Abhimanyu waited for the servant to announce his arrival. His mother took much longer than usual to allow him inside.

"What's going on?" He asked the guard stationed at the entrance of the hall.

"I think it is some important meeting, Yuvaraja."

"With whom?"

"My apologies, Yuvaraja. I have no further knowledge."

Abhimanyu wasn't bothered until he saw someone emerging from the hall. He bowed to the prince hurriedly before walking at a faster pace than usual.

'Amateurs! Don't even know how not to act suspicous.' The prince sighed and entered the hall to meet his mother.

"Abhimanyu. I thought you were supervising the arrangements." Bhargavi stood up.

"I wanted to see you once before leaving."

Bhargavi pulled him into an embrace. "Be careful, my child. It will kill me if anything happens to you."

"Mother, your son is not a little boy anymore. Nothing can harm me. Besides, my dearest brother-in-law will be there too. We will protect each other." He assured her. "Depending on how annoying he's being." He added, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

To his surprise, it had the opposite effect on her. The mention of Samarjit seemed to have deeply saddened her. "Amma. What is it? You look terrible."

"Nothing. I was just thinking about your sister. It hasn't even been three weeks since her wedding."

"So, I gather the man who so hastily exited before I could speak with him, was her messenger."

"How do you know he was a messenger?" She asked sharply.

"So, you confirm it was from her. Why wasn't anyone at the court notified of this message then?" He enquired in a slightly accusatory tone.

"A daughter's letter to her mother carries nothing that concerns the court" said Bhargavi. "It is basic knowledge that any letter that doesn't contain her royal seal is of personal nature."

"How do you know the sender was her when there is no royal seal? It could be anyone."

"Are you doubting my intelligence? How did I know the letters you sent through bird courier, back when you were in Virata, were actually from you?" Her question resulted in a confused look from her son. "Just like you and I have a secret code which no one else knows, I have one with Maya too. A more secured method."

"More secured? Does she use wolves instead of birds? Or even better. Sharks?" He muttered.

Bhargavi let out an amused chortle. "Contrary to what you just said, you will always be a little boy. Now, go take your father's blessings before the prayer starts." She dismissed him.

As soon as he left, she sent for Senapati Karthikeya.

"Maharani, everything is ready for the journey. If you would like a detailed report, I could fetch it for you" said the army chief.

"That's not why I wished to see you, Senapati garu. I have some special instructions for you which you have to follow discreetly after we win the war." She signaled for him to sit down which indicated it was an important discussion.

"I need someone who would carry out the task assigned without questions. That's why I chose you. A man whose loyalty is an example for several generations to come." She continued.

"I will do my best, Maharani."

"I know you would. I expect nothing less of you, Senapati garu." She nodded. "I feared what I am about to ask of you is too much. But not anymore, now that you have assured me otherwise."

Karthikeya smiled awkwardly. He never disobeyed the royal family though some of their orders required bending the rules to a great extent. "Maharani, I promise I will not disappoint you."

"Right. Here's what I want you to do." She said trying to hide the anxiousness in her tone. "The night after the battle is won, you have to imprison Samarjit."

Karthikeya widened his eyes, too shocked to respond.

"I know what you are thinking. Hurting him would mean another war with Virata. But I assure you, nothing of that sort would happen. We just need to hold him captive until his mother yields the capital city to Mayanshi."

She explained the plan elaborately which need Samarjit and Vaishali to be imprisoned at the same time. The fear of losing each other would lead both of them to yield to the young queen.

"If princess Mayanshi wants this, then so be it. Their evil reign must come to an end. And I am glad to be a part of this." Karthikeya bowed to her.

---***---

"The queen is late, Maharaja. She is ill. Maybe we should start the meeting without her." Jayendra suggested.

"This is the final meeting before the army leaves. The queen's presence is required." Samarjit commanded them to wait a bit longer.

"There will be no need for that." Mayanshi entered.

"Maharani, if you are unwell, you may rest. The queen need not bother herself with such trivial meetings." Vaishali suggested.

"This might be how things functioned before my coronation. But not anymore. For this queen no meeting regarding the welfare of her motherland is trivial." Mayanshi shot a venomous look in Vaishali's direction.

"Maharani, there are few points about administration that I'd like to bring to your notice, before leaving." Samarjit started speaking.

"Before that," Mayanshi cut him off. "I would like to bring to your notice, a problem we ignored all these days."

"What might that be?" asked Vaishali. Mayanshi glared at her. "Maharani." The queen mother added hastily.

"As I was saying, before the queen mother interrupted, there is a serious problem. The army of Rudragiri will be joining us."

"Isn't that a good thing?" asked Samarjit.

"Not for the king of Virata. If you might recall, they don't take orders from you. They still are bitter when it comes to working for someone from our empire." Mayanshi continued.

"We have a simple solution. Prince Abhimanyu. They hold him in a very high regard. He will be of great help in this matter." Samarjit offered.

"But you, our king, are the commander of the combined armies. It is not right for you to run to another prince for help when everyone looks up to you. That will make you look weak. We wouldn't want that. Would we?" She paused.

"The queen is right, Maharaja." Senapati Jayendra supported her. Few other courtiers too agreed with her.

"Alright. What do you suggest?" asked Samarjit.

"That they don't participate in the war." Mayanshi announced.

"What! But that would further deepen the feeling of hatred in them. We can't do this in the last minute. It will disrupt whatever delicate ties we have with them." Samarjit protested against the idea.

"I have a solution for that too."

"I'm listening."

"The armies of Rudragiri will travel to the capital city of Virata. We need a few thousand armed men here. They will be assigned the important task of protecting the city. And our guards who are stationed here will travel with the king southward. This way, the number of armed men in the battlefield won't decrease, our ties with Rudragiri won't be severed and our king won't have to deal with the problem of being disobeyed by his subordinates."

