The Princes of the Kalika Empire receive official fiefdoms when they earn victories. According to the title, their fiefdoms were given to them. The taxes collected from them were the personal property of the Princes. They were, in a certain way, rulers of the place.
One of the many fiefdoms that Shakra has is Veenapuram which is the bordering town to Krishneri. Veenapuram had a few issues with flooding of the river during the rainy season. Though several attempts had been made to help the river, Shakra hadn't received satisfactory results.
Shakra looked at the map of the river that was drawn. He was under a tent that was set up for him out in the open. A few ministers stood with Shakra.
"Dig a few canals and have them moving towards other areas. So, the river is going to have many more channels open for draining water. Dig out a few more wells. Maybe it will also solve the problem during the summer about water. Also, create ponds and lakes here, here and here..." Shakra mapped out the areas where he wanted water channels and large ponds and lakes to be dug out. He told the ministers there. They nodded.
"Here eat something, child. All of you are struggling so much..." An old woman showed up with some jamun. Shakra turned leaned on the table laid out and grinned at her.
"Nannamma, I hope they're free and you don't want payment for it." He teased her.
"Tch. Tch. Tch. Such a big boy you are and you still want free things. Sure, I don't want money." She chided him, shaking her head but handed him the berries regardless.
Shakra laughed. "Come sit here." He offered a seat under the tent. The heat wasn't nice and she had walked quite long.
The ministers watched in amazement. While he ate jamun, he showed her the plans for the canals and lakes. "Oh!!!" She suddenly realized at that moment that he was the Prince and not some rich boy.
"I apologize, Yuvraj. I didn't recognize you." She instantly began apologizing to him and got up afraid of the reaction.
"My luck. At least I got to eat Jamun." He teased her with a boyish smile.
Maanas came to him and whispered in his ear, "Yuvraj, Rajkumari Valli has arrived here. She is waiting for you."
"Why?"
"Even Indra is incapable of figuring out what goes on in the mind of a woman. How would I know?"
Shakra rolled his eyes, "You're supposed to know it. I pay you for it." He turned to the old woman, "Nannamma, take care of yourself. A few soldiers will help you back home. Don't find yourself in any hurry. I have something to attend to. The Jamun is brilliant. Don't go around giving them to everyone for free You'll now even earn a single cowrie like that."
He walked away with Maanas. When he reached his castle, he saw Valli's palanquin and recognized it instantly. When he reached there, he found Valli checking out a few swords and daggers in his visiting room. "Should I take a chance with the dagger in your hands?" Shakra grinned.
She turned around and smiled at him, "I met Mayurakshi along the way, you know? She's an interesting person but then I wonder what's the take here? She's not the Princess of a powerful Empire. She's not the Queen's favorite child. What do you get from pursuing her?"
Shakra grinned and sat on his chair. The chair was made from hardwood with gold and silver engravings with gemstone studs. Two large tigers on the armrests. His royal regalia always carried that chair around for him. He particularly loved that chair.
He poured them both a welcome drink, "Have it."
She sat down next to him and took the drink. "If you and I are similar, there has to be something to gain. I wouldn't pursue someone without a catch."
"The catch is that I love the woman."
"My brother seemed to find interest in her too. Of course, I presume it is purely physical."
Shakra's look changed, "Be a dear and remind him that Mayurakshi is mine."
Valli chuckled, "Why? Why do you love someone like Mayurakshi? She's not like you."
Shakra laughed and downed the drink. "Oh, I already love someone like me. That is me. I surely love myself, Princess. In addition to it, I love my Princess." Shakra sunk into the chair and sighed. His hand over his heart.
What madness had overtaken him, he didn't know but even though she wanted to kill him, he still loved her.
"Wish my brother understood that. He insisted that I come over and win you completely with beauty."
Shakra laughed at the idea and poured her a drink. "While I stand by the statement that most men lose brain working condition when they have their dicks in working condition, I'd like to pride myself in that being a worry only before my sparrow."
