Mandira entered Aditya's chamber with Mohini behind her.
"Oh gods have mercy !" Mohini gasped as she saw her brother lying lifeless on the bed.
"Mohini control." Dev said as he held his sister, Mohini cried looking at their older brother lying like the dead.
"Is he any better." Mandira asked Dev as she looked at Aditya. Her eyes skimming from over Maheen who sat there staring into space, her eyes red and puffy.
"No improvement maa, if anything he is slipping." Dev croaked pinching his eyes. He had never felt so helpless.
"Sab sahi hoga, aur wahi hoga jo sahi hogi." (Everything will be alright, and only the right thing will happen whatever happens.)
Mandira walked towards Aditya and places her hand on his forehead and stroked his hair.
"You were brave, you've always been brave. I pray to god that you don't suffer as your story ends." She said.
"Ye kya keh rahi hai aap ?" It was like Maheen was hit by a lightening bolt (What are you saying)
"How can you say something like this." Maheen raised her voice. "Are you wishing death on your son rather than praying for his life ? What kind of a mother are you ?" She screeched.
"Lower your voice you filth." Mandira snapped looking at Maheen with rage. "You don't talk to me like that."
"And you don't talk about my husband like that, he is going nowhere, he is going to be fine."
"Maa why ar-."
"I'm being realistic, he doesn't have much time." Mandira said looking at Aditya.
"Shut up!" Maheen screamed getting off the bed she walked toward Mandira standing in front of her looking at her in the eye. "If you have no blessing to give or prayers to make for my Adi, don't curse him, don't wish him death."
"He is going to die."
"Enough." Maheen yelled. "Get out of here." She said pointing at the door.
"You filth you don't -."
Maheen held Mandira's arm and dragged her towards the door. Mohini, Dev and Mangal watched Maheen with wide eyes, stunned at what the queen mother had said and what the queen was doing.
"Get out of here and don't step in till Aditya wakes up." Maheen said and closed the door on Mandira's face.
She walked back towards the bed and looked at Aditya's unconscious form. Taking in a deep breath she tried to control her emotions.
Maheen turned to look at Dev who watched her stunned along with the others.
"While your brother is sick, you must look after the political functioning of the kingdom. I will too but I need time for now." Maheen said and Dev nodded.
"Don't worry Maheen I will." Dev said placing his hand on Mohini's shoulder who looked dazed. "Do we tell the people that Bhai is unwe-."
"No." Maheen said at once. "As much as I'd want everyone to pray for him, we can't afford an unrest at this point and I don't want to spoil this festival for others, so don't. Matter of time before Aditya becomes alright." She said, hoping that her words become true.
"Alright. We'll.. we'll give you some space." Dev said and Maheen nodded at him thankfully.
Dev guided Mohini outside, followed by Mangal closing the door behind them.
Maheen walked towards the bed and took Aditya's hand in between her own and sat on the floor.
"Please, please wake up Adi." She cried. "I can't do this without you, I can't, I don't want to."
Maheen placed her head on the bed and closed her eyes, she was too exhausted, physically and emotionally.
•••
The soft knock on the door made Maheen snap her eyes open.
She had fallen asleep on the floor. Maheen looked at Aditya and he was still the same, unresponsive.
The knocks on the door turned more urgent. Maheen got up from the floor and opened the door to see the doctor standing outside.
"Did you find the cure ?" She asked as soon as she saw him.
"No." He replied at once looking around. "But can I come in."
He walked past Maheen without waiting for a reply and entered the room, moving towards Aditya.
He turned around and looked at maheen.
"Close the door my queen." He said urgently in a hushed tone.
Maheen looked at him confused but complied.
"Help me lift the kings head." He said and Maheen at once rushed to help. She held Aditya's head and supported his neck as the Doctor opened the brown vial and pushed the contents into Aditya's mouth.
"African Viper."
"What ?"
"The poison, it was African Viper, the dagger was laced with snake venom." He explained making Maheen's eyes go wide. "I've given him the antidote, it works but I don't know how will it since we are giving it to him after so long."
"He .. it will work." Maheen said in a whisper.
"There is something I must tell you." The doctor said looking around. "Is there anyone else in this room ?" He asked hushed.
