A TALE OF VENGEANCE

POISONING

Soon orders are barked out and entire palace burst into chaos. "Don't let anyone know." I mumbled incoherently. Fighting through the dizzyness. "Ok. You just get well." Maharaj said as they both supported me to the bed. Soon the imperial healer arrived with my medical sachet and I took a deep blue colour small bottle from it and drank it in single gulp. My throat is burning and my nose is blocked. I soon succumbed to darkness.

Maharaj Arun

One second she is talking happily and another second she is coughing blood. My mind went back to the time of Bhumi's death and body shuddered. "Maharaj. Yurani had taken the antidote. She will wake up tomorrow night." Imperial healer said as he excused himself. I gingerly lifted her head and kept in my lap. Ayudhik inspecting the water and glasses. "The poison is definitely in the tigers claws." I nodded. "That rascal shouldn't have a easy death." I muttered. "Believe me he won't." Ayudhik replied gritting his teeths. Entire matter of Dalpatdargh forgotten at present. What matter most is Alekhya.

I looked down on her pale face brushing past her black locks. Her body is cold like a block of stone. My hand lingered in her right eyebrow. Three deep claw marks are permanently marked into her smooth skin. I felt a knuckle burst pass my cheeks. I looked up to find Ayudhik smiling at me. I then realised that somehow tears are flowing past my cold demeanor. "It's not our fault. It's what she chose. It shows the warrior she is." I nodded. The chambers are darken. "I think we should leave her here with Dhruv. If she came to know that the entire matter is not settle till then. She will have our heads over it." He said laughing. I can feel a small bond form between us. I again kissed her forehead and got up.

"Come on young man we have work to do." I said with a smile. "Coming old man." He replied with a genuine smile. I can feel my life taking a positive change but before that I have to deal with that bastards of Dalpatdargh. How dare they to proposition my daughter to be their whore. I will not sit quiet till all of them is dead. They will pay for insulting her including the Nevarkars. "Ayudhik. Send message to BHADRANGINI." His footsteps halted immediately. "I thought they are just a rumour." He looked shocked. I laughed. "Believe me they are not. Chandrakanta will be laughing her hearts content of she listened that." He watched me grimly.

"Why they will help us ?" He huffled again. "Well how do you know about them ?" I asked. "Who don't know about bhadrangini ? Only a country bumpkin. The most fierce vigilant group in entire Bharatvarsha. They live in forests in middle of wildlife. The males are very less in comparison with female. They are trained in various war skills and known for their survival skills. They allow anyone to join their community. They have no alliance to any kingdom. Left alone in wilderness. They are like a wild tigress. The last king messed with them died a very horrible death that it became a unspoken rule among monarchs that they can do anything they want except pissing off Bhadrangini. Messing with them is worest than signing off their own death warrent." He finished.

I am impressed with his knowledge. He traveled entire Bharatvarsha. As I expected of him. Definitely Bhadrangini's are not someone you mess with. They are second name of distruction. "Just send them a message." I said as Ayudhik nodded almost reculantly. He can't understand why I am resking to piss off them. The last king and his empire was burned to ashes by them. Keeping up the tradition of nearly 400 years they are as old as kingdom of Devgiri. One wrong move and you are dead. But this is the chance I am gonna take. Soon or later they will find our about them. The I don't want to have any regrets. I will only show the way to walk on it or not is solely their own choice. I just hope they understand my intentions.

After 6 weeks of poisoning
YURANI ALEKHYA

"Yurani Commander of Imperial Guard's Dhruv is here." My new head maid said. I nodded as I continued to look out of my window towards the training ground. The last six weeks are hectic. The poison has long eradicated from my body but agrani dragon poison is known for its aftermate. Fatigue and dizzyness is common. Luckily Maharaj didn't banned me from war discussion and normal training. But I was strickly prohibited from sparing with others. My fate. There is still sometime for the sun setting but I have a bad filling at my pit of stomach from yesterday. That's the reason I called Dhruv. "Yurani you called me." He bowed as he entered the room. "Privacy." I shouted out. The servants left without any questions. Maybe they thought I want a update on war discussion.

