CN SS: ~REVENGE~ part 11 updated at page 31 - Page 19

Originally posted by: Shinning_Stuti

PART: 8

"So this is the list of the new maids of the palace." Chandra was going through the register-book swiftly. "6 maids have been employed recently, and others are old, working from the time of Nand. I will not be surprised if some of them are found faithful to Nand." He frowned... "Though that girl did not seem to be a normal maid of the palace... I can't remember to see her face before. Is she a newly employed one? " He looked at his efficient and faithful attendant. "Have you got the names of the visitors who met Nandputri from the in-charge of the spies of Antahpur?"

No wonder Chandragupta spots her at once, she is too glamorous, and for all the efforts she must have made to deglamorise herself, spectacular looks like hers would always stand out and invite attention. That is why the best spies are always those who look utterly commonplace and can blend seamlessly into a crowd.

But I supppose Dhananand had very few choices in the matter; there could not have been so many women clever enough to handle this task and also totally loyal to him!

The young attendant nodded and handed him another list. Chandra read the names fast. His frowns deepened. "Just as I thought... The girl is appointed most recently..." He looked at the man. "Do you know if Acharya has returned or not?"

"No Your Majesty... " He answered. There was a touch of worry in his voice too.

Chandra was worried. His Acharya has suddenly got out of the palace with a single horse and no security guards without notifying him. It was afternoon when he left, now it is nearly midnight. Sometimes Acharya really act recklessly. Despite knowing Nand's men are right here in Magadh, what was the reason of going out unarmed! At least he could have told Chandra where he is going! He knows that it's almost impossible to harm his Acharya, but still one should not be over-confident too! With the worry his mind filled with a childlike resentment to his guru...

Now this bit is very perceptive. Chandragupta is similarly peeved when Chanakya will not tell him the name of the insider who is in touch with him. It is a deep streak of possessiveness towards his guru, combined with a degree of emotional dependence on him that cannot even contemplate the very idea of harm coming to his mentor.

"Should we send soldiers to search Acharya, Majesty?"

"No..."Chandra sighed! "Let us wait for one more hour, after that I myself will go to find him! You can leave." He sat on the nearby couch and ordered him. "Inform me whenever you get any news of him! I am waiting...and listen..." he showed him the register-book. "I want to know every details of this particular maid within one day. Hurry up."

After the attendant left, he again went through the register-book with concentration. 6 maids are appointed recently, and among them the girl named Nayna has been recruited yesterday only. The same girl was there with Nandputri in her room today noon when he was talking with her. The same girl whom he had suspected right then, and had instructed to keep an eye on her every move to the spies of the Antahpur. He had reasons to suspect her; Nandini is a house-arrested prisoner and there are only some selected maids who have access to serve her. His Acharya Chanakya himself has selected them, and that is not known by everyone of the palace except Chandra, Chanakya, the in-charge of the spies and those very faithful girls. Chandra does not know all of them personally but he has seen everyone at least for once, so seeing an unknown face in Nandini's room with suspicious attitude was not a matter to neglect. After getting the clue that Nand is trying to contact with his daughter via some message, he had already doubled the spies around Nandini, all the names of any mere person visiting her for any reason was being recorded. And that record says that the same girl has tried to fetch Nandini ample times just after joining, and the very clever in-charge has given her that scope to get further news. Else it is not possible that the very newly recruited maid will serve the imprisoned queen right at the day after joining.

I liked this systematic functioning of a streamlined spy system very, very much. It is so soothing to see a smooth, well oiled mechanism at work. As for the part that I have underlined, it is, as I had explained in my Dhai Rang Prem Ke post, the standard modus operandi for dealing with a suspected spy. He or she is never arrested at once. Instead, the suspect is watched and followed, until it is felt that no more information about his/her contacts and other useful elements remains to be gathered. At which point, the suspect is pulled in, and sent for trial and punishment.

The register says that the girl is a dweller of Pataliputra, and today only he has got a proof that Nand's men are right here in the capital. This girl is very likely sent by them. All the new maids are verified with every detail before recruitment, surely this girl too went through that panel... yet she entered inside the Antahpur safely. That means she and the men behind her are very clever, and the web is spread deeply inside the system too.

