Love and Redemption

Chapter 2

The new Queen Aparajita Singh Rathore was standing in the overhanging enclosed balcony of her elegant bed-chamber. The cold, calm winds acted like a tranquilizer on the turmoil going inside her. The dazzling full moon was the only source of light in the darkness of night.

Her delicate body, which was clad in a silky white ankle length skirt and a small blouse, gleamed in the moonlight, however, her beautiful face displayed sadness. A tear crept from her left eye as she remembered the little version of herself playing with her brother Virendra in the magnificent gardens of the palace which were clearly visible from the balcony of her room. 

She remembered at the age of three, she was used to watching her brother who had been learning swordsmanship and martial arts at that time. Her brother, who had been seven years older to her, was a great learner, and impeccable warrior who sacrificed his life for her. She had learnt many lessons of life from Virendra, her brother, her ideal and her lost hope. 

She had been five year old, when she had expressed her desire to learn martial arts just like her brother and her father however, her mother had denied her because she was a child. Being a stubborn kid, the princess had requested her brother and her father who had arranged a teacher, Abhay Pratap Singh for her.

Her mentor Abhay Pratap Singh had been an old man who had assisted her grandfather in numerous wars waged in earlier times for consolidating the prosperous empire of Vijaygarh. The experienced mentor had been indeed a boon for her. Being a quick learner, she had honed her swordsmanship skills, innate courage, unbreakable strength and had become an expert warrior just like her brother by the age of twelve under the guidance of her old teacher.

There lives had been perfect until the cunning king, Mahendra Singh Rajput from the neighbouring kingdom Shivgarh had set his eyes on their wealthy kingdom. 

She wiped her tears and promised herself to stay strong, as she made a choice to relive the painful memories that turned their lives upside down five years ago. She wanted to remember her mother's screams and her brother's body lying in the pool of blood on the day of her coronation because she knew she had to take revenge against Shivgarh whose cunning ruler snatched her family's happiness from her. She knew Shivgarh was always involved in futile attempts of capturing Vijaygarh since that wretched battle so she had planned to protect Vijaygarh. She had decided to increase the trade prospects adding to the prosperity of her kingdom. For her, revenge did not mean a battle rather, revenge to her was strengthening the economy of Vijaygarh to an extent that Shivgarh could never stand in front of the legacy of her clan.

She remembered that her brother was nominated as the Yuvraj, the future king of Vijaygarh five years ago. Yuvraj Virendra Singh Rathore, her brother was nineteen year old at that time. She had been running behind her brother trying to catch him just to take her gift from him. It was her twelfth birthday and she knew her brother had got an elegant pair of anklets for her.

However, the smile of the siblings was short-lived as the royal guard had come with fear written on all over his face.

"Your Highness, the king of Shivgarh, Mahendra Singh Rajput has attacked on Vijaygarh. You are expected in the court." Aparajita clearly remembered the words of the royal guard even after five years.

She remembered that she had adamantly requested her father to take her in the battlefield but her pleas were turned down to deaf ears. She had been anxiously waiting for a positive news from the battlefield along with her mother Maharani Manjughosha Devi when an injured guard had come to the palace with a warning message.

"Your Highness, the king is badly injured in the battlefield and... and Yuvraj is fighting alone. Most of our soldiers are dead and the opponents can come inside the palace at any moment. Please move to the hideout." The loyal guard had said with panic, fear and insecurity in his voice.