Chapter 47

Vikrant becomes furious hearing this. He says

Vikrant: do you even realize what you are saying? Don't forget who you are. its because of me you are here. I'll kill you this instant.

He moves forward to kill him but some soldiers come and snatched away his sword. Rudra too moves forward to protect him but gopal didn't move from his place. He goes toward rananjay and stands on his side.

Gopal: I am no longer your bodyguard. From today I'll be protecting king rananjay.

Vikrant becomes stunned with the sudden turn of events. He was unable to think what to do. He is been betrayed by two people whom he trusted the most. Rananjay and satyajeet looks at gopal and smirks.gopal too gives them a devlish smile. Rudra knew it was gonna happen but to show vikrant and rananjay he faked to get shocked.

Rudra: how can you do this keshav? King vikrant brought us here and now you are betraying him.

Gopal: rudraksh..i only protect stronger one and according to me king rananjay is the strongest among all. He sacrificed a lot to reach here. From today we are no longer together. You'll stay on king vikrant's side and I'll stay with king rananjay's side.

Vikrant looks at gopal furiously and tried to attack him but he stopped him. rudra comes in his rescue. He whispers in his ears.

Rudra: maharaj..this rananjay instigated everyone against you. No one will listen to you here. It will be better if we'll go back and then decide what to do coz if we fight right now then we'll get killed.

Vikrant liked his idea and agreed to go back but before leaving he says and challenged rananjay.

Vikrant: you have to pay for what you have done? Soon you'll get to know the consequences of betraying vikrant.

Rananjay: it's me who is allowing you to go back or otherwise you two will be imprisoned. I am giving a chance to go back and don't ever come again. Don't think I am weak I am as strong as you.

Rudra and vikrant left with their soldiers. Before leaving rudra and gopal gave each other a look and shook their head.

In the evening

Rudra and vikrant reached videha. Vikrant entered the palace furiously. He was getting mad and starts throwing and breaking things. Rudra was enjoying his frustration and anger. Birju too comes there. He asked what happened but vikrant was way too mad to tell him anything. Rudra looks at him and smirks. He tells him everything; birju becomes happy but shows fake anger. He says.

Birju: those traitors should be given death penalty for betraying you my king. Its time to show them you are the most powerful. They have taken you for granted. Its time to show them your real power.

Vikrant: yes you are right. No one can betray me. They have to pay for this. I was a fool that I trusted them blindly.

Vikrant walks off in anger. Rudra and birju looks at each other and smiles. Rudra asks.

Rudra: its just a matter of few days after that everything will be fine..now we'll do what he has done 16 years ago.

Birju: yes absolutely. We wanted them to divide and we succeeded now its time to make next move.

Rudra: everything is fine here. How is shambavi?

Birju: she is good but I think she has a doubt on you. She is acting strange since yesterday. I think she has a doubt that you are rudra.

Rudra: really? Don't worry she'll not get to know until I tell her.

Birju: you are underestimating her again.

Rudra: no I am not but its for her own safety. She shouldn't get to know about my real identity coz if she'll get to know then I am afraid that she won't be able to control her emotions.

Birju: yes may be you are right. Its for the best.

Days passed..on one side birju and rudra were continuously instigating vikrant against rananjay and satyajeet and on the other side gopal was also doing the same. They were widening the gap between vikarnt and rananjay and were taking advantage of the situation. Rudra and birju was convincing him to declare a war against them and win over the kingdom again.

Rudra: maharaj, this is the only way to avenge your insult. How can you forget how much they humiliated you? It will set an example for many other kings and they won't dare to go against you. I am always here to protect you.

Vikrant: you are right. War is the only option. I'll kill those two by myself. I have the best soldiers. They can win any war easily. I want my kingdom back. I won't let them snatch it away from me.

Vikrant declared a war against rananjay. The messanger informs rananjay about the same.rananjay in overconfidence accepted the challenge and says.

Rananjay: if he wants war then he'll get it. It's time to tell him who the actual boss is. He thinks I am weak but he'll get to know that I am much more powerful than him.

Satyajeet wasn't happy with the war. He doesn't want this to happen. He says.

Satyajeet: no this is not the only option. What is the need of war when we can settle down peacefully.

Rananjay: but he wants war. I didn't declare it.

Satyajeet: we'll make him understand. We can't ruin our relationship with him. We were together since many years. No one will get benefit from this war.

Rananjay thinks for a while. He seems to be agreed with his thoughts but gopal wasn't happy. He too wanted war but due to satyajeet everything will be ruined.

Satyajeet: I'll go by myself and talk to him. I am sure there must be some solution to this.

Rananjay: ok if you say so but if he denied then war will happen at any cost.

Satyajeet: of course.

Satyajeet leaves for videha. Gopal quickly rushed to send a message about his arrival to rudra. He sends a letter to him and make sure that the message reaches him before satyajeet arrives.

In the evening

Rudra receives a letter and becomes worried. He says

Rudra: satyajeet is coming here. We have to stop him from coming here.

Rudra thinks for a while and says.

Rudra: I think I know.

Birju: I don't understand.what are you upto?

Rudra didn't say anything and left the palace.

In the night

Satyajeet with some soldiers was coming towards videha.when they were about to reach on the border of videha a masked man stopped their way.

Satyajeet: who are you and why did you stopped our way?

It was Rudra. He didn't say anything and attacks on them. Soon he killed all the soldiers,except one. Satyajeet fell from his horse and looks at him horrified. Rudra goes near him and unmasked himself. Satyajeet becomes shocked seeing him. He says

Satyajeet: you.why are you doing all this? Who are you?

Rudra: I am your death. Last time I couldn't punish you but today no one can save you from me.