As I had noted in my comments on your last chapter, Chandragupta is above all a realist, who faces things as they are, and does not kid himself that they are not going wrong. This is a very healthy trait, especially in a ruler, and it makes sure that he can smell a conspiracy and nip it in the bud before it goes too far.

It is the absence of this instinct, and the collapse of this excellent spy system, that led to the assassination of Brihadrata Maurya by his own commander in chief Pushyamitra Sunga, barely 47 years after the death of Ashoka the Great.

While thinking about all these Chandra felt impatient. God knows how many spies have been sent by Nand in the same process. God knows how much they are capable to harm them. God knows what the message was that the girl was carrying! God knows what is cooking up in enemy camp! What if the spies of Nand know that Acharya has gone out of the palace without any guard? What if they do anything wrong to him? He should not delay matters, and should search for him at once. But if there is really any confidential work where Acharya is engaged he should not ruin that... he must wait till the bell of midnight rings, else Acharya will be angry with him!

While sitting idle he was at the edge of tension. Then suddenly something clicked him, he pulled the books borrowed from Nandini, and started turning the pages one by one.

Just then Helena stood in front of his door.

She was angry. But more than that she was hurt... Even after a lot of trials she was unable to ignore Chandra's behaviour in Nandini's room. Maybe she had come into a conclusion hastily, but whatever may happen, she does not expect, and cannot bear it as well, that Chandra himself will hurt her pride in front of that proud and egoistic princess of the previous king of this kingdom! Helena cannot forget how strangely Chandra was acting all normal with that imprisoned convict in front of the guards and the maids despite the allegations against her directly coming from the chief queen, and he did not even care that it would affed the image of Helena! After that he directly proved in front of everyone that it is Helena who is wrong!

No, he never misbehaved, rather he was extremely caring about the courtesy, but does that heal the wound of insult which Chandra gave her by hurting her ego badly in front of Nandini, and proving in front of all present there that the convict queen Nandini has greater importance for His Majesty than the chief consort Helena? But even after that she expected that Chandra himself come to her to talk about this, and to offer an apology to her; after all he is Chandra... Helena does not expect him to be so insensitive about her feelings... she cannot!

But she was wrong. Forget an apology, he did not even come to the Antahpur after this. Still she hoped against hope that he is busy, and so he can't come to her right at that time! But there is also a limit of waiting! After waiting the whole afternoon, the evening and the night, at last she could not hold herself any more and came to meet him personally.

And what she saw? That Chandra is sitting idle on the couch in front of a heap of books, with a book opened in front of him... the same books about which he was talking with Nandini at the noon!

The scene itself inflamed Helena's mind and heart in a strange fire of rage and jealousy. Yes, she felt jealous!

"Sandracottus!" Yet she called him in a mild tone, composing her voice. Chandra looked back.

"Helena you? At this time of night?" Chandra kept the book aside. "Any problem?"

Helena was already full of strong resentment against Chandra, so this very natural question stung at her heart directly! "It means I can't come to talk to you when I do not have any problem right?"

Chandra stared at her for some moments, then could not help but to smile helplessly. "What happened? You are looking angry?"

"Not at all Y our Majesty! This mere woman has no right to get angry... I am very sorry to disturb you in your leisure... I can see you were doing very important work- like reading books... I am sorry!" She turned back to leave, hoping against hope for the last time that this time Chandra will not ignore her!

"Stop Helena... Come in." Chandra's plea sounded like a command. He got up from his seat and moved towards her. "Tell me what you wanted to say!"

Helena entered the room, biting her lips to express her anger. "I am sorry to come to you this way at this night Chandra, but I had no way... as I had expected you yourself will come to me." She paused for a bit then uttered in a bit softer voice. "I really did not expect this from you Chandra! I cannot believe that you insulted me that way!"

"I insulted you??" Chandra had no clue about this allegation. He had been beset with so many matters today that he did not even remember the incident with Helena in Nandini's room.

"You think you didn't?" Helena was fuming, and was controlling herself with great effort! "When you proved me wrong that way in front of that Nandini, and gave more importance to her silly habit of reading books over my allegations in front of all the guards and maids, and the way you put me down in front of that proud peacock..." She took long breath. "What was that if not an insult, Chandragupta Maurya?"

