Maanyata ~A Tale Of Betrayal

1 . who could it be?

Maanyata's pov

Roaming around the place my eyes were searching for the one girl, niddhi  my cousin sister, sighing i checked around once more hoping to get a glimpse of her, but as always luck wasn't on my side today , it never was.

While looking for her I didn't realised that while searching for Nandini I landed on  the centre of the corridor where maharaj's chamber lies 

I scrunched my eyebrows and turned my head where  I heard a familiar voice speaking , taking slow steps I moved towards the room of maharaj, from where the voices were coming .

  Thinking for a second  then leaning forward I tried to hear them out of my curiosity.

" How can this be possible maharaj"? I gently kept my hands on the door

" why would someone do that"? the voice belonged to one of the closed ministers of maharaj

" is there a shortage of cheaters? takaat aur paiso k samne toh apne bhi paray ho jaate h toh dusro se kya hi umeed rkhe" raja ji said in a defeated tone     

Confused about whom they are talking I tried to hear more of their conversation but instead heard the tinkles of the anklet

By Turning around  I found  niddhi waving at me calling me over , i turned and suspiciously looked one last time towards the  door of maharaj's room and  I walked away.

~~~~~~~

Sighing I fell backwards on my bed, I laid there without making any movements

Silently gazing over  my ceiling while my mind full of questions, questions which cannot be answered.

Without my knowledge a drop of tear slipped through the corner of my eye,

Everything ,everything changed in these last five years ,like a hurricane came and swept away all my happiness,  I slowly got up bringing my knees as close as possible to my chest

Ca...Cant I fix everything..as it was before? No.

Can't I bring back everything like before? No.

The answer of my each and every question was NO... But why? because it's too late now.

My eyes fell on the anklet proudly resting on my ankles , which was gifted to me by my dear father , The late maharaja.

A slight smile touched my lips , touching the anklets I closed my eyes remembering the memory of the day when he surprised me with this anklet

That day may not be the bestest of my life but it will always be the greatest day  of my life, and will always be close to my heart ,forever.

I wiped my face gently and again my mind drifted towards the conversation which maharaj and his minister were having , from what I heard and understood it was about something serious , and if I am guessing right then it concerns our kingdom and if it does ,then it concerns mee too.

**********

I knocked again this time with a little force , within few seconds I heard " come in"

I entered in closing the door behind me softly I faced him 

" Bacche aap yaha iss waqt? koi pareshani"

(Kiddo, you here at this time? Is everything thing alright?)

" Ji nahi maha--

" how many times do I have to  correct you maanyata  not to call me maharaj? niddhi and you are same for me " he said keeping his hand lovingly on my head .

I lowered my eyes slightly feeling the love and care in his voice for me , he never differentiated between me and his own daughter niddhi . 

" I heard yours and the ministers conversation " I spoke again meeting his eyes

his posture straightened when I mentioned about the conversation they were having this evening

" were you eavesdropping us? he asked raising his eyebrows ,folding his hands

 "i turned silent and started looking here and there 

"who gave you permission to do so " he continued

taking a deep breadth i explained him " i didn't do it purposely , i was walking by and heard you two talking.... is it serious" i mentioned about the talk they had

" its nothing beta , rest assured , nothing serious " he said calmly ,maybe trying to dodge the topic but my eyes demanded answers.

our conversation was interrupted by a loud knock on the door...whosoever the person was didn't waited for the answer and knocked once again in urgency, maharaj and I  made eye contact before opening the door only to find one of our guard. 

His forehead was covered with beads of sweat and he was trying to control his breathing as if he ran for his life, he glanced at me and hesitated and then looked at him as if asking permission to deliver his words in front of him after getting single from maharaj he continued

" Maharaj there's news about jaykand... he returned " he immediately informed , as he said the facial expressions of maharaj changed and he didn't think twice before saying 

"take me to him" he started following  the guard , me being confused too followed them 

I don't personally know about jaykand but I know him, he is one of the most trusted guptachars  who worked for baba  the former king and now for my fathers younger brother and my uncle ,maharaj.

soon we reached the chamber were jaykand was, he's condition was not so good , he had few injuries here and there , his clothes were dirty covered in dust. 

maharaj ordered the guard to leave and then turned to me and said " Maanya you can go to your chambers if you wish "

in response I kept quite hinting that I want to stay and know what's going on , taking the signal he nodded and then turned forward looking towards jaykand 

jaykand bowed his head in respect to king and explained the whole scenario that how the guards of kshitiz kingdom captured him, they already knew that he was a traitor ,a spy ... they held him as a prisoner , but the question was how did they knew that jaykand was a spy?

" to my luck they didn't presented me Infront of the king ....I even doubt if they informed the king about me , i couldn't find any information regarding our other spies who went missing ,even before I can start they captured me"

yes it's true I too heard about our few guptchars(spies) who went on a mission but never returned back , it's today that i founcd out they went to kshitiz kingdom to  confirm the information we received about kshitiz kingdom planning to attack us secretly , but they never returned back nor we heard anything about them, this was the reason jaykand was sent there to gain the information about the spies and the attack ,but unfortunately our plan couldn't succeed ...but why?

" maharaj i-I highly doubt that there is a traitor between us ,i even heard few things from the senapati when i was semi conscious which indicates that there is someone who is forwarding our plans and moves to them"

there is a traitor between us? who? why would someone betray?

~~~
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