Valli smiled, "I admire that, you know."
Shakra was pretty interested in Valli. She was truly a prodigy if he could say so. She could be in high places only if she was that much ambitious. However, Shakra would blame that on the education Princesses received. Their ambitious goal is to become the Queen Consort. They aren't shown the sweet fruit of the actual throne. If Shakra could place his bet on a powerful ruler, he would place his money on Valli after himself. She had almost all the capabilities to become a ruler.
He also truly gave it a thought that after winning the kingdom, he should let Valli become the ruler instead of that stupid Prince Aadhitya.
Manas came into the room and whispered in his ears, "We have received information that Ganeshan as you expected is meeting Kantisheel in the forests." A grin crossed Shakra's face. Shakra had received information when he reached Veenapuram that Ganeshan, the enemy Shakra had long wished to eliminate was meeting up with his new target. Ganeshan, one of the ministers in Shakra's court, tried to plan a coup against him. People were safe from him until Shakra started to doubt them. Once the doubt is planted in Shakra's mind, he won't leave them.
"Since you are already subjected to this struggle, may I offer you a little stroll around this small town? Would Princess Valli love to go on a human hunt?" Shakra offered her.
"Human hunt?" Confusion marred her facial expression.
"Yes, my sources tell me that one of my enemies is in the area. So, do you want to join on the hunt?"
Shakra got up and picked up a bow and a quiver, handing it to her. "Your archery skills are wonderful. But let's see if they are as effective on actual enemies. Last time you had a target, you missed it."
Shakra jogged down the castle, and Valli followed him with the bow and arrow. She was a bit confused at his sudden interest but followed him.
Shakra whistled and Vayu came ahead running. He signaled the keeper to get another horse. The horse was brought to her. Vayu's saddle had a spare bow and quiver. Shakra hopped up on the horse.
"Manas, you should be the only one joining us. I don't want anyone else." Shakra instructed.
Manas hopped over his horse and followed him and Valli. The cruel grin on Shakra's face was telling of how crazy he was willing to go at that moment.
"Shall we see how well the Princess fares in this hunt?"
He led her through a forest and they reached the spot from where a group of people were visible. The three of them hid behind tall bushes but spotted the enemy group. Shakra saw Ganeshan and Kantisheel with 15 soldiers.
"See the group? That's who we are hunting. Every single one of them. Let's see how well you hunt people."
Valli stretched the bowstring with an arrow set on it. She aimed at the soldier. It hit Bullseye. The soldier fell dead. Chaos burst through the group. They spot the horses and Shakra. They started running away but Shakra pursued them. Valli shot arrows at the running group. She was a brilliant archer. Never missing the target. Until it came to Kantisheel. Kantisheel threw a dagger toward Valli. She dodged, narrowly escaping the attack.
Shakra began pursuing Kantisheel personally. He ran away over his horse but couldn't escape Shakra.
"What is the hurry?" he shot down Kantisheel from his horse. Moving the horse away, Shakra reached Kantisheel. The general unsheathed his sword. Shakra grinned and pulled out his sword.
Shakra began to have a dual with Kantisheel. Shakra fought for a few moments and broke Kantisheel's sword. He twirled the broken sword and set aside his own sword.
Kantisheel charged at him with fists. Shakra punched him hard in the stomach, breaking a few ribs. "I heard a few great things about you, General. Surprisingly you've checked the wrong box. I mean how did you get into the bad side of your Princess?"
"So, this is about that Mayurakshi?" He asked, seething.
"Oh, yes. The fact that you decided to join hands against me was an additional factor."
Shakra grabbed his throat and began choking the second General of Krishneri. The general tried to fight him away but Shakra was skilled enough. Grabbing him in a headlock, Shakra snapped his neck. The body fell limp in his hands.
Shakra grinned, "Guess who is going to collect his payment from your Princess?"
-----
Don't forget to vote and comment on the chapter. I'm happy to see the comments that are coming up on my story. It makes me feel really happy to write the chapters.