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Chapter 11 - Conspiracies Afoot!

"What I want to know Commander, is how did a full grown elephant manage to apparently sneak off from under your soldier's noses?"

"And how did it exactly turn this deranged?"

"The more important fact to be noted in this case Your Highness, is that this animal is from the General's special forces."

Bhallaladeva who had been standing stoically, trying to find an opening to speak amidst the storm of voices creating cascading waves of a cacophony from the Court, bristled at that visibly.

 So much so that the Subedar, who had said it, almost backed away a step or two from his position, a safe distance away from the centre of the room, withering under his piercing glare quite comically. 

"And what exactly are you insinuating, Chalukyan Rudradev?"

The low baritone was enough to raise everyone's hair up in fright. 

Bhalla knew he should cut them slack. 

After all it was not everyday that all the seventeen Subedars, their envoys to the seventeen Kingdoms under their suzerainty are called together for a meeting. That also, a discussion to find the culprit culpable of treason and an attempt to assassinate the Imperial Prince. 

Most definitely, the heir to the throne of Mahishmati. 

Young as he may be still. 

They were justifiably rattled. 

Yet he couldn't help but be slightly pleased that his voice had held enough power to make most of them cower a little, like the spineless rats that they were. These people were diplomats and had no idea about the abilities of his men, so neither did they possess the right to question them. 

Not that he wasn't particularly concerned at what must have been the first security breach of such a disastrous calibre since his time of ascending the post of the Commander. 

There was something, somewhere, which he and his men have missed and that was scratching at the back of his throat like an incessant irritating allergy. Bhallaladeva didn't like incompetency even at the slightest. The fact that someone had managed to slink past his defences so much that it may have resulted in a death in the royal family was rankling him more than he would ever admit. 

He didn't even want to think about the consequences of, the said assassination attempt, being successful. 

If he had been, only a second late to reach. 

If he had hesitated for only a moment, to react. 

Amarendra would have killed him. 

No questions asked. 

If Devasena wouldn't have gotten to him first. 

Whom was he kidding? 

He would have probably helped them kill him, had he not managed to save Mahendra. 

Even thinking about his little nephew's scattered body staining the palace grounds made him feel sick to his core. 

But he swallowed down the bile rising in his throat with force and concentrated on the complicated maze his mind was making. Checking and counter checking the evidences he had scrapped off of the Elephant stables with the help of the mahooths and his men. 

The most important clue he had managed to recover was the dead rats in the shed where the animal fodder for the elephants and the horses is kept. They were mountain rats. Not a common variety found in the Capital City. He had asked for the Vaidyas to discern what had killed the rodents in the first place. 

Maybe the poison which had maddened Raja, might have been tried and tested on the rats before. So, it was evident that whatever this was, wasn't an accident. 

It was a premediated conspiracy. 

And damn him if he doesn't get to the bottom of it. 

He could faintly hear the background noises stilling as Amarendra finally raised his hand. His brother was looking like he had seen a ghost and lived to tell the tale. Not that the King could be blamed after what had almost happened. 

"Please! Everyone stop throwing the blame around and try to find out what the actual hell happened. And how did it go unnoticed! This kind of carelessness is unacceptable!"

The King slammed his hand on the handle of his seat loudly, his voice undeniably infuriated making everyone in the assembly almost jump out of their skins. To see their usually mild mannered and good natured Ruler this enraged, was strangely scary. 

"Your Majesty, forgive me. General, pardon my supposed insolence but you have to understand why the idea of your beloved war elephant suddenly losing it's head is rising questions in our minds. Now it is us, if the news is out, it might very well be our vassal states. And a public outrage will be inevitable. And that sir, would not be in your favour."

Bhalla pinched the bridge of his nose and tamped down the urge to scream till these idiots' ears bleed, with much struggle. He gave the disgruntled Subedar a mockery of a smile which looked more grimace though, with too many teeth than required. It must have looked quite disturbing, if the pallor the latter's face attained could be attested to.  

