This is the final chapter in this story guys!!!! I'm so thankful to you all for following through on my journey. This story has been my hard work with background research on Ancient India and so many things. I've learned a lot in this writing journey.
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When Mayurakshi finished her bath, she saw Karma and Diksha animatedly talking about her outfit for the day.
"Are you two alright? What is the fuss about?"
"Rajkumari, we have to look your best today."
"Is there a festival or anything?"
"No, there isn't a festival."
"Then what is going on?"
Karma and Diksha looked at each other with a smile. The door opened and Amritakumari entered the room. "Atthaiyya?"
She smiled at Mayurakshi. Karma and Diksha bowed down to her. "You haven't yet decided on the outfit you want to wear?"
"I usually leave it to Diksha to decide the clothing for the day," Mayurakshi commented, confused about the whole outfit question. Amritakumari signaled Diksha. Diksha instantly brought forward all the clothing options they had looked at.
"I like yellow and red. The two are auspicious colors. Amritakumari decided. Mayurakshi finished dressing in the red and yellow saree. Amrita made Mayurakshi sit down before the mirror and decorated the jewelry on her.
"From today, Mayura, you will always keep your head up and look people in the eye. In the world of men, women don't have much space to spread their wings. But remember this: you are Sita to Ayodhya. You are Draupadi to Indraprastha. You are Kamakshi to Kailasha. You are Mahalakshmi to Vaikuntha. This Empire is your home. Defend it ferociously. Anyone who wishes harm to this home of yours is your enemy. You aren't a sparrow. You aren't a bunny. You are the tiger next to Chandika. Never let anyone take away that ferocity from you. Bangaram kaadu Mayura, nuvve Sri Mahalakshmi. Premaga nee bharta ninnu emani pilichina parledu kani andaru gurtunndedattuga undu. Nuvve Sri Mahalakshmi ikkada." (You aren't gold; you are the goddess who gives wealth. Your husband may call you whatever he wants, but live in a way everyone remembers. You are Sri Mahalakshmi here.)
"Atthaiyya?" Mayurakshi was confused.
"You are officially going to be my heir from today on. Don't be my heir in the name. Take it in essence. Every single Empress of the Kalika Empire has been the essence of Sri Chandika, whom we worship. Chandika is a loving mother to all her children, but she is ferocious, and people don't dare cross her. When they do, they face the harsh consequences."
"Me?" Mayurakshi's shock made its way into her face. She couldn't understand. It was just unusual. She didn't expect it at all. She hadn't envisioned Amrita making her the future Empress of the Kalika Empire. She had sounded quite unsure of it when she first arrived in the Kalika Empire. All his siblings did.
"Yes."
"Did Mavaiyya say anything about it?"
"Maharaj doesn't decide who takes my throne. I do. You have earned your position here, Mayura." Amritakumari looked at the burn mark on her ankles when she brought the anklet.
"Atthaiyya, I'll put that myself..." She hesitated to let her touch her feet. Amritakumari looked at her and smiled. Mayurakshi took the anklets from her and put them on herself. "I didn't save him to get a title, Atthaiyya."
She couldn't take the idea that someone was putting a price tag on her love for the man who was like a father to her. Her affection and care were purely out of her own choice. She didn't want it to be maligned by people's nonsense commentary.
