"Rajkumari, Maharaj has requested an audience with you in his study." Karma informed her. Mayurakshi quickly put down her embroidery project and proceeded to the Raj Bhavan. She saw Abhijit looking really angry. She made a note to check into that later and proceeded to the study. The guards opened the doors for her.
Mayurakshi had recognized the woman sitting on the edge of his armchair as the concubine that her father-in-law was passing time with these days. "Pranaam, Mavaiyya." She touched his feet as she always does when she sees him and sat down in the chair before he signaled for her to sit. (father-in-law)
Shatrujit had very quickly established that he wanted her to be addressed as Mavaiyya instead of Maharaj. Although the brothers addressed him as Maharaj in court and sometimes out of court as well, his daughters at all times addressed him as Nanna. Whether in court or outside it, he applied the same rule to Mayurakshi.
Shatrujit placed a few parchments and books before her. "These are regarding the accounts and other related information."
Mayurakshi took them, but she looked confused as to why he was giving them to her. The expression on her face made Shatrujit laugh.
"I'm sorry, but I'm just confused. Suddenly, you're giving these reports."
"I spoke to Amrita and requested these reports. Currently, she's handling all the expenditures and the finances. She's always taken care of all those. She takes care of the finances of all the children as well. Then she also looks into the kingdom's finances. I thought that it was time you also took some burden off her."
"You want such a young girl to handle it, Maharaj? She's practically a child. What will she understand? If Mahadevi needs help, I'm always willing to help her." His concubine instantly giggled but tried to hide her displeasure.
"Sshhhsss..." Shatrujit silenced her and then looked at Mayurakshi and said, "Nanna, this is just the beginning. I need you to be involved in the court a little more from now on. I am not aware if you have had experience handling any of this in Krishneri, but you're Guru Vishwanath's student. I have great expectations of success from you. You're a quick learner. I'm sure you'll handle it easily."
Mayurakshi nodded. "Mavaiyya, I'll not let you down." She smiled at his trust in her.
"I know that Amrita isn't very fond of you right now, but you can't expect things to be okay on their own, Nana. You have to take a step yourself, too. So, my opinion is that you should start showing interest in state affairs. I know her. She's hard like a coconut on the outside, but there's sweetness within. She needs some time to get to know you properly, and then I'm sure she'll come to like you too. Her only hesitation is because you are not her choice. If you try, I'm sure you will impress her."
Mayurakshi hesitated for a moment and then said. "Honestly, Mavaiyya, I'm a bit scared of her. My relationship with my mother wasn't the best one. I've been rude to her many times. Maharani Raashi was never my mother figure. So, suddenly, having to deal with a mother-in-law is a bit difficult. I don't know what to talk to her about or how to be with her."
He smiled at her. "I know her very well. She is naturally loving. I'm sure she'll come around if you spend some time with her. She loves Kamal and Vikram dearly. The two are my children with my concubines. She didn't have to accept them or be motherly to them, but she has always loved them both dearly. You cannot dare tell her that they aren't her children. Every single child of mine is her child. If she can love you, then she can surely love you."
Mayurakshi glanced at the woman behind him, who was burning, hearing the wording coming out of his mouth.
She looked at the files she was given and smiled. It was an unusual feeling to be trusted with important things. She didn't have much to do back in Krishneri's direct state affairs. It was a different thing that she ran a rebellion secretly underneath and also did a lot of public administration work that her brother skipped out on, but she hadn't been directly involved.
"Also, remember to ask her about Rang Bhavan's finance files. I've already spoken to her about it. She'll explain to you how she managed the spending. You'll have a frame to work within. See how you want to change them, and Karma will hand over the Treasury keys to you." Mayurakshi nodded. "Also, as per the laws, we have to establish your allowances as well. So, prepare those as well. Since Amrita handles all those, speak with her. Things have been hectic since you've come here, and we should have gotten this done long ago. I don't see why we should stall it anymore."
"I'll handle all of this, Mavaiyya. Don't worry." She assured me with enthusiasm. If he trusted her with it, she was going to prove her value in the state administration. She held the papers with excitement.
He smiled at her enthusiasm. He knew that it was time to get involved in state administration. Women have always been exceptionally brilliant at financial administration. Shatrujit knew it firsthand. Amrita was exceptionally brilliant in business administration. She had several of her businesses that were successful in their own right. He wanted to bring Mayurakshi inside as well. She was a brilliant girl.
The information he had gathered from his spies about her was surprising to him. She had handled the little secret rebellion she was running with her monthly allowances. While maintaining herself, she was also maintaining the lifestyle for her maids, the rebel ministers, the assassins, the hospitals, and then her own batch of medicines. It took brilliance in administration to do all of it without Raashi beginning to doubt her. The girl moved swiftly like the wind and as secretly as a snake. You wouldn't notice her making a move. Shatrujit didn't directly confront her about the rebellion she was staging in Krishneri, but he made a note to bring it up with Shakra. Shatrujit found it impossible to believe his son didn't know about that little rebellion of hers.