"You do realise that I do not personally feed the elephants or tend to them? Right? And the fact that I may have asked the mahooths to do it for the sake of a half baked assassination attempt is plain ridiculous."

"Why, pray tell?"

"Because.. sir", no one knew sarcasm in one word could sound so simultaneously condescending and scathing, "I was standing with the King when it happened. Surely had my plan been of killing off the prince, I would make sure neither His Majesty, the Queen or I am in vicinity. So that no one could come for help. Doesn't that make any sense to your much illustrious self?"

"And... it was after all, the Commander himself, who ultimately saved the young prince from certain death."

He could have kissed Kattappa at the moment, even if the sudden defence from him of all people was quite surprising. 

"But he could have done it as a part of the act? That was his favourite elephant after all."

"Subedarji, the elephant was intoxicated. Whether the animal listens to me during battle, in a sane state of mind cannot be taken as irrefutable proof that he would do so, even when clearly maniacal. Under influence of poisonous substance."

He countered annoyed and tired at the same time. They were going in circles now. 

The argument seemed to have come to a stalemate if the ensuing silence which went for some minutes, could be taken into account. It seemed like he had given everyone something to ponder about. 

So that they may think a little before leaping at his throat with their outlandish allegations as always. 

"Why did you schedule the meeting in the war room this afternoon? We have always used the meeting hall at the other end of the block. So why did we change the site? That also just the hour before the actual commencement?"

Bhalla looked quizzically at his younger brother, unable to relate his questions with the current matter at hand. But Amarendra was looking scarily contemplative. He looked at him straight in the eyes with the next words he spoke. 

"And to add to that, you never walk me out unless you have something specific to tell me. But today you did. And I was the one who did all the talking. You were dissuading me of contacting the Sakhtayeyas after they rejected my proposal. You want a war with them. Why?"

"I fail to understand the relation of the current discussion with your particular line of query.... Sire."

Bhalla hardly realised how icy his own voice had become. But people had already sensed the heavy tension which had formed in the air between the brothers. This was the first time since his accession to the throne, that Bahubali had openly displayed such suspicion towards his elder brother.

The Commander crossed his arms against his chest defiantly, daring Amarendra to continue. And shockingly the King didn't seem to rise to the bait this time,  but his dark eyes seemed intent on his brother's face. 

It was unnerving. 

It was like they were waiting for a conflagration to combust into life.

And more the bewildering thing happened when the General broke the eye contact finally, looking weary all of a sudden. He looked so tired that it was almost unnatural. The General had never shown his true emotions on his face before, not even when he was a child learning the dangerous ropes of the court politics. 

It was fascinating and oddly unsettling. 

"I will make sure this is not repeated. And you have... my vote for an enquiry if my own investigations do not seem competent or valid to the court."

Amarendra stared at him piercingly for some time before turning his face away when the latter refused to budge. He unknowingly mirrored his brother by pinching his nose, visibly frustrated and sensed Kattappa shift beside him.

"If it is acceptable. I would like to volunteer to oversee the investigations too. If his Majesties would deem it fit, that is."

"Excellent! Kattappa, you hold the post of Chief of Internal Security, have been the General for years and more than that have always been an impartial judge. You have had this family's best interest in your heart. We will vote for this, Your Highness."

Rudradev immediately said, followed by a chorus of accepting noises from the other Subedars. Amarendra nodded relieved and almost did a double take hearing what sounded like an ugly cross between a snort and a scoff. 

Bhalla had somehow managed to stifle the hurricane of hysteria which had suddenly hit his poor bruised stomach. All those buried memories of disappointment, training with his former teacher, had come unbidden in front of him. 

'Excellent Bahu!'

'You have mastered the sword with such impeccable ease that its outstanding. Well done Bahu!'

'Bahubali will be the most legendary King of all.'

'No one can best Amarendra, Rajamata. Of that I am certain.'

He did not know whether the people around them were wilfully blind, plain unaware or absolutely stupid. 

The most probable answer to that would probably be, a mix of the three. 

"Apologies, Your Highness. I think, that would be the best solution. After all, Kattappa has the royal family's wellbeing ingrained in his veins."

