Shatru Sesham: Sequel of Baahubali ✔️

Chapter Fifty-Eight

The figures constantly kept looking back to reassure themselves that they weren't being followed or observed. They spoke to each other in whispers and gestures before they parted from each other and went their separate ways. After the elapse of one more hour, one of these figures appeared before a broken-down hut in the outskirts.

Sensing the presence of a stranger, the first figure ducked into a shady alcove of trees while retaining a clear view of what was happening in front of the hut with his eagle-like vision. The second figure removed his hood revealing the face of Shatadru, the imposter who had been recruited to play the role of Virupaksh, the Prince of Ashwakootam.

The first figure sneaked up behind him and remarked, "Don't move. You're caught." The second figure lifted up the loose end of his utthariyam (A scarf-like piece of cloth that descends from the back of the neck to curl around both arms. It is used to drape the top half of the body) and was about to take to his heels. The first figure snorted, "Now we're quits, aren't we mate?" Shatadru dropped his utthariyam and broke into peals of laughter at this joke which seemed to appeal to him tremendously.

A third figure emerged out of the hut and curtly signaled the two men to quickly come within. He did not seem too pleased with the revelry of his co-conspirators, "You two duffers will get all of us caught. Vigilance has increased greatly. Subahu suspects that something is afoot."

"But what do you have to fear, leader of the Suras, Athikay", Simhamukha jocularly remarked. "You have the whole administrative machinery under your foot."

Athikay shook his head at the apparent carelessness of his comrades, "Subahu shouldn't suspect till the last moment that we are building large private armies and that we are planning a military coup on the eve of Rama Navami."

He turned to Shatadru and asked, "Did you manage to elicit any information from that girl who is masquerading as the Princess of Suvarnadweepam?"

"No, chief", replied Shatadru. "But she appears to be pretty harmless."

"Interesting!" Athikay gave a sly smile, "Beautiful woman, thy name is destruction."

"I don't understand why you don't expose her straightaway", Simhamukha asked.

"Not yet! I am trying to decode her game plan. She might come in handy", Athikay replied. "Draw closer to me. They say that 'Even walls have ears'. We will do ....."

The rest of this clandestine conversation was muffled up and pretty inaudible outside the hut.
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Subahu's Royal Chamber,
The next morning, when he opened his eyes, Subahu beheld the rays of the early morning sun streaming into his chamber and his son fast asleep in his arms. The royal bards had already begun crooning about his greatness and the greatness of his lineage.

Subahu thought to himself for a moment, "What a sad profession, indeed! Always singing about somebody else's greatness and not one's own." But the lyrics of the song served as a tremendous boost to his already inflated sense of ego; words that made him feel next only to God if ever there was one. Sadly, he didn't believe in religion, faith, God, justice or retribution. Why would 'bad' people like him flourish and prosper while the 'good' people rotted and died for no apparent fault of theirs if there was really someone above who was watching everything?

Subahu was already running behind schedule. The final formalities for the death sentence of the rebels and the old lady's punishment had to be completed. He sat indecisively in two minds whether to leave or to stay behind with his son. Narasimha rubbed his eyes, "Good morning, father. Today is going to be lucky for me since I saw your face the first thing in the morning."