Queen Alli - Beloved of Arjuna

Chapter 4

Krishna! 

I felt as if I had finally found the answer to my situation. Krishna had dethroned his uncle Kamsa as a teenager. Krishna had helped the Pandavas relocate to Indraprastha. Krishna had helped transform Indraprastha from a place inhabited by Rakshasas and Nagas to a massive kingdom.

I have to reach him somehow but how? 

I decided to wait and when the crowd dispersed, I seized my chance and rode my horse with Meena following me. Krishna was about to climb into a chariot but I blocked his way with my horse. 

Krishna stared at me in surprise and then, recognition. I was surprised that he seemed to know me when he had never seen me before. People said Krishna was a god, so, perhaps he had supernatural gifts! 

I saluted him respectfully with a namaste and spoke in Sanskrit, "May I speak with you for a moment, Lord Krishna?"

He nodded with a smile, "Lead the way, Rajkumari Alli" he replied and confidently switching to fluent Tamil, he added, "Ilavarasi, you can speak to me in Tamil. There is not a single language that I cannot speak" 

"As I am the one, here, requesting help, it is my duty to speak in your language" I replied, humbly.

He laughed and said, "How may I be of service, Rajkumari?" 

Damn, he was a charmer, no wonder so many women are attracted to him. I cleared my throat and said, "I am here to strike a deal with you" 

"A Deal?" asked Krishna, raising an eyebrow, "Go on, I am interested!"

"My capital, Kudiramalai, trades gold, pearl, silk, cotton, ivory and peacock with Phoenicia, Rome and Egypt.  Our pearls trade from the shores of Lanka are highly sought after in the whole world!"

Krishna nodded, "I am aware"

"If you can help me regain my Kingdom, I will offer these products to you at half the price for ten years. Your Kingdom can, in turn, sell these products in Dwarka and reap the profits" I continued, "You have several wives who will need pearls to adorn them. Your sons will need gold. Your people will benefit from cotton. Your courtiers and Palace will benefit from ivory and silk. It is well known you are fond of peacock as you adorn yourself with a peacock feather!"

Krishna listened to me keenly, "I find your offer to be intriguing but why should I support you when I can strike a deal with Neelamugan"

"You can try if you wish but why would he be as desperate I am right now, to offer the prized products in half the price for ten years?"

 Krishna nodded, "Fair point"

I waited with bated breath, "I like your offer, Rajkumari! My instincts tell me that in the future, you will become close to someone who is a dear friend of mine. I will help you, firstly, because I liked the deal you offered. Secondly, because I don't believe gender is a factor in deciding who gets to sit on the throne."

Krishna added, "Rajkumari, on my previous tours here, I have met Neelamugan. He is not fit to be a ruler. He is smooth with his words and can temporarily sway a court. However, he is terrible as a person. He is rude, arrogant and entitled in our previous encounters. He is terrible with establishing relations outside of the court - whether it is within the states of Bharatvarsh or in the international waters"

I looked at him in surprise, I wasn't aware that Krishna had met my cousin. It was a good thing that he had. Krishna added, "I also met your father, he is a capable ruler! One of the finest rulers I have met. It is a pity he died before his time. As the daughter of such an able ruler, it would be wise to place my bet on you than your spoilt brat of a cousin. Having met you in person, I see the attributes of the late King in you. I also see that while you are yet to blossom into a capable ruler, you have some of the attributes needed to become a successful ruler in you" 

I responded, "It is my Father and Guru who I should thank for this"

Krishna smiled, "There! Humility is one of the many attributes you possess"

I bowed my head and murmured my thanks. "In the future, the ships from Dwarka sailing for trade can dock at our coast whenever you need" 

"Thank you" said Krishna, "I will lend you the Narayani Sena. However, if the people are to recognize you as a capable ruler, you will need to rouse the support of the people" 

I nodded, "I shall get to it" 

A few days had passed and with the Narayani Sena, I marched towards the capital. On the way, I made sure to befriend each person I came across. I promised the farmers better yields, I promised the weavers lesser taxes, I promised the merchants guild better imports and the overseas traders guild, better naval infrastructure for exports. I promised the soldiers a raise in the army.

I was aware that Neelamugan made two mistakes from what I learnt from interacting with the common people so far. One, he did nothing for the common masses and the other, he completely ignored women, thereby ignoring half of the population. 

I ensured that women were among my target audience. I promised special hospitals for pregnant women and cheaper menstrual cloth manufacturing.  I encouraged aspiring women that they would receive a place as ministers and poets in my court based on capability. I promised digging  up more wells so that village women did not have to walk so much distance. I promised creches so that pregnant mothers and lactating mothers can work as members in my court. 

Through the help of Narayani Sena, I trained the women who were interested in becoming soldiers. I appointed Meena as my bodyguard and she oversaw the training with military strictness and discipline. I promised that even a courtesan cannot be forced to accept a client she does not wish to serve. I promised that a special school would be constructed near brothels to help their children choose a different life if they so wished. 

I kept tabs on Neelamugan's movements and I discovered from the gossip of the common people that he was simply wasting time. Neelamugan was busy with women and liquor. The court was very lax and the ministers were filling their pockets as they pleased.

I seethed in silent rage, this was my fathers' Kingdom! The money was for the welfare of my people. How could Neelamugan and the court be so careless in how they spent the hard-earned money collected as tax from our people?