The young yuvraj above ;-)

When the King Falls

Agnidyut fortress, Vajrateerta, 1st November 2005

The storm that had been circling the Vajrateerta' had blown away. An eerie silence had taken its place; tainted here and there with the sound of light rain drops. As Annapurna walked through the lamp lit passage ways, there was a glum look in every face she passed. Something dangerous was lurking in the dark corners ahead, something unfortunate soon about to happen, she thought as she paced forward. It was funny how this part of the palace was still unfamiliar to her, even after spending half her life here; first as the daughter of one of the ministers, then as a apprentice minister and lastly as a queen. It was one good proof about her tremulous relationship with her mother-in- law that she had hardly visited her. Even without the bloodcurdling rumors about the queen mother Devi Nanda, Annapurna wasn't looking forward to meet her. She knew that the lady was part of half the plots spinning around the place. But it was one short coming in being a queen; you can't refuse when the queen mother requested a meeting. The guards on the each side of the large, wooden door bowed as she approached. They seemed to be informed about her arrival. It wasn't a pleasant feeling to know she had become so predictable.

            The chamber she entered may have belonged to a medieval queen. The sound of the faint rain stopped behind the closed high windows. Their glass plains gleamed in the flickering lamp light, a grayish dusk lying ahead of them. Long curtains of deep red hang against them, hiding half the stone walls. The gleaming floor made a clear reflection at Annapurna's feet. Reflection was of a short woman in her late youth. She was slender, olive skinned with heavy lidded golden brown eyes. Her dark hair had drawn off her face in to a knot at the base of her neck. A few strands of escaped hair hang around her pointed face framing its curious expression. Averting her eyes from the reflection she made on the floor at the queen mother's feet Annapurna looked up at the lady herself. Who seemed quite annoyed at her lack of esteem and clasped her hands in greeting. Nanda's lips curled, as she nodded in acknowledgement and rose gracefully from her seat. She was aged more than Annapurna could recall, plaited gray hair tied around her head like a crown. Her skin cobwebbed with wrinkles and her eyes emitting a faint bluish glow. After all, the lady was centuries old, signs of aging had finally caught up with her, although her eyes and their expression remained just the same Annapurna remembered. Another figure lured in the corner, dressed in black over large robes. Annapurna didn't notice him until the queen mother had turned towards him.

            'We shall continue that discussion another time Agni,' she said flatly. 'Now I have other obligations,'

            With her words the shadowy figure slowly melted away. Annapurna stared at the spot where it had vanished, bewildered.

            'It was my guardian Agni,' Devi Nanda replied. 'He has an odd habit of pulling such stunts in front of my guests,' she gave a shallow laugh.

            'Did he bring news?' said Annapurna slowly. 'From the battlefield?'

            'No,' said Nanda. 'In fact he was here with much more troubling information, which brings the discussion back to you my dear,'

            Annapurna who had been staring out of the window jerked her head back at Nanda at the mention of her name. Something about the way she said 'my dear' made her worry.

            'Me?' She said blankly.

            'Oh, yes!' said Nanda clapping her hands in a jubilant way. 'I think it's time for us to put away our past disagreements.'

            Annapurna raised her eyebrows clearly confused at what the reply should be. Her confusion might have mirrored in her face since Nanda smiled ever so sweetly.

           'Reign- it's all about power. It was mine once, is Aruna's and could soon be yours,'

            'Pardon me,' said Annapurna. But I don't see the point of this discussion,' Her voice was firm as if discouraging to speak of any 'conspiracy,'

            'You've been deaf to rumors, my dear,' Nanda said calmly.

'That is a good thing I'm sure... Yet,' she said walking a few paces right so that she stood in front of Annapurna, her ice blue gaze capturing her golden one. Looking in to Nanda's eyes was like gazing in to a bright white light. Her expression had been so unreadable until now. Yet in a flattering moment, the curtain to her heart was dropped. Those eyes held pain, doubt and perhaps fear. For the first time in her life Annapurna saw a weak side of Nanda concealed within those eyes. Then she knew what the truth of the rumors had been.

            'Is he,' Annapurna held in to the last word until she was sure her voice would not shake with doubt. '...dead?'