"My God!" Chandra smiled palely in response. "Believe me everything was too spontaneous, I obviously had no intention of putting you down in front of Nandputri and the guards! But even after that if my behaviour has hurt you, then..." He touched her shoulder after a moment of hesitation. "I am extremely sorry, Helena... I should have been careful!"

Helena looked directly at his eyes and smiled sarcastically. Chandra is very clever, isn't he? He simply does not want to get into any argument, so he directly offered her an apology and dismissed the matter from his mind. With this very clear-cut apology he made it clear to Helena that he was not wrong either, though he has no problem in saying a little sorry to stop the matter here. Nice, Chandra!

But how do you think that the fire in Helena's heart, which has burnt her the whole day and evening, will be extinguished by this formal, fake apology?

This is exactly what I had noted in my comments on your last chapter. Chandragupta is very clumsy when it comes to dealing with human relationships. Because something is a minor matter for him, it does not even occur to him that it might be a major issue for the other person. He lacks the imagination that would have let him perceive a situation from the point of view of the other person. Nor has he any idea of what the other is thinking or feeling. This is a definite, and potentially dangerous failing in any leader.

Though she did not argue anymore... she did not want to argue with His Majesty over this matter anymore, as she could understand that the waste of even a single word after Chandra's closing the topic will stoke the fire in her heart even more. She only sighed once. "Why you haven't slept yet Chandra?" she asked to continue normally.

Chandra had sat back on his seat. "I was busy." He stated in brief while opening a book again.

Busy with the books of Nandini! Again something pierced her directly in the heart. But she smiled instead. "You never told me that you have a passion for reading?"

"Was there any scope for telling you this?" Chandra smiled casually. There was no scope for many things in the deal of their relationship, and still there is no scope for many things. "Good Night Helena..." He bid her farewell.

The problem with a marriage as a deal is that it is not a static thing. Relationships evolve, and the expectations of one or the other party from the partner might change with time. This is exactly what has happened in this case. Helena has become emotionally possessive about Chandragupta, and is on the verge of falling in love with him, while he is exactly where he was the day they struck their deal. There is major potential for trouble ahead, though Chandragupta will most probably be blind and deaf to the signs of this.

Also, it is extremely difficult for the woman, in this case Helena, to make the first move, both out of the fear of rejection and also because of the age old conditioning that it is for the man to make the first move in matters of the heart.

Helena did not go. She came beside him and picked one of the books. "I don't have a good enough knowledge of Sanskrit. I am unable to read these books." She sighed. "This was the matter where you were busy, Chandra, reading the books peacefully?" She asked suddenly, and it sounded odd even to her.

"I love to read books, but now I am not in a mood of that, rather I am really busy." Chandra stated without shifting his glare from her face. "Right now I am not going through the slokas, I am searching if really there is any secret message hidden in the pages." He shut the book with a bang and started talking to himself. "Childish... I know... If there had been any, she would never let me to borrow them so easily. The message was with her... and..." He became silent again.

"What? That means you too suspect Nandini? Then why did you..." Helena could not hold her surprise...

"Your doubt was unrealistic, but I have reasons to suspect her." Chandra did not elaborate further. "Anyways, good night, Helena..."

"But what is that reason? Tell me? What is that girl planning again? Which message are you talking about? Sandracottus..."

"You will get to know at right time. Now can you please leave me alone?" Chandra looked sternly at her. Helena was stunned.

"Why does it irritate you if I sit for a while in your room? Am not I your queen?" She uttered this in a mild and composed tone.

What a sad query! I feel very bad for Helena.

"Acharya has not returned in the palace still now Helena, I am really in tension. So sorry if I sound rude." Chandra told somewhat in softer voice. "It is really very late at night, Helena... You should go to your room now else..."

"Else what? Who will blame us for what?" Helena smiled lightly. "Do you not consider me as your wife? Don't I have the usual rights of a wife?"

Chandra gazed at her for some time... "I don't think this is a right time to discuss about the rights and constraints of our marital relationship!"

"I really didn't mean it Chandra...I should understand your worry! Very sorry..." Helena confessed in embarrassment and was about to go, Chandra stopped her. "Helena?"

