THE 50TH QUEEN

Chapter 12: The Truth of Minister Ramayu

The king read the letter and immidiately went out of the palace. Riding on his beloved Ambar, with his sword in his hand, maharaja went towards the heela falls. With the speed of light, ambar was scatting like he was running in the air. Within few minutes, maharaja was already in front of the falls. When he got down of ambar, he saw Minister Manendra and commander Suryaksha were already standing there. But this time one more person was there to greet the king. From behind the commander and minister Manendra, came out minister Ramayu!
The commander said "maharaj, finally we got minister ramayu. He was hiding here, near the falls in a small hut. Even his wife and children didn't know that he is here."
Minister Manendra said "yes my lord, and not only this, when we asked him that why he is hiding here he said that he has something he can't tell us. He must have some information related to conspiracy and he is hiding it from us."
The king said "minister ramayu, its better to tell the truth at once. My sword doesn't like it when people don't reply to me straight away!"
The commander took out his sword and placed it on minister Ramayu's neck "tell us what you have? And Why did you came here that day?"
Although minister Ramayu was very clever and good at answering things and making up stories, but he had only one weakness and that was- the fear of the king! He was dead afraid of the king and always tried to come in his good books.
In a trembling voice, Minister Ramayu replied "maharaj, i swear i don't have any information related to anything. Infact now a days i don't even have information related to my own family. Maharaj, please show some mercy on this lowly person."
"Is it so?" Minister Manendra said "then why don't you show us what you have and you are hiding?"
Minister Ramayu replied "because i can't!"
"What?" The commander replied in surprise "you are indirectly denying the king's order! Do you know what is the punishment for this?"
Minister Ramayu said "i know what is the punishment but the problem is if i show it to you, i couldn't be able to face you all again in my life"
Minister Manendra said "see maharaj, i told you, he has some very deep information that will proove that he is deceitful towards the kingdom and will never be able to face us! So shameful of you minister ramayu!"
"Minister Ramayu" said the king "i am giving you one last chance, stop speaking useless things and come to the point. If you will not speak up the truth , i am afraid that your wife has to wear white for life."
Minister Ramayu got down on his knees and then said while crying "maharaj, if you all really want to listen, then i will tell you. Maharaj, actually i have..... I have..."
"Yes, tell us what you have!" Minister Manendra said in curiousity.
Minister ramayu closed his eyes and finally said " i have piles!"
"Piles! ! ??"
The word came out of minister Manendra's mouth in shock.
"Yes, i have piles. And that is why i said i can't show you and if i do, i will never be able to face you all!" Minister Ramayu said while crying.
The king said "you are suffering from it since when? And why didn't you concerned vadya laksh?"
Minister ramayu replied "maharaj, this is very hard for me to talk about. I am suffering from this since last month and i didn't want this to become a matter of chat for the people in mansion. It would be very shameful if this news leaks out in the mansion. Thats why i didn't consult vadya laksh. I even hid it from my wife and left my house to stay here in that hut."
Minister Manendra said "but that doesn't answer why you came to the falls a few days back! Didn't you came here because you heard us talking about this secret place?"
Minister Ramayu shouted on minister Manendra "what bullshit you are talking about! I didn't hear you saying anything. There is a baba who used to sit near the falls. He is very famous in curing this kind of diseases. I went to meet him to cure my disease."
"I was also here that day, but i didn't see any baba there!" Minister Manendra said.
"That's because i told him to go away before anyone could see him with me."
The commander said "oh so you already saw minister Manendra there, and you got afraid that he might see you and thus asked that baba to go and you also came back in hurry, i think this might be the story that day, right?
"No, no" minister Ramayu said "i didn't even know that minister Manendra was here. Actually i was talking to that baba when i suddenly saw queen Ramawati was coming towards the falls. And seeing her i got afraid and ran away."
"Maharani Ramawati??"the king said in surprise.
"Yes maharaj, believe me, i saw her here and that's why i ran away!"
"That is why you were so nervous and in hurry that day?" Minister Manendra asked.
"Yes!" Minister Ramayu replied.
"Hmm. I heard you. That's enough for me. You may go now. And listen, contact vadya laksh for your disease. And go home back, your family is in worry."
"Ji maharaj!" Minister Ramayu bowed and replied.
Minister Ramayu went away. Minister Manendra said to the commander after a sigh "he has piles. Thank god he didn't show us when we asked him to!"
Both made an eye contact for a second and finally burst out in laughter, which they were suppressing from the moment minister Ramayu told them that he has piles.
