Tainted Desires : Bound By Misfortunes

17| History of Anuvarta

Annahita's POV

After feeding him dinner, with occasional playful bites on my fingers like a child, I settled on the swing in the balcony. The night breeze was chilly but oddly calming. Rubbing my palms on my arms, I felt a sudden warmth and discovered a shawl draped around me. Adhiraj, adjusting the shawl, joined me on the swing.

"You'll get sick if you keep going out with this little clothing at night," he warned, narrowing his gaze.

I smiled softly at his care and sat in silence for a long time. Although we were both quiet, it felt peaceful. His aura and proximity always brought me calm and peace. After some time, he spoke up.

"Tumne pucha tha na is jagah ka naam Anantara Kutir kyu hai"
("You asked me why this place is called Anantara Kutir.")

I placed my chin on my folded legs, signaling him to continue.

"Anantara was the ruler, or you can say the name of my great-great-great-great-grandmother and the first female ruler of this land. This land is named Anuvarta after her by her husband, and this mansion was built for her. He used to call her Anu, and that's why this land is called Anuvarta," he explained, looking at me.

I was awed by this new information. How could someone love another person so much as to name an entire kingdom after her? He continued, now gazing at the moon.

"Anuvarta didn't exist before them. This place was divided into two kingdoms, or you can say two enemy kingdoms—Rudrapur and Panchala. Panchala's kingdom had a very cruel but justice-loving king named Devrath Singh Rathore, my grandfather. While the kingdom of Rudrapur had only one princess as its heir, Princess Anantara, daughter of Anant Dev Singh and his wife Tara Anant Dev Singh.
The kingdoms of Rudrapur and Panchala were nestled amidst sprawling landscapes, each boasting unique features that set them apart. Rudrapur, adorned with lush greenery and scenic beauty, presented a picturesque panorama. The majestic mountains that enveloped the kingdom added a sense of grandeur, standing as silent witnesses to the kingdom's rich history.

Panchala, in contrast, was known for its expansive plains and fertile lands. The fertile soil made it an agricultural haven, contributing to the prosperity of the kingdom. The river that meandered through Panchala brought life to its fields and sustained its thriving population.

The rivalry between Rudrapur and Panchala was deeply ingrained, stemming from historical disputes and conflicting interests. Devrath Singh Rathore, the king of Panchala, was renowned for his commitment to justice, and his kingdom flourished under his rule. However, his justice often veered towards cruelty, creating fear among the citizens."

He paused, and I listened intently, intrigued by the tale. Adhiraj continued, "Anantara was the only daughter of Anant and Tara, the heir of Rudrapur. She was a beautiful and sharp-minded princess, proud of her skin color. She used to say,'Yeh meri Kaali Maa ka rang hai. Main sharminda nahi hoon, aur na hi main kisi ko mujhe is par sharminda karne ki koshish karne dene waali hoon.' ('It's the color of my Kaali Maa. I'm not ashamed, nor will I tolerate someone attempting to make me feel ashamed of it.') Her love for her motherland was admired by many. She was always held back from ascending the throne as she was an unmarried girl. One day, she got angry at these nonsensical restrictions. Her father's health was deteriorating, and they needed a new ruler to save the kingdom from enemy kingdoms, mainly from Panchala. After many arguments, her inner court suggested that if she could defeat Panchala's ruler and save the kingdom from an attack, then she could ascend the throne or someone from her distant paternal family would have to take the throne. Faced with the dilemma of losing her kingdom or handing it over to greedy people, she agreed to face Panchala's ruler on the battlefield. Despite opposition from various quarters, who couldn't bear to lose their beloved princess, she was a formidable warrior and refused to step back."

I was left astonished at her bravery to go against a cruel king on the battlefield to save her motherland. Adhiraj continued, "King Devrath Dev Singh got really surprised at the news that the princess would face him in the battlefield. He had heard of her intelligence and bravery and was intrigued but also angry at her challenge. After many days in the battlefield, Anantara finally faced Devrath Singh Rathore. Her eyes held only blood and hatred, but something shifted in Devrath Singh's eyes. He was captivated by her beauty, something he had never seen before. He decided to make her his, dropped his weapons, and retreated from the battlefield for the first time in his lifetime. His decision was a surprise to everyone, even to Anantara. However, Anantara felt a mix of happiness and skepticism as they had already lost many soldiers. Days passed, and she faced opposition from the people of her court. They argued that she was unmarried and couldn't ascend the throne before her marriage. At the same time, a message came from Panchala."

I looked at Adhiraj, who paused, observing my reaction. "What message came?" I asked.

"A marriage proposal for Princess Anantara. Devrath Singh's desire to marry her was explained in the message, and he offered to sign a peace treaty to never raise weapons against Rudrapur after this marriage. The people of Rudrapur were ecstatic at this news and urged her to agree to this proposal.
King Anant Dev Singh left the decision of the marriage in the hands of his daughter. As a ruler, he wanted to accept the marriage proposal, but as a father, he couldn't just marry off his daughter for the sake of the kingdom.
After various requests from the people, she said that she would give her reply in two months and also sent a message that if her kingdom got attacked in the meantime, she would kill their king. The messenger was angry at her threat and audacity but left without saying anything. King Devrath agreed with her request and patiently awaited her reply. Meanwhile, Princess Anantara decided to find out about him and his real character herself and not rely on the stories she had heard."

“But how did she plan to find out about his real character, through her spies?" I asked Adhiraj.

Adhiraj smiled at me and shook his head. He continued, "She decided to go into his kingdom herself, disguising as a soldier, and uncover the truth. Her physical strength, gained from spending time on the training ground, allowed her to easily blend in as a male soldier. After altering her appearance with the use of certain items, she spent days gathering information from the people of Panchala and those residing in his mansion. However, after a few days, she received a message that she had been appointed as the personal bodyguard of King Devrath. Initially dumbfounded by this unexpected turn, she chose to accept the role, realising it provided her an opportunity to learn about him up close. Fully aware of the risks, including the possibility of exposure leading to her death and posing a threat to her kingdom, she embarked on this perilous mission as his personal bodyguard."

" Lekin unhone aise kaise kisi ko bina unke baare mein jaane apna angrakshak niyukt kar liya?"
("But how could he just appoint someone as his personal bodyguard without knowing about them?") I asked Adhiraj, who raised his hands to correct and drape my shawl around me, which had slipped while I was engrossed in the story.

I got flustered at his gesture, and he withdrew his hand, saying, "He knew.”

How's this chapter?
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This chapter was supposed to be more than 4000 words but I got busy and had to divide the chapter in two parts.
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