The Unfinished Poetry √

Part Thirty

Five hundred years back

Devasena paced up and down the room. Hours earlier she had set fire on the pyre of her son, the emperor of Maahishmathi, Mahendra Baahubali . And she had gone completely numb now. Her footsteps felt not touching the ground. And she, light headed, with  nothing to think about, and yet, a lot.
Her son was no more.
She was childless again.
Avanthika was a widow.
Devasena couldn't imagine the beautiful girl clad in white. And she did not want to imagine anything about her son right now.
She had no strength to. She remembered the night Mahendra was born. And she did not want to remember everything else that happened that very night. The chain of thoughts was undisrupting though. It grew how long it wished to.

" You summoned me Rajmata? "
A maid stood at the door.

" Yes. Tell Ulukaa to clean up the room adjacent to the temple. I'll reside there from now on. I will not require security. Let me be left alone."

" But Rajmata.... "

" Do what said. " , Devasena said sternly.

The entire Maahishmathi was doomed, that's how it seemed. But Raaimata Devasena was firm as ice. She talked as much needed though, and called the ministers in a confidential meeting.

" Since we have Virendra as the only heir to the throne, ideally he should be made the king. But I would like to wait for a few more years before his coronation. Till he grows seventeen, mature and suitable enough to take up this position, no one would rule the throne now.  Important decisions concerning the nation will be taken by Ram Singh Khurana, our minister. I would like not to be involved until extremely necessary. Avanthika be informed this as well. "

That was the last time anyone in Maahishmathi heard Devasena speak. Raghav Bhavani would at times try his best to get into the prayer room, banging the door, sitting before it for days together, but in vain. Virendra would watch from a distance, and all he could do was shed silent tears. Not only had he lost his father, he had lost his grandma as well.

Inside the room, Devasena not only prayed, but recapitulated every event in her past. She didn't bother about how cursed her life was, she was rather bothered of the fact that she could not keep the worth of Shivagami's sacrifice for life. Mahendra could forever remain a tribe's son, and live forever.

One day Devasena summoned a maid, Revati.
She came, her eyes down as usual.
" Revati, do you know how your Maharaja died? "

Without looking up Revati nodded.
" Heart Attack. "

" Hmm.  Do you know how heart attacks occur? "

" mmm... No. Probably the heart stops pumping. "

" Good. You know a lot. So what do you think? Is every heart attack natural? "

"mmm... Everyone thinks so Rajmata! "

" But I want to know what you think. "

" I also think so Rajmata. "

" You speak so confident! Aren't you afraid of me? "

" No one is afraid of you Rajmata. We love you and empathise with your mishap. Our mishap. We wait for the new king Rajmata. "

" Revati, how much are you paid for serving in the palace? "

Revati said nothing and stared awkwardly.

" Not enough to meet your needs I believe. Three thick chains of gold were all that could send your son to the Deccan to start a new life. And no one even would know. Right? "

" Wh-what are you talking Rajmata? "

" So you don't really get what I'm talking right? "

Revati stared silent and horrified, Her throat dry.

" You did not for a second think, what would happen to, leave alone Maahismathi, to his wife, his son....
You selfish woman! You only throught of your son, no one else's! "

Devasena's eyes poured fire.
Revati turned pale and almost on the verge of fainting.

" You brought that drink to me that night. Didn't you? And my blind trust on you, and fate did not let me think for a second that anything like this could ever happen! I believed, you loved Mahendra, you all did. "

Revati had now broken down and was shedding unstoppable tears.

" Tell me Revati, what had happened that night. "
Devasena commanded.
" I promise you, nothing will happen to you if you just tell me the truth. After all we all are humans. And lust can make us do anything. "

After wiping off her tears, Revati began.
" That night I prepared the orange juice, Maharaja's favourite with my own hands. Just as I heard he had arrived and was in your room, I decorated the glass on his favourite tray and was heading to your room. Just then the venerated Vushan Bhavai was passing by. I put the tray aside and leaned to touch his feet. He blessed me with one hand and just as I was about to get up, I at a glance saw him mixing something in the drink. On asking he just smiled and said, it's the goddess Kali's prasaad, and was extremely effective. I've time and again seen you taking things from him, loving his son as if your own. I found no reason to distrust him.
He left and I brought it to you, Maharaja was having some personal times with you and I left keeping the plate there, forgetting to tell about the incident.

Later when Maharaja expired, an extreme fear gripped me. Before I could run to the priest to confront him, the death was declared a heart attack. Yet, I went to him as a routine prayer procedure and asked him about what was pinching me from inside. He stared at me coldly. And handed over to me three fat gold chains. I took them. Please forgive me Rajmata...  "
Revati broke down in tears.

Devasena stood still as a stone. And then slowly uttered, " Virendra is fifteen. Raghav is seventeen. And some people don't have 'patience' in their dictionary."

She turned to Revati.
" Who's making lunch today? "
Revati shaking uttered, " Me.... "

" Good. For the priest as well? "

" Yes.... "

" Good. Let's clear his misconception. I love his son. But never in my dreams will he become the king of a clan he belongs not to. And his father who is an idiot enough to even dream of that, should be made to pay the price, of killing the king of Maahishmathi, Avanthika's husband, Virendra's father and most importantly, MY SON!
I'll give you something. Mix that in his food. Remember, his food only and not his son's. He's innocent I swear. And what do you want in return? "

" Nothing goddess! This is my atonement. "

+++++

That afternoon in the temple, Vushan Bhavani and his son Raghav were having lunch in an adjacent room. Suddenly Vushan fell on the plate itself, foam arising from the corner of his mouth. Before Raghav could shout for help, someone closed the door to the room from outside, numerous burning torches were thrown from nowhere, setting fire, burning a seventeen year old boy alive and his already dead father.