King said "ahem, ahem... Enough of jokes now.
If minister Ramayu is not lieing, then that means, queen Ramawati also came here that day. It's time to find out, what is actually going on in Queen's Ramawati's mind!"
Coming back to the palace, it was already night. Both minister Manendra and commander went inside the palace, while king Samarthya again went to the back of the palace, towards the secret place.
He went inside, but no one was there. He sat down on one of the large stones lying there. He was waiting for Advit to come as they both decided that they will meet there every night and discuss about the things Advit finds out about maharani Ramavati or make new plans to find out more. He waited and waited but Advit didn't come. It was so unacceptable to the king that he asked him to come but he didn't. At the same time he was also a little worried that what might be the reason behind this. For one second, because of the incident happened with queen Ramawati today, he literally imagined queen Ramawati coming towards Advit with a knife and attack him. In order to defend, Advit leans backwards but his blouse got teared up because of the attack amd what comes out and fall are two round oranges! The king shakes his head to come out of this imagination and walks out of that place. After thinking for some time he decides to go to Advit's room.
He finally went in front of the room but it was very surprising for the gaurds who were standing there that maharaja Samarthya came to meet his queen at night. Maharaj himself knew that it would be very odd for them. They must be thinking something very inappropriate about him. But as he is already standing outside the room, it doesn't matter anymore wether he goes inside or not, his image of saint has already ruined and it would be the topic of hot chats for a week at least. Maharaja looked towards the gaurd and said "ahem..ahem... Actually.." "wait" he thought "i don't have to explain the guards why i am going inside!" He turned his head towards the room in confidence and went inside. The guards puffed with their hands on their mouth with a mischievous smile.
When Samarthya went inside, he found Advit was sleeping soundly. With his one hand streched out upto the other side of the bed, and the other hand over his belly, he was looking so innocent while sleeping. His eyelashes so long, and his mouth a little open, his face was shining like gold due to the light from the lantern lying nearby.
Samarthya was freezed for a moment. Within 28years of his life, he has never seen someone so messed up still so perfect. Samarthya's eyes were stuck on Advits face. He thought in his mind "how can it be so pleasing and satisfing to see him sleep? It looks like he is the most innocent person while asleep. Who can say that he doesn't stop once he starts talking if someone looks at him like this."
Samarthya was still thinking when Advit opened his eyes slightly. Samarthya immidiately straighten up his lips which were curved upwards in smile and said "cough..cough...are you awake?"
Advit got scared at first to see someone has entred his room but got relaxed when see it was Samarthya.
"Adyant!" He said "ohh! its you! You know i literally got scared to death!"
"My apologies!" Samarthya said "i didn't want to come but you didn't come to meet me there so i thought if you are alright?"
"What would happen to me Adyant! I am completely fine, actually today i ate too much. See, my stomach looks like i am pregnant and that's why i got so lazy and slept. I completely forgot that i had to meet you." Advit said with an innocent face.
Samarthya replied "its okk! Its okk!"
Advit said "come Adyant! Sit here. I am feeling better and refreshed now. You must be feeling bored as no one talks to you. Don't worry i will talk to you! We will have some midnight gossips!"
Samarthya smiled and went to sit on the bed.
Actually it was true. Samarthya really didn't have anyone whom he could talk with or share his feelings. Everyone in the mansion was an officer, soldier, or minister other than his 49 wives to whom he was just a gaurdian. Everyone considered him superior to them, and that is what was true also, and never dared to talk to him in informal manner. He too, had to maintain his reputation and aura, couldn't just stand and laugh or share his feelings with anyone. He was the king to a vast kingdom. Everytime, he has to act responsible and stiff, even if he is suffering from pain from inside. After the death of his father, there was no one with whom he can laugh or share stories. He used to spend some time with ambar and kshiti and sometimes uttered his feelings out while cleaning them, but in reply they could just neigh! So he had to consider every neigh as an agreement to what he said. After Ambar and kshiti, he had the commander and minister Manendra, but they were also officials after all. And the way they were friendly with each other, they could never be with the king. However the situation has somewhat changed from the day Advit has come. Although he just listened to him and used to only reply to his stories, he was enjoying it a lot and felt light after talking, or more accurately, listening to him.
Advit got up from the bed, pour some water in a glass and streched his arm towards the king "Adyant, you have come to my room for the first time, so you are a guest. Have a glass of water as a welcome drink!"
Samarthya smiled and took the glass of water.
Samarthya asked Advit "did you find anything else today?"