Abhimanyu wanted to placate the weeping girl, tell her everything would be alright, wipe those tears off her pale face, but he knew he had to get Raghavendra medical attention as soon as possible. He glanced at her one last time, before running behind the entourage. The assassins would definitely make a move if they knew that Raghavendra is being taken out of the palace.
" Yuvraj, Badi Maharani-sa has instructed all servants and helpers to go to the throne room. That would allow us to get away smoothly. But we can't go through the main entrances, for I'm afraid that would be too obvious." Man Singh , his subordinate , informed him. He was a tall and swarthy man in his late forties. " His Majesty is on his way here , but I'm not sure where we can get the chopper to land."
" That's fine. I remember there used to be an old secret passage through the kitchens. It opens to the barren sands behind Jai Mahal. Send the men to secure the place." Abhimanyu instructed, " Once we get Raghav Kaka out of here, I'll come back and find the traitor."
" You won't accompany us, Yuvraj?" Man Singh asked him, perplexed.
Abhimanyu took a long, deep breath. He can't just leave her like that. Something about those limpid hazel eyes brimming with tears wouldn't let him.
Man Singh 's phone rang , and he cursed inwardly, thinking it was probably his wife ( She did have the knack of calling him on the most unsuitable times and nagging him to come home.) but it was Zorawar – Raghavendra's right hand man.
" Man Singh, Princess Rivannah claimed that there were two assassins locked up in her room. She did it herself and we went to check, hoping that we'd find one alive. But the door was already open – the work of an insider, I reckon."
" There's a betrayer in the servant ranks. I knew that, Zoravar." Man Singh hissed.
" Princess Rivannah says she can identify the betrayer." Zoravar's haughty voice lowered, as if he was uncertain, " Something about chocolate chip ice cream."
" Are you sure she isn't in trauma?" Man Singh rolled his eyes.He had much important things to worry about. His Majesty's chopper would be out any minute , and his men were yet to secure the parameter of their exit place. Zorawar was just wasting his precious time – like he always does.
" Don't you dare speak of her that way!" Zorawar protested, defending the Princess.
" We can talk about this later.Come to the kitchens , Zorawar. They're almost ready to evacuate His Highness." Man Singh hung up.
He joined Abhimanyu in inspecting their escape route. The tunnel was hid behind a cold storage room. It was dark and dingy with lack of use. Man Singh pulled out a torch ( One has to be ready for everything in his field) and led the way for his lord. Abhimanyu was abnormally quiet and in the dark tunnel only the sound of their footsteps echoed.
" Yuvraaj, what we will do about the Princess?" Man Singh asked, for the conversation earlier had reminded him , " She was the target of the attack , too."
" What makes you say that?" Abhimanyu looked up at surprise.
" There were assassins in her room. They knew where she would be at that time. This was a well thought out plan. Kill the future crown prince and then his only heir."
Man Singh pitied the young girl. She had absolutely no role in the tussles of brothers in their fight for throne . Then he added, " Zorawar says that the Princess will be able to tell who the betrayer is. I doubt she saw his face or can recognise his voice, but maybe she suspects someone."
" I wouldn't underestimate her." Abhimanyu said cryptically, a slow smile creeping to his handsome and stoic face.
He had watched her injure a man like brave warrior, giving him enough time gap to take a shot at the others. Her interference had been tremendously helpful in saving her father's life.He felt a strange amity with her, because he'd been forced to grow up too.
" His Majesty's here!" Man Singh cried out, as he heard the familiar sound of the chopper's blades.
They had reached the end of the tunnel, where an old wooden door lay. Its knob had already fallen away and the mechanism was rusty. Man Singh rammed his shoulder forcefully to break it open. He did it twice before Abhimanyu stopped him.
" Let me help, old man." He winked, taking a few steps. He kicked the lower part of the door powerfully. The door creaked and rattled, before giving in with a loud thud.
" Bring Raghav-Kaka now."
He was out under the open sky. The magnificent chopper that belonged to his father landed on the sandy plains , blowing out dust everywhere. His men pulled Raghavendra out of the tunnel and he was safely taken to the chopper.
*
" I know it was a huge shock for you Rivannah," Badi – Maharani sa said softly but her voice wasn't empathic or pitying. It was firm and stern as always.
" It doesn't matter. I know who the traitor is!" Rivannah insisted.
Zorawar Bhai had left her next to Badi – Maharani sa, and she claimed that she could find the person colluding with the assassins. Badi – Maharani sa only shook her head once, she did not have the patience or time to deal with Rivannah's trauma , and asked Amba to take her to a safe room to rest.
" I'm not lying!" Rivannah whined, as Amba started to drag her away.
Amba was surprising strong , and Rivannah couldn't struggle enough to escape from her arms. She knew how to find the traitor , why wouldn't they let her?
" Hukum, Badi – Maharani sa is only doing this for your own good. You are a sheltered girl who hasn't seen violence - let alone bloodshed. It will take some time for you to gain your senses." Amba coerced her. Rivannah opened her mouth to argue, but she was interrupted by a cool , elderly voice.
"If she says she can find the traitor , then there's no harm in giving her a chance." A middle aged man stood next to them. Amba narrowed her eyes, recognising him immediately.Although Man Singh was the subordinate of the Crown Prince of Suryagarh, he had no right to criticise her or butt into Badi – Maharani sa 's orders.
Amba harumph-ed loudly and glared at Man Singh.