Shatrujit had seen a variety of women. If the gods cannot control women, then who are men to be able to control them? All they needed was physical protection from men because of men. In all other ways, they're brilliant in their own right. This idea of women being brilliant was strengthened by the women he was surrounded by. Amritakumari commanded respect and fear from almost every single man in the court. She didn't need to always wear the crown to teach them who she was. Then there was Anvesha. Only a fool would dare to cross her. Aparajita wasn't far behind her mother in those aspects. As fierce as a woman comes, Aparajita was the fire in the court. Medhajiti wasn't going to be left behind by anyone. She hadn't officially started getting involved in administration, but she still knew how politics worked. She was being trained by Anvesha, which was a confirmation that the girl was going to be the best soon.
If these three women weren't enough, there was Saahiti. The girl knew way too much. Her observant nature was something Shatrujit wouldn't want to skip. It worked in his favor that she was extremely loyal to her country. Her sharp intelligence was infamous. Her opinions could sometimes be extremely controversial due to the family she was born into. Kumarasena was a natural pacifist. He believed that everything could be worked out in peaceful ways. Saahiti wasn't shy about making violent opinions if she saw them as fit.
That was one of the reasons why Mayurakshi gave him great hope. She was a girl who could stand tall in any adversity. A girl who knew she was suffering would be the first to respond when she saw someone else suffering. Mayurakshi wasn't a meek girl who could easily be pushed down. She was the kind of girl who would calmly take hits for a while until she was done with them. But when she hits back, it rattles everyone. Shakra has pushed her enough, and when she was pushed too much, she rattled him horribly. Something Shatrujit knew that his son wouldn't ever forget.
"All the best then, Kanna." He put his hand on her head affectionately. She took the parchments and files and walked out of the study. As she was passing ahead towards Rang Bhavan, she spotted Saahiti and Abhijit in a corner.
Abhijit held her arm tightly. The temper that reflected in Abhijit's eyes worried Mayurakshi.
'Why are Abhijit and Saahiti alone in a corner? Moreover, why is he holding her tightly like that? He doesn't look nice.' Mayurakshi waited there. She didn't know if she should interfere or not. As far as she knew Saahiti, no man could force her to stand in a corner alone. That girl was a fierce force to be reckoned with. She could stand her ground proudly and was pretty close to the Emperor. If she just said a word about being forced, the Emperor wouldn't hesitate to punish Abhijit.
You could all agree that the Emperor indulged a little too much in pleasure derived from women, but he wasn't a spineless man. He would stand up for Saahiti against even his own son if it came to it. Mayurakshi knew about it because she had known about the incident of him punishing his own brother by death when he was accused of having raped a woman. He wasn't shy with justice. He cared deeply for his people, even if he indulged in pleasures a little too much.
Abhijit had grabbed her wrist, slightly angry at her. Saahiti didn't seem to be pleased with whatever conversation they were having. Their conversation was a heated one.
The moment she noticed Saahiti wince at the tightness of his grip, Mayurakshi knew she had to act. She walked over.
"Abhijit?" She glanced at the grip on Saahiti's arm.
"Thank you for your acknowledgment of my existence, but we're a bit heated here." Abhijit retorted rudely.
"Let go of her arm." She was clear in her order.
"Saahiti and I are arguing; we're fine. You do not need to grace us with your infinite knowledge."
"Rajkumar Abhijit, release Saahiti right now. I'm not going to repeat myself."
"Do you want to leave, Saahiti?" Abhijit asked her.
"Rajkumari, we are fine." Saahiti expressed her opinion to Mayurakshi. She then turned to Abhijit and said, "I'm not too interested in this conversation anymore, Rajkumar. I'll be getting out of your hair."
"Sshhhhss, I'm not done with you, Saahiti." Abhijit blocked her way. "You are not getting rid of me this easily. You are mine. Get this through your thick head."
"Thank you for your confirmation, Rajkumar, but it doesn't make a difference to my situation. The problem rests on your side."
"I'm telling you. Just show up with me at a temple, and things will be fine."
"I'm not showing up anywhere, Rajkumar. You can't force me to."
"I definitely can, Saahiti. Don't push me to a point where I kidnap you."
The moment the words left Abhijit's mouth, a slap resounded in his face. Mayurakshi stood before Abhijit, burning up in fire.
"You try to threaten her again and then watch what I will do to you, Rajkumar Abhijit. If she's said no, that's the end of the discussion."
"You don't even know anything. How about staying out of this?"
