Shatru Sesham: Sequel of Baahubali ✔️

Chapter Ninety-Seven

At Kunthala,
After rowing for hours, Narasimha, Mrithyunjay and their men reached a small mercantile town. They abandoned their boats and hired a merchant vessel to drop all of them at Kunthala. Bhavani and Aditya Varma received them with open arms.

They organized a lavish banquet in their honor. The silver bowls were piled and aesthetically stacked with numerous starters, main course items and desserts of every kind. Cool, refreshing drinks were kept in long-necked, bejeweled, silver pitchers that had been polished so fine that they reflected the people who stood in front of them.

The cooks and waiting men proceeded with alacrity from guest to guest serving generous helpings of the food. Whenever a guest was showing a peculiar liking for a food item, it was promptly replenished the moment they finished eating it. The maids unobtrusively waved the fans while maintaining a low key.

Aditya Varma moved personally from person to person and inquired, "I hope you are enjoying your meal, Sir. Can I ask the servants to bring something else?"

"We have all heard about the hospitality of the land of Kunthala. We have seen it with our own eyes now", they thanked him.

Aditya Varma pointed towards the hall where music and entertainment were arranged for the guests. They caught hold of their sides and sauntered to relieve the fullness. Sweetened and flavored betel leaves were served on silver trays.

The guests picked them up one by one and savored their mouth-freshening flavors as they listened to the Veena, the Flute , and the Mridangam artists work magic with their musical notes and beats.

While the others were engrossed in the entertainment, Narasimha, Mrithyunjay, Aditya Varma and Bhavani repaired to the inner chambers to discuss their future course of action.

"The men are happy and occupied. What's the plan?" Varma asked.

Mrithyunjay and Narasimha expressed their gratitude to Bhavani and Aditya Varma for helping them. Bhavani replied, "Don't give it a thought. It was the least we could do for both of you."

But her special coy smile was reserved for Narasimha alone. Both of them gazed into each other's eyes, completely oblivious of the presence of the other two in the same chamber. It was finally Mrithyunjay's voice that broke them from their reverie. They jerked back to attention.

"We need a ship that will take us to Vijayapuri tomorrow morning", said Mrithyunjay.

"That can be easily done, I believe, uncle", Bhavani agreed while looking towards her uncle for confirmation.

Aditya shook his head. He said, "You will find the vessel with all the necessary provisions and crew."

"I am not coming with you, Bhava. I will never be able to meet Akka eye to eye", Narasimha revealed. The others had been doing all the talking and planning till now. He had been sitting in the side lines till this moment. His eyes were fixed and his fingers interlocked with each other as he conveyed his decision.

"But we are your family. Where will you go if you won't come to your own sister?" Mrithyunjay asked.

"I will meet Akka only after I redeem myself in her eyes", said Narasimha staring out of the window into the distant horizon.

Bhavani joined him beside the window, "What do you want to do?"

"I will go to my people. I will tell them who I am", Narasimha said.

"None of us are strong enough to fight a full-fledged war now", Mrithyunjay remarked.

"We often underestimate our own strengths and overestimate our enemy's. It is no more a king against a king, a soldier against a soldier, or one army against another. The power of the people is the greatest. We will appeal to that power."

Narasimha extended his palm in front. The others placed their palms on top of his in a gesture of solidarity. Mrithyunjay said, "I will go to Vijayapuri and bring whatever troops I can gather and come back to Mahishmati."

"I and Kunthala are always with you", Bhavani replied.

"When all of us are together, nothing else can stop us. No more doubts, no more debates. The time to free Mahishmati has arrived", Narasimha said.
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At Mahishmati,
Simhamukha and Shatadru had been taking a morning walk around the palace. Maharaj Subahu was being treated in his chamber by the royal physician and his team.

"How long do you think he is going to take to recover?" Shatadru groaned. "We do the dirty jobs and when the time for payment comes, our debtors just leave us dry. It happened with Athikay too."

"It's not like Subahu is dead. He is still very much alive", Simhamukha yawned. "Let's wait and watch."

A few noblemen and ministers had been animatedly discussing something. They fell silent the moment they saw both of them approaching. A look of barely disguised hatred crossed the faces of several ministers as both of them passed by.

"Those despicable pirates! My hands urge to wring their necks."

Simhamukha turned and balked towards them. He knocked down two of the ministers while he dragged a third with the shawl around his neck and dashed him against a nearby pillar. His eyes were burning pits of coal as he wagged his finger at a fourth who stood cowering in fear, "Wring my neck now if you dare."

Shatadru followed his companion without another word. Simhamukha locked the door behind him. He paced the chamber restlessly before he came and stood before Shatadru, "Rumors are floating all around. Every minister worth his clout is trying to garner support to declare himself king in the event of Subahu's death. We have to act fast. Do you know where the royal treasury is?"

"I know. But what exactly are you thinking?" Shatadru was nonplussed. He never understood what went within the evil brain of his companion. There were many times he felt like a pure novice.

"While everyone is busy playing their political games, we will loot the famed treasury of Mahishmati and decamp from here. Ask our men to be ready for some action. After the robbery, we will change our names, identities and retire from the life at sea. Both of us will live in style in some remote isle and clime where nobody knows us. Gold, silver, wine, women; we can have them all."
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In Subahu's Chamber,
The royal physician sat beside Maharaj Subahu. He periodically applied the herbal paste where his limbs had been amputated to fasten the process of healing. He made Subahu drink an extremely bitter and sour herbal concoction to bring down the body temperature.

Subahu had been unconscious since the epileptic fit he had on the banks of the tributary. He stirred gently. His whole body ached as through it had been twisted and wrung dry like a wet towel. He tried to raise himself. The physician supported him and placed pillows behind his back so that he could sit. His voice was weak and emaciated as he asked, "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Several days, your majesty", replied the physician.

Subahu looked down towards the bottom portion of his body. The physician hesitantly explained, "The poison in your body got reactivated. I had to amputate your limbs to save your life."

"Well, they weren't of much use to me of late. Do you know anything that has been happening in the palace?" Subahu casually inquired. "I don't see any of my ministers around. Are all of them very busy?"

The physician did not reply. He hung his head down. Subahu took a deep breath and asked in a hoarse voice, "Can I trust in your integrity?"

The physician nodded his head. Subahu said, "Don't reveal that I have regained consciousness to anyone. You will be handsomely rewarded."