"No. Tell me what you have to doctor."
"The king is in danger and so are you. Someone had plotted to kill, he is still in danger and the assassin is in-."
"Tell me how do you know this." Maheen said taking a threatening step towards the doctor. "Tell me who is it ?"
"Do not threaten someone who wants to help you my Queen." The doctor replied. "I value his life as much as you do."
"I'm sorry." Maheen said dropping her guards and hostility. "Please, tell me who is it."
"I don't know who, but I know that the information is true. Everything else is on you from here My Queen." He said giving her a small smile. "Nobody must know that the cure has been found, nobody must know that he is getting better. Or you'll endanger his life and mine."
"Thank you." Maheen said joining her hand. "You have no idea what you've-."
"I've done nothing more than I'm supposed to, do not put me to shame thanking me like this. Take care of yourself and our king." He said and walked out of the room.
•••
Another night had gone by, without a wink of sleep.
Maheen has spent the entire night sponging Aditya as his fever had only gotten worse.
She had called for the doctor who had told her that the medicine was working.
Maheen spent yet another night in agony and anticipation.
As the dawn broke the next day, Maheen had called Mangal and Dev along with their prime minister to Aditya's study.
As maheen stood behind the desk the three men looked at each other, the same question running though their head.
'What was their queen up to.'
"What's wrong Maheen?" Dev asked.
"What's wrong is there was an attempt at murder made, in the palace ground, in our home and we haven't yet found out who did it !"
"The man who did it is dead, how will-."
"Really ? Are you really giving that to me!" Maheen said shutting their prime minister with a sharp look. "Are you telling me we aren't capable enough to find out who is responsible for putting Adi in that state he is today !" She seethed.
"Nahi bhabhi aisa nahi hai. We will find out who did it and we'll make sure they rot to their bones." Mangal said trying to pacify the steaming Maheen.
(No that's not what we mean.)
"Mangal Bhaisa please find out why were there no guards that day. There is not a single patch of land that is out of surveillance for even a minute then how was it only that one day that there wasn't a soul nearby."
"I'll find out at once bhabhi."
"Dev aap patta karey ki bahar se kon kon aaya hai Awadh pichle 15 dinno mai." (Find out who has come to Awadh in the last fifteen days.)
"And you find out who was the boy sent to assassin the king." Maheen said looking at the prime minister who nodded.
"I cannot trust anyone, I do not. And if whatever we discuss goes out of these four walls and is known by anyone apart from the four of us, I will not take a second to -."
"HOW DARE YOU !"
Maheen along with the other three men turned their head towards the source of the voice.
They knew whom it belonged to.
Dev rushed out of the study through the bedroom towards the door where he saw the guards block the path.
"Move." He said and the guards shifted.
"Dev! Look at them, they are telling me, ME, that I can't enter this room. Do you know who I am, do you know-."
"They know who you are and that's why they aren't letting you in."
Mandira and Dev turned around to see Maheen walk out followed by Mangal.
"I've instructed them to not let anyone inside, nobody gets in without my permission."
"Permission ! I will need your permission." Mandira said with a bitter laugh. "Don't test my patience Maheen, don't -."
"You will be welcomed once Aditya is alright. Until then nobody comes in without my permission." She said looking at Mandira in the eye.
"This isn't right bhabhi." Mohini said from behind Mandira. "We love him as much as you do, why are you doing this ? You can't keep us away from -."
"Mohini, enough." Dev said shutting her up. "I agree with Maheen. Rules are for everyone, nobody goes in not even me unless needed."
"I will make sure you have no place here." Mandira said bitterly as she turned around and left.
Maheen looked at Mohini who looked back at her with anger and disgust.
"Maybe Maa is right after all." Mohini said and followed her mother.
Maheen pushed the lump in her throat and closed her eyes drawing in a deep breath.
Only till Aditya wakes up, for his well-being.
•••
AN: The end is close.
3-4 more chapters probably.
So show your love
Regarding the new book, I had taken suggestion from you guys and most of you wanted me to stick to historical.
I myself love the era but but but yesterday a really amazing plot just popped into my head and it cannot be recreated into a historical book.
I shall soon be putting the details for the new book out.
Till then
Stay safe
Lots of love
xoxo