"But they will need three days at the very least to join us here." Samarjit pointed out.

"Correction. One day. They will reach tomorrow."

"That's impossible. How can they reach in a day, unless..." His voiced trailed off as his eyes indicated dawning comprehension.

Mayanshi had planned this much before discussing it with him and even gave the order. He wasn't being asked. He was being informed. Just like he did, a few days ago.

He accepted defeat. There was no point opposing the idea when it was already implemented. Besides, it looked harmless to him.

He sighed before nodding, conveying his acceptance.

The meeting concluded after a few more issues were discussed.

"Maharani. May I have a word with you?" He cornered her on her way to her bedchambers.

"A word? I thought winning over someone with words is a Srimukha trait." She replied.

"I know you are angry. I am here to set things right."

"Unless you have mastered the art of mending a wounded heart, you cannot set things right." She tried and failed to sound tough.

"Could we try not to fight for a few moments?"

"Actually we could. I will try to pretend everything is fine for your sake." She smiled at him which didn't reach her eyes.

"Pretend?" Samarjit looked away. "I like your real anger, directed at me, far better than your fake smile."

"That's the saddest past here. We don't always get what we like. Because people are seldom what we expect them to be." With that she took his leave.

Samarjit stood there, staring at her retreating form.

He was startled when he heard Samyukta's voice. "Is everything alright?"

"I, er... how long have you been here, Samyukta?"

"Long enough to witness something I shouldn't have."

"Not very noble, eavesdropping on two friends of yours quarreling with each other. Especially when they also happen to be a couple." He subtly reprimanded her.

"It's not my fault. You were too loud." She said defensively. "Besides, this is where I work."

Samarjit laughed humorlessly.

"Is there anything I could help you with? My apologies if it is personal." She asked, while packing medicines in boxes.

"No. It's just that a few mistakes were made." 

"By you?"

"But it was not intentional."

"Doesn't matter. If we hurt someone, we are guilty."

"Alright. I'm guilty. And I don't know how to set things right."

"Maybe you should start by admitting that you were wrong." She advised him before gathering her things and taking his leave.

'If only it was that simple.' He thought to himself. Nevertheless, he decided to follow her advice.

All this time he was trying to make Mayanshi, see the issue from his point of view. But not anymore. He would no longer try to prove that he wasn't wrong. He would acknowledge the pain he caused.

---***---

"Maharani, the king has requested to deliver this to you." Devika handed her a box.

"A gift? How predictable! All men are alike. They think women can be won over with diamonds and silks. They expect us to forget how they..." She trailed off, gaping at the contents of the box.

It was a doll. Not just any doll. It was her doll. Her favourite toy as a child.

Never in her wildest dreams did she think that someone would preserve her childhood memories.

She hugged the doll tightly, while reminiscing the days she used to take it along with her everywhere and the nights she used to hold it while sleeping. For a moment, she was the same six-year-old Mayanshi.

It took her a few moments to control her emotions. "Send him in." She said.

Samarjit entered her bedchambers. "I just wish to speak. I will leave if you wouldn't want me to. It's your call." He waited with bated breath.

She gave a tiny nod.

Samarjit sat down next to her. She didn't object. "Maya," he said uncertainly.

She looked up at him. It was the first time he addressed her with her name. It sounded much sweeter when he spoke it.

"I am not certain if I have the right to address you with this term. I have taken the liberty hoping you wouldn't mind. My sincerest apologies if you would." He paused, waiting for her to say something. When she didn't, he continued.

"Remember you once told me that you always preferred to play alone. You refused to make me your playmate because I called myself the new prince. You were so furious that you walked away without collecting your doll."

The memory played in her mind. She distinctly remembered the scene like it happened yesterday.

"The rejection did hurt me. But not as much as seeing you leave. It wasn't just a toy that you left behind. It was your childhood. Though I was young, I knew what was happening. You were forced to grow up too fast. And it wasn't fair." At this point he noticed her lowering her head trying to hide her grief.

"I treasured your doll all these years hoping that when I return it to you, circumstances will be different. Life will be kinder to us. And maybe we could start where we left off." He spoke gently. "But it pains me beyond words to see that nothing has changed. My mere presence causes you misery."

She looked like she wanted to say something. Yet, she didn't know what to say.

"I did my best to make sure that when you think of me, your heart is filled with bliss. Evidently, it wasn't enough. Every effort of mine made us drift apart further. And it is all my fault. I was wrong. All I can do is apologize for all my mistakes. You are under no obligation to accept it. But I am willing to accept any punishment you deem fit."

He stood up. "I wish we had more time. I have to leave. I can only hope that when you remember me, it not with regret but with affection."

He started walking away, without looking back. He had no hopes of receiving a reply. He didn't want to hurt himself, wishing for one.

---***---

Samarjit waited for the prayers to commence. A part of him wanted the royal priest to extend them.

It could be his last opportunity to see his mother... and his wife.

To his dismay, the end of pooja neared. The priest blew the conch shell. Everyone stood up.

Mayanshi tied a sacred thread to her husband's wrist. "May the Goddess Vijaya Lakshmi shower her blessings on Virata." He was about to leave when she held his hand. "I will pray for your safe return."

He almost gasped before regaining composure. "You will?"

"I would also advise you to not try and be a hero when it is not required. Be a warrior only on the battlefield."

"As you wish, my queen." He had a hard time hiding his delight.  "Anything else?"

"Yes. I, er.. I would appreciate if you could avoid getting your face injured. I kind of like it the way it is." She whispered.

"My wife's peculiar way of telling me to stay safe. Fortunate to witness this concern." He whispered back.

He mounted the chariot and started the journey with, "Har Har Mahadev!"

---***---

Alright. Bye bye.