            'Gravely injured... you're aware of the poisonous weapons Anjanis use I presume,' said Nanda shortly. 'The guardian is bringing him now,'

            She turned away sat back in her couch and looked at her passively. Annapurna said nothing since she herself was surprised. Unknowingly she looked out of the window once again. The darkness was as empty outside as she felt inside. It was a phase where she was ought to feel grief, unfortunately she felt nothing. She looked back at Nanda unsure what she will interpret of her lack of sentiment. There was a long ugly pause until Annapurna finally spoke.

            'But if he dies the shield...'

            'Nanda nodded slowly. The Anjanis can attack us,' then she stood up.  'We have to act before Pratula becomes the Vajra. 'I think the time we let the fate take the decisions is coming to an end,' Annapurna looked at her confused.  'Before I tell you anything further there are some things we need to clear between us,' said Nanda suddenly unsentimental.  'Because soon you'll have a higher position than me,' she smiled strangely at her again. 'Did you meet Mohan recently?'

            It was an odd moment to question her friend's well being. It confused Annapurna further. Mohan certainly had nothing to do with the king's situation. In fact if he was there he would have protected him.

            'Yes, before he left,' she said slowly. I assure you he has nothing to do with - anything,'

            Nanda gave a swift laugh.

            'Strange how you protect a double agent Naga for no reason,' then she looked at her. 'Do you know why I sent him to the human realms?'

            'Yes,' said Annapurna briskly. 'There was a rumor about the Vajra's eye being spotted somewhere, she could predict about the war,'

It was an unwritten rule in Vajrateerta; that nobody spoke of traitors. The moment Arya had crossed the borders to the human realms she had became a traitor for them. Annapurna took a deep breath. Had the princess of Anjanis taken a different decision, she might have been the one standing here now, instead of her as the junior queen.

            'He does keep you informed doesn't he?' Devi Nanda called her back to the present.

            'We used to write to each other. So what happened?'

            'Funny you should ask.  Mohan failed in that task. The Anjanis got to the eye before he had and she is now dead,' Annapurna drew in a breath. 'But it wasn't entirely fruitless. Mohan found a girl...she has the same power, the seer of the temple of spirits confirmed it,'

            'Is he coming back?'

            'Yes, I want the girl in my court. She could protect the next king from any danger,'

            'I don't understand,'

            'She can predict the danger and we can eliminate it,'

            'How can we be so sure that she is right?'

            'She had already proven that. It was she who predicted the Vajra's downfall just in time for me to send help. Mohan is convinced and that certainly is something.'

'But, if Pratula was after the eye before would he not chase the girl to our borders as well?'

After a moment, Nanda smiled.

'Pratula does not know the eye refers to a person. He thinks it was something that Arya had in her position and now Mohan had brought back. I'm sure by now he must have realized, Mohan is bringing it back to us, to the temple of Agni. An ignorant is easily defeated my dear. After all, we do need to retaliate against this imprudent king of Anjanis before he becomes the Vajra.'

            'What is your plan?'

            'I'm going to coronate Sanskar and you will reign under his name until he's capable of his own. But before that you need to do something,' She took Annapurna's hand in her own. 'You need to promise me that you will do whatever it is to protect Sanskar,'

            'You can trust me,' said Annapurna. 'I know he is not my son, yet...'

            'Let's not be sentimental now,' said Nanda. 'I need you to make a royal vow. One that is as strong as a bond. I need to be sure,'

            The doors of the chamber opened again.

            'Pardon me Devi, Mohan is here,' said Agni urgently.

*

            The king's chamber in the west wing had an unfitting wood panel. It made a small gap between the court-room on the other side and the wall of the chamber. It had been so little a defect that no one gave any attention. Yet a ten year old Lakshya could easily fit in to it. It had been his hideout for almost two weeks now. Even his over observant mother could not spot him there. He had been there all that evening hoping never to be found. He was angry and oddly enough no one seemed to care. Usually when Lakshya put up a tantrum he could make the palace staff dance to his tunes. He was such a cute child. Yet everyone seemed busy today. Sanskar did not play with him; he had not seen his mother all the day and not even Mohan had come to see him. Never mind, he would give them a piece of his mind sooner. There was a sound that made him alert enough to stop playing with his imaginary friends. Slowly he fitted his eye to a crack on the wood and looked through it at the strange sight before him.