He knew his tone had decayed into an age old bitterness which try as he might, he couldn't come out of. But at the moment, he was too exhausted to bother. 

"I am duty bound to protect you all.", he finished sarcastically. 

"Bhalla... that is not what I.."

"I do not require a justification Your Majesty. You have already made your take on the issue, clear as day. I can only apologise for the criminal lack of negligence which resulted in this and would strive to overcome it in the future."

"Of course, you will. And no need for apologies... I know you.."

"A thousand apologies Your Highness. Forgive me for interrupting you, but the Princess has been asking permission to enter for quite some time now."

The guard had bent so low on the ground that for a moment Bhalla thought the poor sod might just topple over. 

But he couldn't fault the idiot for being terrified. 

Amarendra had truly been a sight when he had called for them, immediately after Raja had been taken captive. He had almost ripped off the Prince's Guard anew and everyone within ten mile radius of him had been caught in the crossfire. 

Himself included. 

For a moment, he had met his younger brother's eyes from over the courtyard, moving away from the immobile tusker's form on the ground, turning just in time for him to look. 

He had been half certain that had Amarendra been able to shoot fire from his eyes, he would have been a burnt crisp on the floor. 

That feeling had not been nice at all. But he had not had the time to dwell on it much, handling the commotion simultaneously while trying to push his wife's brilliant blue irises out of his jumbled brain at the moment. 

Now, her mention, brought it back with a vengeance. 

Mrignayani had excused herself shortly after Raja had been dragged away. 

Her chief attendant, Radha, had supported her  all the way as she had peeled herself from his side. Bhalla had seen them disappear at the bend of the grounds, walking towards his Palace. 

In his defence, he had thought about asking after her, some hours later but had forgotten in the melee. 

It seemed like everyone had come to the same realisation as him. The Subedars looked at each other, murmuring in their respective ears and he caught faint words of magic and sorcery come up. 

And suddenly, an urge to rip everyone's tongues out assailed him out of nowhere. He struggled with his limbs, which had started to display strangely semi autonomous tendencies by disregarding his brain's instructions completely, to knot into painful tightness. 

He locked his jaw, almost chipping off a tooth, hearing Rudradev's whispered 'witchcraft' floating in the air. 

He wished he could for once, forget about Royal decorum and pummel the obese good for nothing weasel into the ground. 

But he had to reign himself in. 

He wasn't in a very nice position right now, politically or even security wise. One wrong move and everything could fall apart like a house of cards. It was surprising, this sudden impulsive yet insane urge of indulging in mindless violence for someone else's stead. 

He was not accustomed to feeling this level of fierce protectiveness over someone. 

Much less someone whom he had been acquainted only just. 

But it was a valid feeling, right? 

She was his wife after all. Not a random stranger. 

Was it the more baser instincts of humans and animals to feel some level of inbuilt, almost primitive protectiveness towards their partner? 

Was it that same inexplicable but innate reflex which had compelled his wife to jump in front of him to stop a gigantic, barrelling and maddened tusker, completely disregarding her own safety, or rather overpowering, the more humane instinct, to run in the opposite direction?

Bahubali frowned a little but allowed her an entry with a wave of his hand and the guard almost flew away, keeping his head just as low, relieved, no doubt. 

It was enrapturing, how she always brought with herself the fragrance of jasmines which would linger in the room even after she would be long gone. If he had known jasmines had such a calming effect on human nerves then he would have ordered to have his chambers and gardens full of them. 

Mrignayani came in but for some odd reason remained standing obscured by the translucent curtains at the end of the chambers, almost outside the room than inside. 

Bhalla could see her through the silk net fabric of the drapes. 

She had changed out of her blue clothes and seemed to wearing something of a beige tone. Almost a near shade to his own preferred choice of colours. 

Not that he had always worn white or rather preferred it ever. There had once been a time when he had loved the more vibrant colours. 

But it was long past. 

"Apologies for keeping you waiting Princess. Please tell.."

