"Welcome, Manjri." Shakra greeted the man, startling him completely.
"Y..yu..Yuvraj???" He stuttered seeing him.
"I came to meet you but you weren't present at your palace, so I made my way here to see you. Sure, a bit of struggle was present on my part having to ask around where you were but it's all worth it since I did get to meet you." Shakra's presence made his bones shake in fear. Especially when the Prince's knife was left naked on the table.
Manjri could tell. Shakra did find out about the betrayal. Manjri could tell that this was his end. Shakra wasn't the compassionate kind to forgive people just like that and give them a second chance. No. He was the kind that made an example out of traitors. No one dared to betray him again.
"Yuv...Yuvraj..." Manjri stuttered.
"Yes. Aren't you happy to see me?" Shakra asked with a arrogant grin. Getting up from the chair he was sitting on, Shakra walked towards Manjari and put his arm around the man.
"I..." Manjari didn't know how to say something in that case. Soon, the arm wrapped itself around Manjari's neck. Manjari struggled to get himself free from the grasp.
"Manjari, I feel so unappreciated that you aren't happy to see me. After all, we both grew up in the same Gurukul and learnt from the same Guru." Manjari struggled hard but the grip only tightened like that of a rock python tightening its grip around its prey to kill the prey. No amount of punching Shakra worked to ease that grip. It just got tighter.
"How fair is it that you hurt such a long association of ours and take advantage of me being nice to you." He added.
Manjari was strongly choked within the grip to say anything at all. The movement was swift by his throat. The knife was quite small but extremely sharp. Cutting through the neck like a hot knife over butter.
Blood spilled over his blue dhoti. Shakra extended his hand, dropping the body down. Blood flowed on the floor. The soldier handed a cloth to his Yuvraj. Shakra cleaned his hands off the blood and then patted his blue dhoti hoping some blood would come off. The precious gemstones studded foot kada was tainted with blood.
He called over Manjari's servant. The boy shook with fear while approaching the prince. "Namaskaram, Yuvaraja." He bowed to the prince.
"What is your name?"
"Mitra, Yuvaraj." He answered.
"Collect your dues from my soldiers. They are moving to the locker room to collect my dues that Manjari had to pay up. Collect your dues from them. Whatever is left and whatever is due to you." Shakra told Mitra.
"As you order, Yuvaraja." The servant bowed and started walking away.
"Mitra, be careful. If I see you with any traitors again, you'll join your old employer." Nodding fearfully, the boy ran away.
Shakra was met with the King the first thing when he returned to the royal palace. The first wing they entered in the royal palace was the King's court. At the top of the stairs was the King. Sitting on a chair and behind him was the woman that Shakra thought resembled Tadaka.
"Look at him, Maharaja, not even a little bit of remorse on his face." She poked the King.
"Remorse? For a traitor?" Shakra chuckled dryly.
"My nephew's cousin was no traitor. Only you doubted him so. It is the King's right to declare anyone traitor." A screech came.
"They would rather be careful not to be doubted by me in such a case."
"It seems that the Crown Prince forgets that he is not the King. I would like to ask in whose orders was the man murdered?" The King asked.
"I'd like to use the word 'narakabhramana'."
"Yuvaraja." A warning came from the King.
"I must apologise for seeming pretty disrespectful and speaking out of turn but I do request the Lord to look at this once." The Queen arrived at the scene. Rani Anvesha was a woman much respected in the Kingdom. Her wise nature and intelligent mind were such a gift that she managed the Kingdom's finances. But her political suggestions were not taken by the Prime Minister Mayavan.
Once the papers were looked at the Tadaka reincarnated almost gulped.
"You are new here, sweetie. So, just stay in place, do what you are here for and keep your head down." Anvesha whispered. Anyone who thought the second Queen was a submissive little second wife, they were quick to hit the ground.
Shakra almost wanted to sympathize with the Tadaka lookalike. Being shown her place by the Queen was not a pleasant experience.
"There are many women in this Kingdom, Patrika. No one can tell when the King takes fancy. You're not special. Not even his wife. So, stay what you are. Play his temporary lover, take all the fortune and disappear when his fancy is done. Don't play politics when you're an amateur."
"Chinnamma, easy. I get your jealousy but take pity on the poor woman."
Anvesha turned and raised an eyebrow at the Prince. She gave a smile that Shakra knew very well.
"Yuvaraja, it would be a great favour if you arrive at my palace for a little time. A bit of time for your step-mother, perhaps?"
"Of course, Amma." He answered. Not that he had a choice. The mother had practically ordered him to get his ass to her palace for a nice scolding.
Shakrajit sighed and followed the step mother. The moment they entered her private chambers, she gave a look. "Would it hurt too much to actually think first, Jit?" She asked.
"Amma, I know he met up with the enemies and passed on information. My eyes are proof enough."
"Jit, things don't always work like that. We need to show proof to the court or else you'll be kicked out soon as a madman on a rampage."
Shakra lazily took a seat and feasted on a pear.
"Amma, Basava would have found the proof. You didn't need to worry."
"I am your mother, boy. It is my job to worry for you if you don't get your act together. We don't all carry the weight on our shoulders for fun. We are all doing everything so you stay on the path to be the King. Akka didn't give up on the King because she failed. She waited 11 years for you to return because her hope was solely on you. Don't let her down."
"Amma also knows I'm capable of ruling."
"The way I see it, you are on the right path to become exactly like your father. Unlike the imaginary hope I built that you will be more like your mother."
"That's unfair. You know well that my interest has always stayed with Mayurakshi. That's nothing like your husband."
"Shakrajit." She warned him.
He laughed and stood up. "Amma, don't try to threaten someone with that tone who knows how many nights you have spent crying for your husband. Foolish are people who do not know where to expect loyalty."
"I am not having this conversation with you, Jit."
"There is no need for it, Amma. I already know all about it. To be honest, I blame your father for being a fool to not find a better husband for you."
She raised an eyebrow as a signal for him to shut up.
"My crying, my heart, and my decisions are my problem. Don't push your way into them and try to act like a healer. I don't need one."
He chuckled. "It's fine. At least you'll talk about it with 24 other women suffering the same pain."
"Get out." She ordered.
Shakra got up and chucked the core of the pear in the empty tray. "You enjoy your wonder about love. I'll enjoy it too."
Anvesha sighed loudly and pressed her temples. "For Kalika's sake, Jit, why are you so obsessed with her?"
"Amma, it is the property of the mind to always wander to the things it is not supposed to. Then again, who would not be obsessed with someone like her? Her eyes are like a sharp dagger that pierce right through me." He answered with a large grin on his face and walked out.
Anvesha watched him disappear out of her chamber. She could admit that Rajkumari Mayurakshi did have that beauty but it wasn't rare for Shakra to see beautiful women. That she couldn't understand. Why was he so deeply drawn to her? She wasn't the only beautiful girl. Her beauty could be matched with several other Princesses. She wasn't the greatest warrior Princess. Frankly, Shakra doesn't care for any other aspect but those two then why did she attract him so much?
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This is Chapter 3. Please vote and comment guys. It is quite heartwarming to read comments. It encourages me to write more.
As of now, I'm not sure if the story is exciting to you guys. I know this is just the beginning and it sounds a little bore or slow but just hang on.