            Since he was so engrossed in his game he had not heard the king's arrival. For some reason the information didn't give him the usual excitement. Instead he was curious. It seemed his father was sick. He had the same white robed people buzzing around him; the healers. Lakshya recognized them as he had bitter memories of them pushing all sorts of sour medications down his throat when he was ill. It was his mother who put them to that. Maybe his father was having a cold, like the one he and Sanskar had after they both pushed each other in to the pond. As Lakshya's eyes travelled around he found mother Aruna seated at his bedside. She looked too serious to be treating cold. Her face was paler than he had ever seen it, her green eyes tear filled and her mouth flat as if she was biting in a sob. She was holding his father's hand, with both of her own, speaking uncatchable words. Sanskar stood beside her. One of his hands was gripping his mother's shoulder. His face looked rigid. A white robed man approached him, bowed his head and said something in undertone.

            'I'm not leaving,' barked Sanskar, he had his big brother tone on, one that scared Lakshya. The man took a step back clearly sensing danger. Lakshya smirked. It seemed he was not the only one who was afraid of Sanskar when his mood was foul.

            Sanskar knelt at his mother's feet clasping her hand tightly in his.

            'You don't have to do this,' he said quietly in a voice Lakshya couldn't hear. Aruna turned to him, her lower lip trembled. Sanskar rested his forehead against her kneecaps.

            'I can't lose both of you, I-I need you!'

            Aruna stretched out one of her brittle hands, stroked his long hair and cupped his face making him look at her.

            'You need to understand,' she said calmly.

            Sanskar turned away pushing her hand that held him in place.
'I don't want to understand! The queen mother didn't die like this!'

            Aruna raised her eyebrows.
'Their bond was broken when she lost her husband. Their first child was dead at that time,'

            Sanskar stood up, he was shaking, his fists curled in to balls.

            'So would you live if I die?'

            'Are you out of your mind?' said Aruna this time loudly enough for Lakshya to hear. 'How could I live if I lose you?'

            'Then how could I?' said Sanskar furiously. 'There should be a solution for this!'

            'There isn't,' said Aruna flatly. 'This is what differ us from humans. When two elves bond they live together and die together. Their existence is bonded together. That's why the kings have to marry again, so that at least a queen remains to take care of the kingdom.'

            Sanskar paced the room saying nothing in reply. Both of them didn't seem to pay any attention to the king anymore. Aruna's eyes flipped back at him from time to time yet she was eyeing Sanskar with more concern.

            'You don't have to watch this,' she said after a moment. 'It could create a dark memory nothing can ever light again.'

            Sanskar shook his head muttering something.

            'I still remember the day my parents died,' said Aruna in a distinct voice. 'I don't want you to go through that. Leave, son... We could make this a happy parting,'

            Sanskar rolled his eyes.

            'Happy? Honestly?'

            Aruna suddenly hugged her son. She held him against her and muttered in his ear.

            'You must make sure the Vajrateerta doesn't fall. They want a strong leader now and I know you can be more than that.'

            'But, I'm fifteen, how can someone be king when they are fifteen? '

            'Nothing,' Aruna cut in. is ever going to be the same again. 'Make this the last time something breaks your heart, so that nothing can ever again make you weak. You must take your father's place, you must become the Vajra,' she held him at arm's length and looked in to his eyes. 'Promise me, that this is your last defeat!'

            'There you are,' someone said in his ear as the wooden panel moved. Lakshya turned around to find his mother's guardian grinning down at him. He looked over his shoulder and shouted at someone. 'Tell Devi Annapurna I found Kuwar Lakshya!'

*

            Something tossed the surface she had been sitting on. Even before she opened her eyes dump wind whipped her face, there was a blanket wrapped tightly around her. Slowly she opened one eye. That couldn't see much. So she opened the other as well. She was in a boat, floating across some wide water body, she could see no land anywhere near. There was no river in her home town. Curious she looked at the man sitting opposite her. His name was Mohan and he was fast asleep. Her mother had said she could trust him. That was before those armed men took her away leaving Swara with no other option.

            Mohan was quite likable. For one he had long hair, for some odd reason Swara liked people with long hair as she herself had nothing but a short ugly bob-cut. The next was somehow he looked like a comic hero and not to forget he had a sword, a real one! His ears were punched, like some rock star and he told her he wore earrings! If not for all those things Mohan was taking her on a boat ride. Swara had never been on a boat before. She had heard about them from her mother. But being on a one is awesome.

            She nudged him awake. He was a tight sleeper. As he walk up his hand went to his sword automatically. Swara giggled.

