The Devil's Trap - Chandra Nandini SS Story - Completed - Page 3

King Chandragupta Maurya was standing in his chamber's balcony, with his hands stretched out on the balcony wall. He was thinking about the events that happened a few minutes back... The real Rajdrohis of Magadh, Apama and Helena were caught red-handed. They were immediately locked in separate secret rooms without balconies. Nobody in the palace knew about it except Him, Nandini, Moora, Daadi and Chanakya.

He looked at the Moon. He was happy and visibly relieved. He felt all the weight has been lifted from his chest after a long time. He felt light. The curtain of doubt has been lifted. The trust in Nandini has been reinstated. His Nandini is cleared of all doubts and crimes in Durdhara's death. His heart was rejoicing against the victory over his mind. For once, the mind also agreed with his heart.

Oh My God.. My Nandini is innocent! She is proved innocent! She din't commit Durdhara's murder! She was actually framed by Helena and Apama for it! I can't wait to see her, take her in my arms and tell her how happy Iam...

Immediately he became sad. His face fell. He felt pain, thinking of all the things he had done to hurt Nandini - Everytime. Deeply. Purposely. Deliberately.

All this because of Apama and Helena ??

He thought of all the relatives who had plotted against him and played with his feelings. Apama, Sunanda, Roopa, Malay, Gautami, Avantika.... All of them are in-laws. All extended family members. Except Avantika, all others have proven to be traitors.

Could Avantika also be involved in this Plan ? Why Not? She could be taking revenge for her daughter Roopa? He remembered how his Rajmudra was stolen from his chamber and Avantika had misused it to release her mad son from the Palace. But, apart from that, she was not involved in any other crimes. Was she actually involved in the Rajmudra theft, or was she trying to save her daughter Roopa's identity at that time? Is there something more to it than meets the eye?

He wanted to leave no stones unturned in unravelling this mystery. He summoned Avantika to his room. He told her that now he have some records in his possession to prove that she did not actually steal his Rajmudra from his chamber. He questioned her why she took that blame on her.

Avantika, the ex-queen and mother of Nandini, had been rudely woken up from her sleep and summoned by the King in the middle of the night, without any explanation. Her mind was clearly out of her wits.

She straightaway confessed that she did indeed witness Nandini stealing the Rajmudra, saw her writing something with her hand on a Scroll and then used the Rajmudra on it. She took the blame on herself because she wanted to save her daughter from Chandra's wrath. In fact, after taking the blame for that crime in front of Chandra, she had reprimanded Nandini for her act. And Nandini very clearly told her that she had NOT left her room the previous night; and she would NEVER do such an act against the King.

At that time, that she was not aware of her daughter Roopa's existence and it was all her doing. Avantika regretted that since Roopa is dead, she won't be able to prove this truth to Chandra now.

Chandra was listening to her without interruption. No way to prove whether Roopa wrote the Scroll ? Why Not ? The Scroll was used to release Pandugrath, the last son of Nand and Avantika. The scroll is still lying in the Dept. Of Criminal Acts and Records. We can cross check the handwriting of Nandini and Avantika with that Scroll.

He dismissed her and ordered a maid to bring the Scroll to be brought to him immediately.

Chandra couldn't sit in one place. He walked restlessly, hither and thither in his chamber. The thoughts were flowing lucidly and in sequence now.

Apama had joined hands with Sunanda. Sunanda raised Roopa. Roopa played Nandini's impostor and made him believe that Nandini was having an affair with Malay. Malay also turned out to be a traitor.

Chandra remembered how he had taunted and tortured Nandini by reading out all letters that she had supposedly written to Malay. Wait... the letters are still lying in my room. He hurriedly opened his cupboard drawer and pulled out the letters.

Now that both his heart and mind were working together, he was able to see things much clearly. He saw all 3 letters that Nandini had supposedly written to Malay were in 3 different handwriting.

Just at that time, the maid returned with the Scroll that he had ordered for. He found that the handwriting of one of those 3 letters and the Scroll matched perfectly. So this is Roopa's Handwriting ? Whose handwriting is there in the other two letters ?

My God, How many people are involved in this? How long have they been plotting against Nandini ? Wait... how long have they been playing with ME ?

He rushed to the Dept. Of Criminal Acts and Records in the middle of the night. He remembered, during Durdhara's abortion attempt, he and Acharya had taken letters from each and every lady of the Palace, in the pretext of recording their gold possession. He din't bother waking up the book keepers. He himself started searching for those letters in that Department records.

His heart and mind were now set on course to clear Nandini's name first, at any cost. He first searched for Nandini's letter. Nandini's handwritten letter showed that she did not write either the Scroll or any of the 3 letters in her name.

What ? Nandini is innocent in Durdhara's murder. Nandini is innocent in the Rajmudra theft. And Nandini is innocent in this act too ? And he had tortured her good heart and made her cry unnecessarily? He had called her a characterless woman; accused her of having an extramarital affair; insulted her chastity; he even thought she was keeping Vrath for Malay; he had manhandled her. What all have I done?

His heart ached. He banged his fist hard against the Pillar. The guilt enraged him with a thirst to find out the real culprits who had framed his beloved wife and manipulated him to do all such acts that he never dreamt of doing to his Lover. He vowed that he is going to get to the bottom of this issue.

He looked at those letters again.

(a) Avantika's handwriting also did not match any of the letters. So, the handwriting which matched both the Scroll and the Letter must have been written by Roopa only.

(b) The second letter handwriting was a bit different. There was no record of that handwriting in his earlier records.

(c) The third letter handwriting matched with ... Helena??

He remembered reading that specific letter on Malay's birthday; and how Helena kept pointing out that Nandini cried for Malay while making his Mukhut; and how everytime she provoked his anger that he asked Nandini to make his Suhag Raat bed arrangement with Helena; how he had insulted Nandini to decorate his Hamam while he bathed with Helena... He thought he was making Nandini jealous. Now when he reminisced all that, he realised how disgusting his behaviour had been.

Wait... These events happened much before Durdhara's death. Even before Chaya's miscarriage. All this happened right after Nandini's certification at Balgram. So, Helena's involved in this for a very long time ??? And Apama was not in Pataliputra at that time... His head started spinning.

Ok... Murder. Kidnapping. Usurping. Betrayal. Deception. Defamation. Manipulation. Coercion. Treason. Invasion. Conspiracy. He started investigation on one issue, and one link has lead to another link. This matter is getting deeper and dirtier by the hour.

He realised that this is not going to be just a hearing and punishment declaration at the Rajsabha the next day morning. This is much more than that. The fact that the minute he declares punishment for the Greek Queen, the impending war break out between Greek and Magadhians loomed large in front of his eyes. This has to be handled diplomatically; delicately; strategically; tactfully. I have to bring this to the notice of Acharya as soon as possible.

Saam... Dhan.. Bhed... Dhand... His Acharya's teaching was ringing in his ears, as he walked back towards his Daadi's Chamber.

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