I heard couple of giggles coming from Lady Sulochana's courtyard. I was dressed in a yellow navari and diamond jewellery. Now I must complete the Royal Decree Maharaj gave me this morning. Chanchala's expression will be worth looking. Lady Sulochana and Lady Harika are sitting there gossiping and giggling like small girls. Playing with the babies. Lady Harika is Advisor Sudhir's wife. "Yurani." They stood as I neared them. I acknowledged them with a smile.
"Lady Harika and Lady Sulochana thank god I meet you both here. I need your help." I said as I took the baby girl from Lady Harika.
"Is it about the decree Maharaj issued this morning ?" She asked.
"Yes" I said and explained them my plan.
"Yurani. The other palace ladies will give up without any hesitation but I don't think Her Highness will agree." Hesitation is clearly written on Harika's face.
"Leave that to me." I smiled a evil smile. "Let's head to Rose garden then. All ladies will be there with Her Highness." We raised and walked towards the Rose garden.
It's been a long time I came here. Entire garden was made up of rose's of different colours red, pink, white, yellow, blue and black. Their beauty is etheral. Chanchala is sitting on a high podium surrounded by her maids and other ladies of ministers and advisors. They looked deep in discussion.
"Her Highness. There is a imperial decree issued for you and rest of the ladies." I said refusing to bend my eyes.
"Alekhya shouldn't you bow infront of your mother." My Aunt Urvashi said. To make fun of me obviously.
"That is Yurani for you. And my mother died a long time ago. She is no mother of me. And as for bowing shouldn't you and other ladies should bow to me as Yurani. I came here to dectate Royal Decree Urvashi. Look like someone has forgotten to teach you etiquettes. Isn't I am right Her Highness." I said to her. Others are looking at me with their mouths hanging open. They all immediately bowed. That Chanchala had no choice but to kneel in front of Royal Decree. Her jaw was set. At one point I thought her teeths might break. I read the Royal Decree.
"Do His Highness don't have enough gold in his treasure that he is asking to me." She said with a smirk after I read the Decree. She had no respect for Maharaj. Other ladies started muttering among themselves. This is a disrespect.
"A Royal Decree is a Royal Decree. You can't disobey it." I said in a stern voice.
"So the mute got the tongue. Look like someone must show you your place Yurani. It is below Maharani Chanchala." Her main maid said with a smirk. Other maids giggled at her comment.
"Karna" I called my bodyguard. Within a second he was beside me. "You can't even protect yourself. And want to stand against our Maharani." More giggles. Oh God this is irritating.
"What is the punishment for disrespecting Yurani and threatening her ?" I asked in a calm tone. Like I don't care about them.
"Death. Yurani." He said looking towards the maids. Maybe thinking who pissed me of now. More giggles.
"Throw them all in blood prison and whip them to death." I said motioning towards the maids. All the ladies gasped.
"You insolent brat." Urvashi said as raised her hand to slap me. I caught it in mid air and twisted it behind her back.
"I am just teaching the maids a little lesson Urvashi. If anyone disrespected her highness won't she punish them the same way I did." I said in a innocent voice as if I had not sentenced nearly 15 maids death.
"You are going overboard Alekhya." Chanchala shouted her voice filled with anger and hatred.
"Who is going overboard Chanchala ?" My father's voice thundered in background. Take that bitch. I secretly asked him to come to inspect if the decree is implementing correctly or not. Now she is trapped in her own game. Let's see how see handle this situation. First disrespecting royal decree and then not discipling her maids. It's going to be interesting exchange.
"Nothing Your Highness." She stammered. "A kind announcement for everyone in the palace. Princess Alekhya's position is equal to that of Yuvraj's*. Any desrespect to her is considered as disrespect to me. Is that understood ?" He asked in a questioning tone. Only an idiot will tell no.
"Maharaj. But she is only a girl. You can't give her that much power. She can't understand the tactics of politics and nor she is skilled in fighting. A girl of her age must induge in worshipping god and other art forms like singing and playing musical instruments. Not in problems of kingdom. It will spoil image of our kingdom. Any prince will not want to marry her in future." I stepped in and released Urvashi from my hold. I was truly irritated by her babbling now.