            'What?' Said Mohan annoyed.

            'Where are we going?'

            'To vajrateerta,' he replied shortly. Since Swara who was a ten year old herself had no geographical knowledge to point out there is no such place in the map nodded uncertainly.

            'Why?' she asked then.

            'To see the queen,'

            At this Swara giggled again this time louder.
'There is no queen. It's the government that rules,'

            'The human government,' Mohan corrected her. We on the other hand do have a queen.'

            'Who are we?' said Swara surprised. 'Aliens?' she asked excitedly.

            'We don't include you,' Mohan sighed. 'We are elves, as humans call us. There are many races among us. We for an example are the Vajra's,'

            Swara didn't ask him anymore questions as she was sure Mohan was too sleepy to answer her. Didn't her mother used to tell her stories about elves, the tiny bearded men working for Santa? There is no such thing in the real world! She was tangled in her thoughts until the boat shuddered and came to a halt. There was only a tiny strap of land to which they climbed off the boat. It seemed so insignificant to name and for miles around them there was nothing but noisy ocean. Mohan held out his hand.

            'I need you to take my hand and close your eyes,' he said clearly. Swara obeyed him and closed her eyes tightly. Mohan walked forward dragging her with him. Something warm, like a barrier of warm air went pass her. 'Now you can look,' she heard Mohan say.

            Swara opened her eyes slowly and her mouth hung open on its own accord.

            A magnificent city lay before her eyes. Alight with burning fires. Stone walls, wooden roofs and many towers rose ahead of her. Mohan chuckled at her look. He seemed to be enjoying himself. It seemed they had somehow travelled back in time. The city before her might belong to an ancient kingdom. She looked up unable to believe her eyes. The sky above her was dotted with stars peeping behind the curtains of the dark clouds. The road they took was dump with a recent rain and light rain drops were still falling through the air.

            It took them so much more time to reach the palace than it would have taken if Mohan was along. Swara stopped every two feet, watching something open mouthed and asking Mohan thousand questions at the same time. So by the time they reached the court room Mohan was exhausted. They met a royal official at the doors to the court room, who informed them everyone is waiting for them. Mohan stopped the man for a moment.

            'The Vajra?' he asked in an undertone.

            The man looked at his feet and shook his head. Moahan closed his eyes for a moment his fingers curled in to fists.

            'He is too far gone, there is nothing that can help him now,' the man said before he left and patted Mohan's shoulder in a reassuring way. In a moment the doors tracked open. Mohan and Swara entered in to a royal court full of Vajras. All of them were interested in what they might see.

            It was a handsome hall, lit up with torches burning under each stone pillar that supported the magnificent ceiling. It had paintings, of wars and other folklores of the kingdom and curtains hang almost touching the gleaming floor. At the center of the hall Devi Nanda sat, in an elaborate high chair overlooking the incoming duo. Annapurna stood behind her nervously, her hands clasped together to stop their shudder. Sanskar stood next to her, his face still rigid and his jaw tight. That was how Swara always remembered the Vajra royals. The old lady in the high chair, the young guardian queen behind her and the pale youthful prince next to her, all looking at Swara like she was a creature from another universe.

            Mohan went to the queen, bowed down and stood straight in front of her. Since he insisted Swara followed him.

            'Is this her?' said Nanda looking at Swara sharply. 'The eye?'

            'Yes, Devi,' said Mohan quietly. 'This is Swara. Her mother's power had passed on to her,' Swara looked at Mohan amused. This was the first time she heard her mother had a power.

            'Are you sure?' said Annapurna uncertainly.

            'Yes,' said Mohan.

            'Come here dear,' said Nanda warmly, stretching out a hand to pull Swara closer to her. 'How old are you?' It seemed a typical question an old woman would ask a young girl.

            'Ten,' said Swara. The royal court muttered to each other, clearly not convinced of her ability. Then slowly she took the wrinkled hand in her small one. Something like a flash of lightning shot through her vision. Pictures formed in front of her mind's eye replaying the life story of this unknown lady. It went as soon as it came. Swara was once again staring at Nanda's ice blue gaze.

            'Do you know who I am?' said Nanda in a flat tone.

            'Yes,' Swara said unknowingly. 'You are the queen mother of Vajras, Devi Nanda.'

            There was a buzz, like the sound of angry bees as everyone in the hall joined in to a conversation again. They were wondering aloud now, whether she was trust worthy or not.