Amarendra iterated politely yet the strained tone to his voice was unmistakable even now. The day was catching up to his perfectly infallible brother after all. 

"Not at all Your Highness. I understand. Though I believe that you and your illustrious court would prefer the chamber floorings to not get stained by the General's blood. Any further than it already has.....that is."

Bhalla had to blink at that. 

His brain warred exhaustedly between trying to catch up to the meaning of her words and align them with the shockingly brusque tone to her voice. 

He had not thought, that the perpetually graceful Princess could sound so clipped and... angry. 

Yes, that was anger in her voice which sounded alien in that mellifluous tone. 

And then he realised, that his hastily bandaged wound on the knee, had been dripping a steady trail of blood on the floor as he had paced around in restrained tension in the room since the start of the meeting. 

That explained the sudden bouts of dizziness and the general loss of strength he had been facing since the past few hours. He had had no time to get his wounds checked before being accosted into this accursed meeting. 

And as if on cue, his body began slowly and painfully making him aware of, just how highly will this callous disregard, cost him, in the oncoming days. 

God, he was ready to drop. 

Nayani had her eyes trained into that of the King's.

In other circumstances, Bhalla would have been amused seeing the deafening quiet his wife had managed to again render in the room with her cutting words. Or rather he would have been offended at her clear indication of his supposed infallibility. 

An open admission of weakness, human as it may be.

But now, he only felt oddly grateful. 

A feeling completely foreign to him. 

Bahubali looked stricken as his eyes for the first time truly took in his General's physical condition since the fateful afternoon. As if the bruises blooming a tapestry of vibrant violet over his tanned skin and the subtle lines of pain around his mouth and eyes or the rigid way he was holding his body wasn't enough, the bandage around the injured knee was very evidently spilling blood all over the floor.

Shame was a feeling, Amarendra wasn't very accustomed to. He had always prided himself for being unapologetic about both his actions and words. 

Now, he wasn't so sure. 

They had been locked into his heated discussion which he hadn't realised had turned into a coup against his elder brother way back when, since forever. And he knew that the Commander had been busy overlooking the preliminary investigations himself. So it was logical to presume that he hadn't even sat down for a second after battling a literal war elephant, let alone get himself treated. 

And how had he missed all of this? 

He didn't remember being so insensitive or plain oblivious. That was all reserved for the Elder Prince. 

Wasn't it?

It had always been Bhalla, who had been the uncaring, ruthless, insensitive one amongst them. 

He wasn't so sure of anything at the moment. The look his sister in law had given him, had been so painfully disappointed, that it had fallen into his hollowed stomach like a boulder of lead. 

"Of course.. of course.. I.. didn't. General, I am sorry... I should've let you visit the Vaidyas before.. summoning you for the meeting."

He replied guiltily. Bhallaladeva on the other hand didn't even look fazed. He just levelled him with that same exhausted, scarily blank eyes and waved away the apology. He turned towards Nayani still partially obscured by the curtains and tilted his head just so, to show his apology more by his body then his words. 

"Apologies to you too Princess. I should've noticed."

She accepted it with more grace than she seemed to have being feeling at the moment, tilting her head, mirroring his move. 

"I will be present with Kattappa for further investigations, tomorrow morning, Your Majesty. If you would be so kind as to grant me leave for the night."

Bhalla replied monotonously, more than ready to flee from all those judgemental beady eyes. 

Amarendra nodded but Chalukyan Rudradev didn't seem to have been done with them yet. His raspy voice stopped him at his tracks rudely. The Subedar had trained his eyes on his wife as he spoke next, his tone honeyed but scathing without doubt. 

"A thousand apologies Princess, but we would be very obliged if you could grant us audience. You see, the council has been fretting quite some bit after having heard of that impressive bit of magic you had wielded to tame the beast."

Bhalla had been this close to bashing the fool's head but he stopped when Nayani entered the room finally, leaving the curtains to openly stare at the most powerful of the Subedars right in his shifty eyes, undeterred. Her expression was as blank as it could be but anyone with an eye of observation could easily conclude that her irritation has finally imploded into anger. 

