Ruthless Rulers of Rakshatra (RRR)

Chapter 21 - Mystery

She looked at his reflection in the mirror and their eyes met.  Immediately she looked away as her cheeks burned red due to the intensity of his gaze which made him chuckle.  Then he came out of the bed and came towards her with a smirk on his face.  

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Seeing him coming towards her, Kalindi tried to regain her composure and simply concentrated on her work with a stern face.  Her heartbeat was increasing with each step he took towards her.  She was braiding her hair when he stood behind her.  She didn't look up and continued her work.  Slowly he bent down and kept his chin on her shoulder as she sat while completing her hair braid.  Feeling his breath near her neck, she closed her eyes for a moment and then looked into their reflection.  While looking into her eye, he took the rose flower from the vase and put it in her braided hair and then whispered in her ear, "Rose suits you more".  Saying so he went to the bathroom and then to his own chamber.  It took sometime for Kalindi to shake away the redness from her cheeks.

One more week went by with the same routine for the couple, although they didn't share any more kisses.  When the night came, Kalindi was already in her night saree and was waiting for Abhyuday.  But even after midnight, he didn't come.  She went to his bed room through their connected bathroom and was surprised that the room was empty.  Now she began to feel distressed about his safety and called one of her maid who was on night duty at that time, Rekha.  Kalindi asked her to check upon the guards of Yuvraj's chamber about his whereabouts.  She was waiting for Rekha to comeback with some information.  As soon as she came back, Kalindi asked in a tense voice, "Did you get any information?".  Rekha nodded at her and said, "Yuvrani! The guards told that Yuvraj is inside his chamber only".  Kalindi thought about it and came to a conclusion that he must be in his study room as she had already checked his bedroom.  She heaved a sigh of relief and exhaled loudly to calm down her nerves. 

Seeing her relief, Rekha said, "I'm happy to see your love for Yuvraj and your care towards him, Yuvrani".  Kalindi stared at her blankly for a moment and said, "Just because I was worried about him, doesn't mean that I love him. And just because he comes here every night, doesn't mean that he loves me. Ok".  Kalindi turned away from her with an irritated expression and murmured, "Love is like a bottomless pit if there is no trust".  Rekha replied, "May be Love is too strong a word I used but you couldn't object that there are feelings involved from both sides, Yuvrani.  Please don't run away from your feelings and try to give him a place in your heart".  Kalindi turned abruptly towards her and said with a gritted teeth, "Rekha, I'm telling you again, I am just protecting myself from a potential heartbreak by not giving into the feelings of heart.  It is not like I'm heartless or unloving.  I'm simply a person who loves someone deeply if at all I'm in love.  And that is scary because it can break me into pieces, never to be recovered again.  And above all, if I have to survive in the Palace and the nasty schemes within, then it is better this way".  Hearing Kalindi's determined voice, Rekha excused herself out, all the while wishing for a miracle that would make her Yuvrani's life happy.

After Rekha went out, Kalindi tried to sleep but she couldn't.  And she went to his bedroom through the bathroom doors time and again to check whether he returned from his study room or not.  Finally She slept in his bedroom itself while waiting for him.  It was early in the morning when Abhyuday entered his bedroom and was surprised to see her sleeping on his bed.  He went near her and raised his hand raised to touch her face but stopped at last.  He quietly went to bathroom and got ready in simply a white dhoti (lower garment).  Then he directly went to the Puja (Prayer) room and started his daily prayer infront of Lord Shiva.  After an hour, Kalindi woke up to the same empty bedroom as the previous night but somehow she felt that he had been here.  And the wet clothes in the bathroom confirmed her suspicion.  She waited for him as she knew his usual routine of prayer early in the morning.  In the meantime, she too got ready for the day but still he didn't come back from his prayer.  "Or may be, he finished his prayer and went away", Kalindi thought and went to his puja room for the second time.  Before even she could open the door, she heard his loud booming voice, reciting 'Shiv Thandav Stotram', with a hint of anger and tension emiting from the way he was reciting today.  She didn't know how he usually recites, so she couldn't pinpoint the unusual way.  Thinking to leave him alone to finish his prayers, she went away.

