Aparaajitha was being escorted by the soldiers to her tent. She was accosted by a lady whose whole hair had turned white but was still very thick, smooth and glossy. Her eyes were highly magnetic, and she had an aura of brilliance around her. Aparaajitha was slightly disconcerted. She said, "You are in my way!"

"Young lady, everybody is in somebody else's way." She edged closer to her and whispered in Aparaajitha's ears, "Maharani Eiravati would love to have a private conversation with you. She will meet you tomorrow at the Ghat behind the Shiva temple. Get rid of all these men and come alone."

With those cryptic words, Trinetrini turned back and was about to depart when Aparaajitha asked, "At least tell me your name."

"Trinetrini!" With this word, the strange lady was gone. But the air resonated with the vibrations of the name.
-
-
-

It was well past the time to retire to bed. But Subahu and Vijayamarthanda were still engrossed in some deep and important conversation.

Vijayamarthanda began first, "So our plans for tomorrow are made. I will inform the princess tomorrow morning that she is not to go to the Shiva temple. Blood and gore aren't pleasant sights for a delicately brought up royal lady." Winking and rolling his eyes rather curiously, he said, "You know they are apt to faint at these sights. I bet you know better with your experience with Eira. She used to quiver and tremble at the sight of blood."

Subahu drily remarked, "But that was long ago. She doesn't anymore."

"Association and constant exposure work wonders. She wasn't like this at the time of her marriage. What a sheltered life she led then! She was so innocent!"

"I wish she was still like that", Subahu wistfully mused. "What would I not have given to protect it!"

"Well.... well.... a throne and dreams of world conquest make people crass. At least, we have each other for company, if not anyone else", replied Vijayamarthanda.

"We are all alone here in this life and after this", Subahu said. "To everyone, his own personal hell!"

"You would make a fine philosopher if only you would try", Vijayamarthanda jokingly remarked.

"Villainy teaches the kind of deep philosophy that no heroism does!" Subahu said.

A long silence ensued and Vijayamarthanda who had nothing much to add continued to drown himself in the remaining dregs of alcohol. The embers of coal in the fireplace burned and turned ash-gray as Subahu continued to stare intensely into the fading light. Finally, Vijayamarthanda staggered up to his feet to take leave of his brother-in-law, "I will ask Shatadru to take her elsewhere while we make quick work of Aditya and his rebels."

"Yes, that would be better", replied Subahu, snapping out of his intricate reverie. "It has been such a long while since I had a face-to-face conversation with Aditya Varma." He rubbed his eyes slowly as he yawned in a deliberate manner.

"I think you should sleep Bhaava (brother-in-law)", said Vijayamarthanda instinctively before he bit his upper lip and corrected himself, "I mean Maharaj!"

Subahu rose up to retire to sleep. He suddenly began, "There is something in the eyes of Suvarnamekhala that warns me to be beware of her."

"What?" A confused Vijayamarthanda asked. "I think she looks perfectly tame and harmless."

"Maybe! But I see something else in her eyes. They remind me of... FIRE......A blazing forest fire....", said Subahu. "If I were you, I wouldn't trust Shatadru so much with her. She is a ravishing beauty, the kind that could make kingdoms burn and kill each other over her. He is very weak when it comes to beautiful women."

"He wouldn't dare", thundered Vijayamarthanda at this suggestion. "He knows our plans about her. I will kill him if he...."

"Let's see!" Subahu clicked his tongue sarcastically.
-
-
-
Author's Note:
Hi friends and readers, this chapter is sort of incomplete and unedited for grammar and typos. There should have been a lot more details, action and drama in this chapter. But I had to get admitted in the hospital for a medical emergency. It may be quite a while before I update again. I can't exactly tell when  and how soon. So I chose to post the chapter I had been working on as it was. Please do understand if I don't reply to your comments. Hope all of you will understand.