"Many people have put their lives at risk to save him, Mayura. I didn't give them all some sort of title or something. I am giving you this because of what you showcased that day. Maharaj told me about your conversation with him about the girl. I saw you handling administration for a while. You have been brilliant at that for a while now. But I came to this strong conclusion when you didn't hesitate to walk into the fire-lit building to save my husband. You didn't save him because he was the king. You saved him because he was your own. The first quality a queen should have is a deep love for all those she considers hers. A mother will jump into fire for her children. All of these people are your children. Once you experience them as your children, I know you will fearlessly go into any dangerous situation for their sake. A queen who can give up her most cherished possessions for her people deserves the place. The second is your foresight into the conversation with Maharaj. A king might falter, but a queen should stand up and show him the right path. She has to abide by her point to change his mind. Maharaj would have possibly forgiven the girl just for the thought that she was a poor girl who had to do the task given to her by her master. Yet, you stood your ground and defended your point. Compassion is needed, no doubt, but compassion that makes us weak isn't good. We cannot forgive those who have caused terrible damage. That fire could have claimed lives, and that isn't forgivable. It is necessary to recognize a criminal as a criminal and not discriminate against them on the basis of their gender, varna, or pantha. Justice cannot be blind. It has to be someone who can see through all the hides a human can wear. If blindness was supposed to make someone indiscriminate, Dritharastra should have been the epitome of justice, but it isn't. Vidura saw Dharma, and that is why he has the right to explain Dharma. Age isn't what gives wisdom; it is the essence of what you believe in that gives wisdom. Loyalty shouldn't be a hindrance to justice. Bhishma's loyalty only brought him a terrible death. He died on a bed of thorns. No loyal man deserves that kind of death. Karna's loyalty led him to be killed while removing the chariot's wheel. Loyalty is good, but loyalty to the wrong people is always wrong. Remember that your loyalty is first to the people of this kingdom."
Mayurakshi watched her give her pearls of advice while she decorated her.
"You are young, but age will not give you an excuse for mistakes from now on. Men in power can be downright cruel. That is why a tigress is more fierce than a tiger. She has to be the harder one in the jungle. You, too, have to be harder than Shakra. Be as hard as a diamond. You know how to play the submissive girl, but now you should learn when to dominate every other man in the room. Yesterday was the last day you were a young girl, Mayura. From today on, you are a goddess. This kingdom is your Swarga, and you are the Indrani. No man should be able to question your presence here. Make the earth your Swarga. When you do good, not everyone will praise you, but the moment you do something wrong, everyone will point to you. That is how politics works. That is why you should be ferocious."
Mayurakshi looked at her, slightly worried. She had hoped for a calmer life than the one she had in Krishneri. She hadn't expected a far harder life. Especially so much into the world of politics. Amrita saw her expression and smiled.
"You won't find a silver lining in a golden spoon, Mayura. You have to find it. In a rare appearance, you will find a silver lining. You have to be careful, grab it with both your hands, and do everything in your power to keep it with you. You have Saahiti and Veer with you right now. Don't stop looking, because you have two. Build an army of people who know how to advise you and stand with you for the right thing."
Mayurakshi was soon ready, and Amrita smiled looking at her. Taking a bit of kajal from her eyes, Amrita put it behind her ears. "May no evil eye hold you." Mayura smiled.
"I'm sure I have the brilliant opportunity to be your audience, Attaiyya. You have a long life. So, I am not that worried."
Amrita chuckled. "I retire from politics when my husband gets off the throne. You're taking over from then."
"It's safe to say that I have some good time to perfect myself then. I am sure I can get Mavaiyya to stay there as long as I want." Amrita laughed at Mayura's assurance. It sounded just like Aparajita.
"First, there will be a yagya. Shakra, and you will perform it. After that, the pujari garu will give you the signet ring. Then you take your place next to Shakra."
Mayurakshi nodded. Amrita led her towards Sri Chandika's temple. Shakra was already sitting there. He saw Mayurakshi and smiled. Mayurakshi saw her family already there. Gokula, Madalasa, Jayant, Amarkant, and Yuvika. Mayurakshi was surprised, not knowing when they had arrived.
She sat down next to Shakra for the yagya. It took a while for the yagya to be completed. The pujari gave her flowers from the goddess, and Mayurakshi put them in her hair. He then gave her a signet ring. The signet ring was also used as a seal. She could issue official documents as the Queen. The seal was exactly like the one that Shakra had. It was to show that her seal had the same weight as Shakra's.
In an odd way, the ring suddenly made her feel heavy.
"Yuvrani, this is a gift from the Goddess. Every queen is given a gift by the goddess when they are crowned the crown princess. It is a symbol of her acceptance of the Princess as her representative." The pujari explained as he handed her a chudamani. Mayurakshi joined her palms in respect to the goddess and replaced the chudamani in her hair. The chudamani was her crown. She was ordained by the goddess to rule in her name, along with Shakra.