"Sorry for the intreption Your Highness but I must tell Her Highness some important things." I bowed in front of him.
"You are allowed."
I turned toward her and looked in her eyes as I said.
"Your Highness. I think you don't know anything about me. I had already learned how to sing and play veena. I may be inexperienced in politics but it doesn't mean I don't know anything about politics. And if I was that incapable Maharaj would have never asked for my advice on internal matters. I had also defeated Karna in fighting. As for my future marriage aspects I can happily spend my life in protecting my kingdom from our enemies both internal and external." She was unable to say anything. I had not left any openings for her to attack back without raising any doubt in my father's mind. But it doesn't mean she will not play any dirty trick to make me lose my position."If this matter is clear. Please complete the Royal Decree by tomorrow. You can send your contribution to Mayur palace." I added for good measure.
"Yurani." I turned to look at my father. "Let's see how much Karna had taught you." He said but his smile said different. Great I pissed of my own dad. I followed him to training ground.
"Don't you think you went harsh on the maids ?" He asked nonchalantly.
"It's not first time they did that. I had already gave them enough warning." I said in same tone.
"Why didn't you told me before ?" There is a change in his expression.
"You are to busy in taking care of the kingdom to worry about me." I can see his lips pulling downwards. He is sad that I told the truth. What should I do truth is always bitter. One must face. It is reality.
We arrived at training ground. Everyone bowed to us. He called his personal guards. "Let's see if you can defeat them Yurani." I looked towards them. Just five members I already know their flight techniques. It's gonna be fun. I changed into my training attire. They all eyed me as if trying to understand my technique but I am too unpredictable. I was quick on my legs. I swiftly dogged their attacks and disarmed them. They looked at me in bewilderment. My father sent another 5 soilders. I arched my eyebrows. He want to see me defeated. In your dreams I smirked. I lost count of how many soilders I defeated or how much time had past. I smirked when Senapati came into the arena. He is not gonna leave unscathed. His moves are dangerously closed to my neck and arms. I mainly dogged I don't want to reavel my techniques just yet. I forced all my hatred for him deep as I sliced his cheeck. He step back. Touching where I sliced him. His attacks turned more furious and rapid. Soon I figured out his sword sequence. And hit this swords hilt with all the force I could muster. I flown out of his hand. I pushed him in chest which caused him to fall out of arena. I gave him my signature smirk. I was thinking about how I humiliated in front of his own soilders.
All of sudden a sword sliced near my ear. I turned back to see who dared to do that. A man in black attire and black armour is brandasing a long sword towards me.
"Who are you? I never saw you before." I asked arching my eyebrow.
"Kabul. I am a weapon merchant I came for dealing weaponry with His Highness. I thought of why not having a friendly match with such a fierce Yurani." He said with amusement in his eyes.
"We treat guest like god. I can't fight with you. You are a guest. It is against my upbringing." I said as I fixed my sword on ground. Even after this much fight I didn't even broke a sweat.
"Are you afraid that you are going lose. By seeing how much easily you defeated this soilders. Look like there is not a capable person in this kingdom and a girl have to defend it." All the soilders pulled out their swords out of their sheath.
"Stop." I said to soilders who are moving towards us. "Do you understand where are you standing merchant? If you lost your life here your family will be waiting their entire life for your return. Do you understand whom you are challenging ?" I said in a voice filled with authority and confidence. I was unable to understand from where I got it.
"You must be afraid for your life Yurani." He smirked. I stopped his attack with my sword. I looked toward my father. His nod was all I needed to defeat him.
He was definitely a great warrior his fighting techniques are very unique and different than ours. A worthy opponent. To any onlooker it will look he is gaining on me. But actually he is getting impatient. I swear he had not lost a single battle in a long time. He sliced my arm. I heard a scream which definetly belongs to Suman. I rolled my eyes. She is overacting.
"What happened Yurani. Do you accept your defeat ? I will forgive you as a girl." I turned back and smirked before saying "You better take a look at your armour Sultan of Kabul." He looked at his armour to find it sliced of his body and fallen in his feet. "Hurting a guest is not in our blood."