Satyajeet: no please don't kill me..why do you want to kill me? I didn't do anything.

Rudra: you tried to kill my shambhavi and you say you didn't do anything.

Satyajeet becomes stunned hearing shambhavi's name.

Satyajeet: you..are You?? But how is it possible? You were dead. No you can't be alive. You can't be Rudra.

Rudra: I am Rudra and I am alive. I won't die until i kill my mother's murderer.

Rudra grabs his neck from his hands and breaks it. Satyajeet died instantly. The soldier who was left alive was watching all this horrified. He was shivering from fear. Rudra goes near him and pata on his shoulder. He says.

Rudra: you don't want this happen to you.do you?

He nods in no.

Rudra: then do as I say.

The soldier nods in yes.

Next morning

Rananjay was waiting for satyajeet impatiently outside the palace. Soon the soldier whom Rudra threatened comes with satyajeet's body on a horse. Rananjay quickly rushed towards him. The soldier keeps his body on the ground. Rananjay becomes teary eyed and touched satyajeet's face. He asks

Rananjay: what happened?

Soldier: maharaj, we went to videha but king vikrant didn't listen to him.he even tried to make him understand but he becomes furioys and killed all the soldiers and killed satyajeet brutally. He spare my life so that I can bring his body back and convey his messages to you that he'll kill you too like satyajeet.

Rananjay becomes enraged. His fist clenched in anger. He cries out loud vikrant's name in anger and says.

Rananjay: vikrant,you have done the biggest mistake of your life now you'll face my wrath.

"Prepare for the war"he shouts. Gopal smirks.

In videha's palace.

Vikramaditya and padmavati was discussing about the war. They were in disbelief and were wondering how two friends suddenly becomes enemy. Shambhavi was also shocked to hear about it. She was getting more confident on the fact that rudraksh is Rudra. Both kingdom's armies head towards battleground.rudra and birju was on vikrant's side whereas gopal was on rananjay's side. Soon the war started. Many soldiers died in both the armies. Rudra and gopal too fight with each other but only as if they were practicing sword fighting. The war continued for days. Only some soldiers were left in both the armies but nobody was able to defeat the other one.the army that vikrant made in 16 years destroyed in few days. No one was ready to give up. Shambhavi's birthday was coming. The day when vikrant killed kannika. The day that changed everyone's lives.

At night

Birju and Rudra were standing on the balcony. Rudra was looking at the kingdom if videha. Birju pats in his shoulder and says.

Birju: tomorrow is the day. The day we all waited for.16 years ago he killed your mother and tomorrow he'll meet his fate.

Rudra was silent he didn't say anything.he was in deep thinking. Tomorrow is very important day not only for him but for shambhavi also. He knew it's her birthday and she never celebrate her birthday but he knew that after tomorrow everything will be changed. Suddenly he saw someone sneakingly going outside the palace putting over a blanket. He takes a closer look and it didn't take a second for him to recognise that it was shambhavi.

Rudra: where is she going this time?

Birju: I don't know I never saw her going outside like this in all these months.

Rudra reminices raunak's words about shambhavi been going somewhere on her birthday. He goes behind her.shambhavi was going in the town. She was making sure that nobody saw her. She was hiding her face. Rudra was following her but was far away from her so that she doesn't see him. For a moment she feels as if someone is following her she turns around but finds no one. She continues to walk. She reaches a house and knocks on the door. Someone opened the door and she goes inside. Rudra goes near the house. He was looking for a window so that he could see her. He looks around the house and finds a window and he can clearly see shambhavi from that window .He was shocked and confused to see the person whom she came to meet. He was rajpurohit of the kingdom. He was too far to hear their conversation.all he could hear was that rajpurohit said that he'll reach there. Their conversation didn't last for long and shambhavi left from there. Rudra was very confused as to why she came to meet rajpurohit. So many questions were roaming in his mind. But he knew that tomorrow all his questions will be answered. The secret which she was keeping for so many years will no longer be a secret.

Next morning.

Shambhavi gets up early. She took blessings of her parents. They wanted to wish her but couldn't coz she took a promise that no one will ever wish her on her birthday Vikrant and birju left for the battlefield. Briju told vikrant that rudra will come after sometime and will bring some more soldiers with him. Soon she left the palace alone. Rudra was watching her and decided to follow. She took promise from her parents but she didn't take promise from him so he wanted to know where she had been going since 11 years. He noticed that she was walking bare foot. He was hell confused and was eager to know where she is going. She reached the shiv parvati temple where rudra and shambhavi confessed their love for each other. Rudra quickly hides behind a tree so that she couldn't see him. She was waiting for someone. After sometime rajpurohit comes there. Shambhavi becomes delighted seeing him.

Shambhavi: I thought you won't come.

Rajpurohit: I had to come. I am coming since past 11 years..how could I break the promise which I have given to you years ago?

Shambhavi: thank you for coming purohit ji.

Rudra was listening to all this. He was still puzzled about about whom they were talking about. Rajpurohit gives her a white saree and she goes to change. When she returns he handed over a portrait to her wrapped in a red velvet cloth. She gently removes the cloth. Rajpurohit makes the arrangement. It looks like they were doing some kind of havan. Shambhavi gently keeps down the portrait.she puts a garland on the portrait and then puts pallu on her head. Rudra takes a closer look and taken a back seeing the portrait.

Rajpurohit: nobody knows that you are performing queen kannika's shraadh since 11 years. I will always keep this secret with me. You have a heart of gold princess. Instead of celebrating your birthday you perform her shraadh.

Rudra goes few steps back. Tears were rolling down from his eyes.he was seeing her in a new light. His love and respect for her grow even more than ever before.

jyoti072014-05-08 01:06:07