Patrani (The Chief Queen)

The doots

Aaryaveer's POV

"We apologise your Majesty! For we could get only limited information from the spies. Before we could cross the borders to meet with another group of spies, the soldiers of Sanketsingh captured us." Said one of the ambassadors as he bowed in front of me.

There were two doots and both of them looked in much better condition than the last time I had set my eyes upon them. Even though their hands and legs showed the deep marks and their foreheads were bandaged, atleast now they could get up and walk.

"Okay, try to remember whatever you had heard and give us the precise information." Said Aaryawati, her eyes giving away the feeling of anxiousness and impatience. I had never seen such colour in Aaryawati's behaviour before. She always had a calm exterior. Now I realise that she is a hot blooded young woman.

"So we went inside the boundaries of Sanket Kingdom to formally speak to the King, Sanketsingh. He said that he didn't care about the alliance with our kingdom and if needed, he didn't mind breaking the walls of our kingdom. He bragged about his superior prosperity and better military leadership. He bragged about his alliance with other kingdoms and how fighting against him would bring our doom.  Moreover he bragged about how his army and spies were spread everywhere. "

"That man has lost his brains." Chuckled another doot, referring to our recent activity of destroying his camp.

"Anything else?" I asked, ignoring him.

"After meeting the King, just like you had instructed, I assumed plain clothes and went inside a market to meet our spy. We exchanged the letters. I read it and hid it safely to deliver it to you." He said.

"What did the letter state?" Asked Veerti. As if trying to join a puzzle. The doot took off his shoe and removed a piece of paper that he had hidden under the secret compartment of his shoe. He handed over the paper to us. The paper was crumpled and only one statement.

"the shield should be mushroomed."

He then shrugged. That's when the other doot started speaking.

"We wanted to ask for the further explanation but the spy had disappeared. So we decided to send you the message, maybe the army could decode the message." He concluded.

"Okay. Thank you for your help." Said Veerti as she grabbed the letter and we exited the tent. We both walked around the circumference of the army camp. Both lost into our own thoughts.

"Do you think that the letter had any significance?" I had finally given up.

"Yes. Spies are never known to take these things lightly." She murmured. Again lost into her own thoughts.

"How about this? We go inside my den and try to decode the message?" I offered.

She gave me a mock knowing smile, and instead went towards the direction of her tent. Such a tease she was!