Poison

Rajmata Ratnawati made her way through the spiral staircase of the dark, damp dungeon into the new imprisonment area of Trinayani Devi. She had been moved to accommodate prisoners of war, and for her safety. It was not unknown to the Rajmata how holding her had the upper hand over Ishaan Dev. But now she was desperate. She had heard Sumedha and Haimanti talk. Heard how Haimanti blamed her and Trishaan Dev for everything. Ratnawati agreed that the girl was not lying, but her son was not naïve. He agreed to the things they planned and executed, knowing their consequences. He was not a child. Now suddenly, when things were going haywire, she was the enemy? Ratnawati had made tall claims about her son. Expected him to be less like his father or brother. She was wrong. But what she was going to do would cause a ripple effect across the dynasty. Ishaan Dev would be furious. And emotionally, Ishaan Dev made mistakes. She had seen that before. The primary one was the one he called his wife. Ratnawati grunted inwardly. His anger could be the opening Ravi Varman needed to win the war. If not, she knew either way, Sumedha was going against her. She was not going to go down for her deeds without a fight, without doing some serious damage. Ratnawati grunted under the wrap-around that covered her face as she held the torch up, struggling through the darkness. 

Her thoughts trailed to the conversation she overheard. Her brother and nephews were dead. It meant there was an opportunity for Ravi Varman to legally claim the throne of Vairath as the son-in-law of the dynasty and expand Suryapali’s hold and borders. Suddenly, she was conscious of her own thoughts. She spent so much time away from the place she grew up in that she felt nothing at the news of her kin’s demise. But now it was about her own survival. It was about not letting Ravi Varman cave in and sign a treaty with Ishaan Dev. And as for herself, Ratnawati had nothing to lose. She stopped at the turn in the corridor. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Trinayani Devi pacing in her small cell and the guards on alert. Without her, the royals of Neelambargarh would never sign a treaty. They would never swallow their pride. Now with Trishaan Dev out of the equation and Vamsi aiding Ravi Varman, it was a golden opportunity for him to shine, only if he knew it. Some would say Rajmata Ratnawati was delusional. Some would suggest that a mother’s love is blind. Perhaps she, who only heard of battles, didn’t quite know how they worked. But Ratnawati believed she saw a potential in her son, which even he was blind to. The potential of a good king. She gestured at the maid who was guarding as a lookout in the other part of the corridor.

The guard who was bribed with a gold coin by Rajmata Ratnawati ran to the queen’s chamber to alert her. Haimanti looked scared as Maharani Sumedha walked back with him into the dungeon. Trinayani Devi eyed the fruits that the maid had left for her. They said it was from the queen. She wanted Trinayani Devi to eat healthily. But Trinayani Devi was suspicious. Over the many months she had been in prison, only Kausani brought her food from the royal kitchen. When she did, she often shared news of the court that Sumedha offered. Once she had left for Vairath, Maharani Sumedha had appointed another maid for her. This maid was clumsy and eerily quiet. She didn’t even look the prisoner in the eye. She hadn’t touched the fruits even when her stomach churned. Something was amiss. She could feel it in her heart. Was it the mother’s instinct? Trinayani Devi prayed. Ishaan had to be safe. It was when she picked up a fruit to inspect it that the guards barged in, asking her not to eat it.

Maharani Sumedha walked into the cell in urgency and told the guards to take the fruits away for inspection. She looked up at Trinayani Devi, who seemed unsure whether she would speak to her.

“Who…”

“We suspect the Rajmata poisoned your fruits. But don’t worry, I will send a taster from now onwards. We need you to be safe. We are on the brink of a treaty.” Sumedha sounded hopeful. “I promise you, you will see your son soon.”

“And what about Ratnawati? She is not safe for you, either.” Trinayani Devi suggested. “She is desperate.” Sumedha nodded. “As the queen of Suryapali, I can promise you, justice will be done.” In the spur of the moment, not thinking of how her gesture would be taken by the political heads or even her husband, Maharani Sumedha made a decision. She gestured at the guard to unchain the older woman. Trinayani Devi suddenly felt that a part of her was missing; she felt light. The shackles had become one with her for so many months.

"Come with me, you are no longer a prisoner. You have been acquitted of the crimes she accused you of." Although Trinayani Devi was overwhelmed, a part of her senses was alerted, hoping it was not a trick on the queen's part.

"But... shouldn't the king..." Sumedha smiled faintly as the older lady looked unsure. 

"He gave me the authority to command the land in the absence of Vamsi here. So, this is on me." She reassured.

The guards who came into Ratnawati’s chamber startled her and made the maid shriek. The maid was declared a traitor and taken away as she screamed for help. She was to be executed without a trial. 

“What is going on here?” Ratnawati sounded calm as Sumedha walked into her chambers. “Why is my maid being attacked?”

“Rajmata Ratnawati, you will be imprisoned and tried for the attempted murder of Trinayani Devi.” The guards walked in as Ratnawati looked pale.

