Adhyalekha:The Throne of Flames

01|Whisper of Danger

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Rajatpuri,Vishalgarh
March 1561

Adhyalekha

I sat in the working space of my chamber going through the financial documents of the kingdom. I had to check the amount we are spending on tomorrow's function.

Tomorrow is the last Falgun Purnima(full moon),which means it's Holi,the color of festivals;but was it?

Holi in Vishalgarh has always been quite an affair,and it somehow always brought something troublesome with it.

It started 8 years back when on the auspicious day of Holi,my Maasa was killed. Yes,killed I still don't believe that it was an accident. All was going well,the holika-dahan went well,and we all were playing with colors,enjoying the spring night and devouring sweets but all of it came to a sudden halt when Maasa's scream resonated in the empty corridors inside the RaniMahal.

The scream is all I remembered from that night,everything else was a blur. I vaguely remember the soldiers running towards the Palace and we children were held in our places by the Daaima and other servants. I only got a glimpse of the lifeless body of my mother carried by my father who hardly managed to control himself from breaking down.

I and my sisters,tried breaking free from the hold of the servants but we couldn't. We cried and begged them to leave us,looking in their eyes but they didn't,their own eyes filled with pity and grief as the kingdom lost its Maharani,on that awful night.

The colors of Holi long faded as the blood of my mother pooled on the threshold of the Palace. An untimely rain accompanied by the storm of grief resonated in the silence of the night.

My eyes glanced at the fire-lit Holi,slowly losing itself in the rain. Even though I was merely 12 years old,I knew that something about that night was different. We didn't just lose Maharani Sanghamitra or my maasa,we lost something more,something which would be the reason of destruction,when the time allowed.

I came out of my trance as an attendant's voice fell on my ears.

"Khamma Ghani,Baisa! Ranasa is asking for the review on the financial calculations",she informed me with her head bowed down.

"Tell him that I am still reviewing it and will get back to him the first thing in the morning. Also ask the attendees to carefully look after the needs of the guests. They should not face any difficulties. There should be no compromise in hospitality. Assign two attendees to each of the guest and a personal soldier if they leave their assigned chambers" I ordered her,focusing on the paperwork in my hand.

She left after affirming my orders and I indulged myself in the documents trying to complete them as soon as possible.

After a while,I finished the last document and sighed in relief. This was the most hectic task of all the things I did today. I got up and stretched myself a little to relax my muscles which were now strained due to hours of immobility.

I took the documents which were scattered on the table and carefully rolled them  serially. I grabbed the keys to my safe and locked them up safely.

I looked at the open balcony of my chamber which allowed the breeze and moonlight to enter my candle-lit room. I moved towards the balcony inhaling the fresh air and cool breeze touching my face softly.

Suddenly a sharp pain shot through my head due to the tightly knit braid that danced along my shoulders till my waist. I sighed deeply and started unbrading my hair which was another hectic task.

Being a princess,came with its cons. 10kgs of jewelry was one of them. I moved inside my room trying my best to detangle the ornaments attached to my braid.

I sat on the chair kept in front of the heavy,mahogany wood dressing table as I had a glance at myself in the mirror,decked up in jewelry and heavy clothes in the middle of the night.

I didn't want to disturb the workers at this hour taking into consideration that we had a huge event tomorrow and everyone was busy. I removed all my jewelry including the matha-patti,jhumkas,bangles,anklets and other materialistic luxuries.

Atlast I finally freed my hair as I felt the most relived. I got up and went to the dressing section of the chamber and changed into a simple white cotton skirt and choli accompanied by a soft dupatta that hanged loosely on my shoulders.

I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and smiled at the real me staring in my eyes.

My skin was a little dusky with thick jet black hair that reached an inch below my waist,slightly wavy in texture. I noticed the soft mole I had just above my lips,exactly like my mother. I don't exactly remember my mother's face,it had been years I saw her but I have heard people saying that I was the living shadow of her.

Our features were almost similar big lotus eyes,plump lips,the dusky skin and not to forget the mole. This was the reason I would often stare in the mirror admiring myself,trying to find a glance of my mother in me. Maybe,just maybe she is the one smiling at me at the other end and not just my reflection.

I sighed and moved towards the balcony to continue my previous meet with the soft breeze. I sat on the small swing and looked at the moon,shining in all its glory.

Moon and I had a very different relationship,the one which I treasured through my growing years. He was my best friend,who never talked but still spoke a lot. We would converse for hours without uttering a single word. Somehow he knew all I had to say and I knew all he wanted to share.

I closed my eyes and kept my head on my knees,pressing them near my chest and soak in the glory of the white-lit lamp.

Suddenly I sensed a rustle of leaves which sounded unfamiliar. I immediately opened my eyes as my hand went to my dagger,which I kept near me always.

I got up alert and glanced around the garden area in front of my balcony. The huge trees of Eucalyptus and Neem,followed by the dim lit sky didn't provide me with a much clear view.

I again saw the leaves moving a bit as my suspicion grew. I moved hastily and climbed down the stairs attached to my balcony connecting directly to the garden area.

I moved forward with the dagger held tightly in my hand as the rustling in the leaves seem to increase. Just then I saw a shadow creep behind a tree.

"Soldiers",I immediately screamed gathering the attention from the half sleepy soldiers. The person behind the tree got alert and started to run in the opposite direction as I ran behind not waiting for the soldiers.

I ran hastily trying to get a clear view of the person who appeared to be a man but his face was covered and his black attire almost made it impossible to have a clear view.

I screamed at him to stop still running through the thick bushes and plants. Just as I was about to match his pace a black stallion crept out of nowhere near the man.

The man hurriedly jumped upon the horse trying to runaway when I flung my dagger at him and it gave a cut on his left bicep.

He glanced at me for a second before running away through the secret passage way of the Palace.

I stood there panting,trying to catch my breath wondering how the hell does this person know about the Palace's secret  passages?

The commotion alerted all the soldiers as the gong on the Palace tower was struck indicating the presence of a dangerous situation.

"Idiots",I muttered under my breath as the mysterious intruder flew away like a whisper while these dumb fellows were just now starting to get alert.

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