Her delicate hands were balls of white hidden within the golden white silks unobtrusively. 

"I will think about it Suberdarji. But you will have to excuse me for the moment."

"Rudradev I don't think the timing of your request is prudent at all."

Amarendra backed his sister in law wisely but the Chalukyan only ploughed through uncaringly.

"I realise that Your Highness. But don't you think that the timing of the Princess running into the General, right when the Young Prince was about to get crushed underneath his favourite beast of war is slightly.. suspicious? Doesn't it look too perfect to be true."

The flash of the blade against his almost non existent throat was not what Rudradev was expecting at all. If his horrified shriek and subsequent flailing back could be attested to. The rest of the council had also backed away with undignified squawks, Bahubali having leapt from his seat and Kattappa had a hand on his sword, ready to leap into action. 

Only Nayani remained standing still and as cool as a cucumber, not betraying even a flinch at the sudden action. 

The Commander was notorious for his marksmanship as he was for his ability to physically flatten his foes to the ground. 

But only a select few knew about his almost lethal skill with blades. He could handle swords expertly but his talent with daggers and knives were almost superhuman. He has killed and maimed several hardened assassins and mercenaries even before they had had a chance to react. 

He moved like the wind. Almost invisible and was upon his enemy within a fraction of a second, their blood already staining his blade before realisation even dawned on their frozen shocked faces. 

Unfortunately for Rudradev, neither did he. 

A single streak of blood was already decorating his throat. 

He whimpered and Bhallaladeva's eyes bore into him punishingly. Even his busted knee hadn't resisted his motion for more than a second. His pupils resembled remains of volcanic ash, a charcoal inkiness which housed just a speckle of amber in its depths giving hint of the raging fire which made his core. 

"Sire...please..."

He squeaked pitifully. 

"Commander, release him this instant. And that is an order."

Bahubali barked, trying to hide that sudden flair of panic smoothly behind a authoritative tone. But Bhalla didn't seem too inclined to heed to anyone at the moment. 

Not even his King. 

"You seem to have forgotten, whom you are speaking to, Rudradev. I may not be King but I am not going to take your insults and allegations lying down. Not even for the King."

The atmosphere was already electric and his icy words only fuelled the spark further. He pressed onto the dagger dangerously, along the now sweaty man's fleshy throat and let pure rage take over his face. 

"How dare you!"

Rudradev whimpered again, unable to voice out a single word, his legs trembling madly in fear. 

"I think you and your friends didn't get the memo this morning when I clearly declared that no one has the freedom to disrespect my wife. No one!"

"I..I...I...am.. s..sorry...m..my lord.. I didn't...mean to... insult...anyone...I...please..please..."

He was at the point of tears yet the General didn't look like he was leaving him any time soon. In fact the council was certain there was going to be blood spilled on the floor tonight. This was bound to happen. 

Bhallaladeva had been destined to burst through his façade someday. 

"Bhalla! Leave him. He will apologise. It is no reason to murder someone."

Bahubali had been very slowly trying to reach his enraged brother, carefully, like he was a deranged wild animal who could finish them if startled even at the slightest. 

"You will not decide what is acceptable to me!"

He growled at his brother, but didn't move his eyes from his prey for even an instant. He was so done with everyone blaming him and anyone related to him, for no good reason except an inexplicable, unprovoked yet vitriolic derision for him. 

He has digested it for years but he would not tolerate his wife getting the same treatment for no fault of hers except having the misfortune of being married to him. 

He will make this overweight lout an example for the rest. 

He could feel his men shifting on their feet, torn between rushing to help implement the King's orders and their unwavering loyalty towards the Commander of their forces. He could sense Kattappa very near, ready to pounce if required but he also knew that the former knew that it would be too late. 

He will not regret Rudradev's death and he was sure no one would, too much, that is. But it will just give everyone more reason to both fear and hate him. 

Well, they can detest him all to their hearts content. 

He didn't give a flying fuck in all Hell!