“What are you saying? How dare you treat me like that?” She resisted the guards. “Let my son come home and…”

“He will be informed of your deeds, past and present.” Maharani Sumedha walked in and smiled faintly. “I am sure he will know why I did what I did. My children are coming home from Vairath, and I can’t trust a scheming, power-hungry woman around them. Who knows, someone can attack and kill them in the capital like they attacked Neelambargarh. And someone inside can help.” Ratnawati gasped.

“They are my grandchildren. Who do I do it for?” Ratnawati shouted as she was taken away. “If not for my son, then who?” Sumedha watched them take her away in silence. She hoped that Neelambargarh didn’t get a trace of the incident that could jeopardise her cause. But who was she fooling? They had a good spy system. It meant only one thing. She had to explain her position first.

Sumedha checked the letter Haimanti had written as a statement to both the kings. She tried to remember if it was everything she had said in person. Haimanti sobbed, looking a little pale as Sumedha refused to let her go home. She was now a primary witness to what Sumedha planned. Her future depended on it. The State's future depended on it. History depended on it. Sumedha was trying to do her own investigation into how damaging Trishaan Dev truly was and if Haimanti was telling the truth about him and the Rajmata. The soldiers ransacked her room, and the servants went through everything. Every bit of torn paper was put together, and burnt ashes revived, hoping for clues. His workstation was raided. Maharani Sumedha was handed a stack of papers she went through them. She came across some documents half hidden and mostly destroyed by Trishaan Dev in his workstation as the administrative advisor. Among them were several letters he never intended to show and a few instructions. One of those sealed letters didn’t have an address. It had the king's seal and a note on it instead. Haimanti had identified the handwriting as Trishaan’s. Found under his bed. That was all that was written. Sumedha opened it curiously. It was dated almost a solar cycle back when he had received the news of the birth of Ishaan Dev's heir. The Rajadhiraja’s instructions to his ministers for when he died. Did he suspect something? Sumedha frowned. Trishaan Dev had never revealed it nor opened it. Did he know its contents? In it were instructions to divide the Rajadhiraja's properties among his two sons. There was nothing for Trishaan Dev, not even a mention or anything about giving him the administrative position. Of course, Trishaan Dev wanted to do away with it. But then why did he not destroy it? Sentiments? Sumedha found it hard to comprehend. The Rajadhiraja, in his last days, wanted Ravi Varman to have Suryapali, so the younger queen had said many times, much to everyone's disbelief. But the letter proved it. He wanted his sons to strengthen their bonds and not weaken the dynasty by fighting among themselves. So he wanted to leave Suryapali to Ravi Varman and wanted Ishaan Dev to rule Neelambargarh. That way, both the kingdoms would be under the dynasty of the Sun, like his forefathers had dreamed. He had also mentioned why he thought so. One administrative head could never efficiently rule such a vast and diverse land without turmoil and rebellion. Hard to control its borders, politics and economy. Sumedha sighed as she read the instructions. They were clear as daylight. Rajadhiraja was clearly in his right mind and, unlike what Ravi Varman thought, he never distinguished between his sons. He just wanted Ravi to do better. Be competent. He also left clear instructions not to trust outsiders. Whether it was the younger queen’s influence or his ideas came from the ability to see the future mess his heirs would be in, who could tell? But Sumedha knew what she had to do now. Haimanti's witness account now had a piece of evidence she knew in her heart that both the brothers would understand and honour.

Maharani Priyambada received an unsealed letter without a name around dawn. Then another was sealed with the insignia of Suryapali just a while after. She frowned at them for some time and decided to open them before Sashi came with news from one of the spies in Suryapali’s palace. She decided to hear him out first. Her jaws tightened at the news. A part of her still trusted Sumedha’s morals. How could Ratnawati attack Trinayani Devi under her watch? Or was she part of it? In an impulse, she opened the letter with the seal first. It was Sumedha who wrote to her about Ratnawati’s imprisonment and hinted that there was more to it than what met the eye. She also sent forward something that she wanted the queen to hand over to the king of Suryapali. I can't trust anyone else with it. But trust me, Jyestha, it is urgent. Priyambada now opened the unsealed letter in a hurry. It was from someone called Haimanti. By midday, the unusually quiet Maharani of Neelambargarh had decided to go to the battlefield herself.

“But Your Highness,” Urvi was not sure why she decided to, but she was determined to change her mind. “If you need to convey a message, allow me to…”

“I know you fear for my safety after what happened, Urvi.” Priyambada was calm. “But I need to see him. I need to speak to him. For the sake of my people and my son. The war needs to stop.” Urvi looked flabbergasted at her mistress. She knew how much Priyambada wanted the war and revenge. What happened to change her mind? Priyambada smiled at her like she could read Urvi’s mind. She sighed.

“Trishaan Dev is dead. And for all I know, this mess was created by him and Ratnawati Devi.” Priyambada cleared her throat. “He killed Prithvi, you know that?” Urvi nodded silently. “I don’t want my people to suffer anymore.” She eyed Urvi, who looked unsure. “Arrange for my departure.”

“At least wait till dusk, my queen.” She pleaded. “The day’s war will be over.” Priyambada nodded.