Helena looked back. Chandra came and held her hands. "I am very sorry, Helena... I have no right to be so rude to you!" This time his eyes had a slight touch of guilt, his apology was from his heart. "I hope you can understand my state of mind now. Please let me be alone till Acharya arrives safely, I promise I will get back to you tomorrow morning, and will discuss with you about everything you want."

"I understand Sandracottus... And I hoped you will understand I said everything very casually." Helena told holding back his hands. Then a slight smile played at the corner of her lips. As if she was mocking herself. "Do you really think that I was here to ask for my marital rights? Don't I know what were the terms and conditions of our marriage and do I not have a clear idea about my expectations from this deal of a marriage? Is there any scope in our marriage where I can discuss with you about the maturing of our relationship?"

This is what is called fishing.She says all this in the hope, if not the expectation, that her words will be negated by Chandragupta. I do not think that would have happened in any case, but he is, as they say of a lawyer in court who is in a sticky situation, he is saved by the bell, ie by the news of Chanakya's return, which lets him escape!😉

Chandra was going to answer something , but he could not. Some guard has knocked the door.

"Maharaj, Mahamatya has come back. He is expecting you right now in the royal hall."

"I am coming!" Chandra got of the room rushing leaving Helena alone. ...

Acharya Chanakya was waiting in the hall. Chandra rushed inside the room. "Where were you Acharya! I was so worried for you!" He even forgot to touch his feet out of excitement. "You know Acharya that Nand's men are roaming right in this Pataliputra, what if they do any harm to you?"

Chanakya seemed not in the least affected by the worry on Chandra's face. He only touched his shoulder with the touch of his usual affection before taking his seat. "I did not expect to be this late. I was coming right back to the palace but got engaged in some other work on my way... However, tell me, what is the state of affairs here?"

"At least you could have told me once that where were you going? At least you could have taken some armed soldiers with you!" Chandra groaned half-heartedly.

Acharya stared at his face for some moments. Maybe it was a mistake of Chandra's eyes, that he could see a curtain of vapour of emotion to cover the pupils of his Acharya's bright and luminous eyes, his hard, emotionless face touched with a strange softness never seen before. He spoke after some moments; he had a pale smile in his lips, his voice was hiding a profound sigh that was buried in his heart. "Don't worry Chandra, Nand will not be able to harm me. I have gone far beyond that long ago!"

"What are you saying Acharya!" Chandra said in utter displeasure. "You are Acharya Chanakya! The backbone of this newly founded kingdom! Your safety is the necessity and responsibility of the kingdom! What would be the harm, Acharya, if you had taken a force along with you? At least you could tell me, I would come with you!"

Perhaps due to the excitement of the sudden release of tension, Chandra was sounding like an impulsive adamant kid, and Acharya could not help but smile while caressing his hair with deep affection. He sounded lost while talking... "No Chandra... I could not let anyone accompany me for my security today... My soul would not have allowed me to do so! I had gone to witness my past, Chandra... I had gone to see the debris of my previous life that I myself had one day buried under the soil of work and responsibilities !"

"Acharya!" Chandra called him. He was confused as well as afraid witnessing this sudden, uncanny change in his very own Acharya... His trembling voice while pronouncing each word, his pupils becoming partially hazy, and the hidden sigh in his heart was reflecting his i inner torment...He had no idea about the reason for this sudden change, but he was not able to bear this form of his rough and tough ideal teacher! "What has happened, Acharya!" He murmured helplessly.

See, this is the classic father-son or mentor-pupil relationship. The shishya is used to regarding his guru as an unshakeable pillar of strength, as a person who is always right, whom nothing and no one can alarm or render weak.So even the slightest hint that guru might be human, and fallible, after all, is intensely alarming for the pupil.

Chanakya took only one moment to compose himself. At the next moment he was back to his own self, his face again became rigid while eyes shone with the usual blaze of his personality, cunning and wisdom. "Let's come to the point Chandra." he said, rather ordered. "I must say you what was the reason of my late. I met with the special gumshoe whom I sent in Dhananand's camp while returning. He gave me some news which is very important for our next move."

He paused and checked Chandra's expression. "I got some information about the spy who has been sent in the palace. According to my source, Dhananand has already sent one of his faithfuls into the palace. She is a woman, a very accomplished and influential lady, also very close to Dhananand according to my source, though he was unable to tell the name. She has been sent to Nandini, and Nand is trying to execute his further plans through the hands of his daughter!"