A small hand rested on his shoulder blade all of a sudden making him instantly aware of its owner even if the sudden rush of jasmine scented air near him didn't. She wasn't pulling him away, nor pushing him to do it. 

It was only a steadying weight over him, almost like a little anchor in the storm. 

"My Lord. Your hands are too noble, to get stained by the blood of those decidedly unworthy."

Her words were mere whispers, spoken only for his benefit and he found his resolve weakening. 

"Nobility is as far from me as the forests of Praharst is from the Vasant Mahal, Princess. I hope you know that."

He replied gruffly, the quick defiance to anyone thinking even a sliver of good about him, coming naturally to him by now. Her hand just pressed only a little, as if in affirmation of her own words, unbothered by his counter. 

"Nobility is in intention my prince. Not action. Not always."

The room was quiet for once, all waiting with baited breath till the General finally steadied himself and let the blade fall to the ground in an almighty clatter. Rudradev almost collapsed in his seat, mopping his sweat and blood with his angavastram, still quaking like a leaf. 

Bhalla gave him a distasteful once over. 

"You are in debt of the Princess, Lord of the Chalukyans. Take heed. The only reason you breathe his because of my wife's graciousness. I hope you will not forget that. Again.."

He could only shake his head speedily, folding his hands in apology yet again. His voice was still quaking and he had to clear his throat thrice before he could speak to some coherence. 

"T..thank y..you, y..your highness...I...I.."

Nayani gave him a cool look. The court looked shaken. Tonight they had come very close to a possibility of a potential and violent mutiny or worse, an all out civil war breaking out. 

Everyone in the Empire knew that the Emperor's administration is forever hanging within a delicate balance, courtesy to his older brother's decision of holding the post of Commander without contest.  

There are some people who would have preferred Bhallaladeva to have been King and that was no secret. 

The General has too much power in his hands. 

A direct insubordination in front of the all the envoys and most of the ministry would have forced the King's hand in establishing his dominance again... even if he had to punish his elder brother in someway. And make a show of it. 

And in all probability, Bhallaladeva would not have taken it lying down. At all. 

Thus, a war had seemed to close for comfort. 

A war between titans usually resulted in no good except utter destruction. And the vultures were always circling in the scent of the scavenged remains as usual. 

Mahishmati would have fallen. 

Mrignayani's icy yet unfailingly polite words just established the fact even more if it was not evident enough. 

"Fret not Rudradevji, I didn't do it for you."

-------------------------------------------------------------

The man was running for his life. It was pitch black and he kept stumbling periodically. Yet the adrenaline coursing in his battered body kept him going. Blinded by the blood slinking down the sweat on his face, he crashed into someone just at the corner of the courtyard. 

Princess Chandrabala shrieked in fright and tumbled at the impact on the ground, the man's heavy weight pressing her slight frame down punishingly. 

"Princess!"

"Help! Who the hell are you! Get off me!"

The man scrambled off bleating hasty apologies and thrust something in her hands the next moment. 

"What the.."

"I am sorry my princess. But please give it to the Prime Minister."

A loud chorus of footsteps resounded at the corner and the man ran off into the inky darkness of the night leaving Chandrabala holding what seemed like a rolled up parchment, confused and a little rattled. 

She saw a few soldiers run past her hurriedly, at the direction which that strange man had taken, not bothered to acknowledge her at all. She shrugged her shoulders and opened up the parchment.

She knew she shouldn't see other missives meant for other people but the man honestly hadn't expected her hand off anything he wished and her to not even satisfy her curiosity?

The moonlight and the flames of the burning torch at the corridor helped her take note of the hastily scribbled words. The script wasn't native to their place but thanks to her interest in languages she had studied some of the important ones. So it was legible to her. 

The handwriting was very familiar but she couldn't place it. 

She frowned incomprehensibly. 

'The Bishop was unsuccessful. The Great King of the Devas still lives.'

The sentence made no sense whatsoever. 

She turned to make her way into her chambers. She will hand it over to Shivdevji, the Prime Minister, in the morning. 





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