A Tale Of Love (On Hold)

BAD NEWS

RAJKUMARI CHITRA

I felt the cold wind blow on my warm body as I opened my eyes to see if the window of my chambers is open again. Only to find myself in a darkened jungle admist of a clearing. The air felt warm and humid with smell of burning wood underneath. Slowly the voice sharpened. "Run..... Run." The whispers sounded urgent and important. Soft like cotton but more like someone's dying breath that a soft lullaby. The air crackled as my eyes again closed but not before I found silhouettes burning on stakes.

Next I opened my eyes to the chirping of birds. Soft wind flown in from the window along with fresh scent of dew and flowers from the garden downstairs. After all this month's I felt relieved. The mist over my head is gone. I am no longer felt like drowning but instead I felt as if I am standing at the top of the world. With soft wind blowing around me. My hair blowing across my face as I looked down at endless abyass of greenery and water. The total eternal peace.

SENAPATI SUMRAJ

I skillfully walked through the alleys of Suryagadh. Narrowly escaping the too efficient soilders. Strangely the administration may not be that effective but the executive and judiciary is very honest and uncorruptible. Making my way to bore inside difficult. The over zealous youth of Suryagadh are a bit too excited and enthusiastic to be brought over to our side. Masses are practically praying to him like a god. And if he is successful in bringing over all the ministers and lords then it will be practically impossible to win over them. But no one will miss out how slowly the people against Maharaj Ayudhik are dying out mysteriously in highly unsuspectable way.

"Any news." The spy from Devgiri asked as I handed him the scroll with information and left the alley faster than light. My breathing coming out in short pants. If I got caught here, there is no reason that Maharaj won't hang me. Soon the sunny fort of Suryagadh came into my view only then the colour returned to my face. Maharaj Arun had given an important and tense work to find out about Maharaj Ayudhik's past but who would have thought the person we thought to be a wanderer would end up being related to Vijay Sena. They had caused waves in last three years. Commoners might not know about them but the lords who's lands are surrounded by forest like us and filled to brim with bandits can. I am sure no one informed Maharaj Arun of their existence atleast from our side.

Maharaj Arun are crafting his own plans while I am somehow caught in this wild fire. I lamented as the gates of fort closed behind me. Inside is entirely new story. It looked like a small city in itself. With the well planned roads and houses it sure left the Royal Fort of Devgiri far behind. But the main thing that confused us about the Fort that it's exceedingly closeness with the borders of Garudesh. Just with small hill range seperating the both kingdoms. "Senapati. Maha Mantri are asking for you." A messenger said as soon as I handed over the reins of my horse to the stable boy. The horse's shoes had worn due to continuous travels. I signed as I went towards the imperial secretariat or royal secretariat whatever you decide to call it.

Vinay ji are solemnly pacing in his office with dark lines covering his forehead. His fists clenched behind his back and it looked as if he aged decades at once. I frowned. He is one who is the sole supporter that thought that Maharaj Ayudhik must rule both kingdoms of Suryagadh and Devgiri. Unless and untill Maharaj Arun announced sudden enthronement of Yurani Alekhya or dethronement of Maharaj Ayudhik I don't think anything can throw him into this much worry. He wordlessly forwarded a letters towards me with the insigna of Devgiri. The seal was already broken and the corners are no longer crispy. It felt as if it had read a tens times or more. The letter was vague but the information written is disasterous.

He forwarded another two slips of paper. One looked as if it came through a eagle and another came through a pigeon. Both are both short and direct but this information combined with previous proved to with in levels with the Yurani's temper. Just then Lekhya entered with a small frown on her face. I looked at Vinay ji as if wanting him to explain the situation.

"Maharaj Arun is trying to process a marriage between the second Princess of Kamboj Rajkumari Raksha and Maharaj Arun. And Maharaj just sent a eagle that the things complicated at his ends and he might need to stay away for more time." She nodded not unexpected little did she know that if in world anything the Devraj siblings hate at most is the arranged marriages. How on earth Yurani agreed to one was still a mystery but I still bet it's a all a scam to deceive others. The other news is a bit more devasting. "Intelligence bureau sent a report that Garudesh might try to stage a war in nearby time period to take over Suryagadh." Now this made her forehead sweat a bit. The finances are extremely low and the manpower is entirely diverted towards the growth of resources and infrastructure.

If a war is waged in nearby future I highly doubt we will have the face to ask Devgiri for help. The coffers are just enough to run the kingdom barely well enough I don't think we can fight another war and other that the armies are filled with people who hadn't even lifted a single sword in their hand for entire life. Most of the able bodied skilled men were killed by battle of Sher Gahti leaving the untrained for us to utilise. I don't think waging another war for atleast two to three years is remotely possible for Suryagadh. While Garudesh not only is highly familiar with this terrain and filled with mines of precious metals and diamonds along with handful jades. They are incredibly rich. The only reason no one dared to take away the land is one.

Most of the area in its border is hollowed out completely. Only one who knows how to transverse can avoid being buried hundreds of feet underneath the rumble. Apart from that one can't forget the lead with is mined along with silver can be used to transverse into poisonous gases and the opposing side can be killed in a blink of a eye. On one. Not even Alwar dared to touch that small country of measly population of few tens of thousands. They treasured family over anything else. Vinay ji looked at me as if wanting me to deliver the final blow to her.

"We got a letter from Devgiri. Apparently Maya and her daughter escaped while crossing the borders. It took two months for the caravan to reach Capital and another month to send troops for their search. We received the news just now." Lekhya turned pale. Who knows what horrors she suffered under Maya to react in such degree. "And another news agrees that her daughter is in Garudesh but Maya died ." But this time she nearly lost her balance. "We shouldn't be this afraid of Garudesh." Viay ji said at her extreme reaction. She slightly trembled while leaning to the desk.

"I am not afraid of Mitra or Garudesh I am afraid of the retaliation that Garudev will bring over the death of his mother." She said as she sat down on a chair. "Explain." We both said at once. There are rumors that the Royal family of Garudesh place themselves at very high esteems. If you talk about one they cut out the tongues of entire generation of your family. If you point your fingers three generations will be masscared. One shouldn't even think of killing one.

"Maya was mother of current King Kailash Garudev of Garudesh. Why and how she became the  concubine of Virendra was something no body knows. But once Garudev visited her and I personally heard him call her mother and Mitra sister. We all know unless and untill they are blood related they will never even try to stage this act. It was the same time he liked Chitra and wanted to take her away but Virendra refused. So Maya began to incite him to attack Devgiri dispute the depleting treasures. That's one of the lead reason in of war. Infact the letter sent was one worded by Garudev himself."

The information blown away our ideas as we looked at Lekhya in sheer tension. After a minute I asked. "How do you know ?" She looked at me as if I lost my head. "How do you know about all this ?" Her face contracted. "I just know." She said as she ran away swifter than wind. I shared a look with Vinay ji. Now this is something to investigate.