"What is the news from Alwar Dhruv ?" I asked sitting like a queen on my armchair. "I don't know Yurani." He said confidently. I smirked. He gulped nervously after seeing my infamous smirk. "I have ears all around the capital Dhruv. Nothing escape from my senses. Even the walls have ears and the doors have eyes. I am not the one who you can fool easily." He signed. "Kuwar sa (Crowned Prince) told me not to utter a single word to you." He mumbled. "I order you as the Yurani of Devgiri." I said back. He know he is not gonna win this verbal war. At present telling me and then facing Jai's wrath will be pleasant for him.

"Maharaja of Alwar passed away yesterday Yurani." A stern silence spread across the chamber. This is bad no it is too bad. "And Kuwar Sa is removed from his post and there is a booty on his head. Now his younger brother Rudradev Pratap is gonna be coronated as the Maharaja of Alwar on next pornima." I rubbed my head. "Where is he at present ?" I asked. "He must have suspected this outcome long ago didn't he ? How can he just go like that ?" I nearly yelled at him. "He told that he will be safe." He smiled. He dare to smile at me. "Safe my foot. Entire Bharatvarsha and people who want an alliance with Alwar must be on his tail." I said through my clenched jaw.

The silence is too loud. Is that idiot mental. Instead of finding the cure of illness and clear his name he got himself exiled with a target on his head. "How is Rudradev's behaviour ?" I asked Dhruv who is watching me like I am another creature not a Yurani Alekhya. "Not bad but not good either. Except having Rajmata and Mantri Mandal's support nothing more. Just a normal prince. He never showed interest in throne and kingdom. Very less people know him. He sparsely come out of his palace and I never saw him except 2 or 3 times that too from far away. He is like a well sheltered and protected....". "Puppet." I completed his sentence for him. A puppet ruler just great. What the hell this Jai is thinking handing over the reign to him. "If you got any further update tell me immediately. Even if it is middle of night." He nodded and exited the chambers.

I looked at the ring he gave me I never took it off. It is like it had became a part of me. A inseparable part. The ring is embossed with his symbol his identity his mark. I went to dresser and took out the box which had the ring I myself designed. It is wide banded with a red diamond in middle. It is a miracle. When light falls on it the symbol of Mine and Jai's reflect over the walls nearly 7 times through the seven shiny surfaces. The colour is equal to that of red vermillion. I had it specifically crafted by the best goldsmith in entire Devgiri kingdom. No one know about it not a single soul. I don't know what this strange feeling in my heart is called. When ever I think of him the ice which had frozed over my heart start melting away. I am happy and terrified at same moment.

Is this strange feeling called as love ? Or it's just a mirage shown by my mind to my heart. But if I think of anything is gonna hurt him I feel as if the dagger is sunk in my heart instead. The feeling is insane I am insane. But if this insanity is called as love then I am eager to become insane. I hope I wish I want that he should have the same feelings for me inside him. He clearly looked like he love me after I meet him. He treated me with care. I tried to recall his soothing touch on my hand. It has a warmth in it. I got up from my place and stood in front of the mirror. Their are two scars on my right eyebrow. One is a bit longer and other one shorter. My left forearm is also covered with three large gashs. I better not talk about my back and stomach areas. They are worest.

What if all of it is a lie ? A big fat lie that he like me that he care for me. A lie for his sake and a promise on my part. I shock my head showing such negative thoughts at back of my head. He likes me that's final. No more what ifs. They are waste of time and energy. I have a war to fight for and a idiot to find. Who is hell bent on getting himself killed.

Hey lovelies,
                I know it's a small chapter but the next part won't fit in this one. So wait for next update. And A Tale Of Love's first chapter is already published.

Devgiri is located in present day Maharashtra and Karnataka. Dalpatdargh lies in between Gujarat and Thar desert. Alwar lies in Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and Rajasthan. Hind Kush lies in present day Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. Kamboj lies in present day Himachal Pradesh. And Purvanchal lies in North eastern Indian states.