters?” Ishaan Dev sounded agitated. “I have been waiting since summer. Not anymore. I know what I am doing, Priya.” He walked away, leaving her worried. On one hand, the queen of Neelambargarh trusted the way the Maharaja ruled, and he was anything but impulsive in wars. She sighed. That wasn’t entirely true, was it? He did promise her mother something very impulsively that led her here. But she trusted that as a ruler, he would not risk the welfare of his subjects. Maybe he was right. The weather where they camped was indeed not that unpredictable, and the weathermen had reassured them that the monsoon had receded. Maybe she was scared of the impending war and hoped it would be a little far away. Maybe she never wanted it as much as she thought she had.

“Neelambargarh is building platforms over the river.” One of the messengers approached Trishaan Dev at camp at dawn rather breathlessly. “What are the orders?” Trishaan Dev glanced over his shoulder at the tents belonging to the king. He was in charge, wasn’t he? 

“Tell Raja Sarthak that he should take some troops and catapults, along with archers and attack the platform makers. Disrupt their work.” Trishaan Dev made the messenger dash as he opened the maps to circle out the position of the platforms. Raja Sarthak arrived at the tent as he expected, a little agitated. 

“I am in charge of the elephant cavalry, not your foot soldiers.” He sounded disappointed “And we cannot attack workers. It is against the…”

“I am the Sena Nayak, aren’t I?” Trishaan Dev made him stop. “If I said so, we attack them and disrupt their work, unless you want your daughter and her unborn child to rot in Gandak without a husband, father or kingdom?” Raja Sarthak tightened his jaw and left in a huff. 

Raja Viraj sent Devdoot and Abhranaga, along with some foot soldiers, archers and spear throwers to protect the workers making the platforms. It would take three days, and two more to strengthen them before troops and horses could cross over, with chariots and carts full of armoury. The elephants, along with their riders, could cross the river’s fewer surging tides. He knew the last thing he could expect from Suryapali was fairness. And his assumptions were right. The commotion in the banks could be heard from the distant camps, with the catapults hitting the platforms, the splashing of water, and the clash of metals, along with war cries and screams. The soldiers rushed to gather their weapons and be ready for an attack as Ishaan Dev assembled his wing charges and instructed them to be ready sooner than intended. The women stood horrified in their part of the camp as messengers came by with information every now and then. Urvi was on her knees praying, as her hands turned cold and her mouth dried. By sunset, there was a sudden absolute silence. It was followed by the sound of hooves and the creaking opening of the camp gates. The moment Urvi saw Devdoot, injured but well, with drops of blood across his forehead and arms mixed with sweat and mud, she forgot all decorum and rushed to embrace him.

“I am fine,” he managed before he let go of her and approached the royals who had just arrived to check on their troops. He bowed to realise his stomach pained a little. Seeing him wince, Priyambada ordered Urvi to nurse him. He managed to brief Ishaan Dev before he left. Some of the troops were lost. Many workers were dead, and the platform was damaged. It meant they needed more workers to be brought in from local stations and also to supply material to rebuild the platforms. They also had to make sure more troops guarded them. Ishaan Dev nodded as Raja Viraj got to work.

“What were you thinking?” Ravi Varman looked agitated. “I told you we will not attack first.” He stared at Trishaan Dev, who stood with confidence in front of him. 

“I know what you said, but you never considered my moves wrong in warfare before. I have won you many wars, so trust me.”

“This is Ishaan we are talking of.” Ravi Varman shook his head. 

“Yes, and nobody knows him better than me.” Trishaan Dev was reassured. “The delay of basics will agitate him. He will be impulsive and angry. He will make mistakes. We will bank on them.” Trishaan Dev said confidently. “Besides, the loss of lives on our part was less. Raja Sarthak came back unscathed,” he shrugged. Ravi Varman inhaled.

“I am not questioning your skills, Trishaan. But from now on, every decision goes past me. Understand?” He was firm, and Trishaan Dev nodded before bowing. 

“Now what is done, is done. Keep the troops ready. They will build another platform soon and attack.” Trishaan Dev nodded and opened the map. 

“You stood up for me and refused to hand me over. I am doing my bit to repay you for it.” Trishaan Dev sounded genuine as Ravi Varman eyed him and then the map. “See, they will definitely make the platforms, but if my plans work, they won’t be in the same place. They will move further towards the Heemdevi here.” He pointed at another site. “Not only is it closer to the grounds where we intend to bring them, and not the grounds Ishaan Dev would prefer, because he won the last time there. This field will be neutral and new. And…” Trishaan Dev measured the campsites with his fingers. “It is closer to our camps and away from theirs. It has advantages.” Ravi Varman was calmer in his planning and nodded. “It is going according to my plan. Heard the queen is in camp too.” Ravi Varman frowned at his last words.

“Are you planning on…” Ravi Varman made Trishaan Dev smile faintly.

“Only if needed, brother, only if needed.”