Shatru Sesham: Sequel of Baahubali ✔️

Chapter Eighty-Three

Mrithyunjay opened his eyes. Everyone around him was staring in eager anticipation. He could see immense relief in their eyes. Bhagiradhi clasped his right hand within her palms. She placed a feathery light kiss on the back of his palm. Two drops of tears fell down on his hand one after the other as she continued to softly press and caress it with her hands.

He glanced around himself clearly for the first time. The chamber was luxurious and opulent. The lights had been dimmed. The couch on which he was resting was huge and covered with a fluffy mattress and a deep blue velvety cover so much unlike the hard mattress in the camp. Suddenly, the realization stuck him. He wasn't at the war front. He was within a palace.

He tried to raise himself from his bed but his bodily muscles refused to cooperate with him. He fell back with a thud. He punched his mattress with his balled fist.

Shodasi Devi called out to General Samarth, "Please restrain him. It is not good for him."

Samarth held Mrithyunjay tightly till he stopped kicking and punching. He gently released his hold over Mrithyunjay once the latter had calmed down a bit. Mrithyunjay's chest heaved up and down. His words came out in short and broken gasps, "The war? Did we lose?"

"The war has been called off", General Samarth replied.

"It's my fault", Mrithyunjay raved. "I should have died instead."

A sharp and resounding slap landed on his cheeks bringing him back to his senses. Bhagiradhi touched the reddish imprint her palm had left on his cheeks to soothe and wipe away all the angst and disappointment both of them were feeling.

Mrithyunjay folded his hands before her and cried, "I am sorry for everything, Princess."

She wiped his tears and ran her fingers through the curly and tangled knots of his hair.

"Won't you talk to me?" Mrithyunjay asked in a soft voice.
Bhagiradhi hastily retreated from the chamber unable to control herself.

Shodasi Devi patted his shoulders as she said, "She hasn't spoken a single word ever since the war was called off."

Mrithyunjay shut his eyes in frustration. Shodasi tried to console him, "Both of you are going to be parents. This is the happiest phase in a couple's life. You will have a lifetime left for all the unfinished battles."

Mrithyunjay weakly nodded his head to her assertion having no strength left within him to make a suitable answer.
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At Mahishmati,
Subahu was entering the court for the first time ever since he had recovered from his injuries. His arrival was announced. He slowly limped his way into the court. A few of his nobles took their own time to stand to attention; a few of them were gossiping; a few of them never stood up.

Subahu's  throne was placed at an elevated position from the rest of the court. He had to ascend a small flight of steps to reach his throne. He fumbled his way up the flight of steps. He cursed inwardly at the difficulty he was facing in accomplishing such a simple task. He was about to sit on the throne when a small miscalculation made him misjudge its height.

Subahu slipped and rolled down the flight of steps. Everyone broke out laughing. He glared at them. He raged with uncontrolled anger. A few tried to control their laughter at his sorry plight. The rest simply seemed to be enjoying the sight.

One or two of his nobles stepped forward offering their help for him to stand him. He gruffly brushed aside their offer for help and raised himself up after making several vigorous attempts. His first appearance as a monarch after the failed coup was turning into a perfect disaster.

Narasimha's arrival was announced. The whole court fell silent. As his steps echoed through the long hall, not a single person spoke or laughed. They automatically stood up in their places without any external command being given. The tide had turned. His nobles and people no longer feared him. They respected his own teenaged son. The ugly head of jealousy reared its head for a tiny fraction of a second in his brain, "Why him? And why not me?"

Subahu's love for his son once again smothered this ugly voice within him. He cleared his throat and opened his arms wide to receive his victorious son, "Welcome home, son. Mahishmati is proud of you."

Narasimha replied, "But I am not. I have done nothing yet to merit this pride. I have been thinking since a long while about implementing certain changes in our administration and army."

Subahu searched for his words, "Why? I think everything is going fine. I do not see the need for any change."

As his eyes searched Narasimha's resolute face, he realized that he was not about to be convinced by his arguments any more. He reluctantly asked, "What have you been thinking, Narasimha?"

Narasimha began, "Every citizen of this kingdom should be equal before the law. Punishment for crimes should be equal for one and all. Nobody should be exempted or considered beyond the reach of the law of the land.

I, Narasimha, as the Crown Prince of Mahishmati, promise to listen to the genuine grievances of my people at all times and places. I will redress their grievances as soon as humanly possible.

Exploitation of one individual by another should be considered a crime. Every employer must pay honest wages to his workers. Failing to comply with this will be considered a crime.

The prices of commodities in the markets will be constantly monitored by the officials. Hoarding of food grains in very large quantities will be considered as a crime.

Official positions in the administration and the army will be given based on merit and not family background.

Love for the kingdom should be one of the foremost duties of any person living in Mahishmati. If a person goes against the kingdom or sides with the traitors, he or she will be instantly imprisoned for their treachery without any further trial."

The moment Narasimha stopped speaking, the entire court started clapping and cheering his ideas. Hiding his own unhappiness and reluctance within, Subahu declared, "Let these ideas be executed."

Change was happening before Subahu's own eyes. It was happening at a rate faster than he had ever anticipated. He was powerless to resist its onslaught.