"I was expecting this news Acharya..."Chandra told. "As today only I got a clue about this lady."

Chanakya's eyes beamed in excitement. Chandra detailed his discovery to him. "I have ordered to gather information about that woman. I am surprised, how did the lady get her entry in the palace after going through so many security panels!"

"It's not a big deal to fool the systematic security panels, Chandra." Chanakya commented. "However... I don't think our men will be able to gather any proper news about that lady in formal procedure. They must be starting from the entries in royal registers which are obviously fake ones. You may get to see the drawbacks of the security system of the palace by doing so, but we cannot reach to Dhananand in that way. For that we have to take another different route."

"But how Acharya? Should we arrest the woman and interrogate about Dhananand?" Chandra was impatient from his mind.

"I don't expect you to talk like a fool Chandra!" Chanakya scolded his student mildly. "Do you really think it will serve our purpose? Rather we will be losing one golden opportunity to track Dhananand and Padmanand."

"I am sorry Acharya, I should not have been impulsive." Chandra admitted somewhat shamefully. "But what is the way?"

Chandra still does not have anything even approximating his mentor's subtle deviousness. He charges head first at the problem like a bull. He will learn over time how to calibrate and fine tune his actions and responses to any situation.

"Think Chandra, who is this lady? Who this lady can be, who is not from this palace but from this Pataliputra, who is accomplished and very influential but faithful and extremely close to Dhananand as well?"

"She could be a trained assassin, or a trained secret agent of Amatya Rakshas, but when the term close and faithful to Dhananand' is being used, I don't know why I think she has a special relation with Dhananand only... maybe she is a paramour of Dhananand?" Chandra concluded after thinking a while.

"This is exactly what I think, and it will not be impossible to know her name investigating in this track." Chanakya said. "Whatever the girl's name maybe, she has entered into the lion's den, and she will be leading us to her masters even without knowing."

"But how Acharya?" Chandra asked.

"Simple... You have to let to her work according to our wish, but she herself will not know this fact." Chanakya smiled.

"Pardon Acharya, but I can't understand how..."

"Chandra..." Chanakya stopped him touching his shoulder. "Dhananand has sent her to control Nandini according to his wish. She is nothing but a channel between them both. If you make Nandini work according to your wishes, that woman, along with her master, will have to work accordingly. Don't forget, Nandini, their biggest weapon is in your hand now. If you track Nandini properly, you will be able to know about Dhananand's each move. And if you are able to control Nandini's moves, it will be not tough to let your enemies to dance to your tune!

The classic ploy of using a spy to catch his, in this case her master.

Chandra was silent for a moment. The tensed and fearful eyes of Nandini after almost getting caught at his hands were floating in front of his eyes. Strange... that night there was the spontaneous spark of the fire of revenge in her fiery eyes, but today a strange helplessness and a dilemma had clouded the blazing pupils of those beautiful eyes. That night she was fearless, not even frightened of her fate. But today she was afraid, as if she herself knew she was the one who was wrong, and so she feared the consequence! He suddenly felt that he is no longer feeling any kind of hatred towards the daughter of Nand, rather he is too was pitying her, like Durdhara.

"What are you thinking now?" Chanakya asked seeing him inattentive. Chandra composed himself. "Nothing... Acharya, I was thinking that should I increase the spies around Nandini to track her each move 24 hours?"

It is a good thing Chanakya does not know what his pupil was really thinking!😉

"It will not serve any purpose. They will be warned one day. Rather we have to give her as much freedom as possible, deliberately, to make her less careful, and then observe her each move properly." Chanakya told. "Chandra, I want you to observe and examine Nandini personally. I can't find anybody else who will be as efficient as you for this task . Besides you are her husband, you have access in her room and her life as well. Win her confidence, let her believe that you believe her, she will automatically le you towards your goal. She is assumed to be the ace of Nand's camp, but you can use her as your pawn."

Pawn, a very common and widely used word in politics, in his life Chandra has used a lot of human beings as his pawns. He has been trained from his childhood to do this. But God knows why, this time the word pawn' sounded cheap and cruel to him. Chandra was silent.

