Aryavarta Gets Its Chakravarthini

Chapter 3

" Maharaja, I'm sorry for coming to your Kingdom, your territory without any permission or prior information. But I don't have any evil intentions for doing so. ", and then she cleared her throat while fixing her hair before taking a seat.

" Devi, it's not that I mind you staying in my Kingdom or my territory but the jungle seems a bit too odd. I mean you could have stayed in the Royal palace. This small Hut doesn't seem comfortable enough for a princess.", I tried to be as honest as I could. But it was really difficult to breathe, to speak in her presence. Her aura was dangerously hot.

" Maharaja, it seems you're underestimating me. As much as I love the Royal palace, I love these jungles equally. It is more than comfortable for me. And I need to be in this jungle to fulfill my motive for being an uninvited guest.", she stared into my eyes with a slight smirk.

" And may I ask you your motive?", I questioned her.

" I need to search for a royal bird here. You might have heard about white peacock that used to hide in Soma Vana. I've been searching for it. If she lends me one of her feathers, I can save my brother's life. "

" Devi, I don't understand. First, how can it save your brother's life? Second, that bird has been long extinct here. I haven't spotted one in ages. I saw the last white peacock here when I was eight.", she raised her brow and seemed quite surprised. Then she adjusted her dupatta and turned around, walking into the woods while answering my questions.

" Maharaja, I can find one here. I spotted it once but it ran far away, somewhere deep in the jungle. I know they still live here. They just try to keep their existence a secret to save their lives. And I need them since my father gave me the task to collect one of its feathers. If I get him one, he won't force my brother to be a king. He wants to be a traveller and I've promised to take his responsibilities and fulfill them as mine. I need to get done with my task really soon to make sure I don't cross the deadline.", she seemed determined to fund those birds. No wonder, she is a princess. Always wishing for the impossible.

" And what about the villagers? I heard they're held hostage by a ghost. I heard about ghunghroos and music.", I kept following her in the woods.

" Maharaja, I'm sorry about this. Actually to get closer to those peacocks, I sing bhajan for my Lord Krishna offering him prayer and dancing all night. And one night, those peacocks, two of them came to witness my dance but I was too late to catch them and they ran away. And about those men, whenever I dance, one or two of them would always come to witness my dance with lustful emotions and evil intentions. They would either challenge me to marry me or abduct me or impregnate me. Being a woman, I won't tolerate anything against my self-respect. So I tied them all in a cave and hit them hard enough to teach them all a lesson to behave respectfully with a woman. I'll let them go now.", and on the mere mention of the filthy intentions of other men for this beautiful lady, my blood started boiling with rage to kill them, to chop them down to a thousand pieces. But she noticed my expressions, and smiled at me saying,

" Maharaja, you shouldn't be angry. They would have got their lesson by now. And they just need to be guided right. Ninety percent of those men were in their teenage years. ", and her smile and positivity calmed me a little.

" Devi, I'm sorry for all that you had to bear in my Kingdom. I'll make sure to teach my people the right behaviour. And as an apology, I would like to request you to shift to my Palace now. It won't be appropriate for you to stay here after your identity has been disclosed to so many. I request .", she was about to decline my offer so I tried to be humble and convincing that she finally had to agree.

" Maharaja, I just have one condition. You'll let me visit Soma Vana whenever I wish to. I need to search for the peacock. And I have another partner with me if you don't mind their presence in your Palace.", a playful smile quoted her lips.

" Devi, you can visit here or anywhere whenever you wish. Nobody has the right to stop you. In fact, I'll try to accompany you and help you with your task. And about your partner, I won't mind the presence of your maid in our Kingdom. Of course you both are our guests.", a sinister smile ran up her lips with a playful hint in her beautiful brown eyes.

" I wasn't talking about my maid, Maharaja. Let me introduce you to my best friend who accompanied me wherever I go. Here's Vanaraja from Kuru Kingdom.", and a lion walked in our direction encircling the princess. To say he was fierce is an understatement. You could feel the power just by the change in atmosphere as soon as he walked in. He sat down as soon as she rubbed her hands over his head and smiled at her.

" You have a pet lion? Aren't you scared, Devi?"

" Princesses aren't scared. Or let's say I'm not those fragile or sensitive princesses you would've heard about. "

" You're not a princess, Devi. You're a queen. A true queen. I would love to invite Vanaraja, along with you both ladies.", I shifted my gaze to the pet lion who squinted his gaze at me and then rolled his eyes.

" It would be our honour to be your guest, Maharaja.", she smiled at me and then looked towards her maid who had packed up all of her stuff.

" Madira, let's go.", and we all dispersed for Swarna Mahal. I had left Advaita and a few soldiers to rescue the men from the cave and bring them to the Royal Palace. While the rest of us would reach palace by the afternoon.