Ruthless

↠ Aath ↞

A FEW WORDS:
Mantri - Minister
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❝Every day when you wake up, there is a crown prepared for you. Each day, forsake everything and everyone that will try to keep you from it.❞ 
C. JoyBell C.

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AKIRA sat on the throne, the sunlight lighting up the already radiant court-room as she overlooked her courtiers who sat in silence. A seat to her on the left side was empty. It was usually occupied by the governor of Mahapuram – Mantri Rishabh.

Akira glanced at the empty seat, "Where is Mantri Rishabh?"

Her voice boomed over the grisly silence, causing all the courtiers to look at the empty seat.

"Maharani" Another courtier stood up and bowed, "We didn't receive any sort of letter from Mantri as to why is he not here."

Akira nodded and gestured the man to sit down, "I will ask one of the messenger to go check up on him."

"So, Aziza" The queen looked to her immediate left where her commander general was seated, "How is the position of our troops for the Ekam nagar war?"

"Ak-" Aziza glanced sheepishly at the courtiers before continuing, "I mean, Maharani, as you said, we are deploying the army in small pockets so that Ekam nagar doesn't get too alarmed and by now almost half of the army has been sent."

A faint smile graced the sovereign's physiognomy, "That's great."

"Mantri Ashish," The queen looked to her right, "I suppose that the trades are still going smoothly."

"Yes Maharani, the trades are going fantastic."

"Maharani" A handmaiden made her way in and bowed down, "A messenger from Mahapuram has come to meet you."

"Send him in."

Soon a quite young man walked in. He looked slightly beaten up due to the journey he must have endeared. He bowed down, "Maharani, I have some news to share."

"Go on."

"Mantri Rishabh is no more." The messenger uttered out.

The hall seemed to fall silent, the confusion and tension hung heavily in the air.

"How did it happen?" The queen asked, casting a slight glance at the empty seat which once belonged to the courtier.

"I have no idea Maharani. He was found dead in his room at the palace this morning and as soon as the news reached the people, a small uproar had started. The forces did manage to contain them and the situation seems better now."

Akira inhaled sharply, "Thank you for sharing the news, you can go now."

The messenger bowed yet and walked out. Aziza ran her hands on the smooth plane of her chin, staring at the door, deep in her thoughts.

"Maharani," Akira was broken out of her trance by Shree's voice. The queen's royal adviser muttered, "I have a question, if you may."

Akira gave a curt nod, indicating her to go on, "I was wondering if attacking Ekam nagar is the wisest decision as of now."

Shree looked at all the courtiers before continuing, "I mean doesn't it seem alarming that Mantri Rishabh dropped dead all of a sudden? Then a uproar by the people? We do know there is something fishy going on in Mahapuram. We should wait till we are sure everything's alright there." 

She looked back at Akira, "If we deploy the soldiers in Ekam nagar right now and something goes wrong in Mahapuram or here, then we won't have enough force to retaliate and I don't know if that would be very wise of us."