The thick silence covered the whole Rose Palace again. The first tragedy had not faded completely yet another came knocking on the door. This time the situation was heavier than the first one. When Manik walked in he saw the blood stains on the ground which made his heart race. He couldn't help but feel fear rising inside his chest. Just after him Umaj walked in a hurry. He jumped in shock when he saw the scene. Nandini was already taken to the bed but she was singing in pain.
"Your majesty, let me check your pulse" Umaj took her wrist then checked the pulse. His eyes widened when he felt the weirdness.
"What happened?" Manik asked as he saw the changed expression on Umaj's face.
"Your majesty, her majesty has given poison,and this kind of poison is given to harm the fetus in her womb"
Those words were like a thunderbolt piercing the heart of everyone present in the room. Harming the fetus means conducting a sin. The unborn child was not just an ordinary one, but it was the first heir of the Samrat and the first child of the emperor and empress.
"Harming my child" Manik uttered as he clenched his fist so tightly that he felt his bones crack. On the bed Nandini shut her eyes tightly. She knew that it would affect her child, who was just yet to be born in this world. Those people around the palace just couldn't wait but hurt the innocent being who was not even blooming fully. The pain in her stomach was less than the pain in her heart.
"Does Master Poison have any cure for this?" Manik asked hopefully.
"Your majesty, I won't deceive you but the fetus inside the womb was too young and in such cases there was just a rare chance to survive. But I will do everything I can to help it survive through this condition" Umaj replied but he sighed inwardly.
"Then, I will thank Master Poison in advance" Manik nodded and glanced towards Nandini who was lying on bed while tightly closing her eyes and biting her lips.
Umaj turned around and pulled out a few bottles before preparing the medicine. Because of the podium Nandini lost blood and her body was weak. So he needed to give some to cure the blood loss then he will remove the poison.
Manik walked towards the hall and saw Chityakanta walking in anxiously.
"What happened suddenly?" Chityakanta asked.
"Mother, Nandini is given poison that harmed the fetus inside her" Manik replied as he sat down on the couch.
"What?" Chityakanta almost fainted. Poison to harm the child? She turned to look at Ageratina and Atropa who was standing beside the bed with crying face.
"How come the empress got poisoned so suddenly? You two always took care of her every need then how come there's loopholes now?"
Atropa frowned when she heard this "your highness, my lady eats everything that is made by me. She doesn't take anything from the palace kitchen. And today your highness sent some dishes and my lady suddenly craved for that pickle and everything happened after eating that"
Chityakanta frowned "pickle? Though I have sent dishes but there's no pickle in it. I forgot to add the pickle. How come there's pickle bowl inside the verified dishes?" She couldn't understand.
In the morning she wanted to prepare some dishes that a pregnant woman likes. She also has done so during Maya's time. But while discussing it she forgot to add pickles and soon she regretted it when she remembered about it. Now that Atropa said about Pickle she couldn't help but frown.
"What's happening?" Manik rose from his as he looked at the women before him.
"Your majesty today my lady craved the pickle which came along with the dishes that her highness sent. And she vomited after she ate the pickle. But I have tasted it before my lady and nothing happened to me, only then I gave the dish to her" Atropa explained anxiously.
"Nothing happened to you?" Manik frowned. Just then Umaj walked in the hall.
"Master poison, how's my daughter in law?" Chityakanta asked. She was so anxious that she felt like she would faint at any moment.
"Your highness, her majesty's health is not good. Not to hide from you but the poison she has taken already spread through her veins and it affected the fetus inside. I have given the medicine to remove the poison but I still fear that it won't do any improvement. Because the fetus was weak and because of less timing it was not nourished properly" Umaj replied with a heavy heart.
Those words fell like knives to everyone. The first child was harmed and it said once the first child was harmed in the womb it was quite difficult to get pregnant for a second time. The stains of the first tragedy had not faded yet another dropped like a thunderbolt, it was too much to suppress the pain and it's effects.
"Oh my poor daughter" Chityakanta felt her heart broken. She couldn't understand why all these happening one after another. What did that innocent child do to those evildoers that they lost all humanity?
"I will try my best to keep the child but after all I am just a human and at the end the results will depend on god's grace" Umaj said then turned to look at Manik "your majesty, her majesty is weak and needs support, your majesty knows it clearer than anyone" saying this he left the hall.
Manik gritted his teeth and gestured his hand. In a second a black clothed man appeared kneeling before him. Manik felt his blood rushing against his chest "investigate it" he gritted out the two words.
The black clothed man bowed and disappeared as if never existed. Manik took a sigh then walked towards the bed chamber. He knows he has to stay strong, not only for his wife but also for his unborn child.
Chityakanta looked at his back before turning around. She gritted her teeth in anger and ordered the maid in an angry tone "call all the maids who delivered the dishes in my chember" then she stride out of the Rose Palace.
In the Lily Palace, Kumeka picked up the tea cup and took a sip. There was a lazy smile on her face. Kashmin who was sitting before her frowned "mother what are you thinking?"
"Nothing" Kumeka smiled "you have been recovering well enough. Your original skin colour is returning" she said as she gazed at her daughter.
"Those medicines work well" Kashmin paused "mother, the things.... It won't get discovered right?"
Kumeka frowned "why are you so cowardly Kashmin?" She couldn't help but feel disappointment towards her daughter.
"Mother, this time it was like a big jump. Once this matter is known, the emperor won't let it go easily" Kashmin was anxious.
Kumeka shook her head "you are too afraid. In life if we want to live well then the first thing we need is courage to do something unexpected. But seeing you like this is too concerning, it just makes me feel like you can't achieve anything good. Aren't you my daughter, where is that stubbornness and courage?"
Kumeka couldn't believe it. She has been teaching Kashmin since she was a child. But this girl in front of her couldn't get her hopes up a little high and had some courage. But look at that woman, she lost her mother and grew up almost alone yet she has all the qualities that an empress should have even though she was not trained by royal teachers. How could her daughter, a princess, look so inferior to someone who originally does not belong to royalty since birth? Kumeka shook her head again. It was a disappointment that the current empress was not her daughter or it would be different scenarios by now.
"Mother?" Kashmin, who was unknown to the thought of Kumeka, called out.
Kumeka sighed "dear, you need to be a little brave. If you behave like this then how will you manage a high position in future. Do you think it's easy to stay still in the position of empress without any sacrifice? The life of an empress is not a bed of roses and no matter what you need to learn difficulties in your life"
"Mother, I just don't want this scheme to get revealed. My impression on Manik has already ruined"
Kumeka smiled "don't worry, once the child is dead then our way will definitely be smooth. For a woman who couldn't bear an heir for the country is worthless. Then it will be your time to rise and dispose that woman for good"