The Unfinished Poetry √

Part Seventeen

Five Hundred Years Back
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Rajmata Devasena handed over the worship thali to Avanthika with a smile, while she took it up, hesitant. While everyone else in the temple stared at her in a way she couldn't comprehend, she obviously knew the stare lacked the amount of respect they showered over Rajmata.

Under Rajmata's instructions, she performed the rituals of the Krishna Puja, though time and again the priest wished for Rajmata to take back the thali from her. But Devasena being Devasena, wouldn't ever do that. Avanthika at times felt proud of her would- be - mother - in - law. She had spent her twenty two years of life almost in freeing her, and now time and again Rajmata did that to her, saved her from the guilt of not being a royal descendent, but just an ordinary tribe.

After the puja, Rajmata called her to her room. Mahendra and
Katappa dada had gone for a trip round Maahishmathi. He needed to know his people more closely, just like Amarendra Baahubali did, Rajmata Devasena had said. After he returned, Avanthika and he would get married.

Rajmata Devasena made her sit on her bed. Avanthika was hesitant again. She had still not felt at home in this palace. But Rajmata Devasena had left no stone unturned to make her feel so. She had arranged for her stay within the palace itself, and not in the guest wing on the other side. Most importantly, Rajmata had made her stand at the coronation just beside Mahendra, like a queen, and with all these, Avanthika could only love her more with each passing day. Devasena was always her idol, and she felt proud of her choice.
Still, she at times felt like an outsider. Maybe just because she still wasn't married to him, not his official queen, though Mahendra had always made her feel so, actually more than that.

Devasena pulled her down to sit, and she now blushed. Devasena then handed over her, an anklet.

" the last memory of your father-in-law. In captivation, I hadn't asked for anything but this, I don't know why, Bhallaldeva allowed me to wear it. Maybe he felt, a single memory would torture more than not any." , her eyes sparkled. And avanthika wanted to hug her tight. But....couldn't.

" wear this. You would know, he's blessing you that way. He would be happy to see, Mahendra chose someone who is a brave warrior in herself, and even after knowing he's a king, didn't let her go irrespective of her cast. "

Avanthika's heart thumped suddenly. Did it even stop for a second?
Avanthika at times knew,she always tended to draw out hidden meanings from things that were very simple on outlook. Was she suffering from inferiority? 

Devasena kept on saying, " I always knew, my son would return, but never in my life had I believed, he would look exactly like his father. You know what? The first time he ran towards me to break my shackles, I felt my Amarendra had returned. I didn't know how to react! I forgot to shout, I forgot to cry! I only stared at him. I knew he would return, but he returned better than I ever expected, and he did what his father couldn't do....just because he was too good... "

Rajmata Devasena almost crumpled before her eyes, and Avanthika couldn't comfort her in any way. She knew she should, but something just tied her up, slowly but steadily.

Devasena gathered herself, she had always done that.

" when I met Amarendra, I loved him immediately almost. Not because he was a supreme warrior, but because he was innocent despite being the best. And he didn't boast. He could have easily asked for my hand. But he waited for me, till I wouldn't myself say a no to him. He was confident, but not overconfident. " , her voice turned hoarse again.

" ...and then fates turned, and I wish to forget scars. At Bhallaldeva's coronation ceremony, I came to know the power of him, the thing he had for his men, and they, for him. He had spent twenty five years of his life for them, and once he chose me over them, he had to give up everything ....his life as well.
You know what Avanthika? Love is a liability. "

Devasena stood up and went over to the window. And Avanthika stood freezed more than ever. Mahendra didn't even know his men, and he already had chosen her. Was Rajmata talking of her as his liability? 

Devasena turned and walked to her. " Avanthika, my life has taught me a few things. A wife should never let a husband leave behind everything for her only. In the long run, she may have to lose her husband itself. Be my son's asset, not his liability. "

**

The conversation with Devasena that evening raised a million questions in Avanthika's mind. Not that she began disrespecting her, just that maybe she began believing, Devasena didn't want her in Mahendra's life at least then. Maybe later, maybe, but not then. And that made her a lot insecure. She almost confined herself to the room she was allotted, and though now and then Rajmata summoned her, but most of the times she would make excuses of being unwell and sorts, and avoided the meet ups. She only waited for Mahendra to return, she only wished to get married to him now.

A couple of weeks later, Devasena herself visited her, and she was extremely embarrassed.

" Are you not doing well these days Avanthika? "

Avanthika stammered, and just then a person entered the room all of a sudden, with guards running after him but he ignoring everyone.

Bijjaladeva.

Rajmata Devasena turned furious, but gestured the guards to stop. She distinctly uttered, " Just because you have not been hanged to death, doesn't give you the right to roam around my palace.  You have been given a separate dwelling on the outer wing. Take him away, guards! "

Avanthika too hated him .

But he began laughing like a monster, which continued for sometime , and then suddenly a sorrow took over his face. He stopped laughing completely.

" Devasena, I am your uncle, and most importantly I have lost my son. I know what losing a dear one feels like, and I am ashamed of whatever I have done to you. I would have never come upto this palace, hadn't I heard, you are getting your son married to this tribe! "

And index finger pointed towards Avanthika, and she immediately fell into her existential crisis, this time a bit too much. Now, she's being accused by Bijjaladeva even? This is what she deserved?

" Bijjaladeva!!!!! "
The room almost shook with Devasena's command.
" One more word about Avanthika and you will be hanged immediately. Guards, take him away from before my eyes lest I'll behead him! "

Bijjaladeva shivered while the guards took him away.

And Avanthika here shivered too.
Devasena walked towards her. She was stone firm. She looked into her eyes, " Avanthika, I don't really know how much prepared you are to face everything. But I believe my son chose you because you possess qualities enough. And I am waiting for their display to me. Shiver less, and grow. Grow to Maharani Avanthika. Remember, Mahendra resembles my husband. "

Rajmata Devasena left, and Avanthika could see a gap that was growing, a gap which the world named  'inferiority'.