            'Would you help me Swara?' said Nanda slowly and the buzz died away. Swara nodded slowly. 'Would you tell me what you see when you touch my grandson?'

            'This is absurd!' said Sanskar sarcastically. As if she might say when I am to die,' a murmur rose in agreement.

            'Sanskar!' Nanda said firmly. 'I know you're grieving, but this is my court, remember that.' Sanskar fall silent, yet rolled his eyes at the ceiling.

'Come here,' Nanda said then holding out her hand for Sanskar. 'Let's see what she predicts for you.'

            Sanskar looked at Annapurna requesting assistance, but Annapurna nodded slightly. He went in front of Swara and kneeled before her so that their heads came to a level and held out his hand. Swara slowly placed her palm on his and the flash struck again.

            There was a silence as everyone waited, to hear Sanskar's fate. After a long pause Swara reopened her eyes, they were brimmed with tears. The sarcastic look in Sanskar's face was slowly replaced by a shock as he watched her bewildered.

            'He's going to kill you,' she informed to a pin-drop silence. Annapurna slowly leaned against the throne and Nanda stood up.

            'Who?' She questioned commandingly.

            Swara turned around her hand still in Sanskar's grip as the double doors to the court room reopened. She pointed a shaking finger at the incoming party who stopped frozen in their walk as the whole assembly turned to them.

            'He!'

            'Insane!' Sanskar stood up abruptly and Annapurna went pale. Mohan's hand reached in to his sword. Annapurna's guardian and Lakshya stood where they were, at the royal court threshold not sure what the next step should be. Swara's finger still pointed at Lakshya.

            Agni stepped forward passed Annapurna who was still clutching the throne for support and whispered something urgently in to Nanda's ear. Nanda closed her eyes, bit her lip and nodded. The court waited for her command.

            'Kill him,' she said shortly.

'NO!' shrieked Annapurna frantically.

             Agni drew out his sword in a swift moment. Many blades were drawn out including Mohan's and Sanskar's. Both stood side by side in front of Lakshya with Annapurna's guardian who had his dagger out.

            'Do as much as touch my brother and you'll die,' said Sanskar in a dangerous voice. Agni stopped and looked at Nanda. Annapurna slowly got to her feet.

            'It's unjust to kill a kid,' said Mohan in his deep calm tone. 'Think again Devi...'

            'Spare my son, please!' muttered Annapurna.

            'You made a vow Annapurna,' Nanda said flatly.

            'Who knows whether she's right,' said Annapurna. 'I never said I'll kill my son for anyone!'

            'The point of bringing the eye was to eliminate all possible dangers!'

            'Banish him then,' said Mohan wisely. He would never pose a threat if he's never near Yuvrajsa,'

            Sanskar looked at him irately.

            'How can you banish a ten year old?' he said repulsively. 'The eye isn't mature enough to make a sensible prediction; both of them need to grow up!'

            Mohan grabbed his shoulder and muttered in his ear.

            'Banishment is better than death Yuvrajsa. I'm trying to save Kuwar Lakshya's life,'

            'If anyone needs to be banished it's the eye!' said Annapurna furiously. 'She's creating a raft between the brothers,'

            'Swara is my responsibility!' said Mohan suddenly. 'No one is to harm her or she leaves with me,'

            Nanda turned to Annapurna.

            'You are the guardian queen at the moment, the Vajras stands behind you. Take a worthy decision,' she said coolly. 'But you hold the full responsibility of this decision.'

            Annapurna looked around for a moment, tears forming in her eyes. This was the second time Nanda trapped her in her words.

'You're the queen mother of Vajra's.' She said slowly. 'Your decision is mine and of all the community.' Her voice broke and died as she left the court room in a quick pace, Mohan followed her hastily.

            'Very well,' Devi Nanda said in her usual commanding tone. 'Kuwar Lakshya,' she stopped for a moment, as the assembly held its breath. '...will leave Vajrateerta tonight and he is never to return.'

            'I would never forgive you,' Annapurna said in the passageway. 'Or your responsibility, the eye,'

Mohan didn't say anything, he watched her with a strange expression.

            'If you really value her life you will leave with her right this moment,' she said further. 'Because I'm going to ruin her life the same way she ruined mine!' She said stretching her finger to mark the threat. 'This is my last defeat Mohan, and I'm going to avenge it, hundred times!'

*