Patrani (The Chief Queen)

The kitchen

Aaryaveer's POV

"Ummmm I guess we are cornered. I am going to die single!" Cried Nakul while I tried to fight against the clutches of the well built soldier who chose to corner me with his sword.

Suddenly my hand touched my pocket and like magic, I realised that my pocket contained Aaryawati'a dagger. Somehow she managed to put it inside my pocket. I threw it on the direction of my assassin and it hit on throat. He was fatally wounded and after a few seconds, I mentally prayed for his soul to find peace.

I looked around to find Nakul tactfully handling a large giant, all while looking towards the opposite direction. A large army headed towards us, all ready to jump on my smaller army.

I also realised that my other pocket contained small but fatal unused bombs that Aaryawati had promised to hand over to me. I threw two of them, one by one and it handed up harming more than half of their soldiers. A few of them ran towards the opposite direction. I experimented by putting my hand inside my pocket. The rest of army men , realising the potential of my throwing another bomb on their direction, chose to join their fellow mates.

I couldn't help but laugh at the irony of the situation. My wife saved my life for the second time in a day. While the darkness of the night had started engulfing the orange sky, I waited for my army to join me. We had already crossed the broken borders of the kingdom. We had to win the battle by tomorrow morning.

"Here they are!" Shouted Nakul as the army joined me.

"Alright, you people know the drill. Let's attack!" I shouted and met with equally enthusiastic response.

Aaryawati's POV

"Your Highness!" Utsav almost squeaked with joy, like a young housewife seeing her supposedly dead husband after a long time.

"Shhhhh. Keep your voice low." I hissed.

I entered the kitchen and saw two saree clad male soldiers aiding Utsav to pour alcohol into the silver glasses.

"Sanketsingh wants to celebrate his victory with alcohol and women." Utsav spoke with disgust.

"I know." I grinned. Tonight that man would meet my most talented spies and assassins.

"You know the drill plan?" I asked him.

"Ofcourse" he smiled even though I could tell he was nervous. He then opened a small copper bottle and put the power into all the glasses filled with alcohol.

"Just do what I had asked you to do. Be a charming woman and serve them. But first," I said as I poured the alcohol into three more glasses and this time, it wasn't mixed with any powder

"Offer those three losers with pure alcohol." I ordered.

"But why? We want to kill them right?" Utsav was bewildered.

"Do what I say." I said.

All of them bowed and carried the tray filled with glasses of alcohol.

"Serve those three glasses to our main guests." I gently ordered Utsav who struggled with the pallu of the saree as he advanced outside the kitchen.

As we advanced towards the giant courtroom, I could see that the dance had already commenced. A few women (my fellow spies) were dancing seductively while the Sanketsingh (who sat on the throne along with his two men Vanit Singh and Shishir sing sitting on his left and right respectively ) cheered at the women amidst the hoots of his fellow soldiers.

The whole atmosphere smelt of lust and arrogance. I had covered my face with the Pallu (I knew people wouldn't doubt my identity with the flat stomach) and stood in the background amidst the women who were "helpless" spectators of the show.

"Your Majesty" said Utsav in his woman like voice " I am Utsavi, and We, the women residents of this fort would love to add the flavour of this festive with the finest alcohol, imported from the Greece."

"Oh yes yes why not! I never knew that women of this kingdom are decked with so much of beauty!" Said Sanketsingh as he reached for the glass on the tray.

"Wait! Your Majesty, we can't simply drink what is offered! We must check the contents first." Said Shishirsingh.

"Oh Shishir! Why are you so suspicious?  Can't you just accept the gift from such a beautiful woman?" He asked Shishir while looking at Utsavi from head to toe.

Utsav giggled in his female like voice. Glad that my was covered because it was tough to keep the straight face.

Anyways, they asked Utsavi to drink one glass herself.

"Don't you trust me, my Majesty?" Utsavi fluttered her eyelashes, trying to look innocent.

"Please darling. You know it's a protocol." Sanketsingh looked at Utsav, trying to provide her some explanation while Shishirsingh looked satisfied that his King had managed to obey to his order . Utsavi gulped the whole three drinks at one go and complained that it burnt her throat.

"Don't worry darling. I will make up for it tonight." Sanketsingh winked at her while Utsavi smiled and took her place in the crowd meant for the females.

"See? The drinks are safe. Now let's celebrate!" Shouted Vanitsingh who was enthusiastic to see the dancers changing their dance moves into more seductive tone.

The new drinks were served to the trio and then to every soldier.

Soon, all the soldiers started drinking. Not knowing that within a few minutes, they all would drop dead. One by one.

While the female dancers continued dancing to the tunes, a few women joined the stage, with a container that emitted soft smoke. It looked like it was meant to add effect to the whole grandeur. Little did anyone know that it contained a chemical, that would make anyone who managed to smell it, dizzy.

Soon the women who were in the audience (including the soldiers disguised as women), the dancers and me covered our nose with masks.

Before Sanketsingh would understand anything, his body failed him. He dropped dead from the throne... like all his battle mates. His body lying lifeless. None of his soldier was alive.

The whole atmosphere of the fort was chilly. With so many corpses lying around, we had to open the window to allow fresh air to consume the chamber. The winter chilly air coupled with the eerie sounds of owl made the whole atmosphere uneasy. Even though, we had won.

"You are evil." Remarked Utsav as he removed his saree to reveal his army uniform.

"I know." I was in peace.