Lotus among the Roses

🔍First Clues🔍

The sun had just begun its descent, casting a warm, amber glow across the streets of Jatila city. In the heart of the city, the  Oh so well known and wealthy Sudarshan Family, had settled into their vast manor, their luxurious facade concealing the weight of their hidden mission.

While Vyom took to his role of a great businessman, together with Subal navigated the web of pleasantries expected of wealthy traders, Kumud and Devsena, mingled with the wives of officials, visiting temples, viharas, especially impressing them with their generous donations.

All this while, their sharp minds had remained focused on a more pressing task—uncovering the traitor hidden within these walls.

Well, a traitor for Gajendra... a true patriot of the kingdom nonetheless.

Before long, their hardwork payed off. Today, after the evening lights lit up, a meeting was arranged in secret. One of the local officials, a man named Haran, had long harbored sympathies for their cause. Though he worked under the governor, witnessing Gajendra's unscrupulous actions, his loyalties had shifted after witnessing corruption that stained the city.

Haran had agreed to meet Vyom in the quiet of an old library annex attached to the governor's palace, a place frequented only by scholars. The quiet hum of the library and the soft rustling of ancient scrolls provided the perfect cover for their conversation.

Soon, they arrived, covered head to toe in magnificent clothes.

Kumud sat beside Vyom, her expression composed as they awaited Haran's arrival. She absentmindedly twirled an ivory bangle on her wrist, her thoughts swirling with the weight of their investigation. It wasn't long before the slender, robed figure of Haran appeared in the doorway. He moved with quiet precision, eyes darting around to ensure they weren't being watched before he slipped inside.

"Everything is in place," Haran whispered, bowing his head slightly to Vyom. "The governor's son suspects nothing......"

"Good," Vyom replied, his voice calm but purposeful. "We'll need every detail you can provide about the palace, especially regarding any unusual activities. Is there anything specific you've noticed?"

Haran nodded, his fingers nervously adjusting the edge of his angavastram. "I've seen some strange movements lately. Messages have been passed between  the officials at the governor's court—those who shouldn't have any reason to communicate, especially mentioning ......aname...a... what was it?... 'Dhan'... 'Dhan'....

" Dhananjay" Kumud opened her mouth, her voice cold.

"Ah Yes! Dhananjay! and also... someone else ... their name ending with ' Maan'.... The nature of their dealings.... Iam afraid is unclear, something is definately off."

Vyom exchanged a glance with Kumud, his mind racing through possibilities. Kumud, however, remained still, her thoughts more or less were right, but she catch on a single phrase Haran had used: messages being passed between officials.

"What kind of messages?" she asked quietly, her voice laced with curiosity.

Haran furrowed his brow. " That is the problem. They didn't seem to talk. I've only caught glimpses—small notes exchanged during gatherings or whispered conversations. I couldn't see what was written, but I did notice one thing..." His voice lowered further.

"One of the officials wore a necklace of sandalwood beads. It seemed like an innocent object, but I noticed him frequently removing and handling it during meetings."

Sandalwood beads? Why would someone fiddle with sandalwood beads, that too in the middle of official discussions.

Both Vyom and Kumud drowned in their thoughts when suddenly, Kumud lifted her head to see a manuscript half inserted in what appeared to be a beautiful cane kept across the room. She froze, as she thought of a possibility.

A spark flashed in her mind, like memories rushing back...... maybe not her own, but those of Padmini. Her heart pounded as the scene unfolded in her thoughts, as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

She remembered Devendra's voice, deep and serious, telling her about a group of spies from the Pala Kingdom. They were disguised as humble Buddhist monks, easily overlooked as they traveled across kingdoms, their benevolent and divine guise not arousing a single ounce of suspicion.

But hidden within their innocent appearance was a deadly secret—their necklaces, made of fragrant sandalwood beads, held tiny scrolls with encrypted messages, passed from one hand to another like a silent code.

Suddenly, Kumud's breath caught in her throat. She quickly asked, " The necklaces, did they have coiling patterns?"

Haran nodded, as he astonishingly looked at her. " How did you know? Those patterns, though uniform, seems distinguishable when kept in a set of two or three."

Kumud sucked in a mouthful of  cold air.

What official Haran described—the necklace, the discreet passing of messages—it matched Devendra's warnings about the Pala spies.

Kumud turned to Vyom, her voice hushed but urgent. " Kotadhipati ... the sandalwood necklace...... It's not just an accessory....... It's how they exchange messages—like the spies from the Pala Kingdom."

Vyom's sharp gaze snapped to her, understanding dawning in his eyes. "You're sure?" Kumud nodded. "I'm certain. When... when Padmini was with Devendra, he told her about these monks from the Pala Kingdom. They hid messages in their necklaces, disguised as mere beads of sandalwood. This official—he could be one of their agents."

Vyom leaned back, his mind working swiftly to connect the dots. "If the Pala Kingdom is involved, this could go deeper than we thought. They might be pulling the strings, using officials from within Kalyanapur to sabotage the Crown Prince and destabilize the empire."

Kumud's chest tightened at the thought. The Pala Kingdom's reach was vast, and their methods simply brilliant. If they were involved, it meant their mission was far more dangerous than they had anticipated. But it also gave them a vital clue, one they could use to their advantage.

"We need to confirm this," Vyom said quietly, his voice steady. "If the Pala spies are involved, we'll have to expose them. But we can't rush—we need more information."

Haran, watching the intensity between them, spoke up hesitantly. "I can try to gather more details. But you must be careful—the Pradesh Adhipati's son has eyes everywhere. He's suspicious of outsiders, even ones as wealthy as you."

Vyom nodded. "We'll tread carefully. Keep us informed of any other movements or messages you see." Haran bowed before slowly moving out first, so as to not arouse suspicion.

As Haran left the room, the weight of the discovery settled between Vyom and Kumud. The realization that the Pala Kingdom might be involved shifted the entire dynamic of their mission. But for Kumud, there was something more— a deeper pull in her chest, a connection to past, to Padmini's past, something that she could not ignore.

She sat quietly for a moment, her fingers brushing against the smooth ivory bangle, contemplating her next move.

Vyom watched her, his gaze softening as he noticed the tension in her expression."Kumud," he said gently, his voice cutting through her thoughts. "We'll figure this out......"

She met his eyes, a flicker of warmth in her otherwise guarded expression. "I know...." she replied softly. "But this... it feels like a piece of something bigger. It not only involves me ..... or Padmini... her past but also this empire."

Vyom's lips curved into a small smile. "Your instincts have never been wrong before. Trust them. As for the actions to be taken, I am here... Always beside you......"

For a moment, the weight of their mission seemed to fade as Kumud held his gaze, a strange sense of comfort crept in her heart. Forbidden emotions slipped through the cracks of her shattered heart. But now wasn't the time to dwell on those feelings. There were bigger matters at hand.

With a deep breath, Kumud stood, straightening her sari as if shaking off the emotions that threatened to consume her."We need to get to the bottom of this...... the crown prince is waiting for us...." she said firmly, her voice once again filled with resolve.

Vyom nodded, his eyes gleaming with smiles at her actions, " Of course we will....... You have me... we can do anything... achieve everything ...... Together."

Kumud rolled her eyes at his conceited expression, get her heart leapt with a sweet feeling at his words.