Mayurakshi looked right into his eyes. "I will not stay out of it if you threaten to kidnap her. Try this again, and I will personally make your life hell. I don't care if you are my brother-in-law. Even if it were my own brother or my own son, I would not hesitate to take the steps that I would if you threatened her again. Don't taint the family you're born into. Don't taint the goddess you worship by forcing yourself on a woman. She can make her own decision. You cannot force her to marry you. I will not stand for it. Shame on you and your manliness that you have come to this level of disgusting persuasion. Threatening to forcefully marry her is something I expect from cowards. You, incapable of winning a girl's heart, will resort to this sort of disgusting tactic to marry her is despicable."
"Listen, you-" Another slap hit his face.
"Mind your tone when you speak to a woman."
Abhijit looked absolutely furious. He looked at Saahiti one last time and then walked away angrily.
"Are you alright?" Mayurakshi asked Saahiti.
Saahiti just watched Abhijit walk away. She almost reached out to stop him. Just at that moment, Karma arrived there. She guessed from Saahiti's reaction that something horrifying had happened. "Did you just slap him twice?" Saahiti asked Mayurakshi, horrified.
"He was threatening to kidnap and forcefully marry you!!!" Mayurakshi exclaimed. "You wanted me to dance happily? I do not wish to make a trend of forceful marriages, Saahiti."
Saahiti took a few deep breaths to calm herself. "Jumping to conclusions too quickly is a sign of poor decision-making skills, Rajkumari. Read the room before concluding anything." Saahiti ran her hands through her hair in worry and quickly shot off behind Abhijit calling for him.
"You slapped Rajkumar Abhijit?" Karma asked, shocked.
"He was threatening to forcefully marry her, Karma. He had held her hand so tightly and wasn't letting her go." Mayurakshi exclaimed, unable to understand the whiplash in Saahiti's behavior.
Karma took a deep breath. "Rajkumari, Saahiti and Abhijit are lovers. Rajkumar Abhijit and she have been having a rough patch with each other. Maharani Anvesha found out about their little love affair. Rajkumar had asked her permission to marry Saahiti, but she refused."
"What??!!! Why did she say no?"
"That only she can answer. But I don't believe that he would ever force her to marry him. It's just a boyish tendency to say things like that to prove intent. Saahiti wouldn't ever have a Rakshasa vivah."
Mayurakshi took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair. She messed up big time.
=============
Wow!!! First Ameya and now Mayura. Definitely, the family is crazy.
Also, did you guys know that our scripture divides marriages into different types?
Brahma Vivah: When the girl's father fetches a groom for her, it is considered Brahma Vivah. That means the father finds her a good match.
Daiva Vivah: When the father offers his daughter in marriage to a priest who has conducted a brilliant yagya for him.
Arsha Vivah: When the bride is married to a sage or a rishi, it is called Arsha Vivah. Basically, a brilliant example is Maharishi Agaystya and Lopamudra. Maharishi Agastya hears about Lopamudra, the Princess of Vidharba, and assumes her to be a good bride. He offers a marriage with the princess in return for two cows. Cows are holy for any sage. They are a source of various articles like milk, curd, and ghee. Ghee is one of the most important things in a Yagya. So, the Rishi offers his wealth in return for marrying the bride.
Prajapatya Vivah: The groom's father approaches the bride's father. The bride's family decides whether to accept the proposal or refuse the proposal. Our modern arranged marriages were supposed to be this but what it has turned into is crazy.
Gandharva Vivah: Love marriages!!! A girl and a boy are in love with each other and they get married to each other. Parents don't play a part in this.
Asura Vivah: Don't start me about this. I feel like our ancestors already knew that in Kaliyuga humans themselves will behave like asuras. Basically, the groom's family bribes the bride's parents and gets them to agree to a marriage. This is seen as buying something from the market.
Rakshasa Vivah: When the groom carries off the bride and forcefully marries her. The groom may also defeat the bride's family when they try to stop it. Well, in a way, Rukmini and Krishna are considered to have this kind of marriage but actually, it is more of a Gandharva Vivah because Rukmini asks Krishna to come and marry her.
Pisacha Vivah: The groom forces himself on her so that she cannot refuse a marriage with him.
The last three kinds are seen as the worst forms of marriages. That's because marriage shouldn't be a forceful event or a business deal. It should be accepted by the bride and the groom. The ideal is where the bride, the groom, and both the families agree to it.
I feel like we've not properly understood our own scriptures and get confused. Our ancestors have always considered the bride's approval. An example is from Mahabharata. Amba fell in love with Shalya raja but the Swayamvara was won by Bhishma for Vichitrvirya. So, she tells Bhishma about her love for Shalya raja and Bhishma lets her go to Shalya raja. If Bhishma pitahmah believes that the final decision should be made by the bride whether to marry or not, we should also follow the example.
What do you guys think? Let me know your thoughts.
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