He himself does not know what he was thinking exactly. Only a collage of some merged pictures was hanging in front of his eyes... those evil savage eyes and cruel laugh of that Mahapadmanand, and the blazing smile along with the spark of fire in the eyes of Nandputri at his Suhaag-Raat... Both of them belonged to the same category of viciousness, but they are not at all same! His mind was playing with the little clips of memory... her ferocious yet excellent moves with the sword, her timid and frightened eyes at noon... everything had been mingled in one frame and was making him deviate him the proper thought-process! Chandra felt irritated at a moment. What the hell is going on?

The beginning of the process of his mental and emotional transformation. The ways of the heart are indeed mysterious. As Chandra proceeds to implement his Acharya's plan, his enforced proximity to Nandini will accelerate this process. It is odd that this possibility, that his prize pupil was going to be corrupted, has not occurred to Chanakya as yet. But it will.

"Meanwhile I am using my sources to get more information about this mysterious maid and also about the channel through which the news are being passed to Dhananand." Chanakya continued. "And you have to take care of your safety especially for some days; Nand has become desperate and so he can attack from any side unexpectedly."

"I will not let anything happen to myself Acharya..." Chandra told in a mild tone, and at the next instant his voice again touched the childlike resentment. "But you do not take care of your safety at all. Why do you forget Acharya, that you too have the threat of life from that savage Nand just as I do ?"

Chanakya touched Chandra's head. His eyes softened with strange glare of emotions. Chandra is a great weapon of his hand which has been entirely made of and sharpened by him. Yet, all that was left of affection in his stony heart spontaneously flows to his Chandra only. There is perhaps only one emotional attachment and connection of the heart left for the stone-hearted Acharya Chanakya in this world, which he could not eliminate from his life, rather he never wanted to eliminate, but to preserve it till his last breath.

"Don't worry my son. None can harm your Acharya until you are here." He uttered with a great belief from his heart.

Beautiful little snippet about a unique and beautiful bond..

...

Who is this Chandra, Pita-Maharaj?" Nandini asked his father. Chandra had attacked their Magadh some days ago and retreated after facing a defeat. But with his small troop he was able to shatter the strongest army of Magadh, it was not a trifling thing. So naturally the authority of Magadh was focussed on him.

"Oh that Chandra? He is the team-leader of bandits, Nandini!" Mahapadmanand smiled casually and touched her hairswith affection. "Don't worry about him, my dear. I will smash that insect under my feet. Already many of his group have been caught!"

A bandit who loots and kills the common people... Nandini has immense hatred for that type of people. But still she had doubts... "But how does a bandit dare to wage war against Maharajadhiraj Mahapadmanand?"

"He is thirsty for the throne, of-course... that bas***d..." Mahapadmanand refrained from using further abusive language, and punched the nearby table to control his anger. "That idiot thinks he will snatch my throne, my kingdom from me! Huh! His death is calling him towards me... He will die the worst death, I tell you Nandini..."

Not even a year passed after this, that leader of bandits, Chandra, won Magadh by defeating the valiant warriors of Magadh and sweeping out the existence of Nand Vansh from the world and sat on the throne in the name of Chandragupta Maurya- whom the dwellers of Magadh worship as the incarnation of lord Vishnu!

The smiling face of Chandragupta when he was talking about the books was floating in front of her. The spontaneous chants of his name, the smiles on the faces of the subjects were floating in front of her eyes. Even before some days, Nandini used to believe that Chandra is a bloodthirsty savage looter who only knows to snatch everything from people. But today her ideas have changed. It's tough to see Chandra as a bad person!

No matter what her father said about Chandra, the leader of bandits is treated as the saviour of Magadh by the common people. The common maids of the palace keep on praising him in their spare time. They love him. They respect him.

Rather in their heart there are some others else in the place of savage demons!

Her father... her brothers... The people of Magadh hate them... They blame them as unforgivable criminals committing countless blasphemous crimes! They are not worthy of being called human beings according to them...

Even they hate Nandini... For being the daughter of Maharaj Mahapadmanand!

She was restless. The eventful day has taken away the rest of the peace from her heart... Each and every moment of the day was flashing in front of her eyes, burning her heart!

How will she be able to fulfil her mission of revenge with such a vulnerable heart?