"Do you have no faith in your abilities?" Amba accused , " It's not Hukum's place to worry about these things. She needs to stay away from this matter. We have many capable people who can find out the mole with whatever means necessary, you do not need to drag Hukum into this."
Man Singh frowned, " Since the princess is insisting, she must have a reason. Can we at least listen to her?" It's not like he had any confidence on Rivannah, but Yuvraj had ordered him to figure out what Rivannah knew. He had emphasised that she must not be undermined at any cost. Man Singh was only following orders.
" I know who is the mole." Rivannah finally struggled free from Amba's grasp.
" Let her speak, Amba ." Man Singh nodded his head encouragingly.
" I' m warning you , Man Singh! Do not drag Her Highness into these muddy waters!" Amba protested but Rivannah had already escaped her clutches and ran towards the crowd of servants and staff.
Amba cursed inwardly at Man Singh before rushing behind Rivannah. She pushed aside the sweepers and maids and male-servants, until she reached the thick of the crowd, wondering where the Princess was.
" It's HIM!!" Rivannah cried out startling everyone , " He's the one who let out the assassins from my room!"The man she was pointing at , wore a sweepers uniform and he looked at her quizzically and was somewhat terrified.
" Y-Your Highness?" He stammered, his fingers shaking in nervousness , " W-What are you s-saying?"
Man Singh had seen all kinds of crooks and criminals to know who was innocent and who wasn't. The sweeper looked terrified by the allegation, and some guilt and regret was seeping into his words and he couldn't make eye contact with Rivannah.
" Who are you working for?" Man Singh demanded angrily.
" I'm a p-poor man!!" The sweeper spluttered , almost in tears , " I have worked here ...for ...eighteen years! I've been nothing but loyal ...to this family!"
Rivannah crossed her arms and scowled at him unsparingly. " Your clothes tell the truth!" Her eyes were affixed on the dark brown stains all over the bottom of his khaki pants.
" These are ice cream stains . I remember dropping a pack of choco-chip ice cream before the lights went out. And it must have melted all over the place due to the heat. This man went to my room to let the assassins out, and his clothes got dirty in the sticky mess."
" I didn't do anything! I swear it upon my children's heads! I don't even know the passcode to Her Highness's room! I was running away from these brutes when I slipped on the puddle-"
" Oh really?" Rivannah said sharply, " And how did you even know that my door has a passcode? You're just a sweeper for Damayanti's outer courtyard!"
" My loyalty lies with Princess Damayanti!" The sweeper shrieked, grasping at straws. He hoped that if dragged her in, Princess Damayanti would try to defend him in order to clear her name.
Rivannah turned to her stepmother.Before she could impale accusations or insults , Damayanti exhaled and said curtly, " Just because he worked in my courtyard didn't mean he worked for me. He's on this family's payroll. Besides he's only an insignificant sweeper and not my trusted subordinate."
Man Singh grabbed the man's arm and twisted his elbow in a painful angle. The man cried out and started begging, as he fell on to his knees.
" Who do you work for?" Man Singh growled, pressing the sweeper's face on the floor.
" Ram Prasad!" The sweeper groaned," That's all I know! I used to call him and give him information. Next day, I would find money at my doorstep. Last time we talked, he told me to leave the servant entrance open! I didn't know they were going to attack, I swear! I saw the two men locked in the princess's room and panicked!"
" Very well!" Badi Maharani sa declared, voice thick with power and authority , " Hand him over to the police! And remove all the people related to him from our employment! A betrayal to the Royal family....will...not..be..tolerated!"
The man yelled and pleaded and screamed as Man Singh dragged him away. Rivannah let out a heavy sigh of relief as she turned to look at Badi Maharani sa.
The latter rubbed the bridge of her nose in agony and commanded , " You're coming to Bhawanigarh with me."
Rivannah gritted her teeth- her father was out there somewhere, struggling at the brink of life and death, and there was no where she wanted to be more than at his side.
" Surely you understand the enemies are waiting to tail us?" Badi Maharani sa scoffed, " Your father's safe as long as we protect his whereabouts."
She thought Rivannah was becoming a predictable variable now... the weak link. There was no way she'd be allowed to be near Raghavendra - the girl was a target of the assassination - keeping both of them at one place is too much of a risk for another attack. No
they must be kept far apart until the mastermind is found and eliminated.
Rivannah's eyes sparkled with unshed tears , " I wouldn't dare do anything to hurt my father. If I cannot be near him, then I'm not going away from here either. This is my father's palace and I will not abandon it in his absence." She looked terribly young in the moment ... like a frightened child.
" Foolish girl!" Badi Maharani sa reprimanded severely , " Do you think your brave words would save you? Those men will return again and again until you are dead! This decision is not yours to make! I'm your grandmother and you will do as I say , or else-"
" You're no one to me!" Rivannah stepped away from her, fists clenched tightly , " I may not be a boy, but I'm not obeying you! Do you think you have any power over me? You haven't been my grandmothers for the last nineteen years, don't try to be now!"
The room was as silent as a graveyard. The servants all pursed their lips firmly, afraid to even breathe. Badi Maharani sa's face contorted into an ugly expression as she stared Rivannah. Never in all her years, never, had someone spoken so brazenly to her. As the clan leader she commanded utmost respect from her family,her cold aura and power would be enough to intimidate everyone else.
No, she wouldn't lose to this girl.