Chapter 210

Chapter 293: The Undocumented Dinistr

It was four months since Payal became a carrying mother and the whole Castle was gearing up for the Communal Celebration of her Child Bearing. The Ceremony was fixed for the coming week and all the fervour of the Castle returned in full hue.

Lady Deviyani temporarily forgot her worries about missing Fortune and took up the reins in the prepping the paraphernalia. But her zeal was not without rivalry.

Since everything pertained to the precious fruit of Payal's womb, the future great-grandmother had to compete with the future grandmother, Lady Manorama, who was particularly insistent on certain events in the schedule and the accessories needed for the ballroom. The servants stood about, shaking their heads, as they watched the two women warring with their persuasive choices.

If Nani elected a colour for the curtains, Lady Manorama would indignantly pick a shade that was poles apart from the former's choice. Decision-making became problematic and both women would turn to the pregnant Payal for a resolution. Since it was a difficult venture to select one and reject the other, Payal would wisely make a third option which would win popular vote from Kushi, Lady Anjali and the servants of the house. And, of course, when everyone in the house and "the Lady of the Celebration" herself makes a preference, the Nani and the Mami must abandon their campaigns and follow cue.

And so, the women busied themselves in the Castle, scheduling and decorating, and the Elder Lord involved in the undertakings too, for he was the one who was to initiate the Ceremony this time and not Nani.

Meantime, at the Industry, the First Lord was in the midst of some financial documenting, with scrolls and books scattered on his office table, when the Second Lord walked in and expressed a worry to his brother, "Did you remove the reinforcements off the shoreline?"

"Yes," replied Lord Arnav casually, his brooding eyes glancing from a book on the table to the scroll in his hand, "I had established them there on the basis of rumours but, three weeks down, nothing unusual has occurred. So I asked them to quit, for it was impractical to have men patrolling the coast and pay them unnecessarily when we already have a good enough dock office."

Lord Akash was silent and his lack of response made Lord Arnav looked up,

There was something about his expression that betrayed a knowledge the other was not privy to.

"What is it?" asked Lord Arnav guardedly.

"When did you last relieve them their positions?" asked Lord Akash warily.

"One week ago," said Lord Arnav.

Lord Akash frowned thoughtfully.

Lord Arnav scowled, "What is it, Akash?"

"It seems, two nights back, there was an undocumented arrival," said Lord Akash.

Lord Arnav stared at his brother, disbelievingly, "Who conveyed you this information?"

"Our footman, Lal, had heard of it from a fisherman when he'd gone to the market in the morning."

The First Lord was suspicious, "How do you know the fisherman can be trusted?"

"As soon as Lal was informed this, he set out with a team of our men to the reported coast."

"And?" Lord Arnav leaned forward expectantly.

"There was a ship marooned there," mentioned the cautious Lord Akash, "By the name of Dinistr."

Lord Arnav was astounded, "We have never had a ship of that name harbour here before." He rolled up the scroll in his hand, "What other knowledge has he of this vessel?"

"They searched the ship but found it empty. No men, no stock, no ration or weapons."

"What-?" Lord Arnav was enraged and his words shot out like furious arrows, "Of course they would find nothing on it. It's been a WEEK!! Whoever came in it, smuggled into our land easily whatever else was on board that ship!"

Lord Arnav arose from his chair and threw the scroll onto the table, "Where is Aman?"

A single eyebrow of Lord Akash rose, "You mean Adil."

Lord Arnav paused and then corrected himself angrily, "Of course, I meant Adil! Where is he?"

"He is downstairs in the grainage. You sent him for-"

"I don't care what I sent him for," ordered Lord Arnav, "Tell him to meet me at once!"

When Lord Akash conveyed the command to the servant outside the door, Adil promptly presented himself within the minute.

"Master, you called?" he bowed, his expression ever aloof.

"I want you to scour the land and, particularly, the Inns and obtain me information about any foreigner or stranger who is new to the land."

"At once, Master," the servant bowed respectfully and left to comply with the colossal commission.

Lord Arnav sank into his armchair, his fisted hand knocking absentmindedly on the armrest of his chair, "I don't like the prospect of this issue."

Lord Akash regarded his brother, "You mean, the ship being empty?"

"No," Lord Arnav looked at his brother, a discernible depth in his gaze, "If the ship had waited to dock at our coast exactly after the reinforcements were removed, it means they were alerted of the opportune time."

Astonished by the revelation, Lord Akash stared at him as Lord Arnav repeated the undeniable truth, "Someone in Arhasia helped that ship find easy entry into the land. Someone in Arhasia is the reason Dinistr is here."

And that someone, the First Lord convinced himself, having conjured a faint idea of who it was, is going to taste the full wrath of messing with Lord Arnav Singh Raizada.