"Hahaha..." A female voice laughed. "About time someone defeated the unbeatable." I was too ingrossed in my fights that I didn't noticed that many soilders had gathered around us. Some days back Karna told me about that Sultan of Kabul will be arriving at the capital for some important reason. My father's eyes are practically brimming with happiness and pride. All the soilders our and theirs kneeled in front of us.
"This is my daughter Yurani Alekhya." He introduced me. I nodded politely. In my last life Sultan of Kabul came to visit us for some important reason but I don't remember it correctly.
"Sorry Sultan I was unable to welcome you to the capital." I suddenly remembered that no one told me that they are here. Strange. I am not gonna leave Suman today. She always tell me about useless gossip and forgotten the most important matter. That girl is unbelievable.
"How you came to know about my identity ? Because this soilders are not here when we started the fight and your whole concentration was on me." He asked in a admirable tone.
"Your skills are too good to be that of a merchant and why any merchant will indulge any Royal Family member in fight which can be alone lead to death penalty. Also the mark on your wrist gave away your identity." I said with a smile.
"You are more interesting than I thought Yurani and sorry for the insult.." Before he can say anything more. The lady intrepted him. "Offff.. Rashid leave her alone. She just defeated nearly 100 soilders and you. She must be tired after all this fighting. You can talk with her tomorrow. If you can't see her hand is still bleeding." I looked at my arm. This blade had pierced the skin but it's not deep and far enough to need stiches. "You are right Begum." He said to her with love in her eyes. "Yurani why don't you take Begum Junan to palace. We had made her staying arrangements in Chunar palace." He said with a grin on his face but there is also a hint of worry.
"Yes. Maharaj." I said as Begun Junan caught my uninjured arm and literally dragged me towards the palace. Karna and Suman walking a bit back from us. To give us privacy.
"Your fighting skills are amazing Yurani. I am still unable to believe that you defeated Rashid. He had won more battles than anyone on his world and never faced a single defeat. But you sliced away his armour like it's nothing." She kept on babbling. I sent a pleading look to them but non of them are looking at me. Look like I am strucked with Begum. "Are you alright Yurani ?" I heard Lady Sulochana's screeched voice. "Oh my god how you got hurt ?"
"Lady Sulochana meet Begum Junan she is Begum of Sultan of Kabul. Begum Junan meet Lady Sulochana she is wife of our Maha Mantri." I introduced them. "Welcome to capital Begum Sahiba." Lady Sulochana bowed to her. "It is a pleasure to meet you Lady Sulochana." She said. A maid brought the crying babies to her. "Are they yours ?" Lady Sulochana nodded. "Subhan Allah they are beautiful." She said taking one of the baby. "I will excuse my self." I said which earned me a bare nod. They are too engrossed in the babies.
"Privacy" I said as I entered my bathhouse. I removed my clothes as I stepped inside the water. I hissed in pain as the hot spring water touched my wound. It is paining like hell now. I held my tongue in ordered to not cry out aloud. Slowly the pain reduced and my breaths became normal. I was lost in my thoughts.
I may have advantage of rebirth on my side but look like everything is not as simple as it look. Apart from Chanchala someone else is also setting traps. The main question is who is it. I have no idea whom to trust. Sultan of Kabul came to the capital and no one given me the news. It is impossible that his arrival is too sudden. It takes nearly 35-50 days to come from Kabul to Devgiri. Even Maha Mantri didn't told me about it nor I had seen any preperation around the palace. I mean I noticed some decoration in my father's palace but there are none in mine. Why is he hiding things from me ? The worest thing is I can no longer trust anyone now. First I must remove Senapati and Chanchala's lapdog's from their positions then I will think about the person who is working from shadows. Let's see what they had got. They better not underestimate me.
Yuvraj- Crown Prince of a nation. A typical Yurani's authority is considered as lower that that of Yuvraj's.
DEAR READERS,
Finally, I completed this chapter. It is long and intresting. We also came to know about a third character who is playing behind the curtains. But we don't know it is good or bad. Or what is it's relationship with Yurani. But she is smart. Let's see what happens next. And also don't forget to share with your friends and comment. A vote please if you are liking the story. It encourage us writers.