It was breakfast time but he was still in the Puja room which made Kalindi restless.  But she couldn't barge in, when he is worshipping the God.  Sometimes she envies him that he is deeply devoted while she simply does puja for relaxation and serenity.   She proceeded to have her breakfast and then went to the Royal court room since it was the time.  She was worried that Yuvraj would miss the court and what others will say about that.  But to her surprise there was no one in the court room.  Kalindi saw a maid and asked her about the empty court room.  The maid remained mum with bowed head, not answering her.  Kalindi knew that this is unusual as these maids were well trained to follow orders.  Kalindi didn't say anything and walked back go her chamber and asked Lekha, "Where is Gopi?  I feel that she is the one who could answer me".  Lekha replied, "Not sure Yuvrani but she didn't come today".  Just then Gopi came to her chamber and greeted her.  Since the incident at the fair, Gopi's duty was somehow reduced as their Yuvrani is capable enough to save herself.  Seeing Gopi, Kalindi immediately said in a stern voice with her authority, "Gopi, What is happening in the palace today?  I couldn't pinpoint it but it is extremely calm.  So tell me what is the issue?".

Gopi bowed her head and said, "Yuvrani, Every year on this day, people will start their daily work only by mid day, not before that.  And the Royal court will not function and the King will not meet anyone today and stay isolated.  And...and Yuvraj will not leave the Puja room till tonight".  Hearing her last statement, Kalindi's confused face changed to tensed one and then she asked, "And you didn't say, Why this is happening?".  Gopi still didn't lookup and simply said, "Today...it is...the memorial day of our late Maharani Chandria".  It took sometime for Kalindi to understand that the one who died on this day is her real mother-in-law, the real Queen of Rakshatra and also the mother of her husband.  Gopi continued, "On this day, we, common people pray for her soul till mid day, as that was the time of her death.  And Yuvraj wouldn't meet anyone on this day.  If at all, anyone disturbs him then they would see his uncontrolled wrath.  An assassin once tried to use this chance to kill Yuvraj but the assassin was killed as soon as he entered the Puja room, unlike other assassins who would be tortured to death.  So everyone stays away from Yuvraj for the day to avoid his wrath. Especially the King".

Kalindi was keenly listening to everything that Gopi had said and was surprised as well as confused by her last words.  After a few moments, Kalindi asked Gopi, "Since today is the memorial day, all the Royal family members will pay their respects to the late Maharani right.  So where do I pay my respects?".   Gopi was silent for sometime and then asked Yuvrani to follow her.  They reached the ground floor near the temple within the palace and Gopi opened the door for room and said, "Yuvrani, please get inside, we will follow you".  Kalindi went forward and entered the chamber which was no less than the Yuvraj's chamber.  The walls were adorned with portraits of various men and women.  Seeing Kalindi looking at the portraits on the walls, Gopi said, "Yuvrani, these are the portraits of previous Kings and Queens of Rakshatra.  Their names will be written below their portrait and it is arranged in the order of their succession.  While on the left we have the Kings, the right side of the walls have their corresponding Queen's portrait".  Kalindi was walking through the chamber while looking at the pictures on both sides of her.  Suddenly she saw that one position on the kings side was empty and after that empty place was the current kings portrait.  "So that means Yuvraj's grandfather's picture should be here but why it is not here?", Kalindi stopped at that place and thought about it.

Glossary:

Maharaj - King
Maharani - Queen
Yuvraj - Crown Prince
Yuvrani - Crown Princess
Bhabhi - sister-in-law
Shastrasala - Godown of weapons with practice arena
Gurudev - Teacher

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Hi guys,

Do vote and comment if you like the chapter.

There will be more twists and more secrets will get unveiled.

Thanks,
SM.