Amrita took out a pearl necklace she was wearing and put it around Mayurakshi. "Vijayi bhava, Yuvrani."
After the yagya was complete, Mayurakshi sat on the royal elephant. The people of Ambikapuram welcomed her with flowers and blessings. They cheered at their crown princess. Mayurakshi accepted them all with folded palms.
Mayurakshi had not known what it felt like to be a mother. She only knew everything that girl knew. She had been a princess and a politician, but she hadn't known how to be a mother. When she saw the people out of their homes welcoming her in such huge crowds, she saw the aspirations they had for her. A queen wasn't just the wife of the king. She was the mother of her people. She was the mother of their hopes, aspirations, happiness, sadness, good fortune, and misfortune altogether. She was the human representation of Adishakti for them. Adishakti, who could save them from danger and bring Parameshwara closer to them in good times.
The shower of flowers from them felt like they offering her their hope, which seemed as heavy as the Govardhana Krishna carried on his little finger. Mayurakshi, with a smile, bore it all. Their eyes shone with brimming hope in their hearts. They showered her with all their love and affection. It was the sweetest honey of all. They had all their faith in her. They believed her to be their future and loving mother. That is why the Empress was called Mahadevi. She was the embodiment of the goddess as a queen.
She was prepared to bear their weight. She would do her best to do what is right for them all.
After all, a mother naturally knows what is best for her children. Motherhood is the greatest teacher of all. It teaches bravery, fierceness, softness, love, and compassion.
Mayurakshi returned to the fort after the Vijaya yatra and entered the court. She sat next to Shakra as the Yuvrani. The court proceedings went on, and everyone congratulated her on her crowning. She accepted their congratulations with a smile.
"Congratulations, Mayura." Gokula said. She smiled at him. He looked at her and put his hand on her head. "I am proud of you."
The line brought out an unusual feeling within her. He had never said that before to her. Not in her time in Krishneri.
Gokula's eyes smiled at his honesty. Mayurakshi didn't know what to say. She had given up hope that he would say anything like that. She didn't know it was possible for him to actually say something like that.
"Not because you've become the Queen of the Kalika Empire, but because of how you've become. I had lived in fear of Raashi for a long time. A very long time. I feared her reaction. I forgot how to react to wrongdoing. I feared what would happen to Madalasa, you, and so many others. You, unlike me, turned out to be the brave one who took on her straight ahead. You were braver than me. I heard so many things about you while I was arriving here. It is like all of this fort has affection for you."
Mayurakshi smiled.
"I may have hidden my affection for you, but I want you to know that I have loved you just as much as Yuvika. Only that, I have always been scared of what would happen to you if Raashi knew of it. She has always been extremely possessive like that. She couldn't bear that I could love others as well. That's why I started fearing her. She could go to any lengths for what she wanted. A man's weakness is his love."
Mayurakshi chuckled. "No, Nanna, a man's weakness isn't his love. It is a fear of losing it. How can you lose something when it is in you? Love is within you. It can't die. People may, but love doesn't. Love is as eternal as Ananda. How can love be restricted to just a form or a body? It is an emotion. Emotions that emerge from you."
Mayurakshi smiled, remembering the time when Guru Vishwanath had told her that. "You focused on the perishable and lost the imperishable. People are perishable, but love isn't."
Gokula chuckled. She had become wiser than him.
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This was the final chapter guys!!! I feel that we've come a full circle. Although when I first planned the story, I didn't plan to finish it with Gokula finally admitting his weakness to her then I thought Mayurakshi needed closure to move forward in her life.
I felt that it would forever remain a blockage in her growth because she didn't get a proper closure with her dad.
Secondly, I just loved the conversation between Amrita and Mayura. She was a brilliant politician and Princess but Amrita had to begin teaching her about being a Queen. Mayura hid her ferocity because she had to be the sweet little princess she was expected to be. Amrita had to tell her that a Queen's strength is in her ferocity when it comes to her people.
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