Shadyantra (Evil Plot)
"What? What did you say, just repeat it?"
"Yes, my lady, you heard me right. I swear to God that I'm telling the truth. The new princess wants to kill our Yuvraj (crown prince) to avenge her father's death and the capture of her kingdom. The guards posted outside the prince's room heard her babbling to herself but they didn't dare to go inside the prince's private room. The prince might even be dead by now." informed the spy who roamed in the guise of a servant inside the palace.
" Quickly go and inform my son, Shyam that his mother awaits his presence eagerly to have a word with him. Go, go fast!" exclaimed Mayuri as she drove away her servants.
Shyaam, came running to his mother's room. He was eager to know why his mother was calling him at this hour of the night.
"This always happens! Whenever I have almost convinced that Sayantani to come in bed with me, this mother of mine calls me for her silly issues. I wish either that Sayantani would become less stubborn or mother would become less silly", he talked to himself furiously.
He was frustrated that once again when he tried to touch his wife she moved away stubbornly. He couldn't force her as he had to maintain a good picture in front of her to ensure she wouldn't complain to the Emperor. After all she was Aryamann's best friend's daughter.
"What happened, mother? Why did you call me so late in the night?"
"Son, we have to execute our plan now itself. My spy has informed me that the new princess, uh what was her name? I seem to have forgot..."
"Tarini. Her name is Tarini..."
"You seem to have a lot of interest in her?" She raised an eyebrow seeing him eye the walls dreamily. "Hmmm...What I was saying is that Tarini wants to kill your rival!"
"Who? Bhadraketu?"Shyam scrunched his eyebrows in confusion.
" No, you fool! She wants to kill your rival- Arnav Singh Raizada - he crown prince of Aaranya - the title which befits my son and not my step son! Anyways by now, she might have already done so."
"So my way to the throne shall be clear. I shall automatically become the crown prince." Shyam looked at Mayuri wickedly.
"Yes, that's why I suggest we that kill Aryaman tonight. This shall ensure that tomorrow, with sunrise, Aaranya gets to see you ,my son, as the new emperor. Ha ha ha!" Mayuri laughed evilly as she found the perfect opportunity to execute her well thought out plan.
"Yes, our dream shall come true. But Ma, I yet didn't understand why did you accept Arnav as your son when he was a child. Instead you could have easily killed him, then and there. He couldn't have even resisted your attack at that tender age."
"All for your father, son." Mayuri turned towards the walls to hide the tears welling in eyes. "All for him. I was always just a duty in the form of a wife and at the most a friend for him. Never the woman he loved or felt passion for. Somehow I managed to kill Arnav's mother, Sunayana to gain aaryamann's attention. I thought at least in her absence he shall engage himself into spending more time with me. But then he (swallowing her tears) ...He became totally engrossed in loving that Arnav in an attempt to find glimpses of Sunayana in him. Then to remain in Aryamann's good books, it was important for me to fake that I too adore Arnav."
"But you are father's first queen, Ma. Why then did you need to seek his attention?"
" I told you right, Aaryamann loved Sunayana. I was just his first wife, never a lover. He might claim that he loves me but I know, he always loved Sunayana more than me and shall continue doing so." Mayuri stared the maroon walls of her room as a tear found it's way down her cheeks.
*******
The same night, in Aryamann's chamber;
Mayuri, wrapped in the most beautiful silk brocade she owned, made her way towards Aryaman's couch with an exquisite silver glass.
"My king, you must be so tired. Here, have a sip of this special wine I have brought for you. Your tiredness shall go away forever in no time." Mayuri seductively said, putting one arm around Aryaman's broad shoulder and sitting on his lap.
"Yes, I'm really tired, Mayuri but I am happy too.Arnav is finally married... to the prettiest and most worthy bride just like he deserved. She is perfect for him. Did you see how her eyes shone with kindness and valour?" He looked at Mayuri with content in his heart as he accepted the glass she offered.
"Of course, I did. I hope you shall sleep well after this." She smiled while he gulped the drink unaware of the malicious thoughts which were clouding his most trusted person's mind.
As Aryamann slowly drank the deep red wine from the beautiful silver glass, the deep red blood in his veins slowly started rising. He died a fast yet painful death. He yelped for help but Mayuri held his mouth tightly so his screams couldn't reach the guards outside.
His only fault was that he trusted her, whom he considered a friend, more than his life. He was never partial to her. He loved the kids irrespective of who their mother was.But he couldn't help being more romantic with Sunayana after all, she was the one who owned his heart.
Mayuri felt tears welling in eyes as she saw her husband gasp for breath. In the back of her mind her conscience was screaming in an attempt to stop her.
Mayuri was his childhood friend, a princess of a neighbouring kingdom to whom his marriage was arranged so that he could be made king. It was a rule that before becoming king the prince had to marry a girl of noble birth like a princess or a minister's daughter etc...The second and other all wives may however be of any other caste.
Mayuri had been brought up with with the typical ideology that princesses were fed with - ' Ensure that your son is the next king.' She had been in love with her husband until she sensed the threat to her position as soon as Sunayana entered her husband's life.
Sunayana was just a non -princely girl from a nearby village whose simplicity was what made Aaryamann fall head over heels for her.
The day she saw the love which she wanted from Aaryaman bend towards her co-wife, Mayuri had a major change in personality. Her only aim in life was to somehow gain all the power she could in the kingdom.
Gulping her tears, Mayuri waited for him to die and then screamed loudly, beckoning the guards. She cried and told them that the Emperor fell to the floor after consuming a large amount of alcohol.

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