"What are you thinking Nandini?" The mirror smirked. "You are suffering from a dilemma?"

"Chandragupta is a good king. The people of Magadh want him!"

"So? Why would this affect your thirst for revenge?" The mirror lashed out. "He has destroyed your world, you will be destroying his world. Tit for tat policy. That's it!"

"A princess cannot be insensitive towards the subjects!" Nandini's heart cried in lamentation. "And the subjects of Magadh love him. The subjects of Magadh hate my father, my brothers, my whole dynasty. They hate me for being the daughter of Nand! They feel ashamed of my existence!"

"You give more importance to some gossip-monger maids and some mere citizens over your brother who has come back from definite death? You will refuse your brother's desperate request of help from you? You will snatch the last chance of his raising his head in front of his enemies for your own selfish reasons?"

"I have my duty towards my people as the princess of Magadh! I can't overlook them!"

"You don't have your duty towards your father? You do not have your duty to your brother who has come to you for seeking your help? Are you that cruel Nandini? Do you have that strength to ignore the call of your brother?"

Nandini got up from the seat instantly. There was great turmoil inside her heart. She could not overlook the request of her brother. She could not extinguish the fire of revenge in her heart. Still, despite all this, she was feeling that she was doing wrong. She was doing grave injustice to the people of Magadh...

When she lay down on bed, all these thoughts were slowly being erased by the touch of sleep. Only a shout was ringing in her ears- ""WE WILL NOT TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE IMPURE HANDS OF THAT SINNER'S DAUGHTER!! GET HER OUT OF HERE!!!!"

The people of Magadh hate her. They hate her only as she is the daughter of King Nand. Being the daughter of Nand is a shameful fact in this new Magadh! She is hated. She will be hated always as she is the daughter of king Nand!

And then her eyes closed in sleep.

Then she saw a strange dream. A strange and horrible dream...

"NANDINIII NANDINIII" The sound was getting clearer in the dark. Her father, her brothers were calling her, they were desperately seeking help from her. The helpless shout was carrying Nandini towards them. "COME HERE NANDINI...WE ARE HERE... WAITING FOR YOU..." They were shouting with all their strength.

"I AM COMING- PITA MAHARAJ..." Nandini shouted to the source of the scream. It was pitch dark in front, and she had no clue about anything, without the sound.

She reached to the source of sound... It is coming from a deep pit. "PITA MAHARAJ... COME UP..." She shouted.

"WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU NANDINI... COME... COME..." Another desperate scream floated in the air.

And while the intensity of the scream became louder, Nandini fell inside the pit. She clutched the corner of the wall, trying to pull herself up with all her strength, but she could not. Some cursed forces from under the darkness were pulling her towards down... "NANDINI... COME TO US!! COME TO US.!!!"

"I DON"T WANT DARKNESS!! I WANT LIGHT! I WANT LIFE!" She shouted...

"YOU HAVE TO COME TO US, WE ARE YOUR OWN..." The darkness hissed. She was being pulled downwards, she was not able to help herself. The darkness was hypnotising her, she was drawn towards dark... She was becoming blind. She only could hear the voice of her Pita Maharaj... "I AM HERE MY DEAR! WAITING FOR YOU!"

Is he her father or the demon of the hell, disguised as her father?

"HELP ME!!!" She shouted. She was unable to clasp the wall anymore and was falling inside, but did not...

As suddenly a strong, manly, fair arm clasped her hand...

The hand is known to her. There is a tattoo of a peacock feather painted in that hand...

The darkness was being dispelled slowly by the sun's rays ...

Nandini woke up from the bed, sweating profoundly. What was the meaning of this dream!

A very dramatic depiction of the tug of war inside Nandini's antaraatma. But she is basically on the side of the forces of light, and they will prevail.

"Pranam, Maharani..." A security guard entered inside. "If you are awake and refreshed, Maharaj has sought you for a personal meeting."

"Personal meeting?" Nandini was not only shocked but worried as well. "When?"

"Anytime today morning when you are ready." The guard answered. "Should I call your maids to get you ready?"

Nandini nodded. She was thinking something deeply.

So the game is afoot, as Sherlock Holmes would say!

Phew! I am tired out, my dear, and I am not going to look at the screen for the rest of the day. But at least I feel somewhat morally uplifted!😉