Yuvan opened the roll and pinned it in the wall. Then he extended the lamp beside it.
"WHEN THE NIGHT GROOMED, A FOX STROLLED
PLUCKED A ROSE FROM PEARL AND BURNED
ON THE WOUNDS DID THE LILIES BLOOMED
WAITED UNTIL THE RIGHT WAS TURNED
--------------------------------------------
THUS JUST WAS CROWNED..."
They both were clueless and found her being ridiculous;
"Master, what does this devil take us for? What does she mean by rose and fox?"
"Bruddah, is this the scroll?"
Yuvan looked at the scroll for a while and held the lily more tightly. " This is a puzzle and she wants me to be her opponent."
"I can't believe that the devil is taking human life as a game, serio
After enjoying their misery for a while, Ashok walked into his room."Lord, what happened?""Look by yourself" Abhik interrupted and pointed to the wall where the scroll was pinned."Hey, what is this? and why is it pinned in your court office?""Because my brother is too attached to its author.""Nonsense!" Ashok suddenly exploded leaving the three of them stunned. Ashok raised his head looking at their expressions,"What I mean is how can lord be so immersed in a little scroll?" (of course, I don't want to be attached with you nor am I interested.) He went near the scroll and read it out loud, ( I just found out that I can be an author if I was not a coroner.)"The snakes are literate" Ashok nodded at his own words."Yes, that was a surprise from their barbarian actions." Abhik laughed with a reply. Seeing them taking the scroll a joke fumed Yuvan. He tapped on his desk, "If you both had enough, can we get back to the b
Yuvan sat on his chair and closed his eyes like he was fishing for answers in the deep ocean. He tapped his fingers on the desk in rhythm for a while which was his habit during stressed times."Charan, ask our soldiers to keep vigil on these days especially in the uninhabited places. Even if we can't save him we should catch the murderer." He looked at Ashok and continued, "Ashoka, can you arrange a list of Dashur men, especially officials who might have offended the cobras.""Offend the cobras?" Abhik meddled."Yes. What do you mean by offending the cobras? Who will report that they have offended the cobras? Will they realize it even if?""What I mean is to be involved in a case that was settled hastily or was not judged right as per the local opinion. And yes, I think what she meant as roses may not be really cobras; It can also be scapegoats or martyrs sacrificed for injustice.""Reason for your thoughts?" Ashok was getting interested as Yuvan w
Ashok went through the note again and again. Deva looked at him in amusement, "Ashok what are you looking at? Is it the first time you are receiving a note from the commander? You look like an amateur!" "No, he sighed. Deva I am just confused." "Confused?" "I just wonder if our commander is one step ahead of Yuvan or the opposite?" Deva had an induced smile, "Whoever it is; but the final step is from the serpents." "Since you are here, help me with the list and the next plan." "I have already listed it." Ashok hugged Deva in gratitude, "You are my real brother." "Hey, Deva suddenly retired; isn't the plan already fixed? " "I mean more dramatic.. By the way did the commander have any request?" "No. commander told me that this set of killing, I mean the mode is totally under our control and she won't interfere. But she ordered one thing that is according to the list, we should categorize the candidates and
As they were about to set off, she heard a wild growling and she looked around. She got up agazing at him and smiled lightly, " Lord, I am hungry now. Let's drop the plan for a walk."He understood her reasons and suddenly tried to tackle it, "It's fine."She smiled and continued, "Then let us do this; on the next rain, I promise I won't be hungry."The downpour ended within the next morning. The dawn broke with a pleasant smell of earth after the first rain. She woke up early and was practicing her ribbon dance. She moved the ribbon wrapped around her hand like a music wave hitting the branches with the tint of dew drops left around her resulting in a subtle flower rain. Amidst it; she swung in a spiral and ended in a goddess posture. As Yuvan was preparing
Yuvan and others roved out of the mansion and jumped on their horseback. The horses galloped through the streets with their masters who literally had an exponential increase of heart beat. The image of the informer and his expression was imprinted in their minds. Even as an imperial guard, the guard was quaking in his boots which made them anxious. The fear in them made the distance longer than it was. Time was ticking and nearing midnight leaving the streets desolated. They rode through subways avoiding main street. They were about to reach as the court gate was bleakly visible. The horses neighed almost ten feet from the court gate. The sight shook them like a leaf. They slowly walked closer without blinking their eyes. Upon reaching closer, they looked above at the source of the blood with miserable eyes and frozen lips. Two mighty hands were hanging on the door, blood was still dripping from above. The threshold of the court was red in color due to the blood rush. The impe
The hands were brought back and laid in the coroner's desk for examination. The imperial guards were left in the court to clean the area. So they returned with only 3 guards. The hands were cold and started to stiffen. Yuvan and others were keenly watching his examination."This was amputated when the victim was alive.""What!! That was brutal.""And, Ashok continued with a deep sigh; he was tortured badly before death. Look.." he pointed to the wounds in the hands and at the wrist. "Look there are deep marks of rope. That is he was tied and tortured. Most probably this man died from excess blood loss.""Expected from cobras." Charan punched his fist in the air.Tick..Tick..They heard a violent knock in the door. They grabbed their swords in hand and looked around. Charan walked towards the gate with Abhik and two soldiers leaving Yuvan and Ashok alone with the cold hands."Prince, I am afraid whether he was more tortured or no
Abhik and Charan travelled back to the mansion. He was feeling better after leaving the crime scene. Since he was nauseous on the way, they travelled in a cart rather than their usual horses."Young prince, Charan inquired after he made sure that Abhik was able to restrain himself; Are you fine?"Charan knew the meaning of silence he got as a reply from Abhik. He stopped the cart and Abhik got off; Charan followed him and they stopped under a tree and sat down for a while."Charan, you know it's not my first time to face a post mortem, not to mention even a corpse with maggots. I was fine. But the corpse we received from cobras, they.. his eyebrows scrunched together and he continued, they don't even have a basic respect for a human being and I bet when the victim faced his foe he might not be even aware of his sin. I think bruddah was right; She kills for fun."Charan nodded but was deeply worried as he knew something was wrong somewhere."Charan,
The just risen golden red sun rays penetrated through the flipping curtains and tickled her eyelashes. She stretched her hands and looked around and saw Yuvan sleeping in the side bed. She knew his state of mind and went near him. She stood there for a while and glanced at him without even blinking her eyes."Bruddah.." Abhik knocked at the door violently. The degree of his serious knocking woke him and at the same time made her puzzled, 'I clearly asked them to make the next one simple. Now what happened?" She thought.Yuvan got up and opened the door ahead of her."What happened Abhik?" Abhik was breathing heavily, he grabbed his hand and said "No time to explain bruddah" and dragged him out of the room. She walked ahead and saw them having a serious conversation. Abhik turned back and saw her walking towards the threshold. His eyes rolled out of fear and rushed to stop her. The seriousness heard bleakly from behind fueled her curiosity and she walked with att
"It has been fifty years. Why don't you go inside to see him?" Aras stood near his sister who was on the border of Amai for five decades waiting for him. "I am afraid; If I meet him again... " She sounded tired. "Even after all these years you still can't let go of him. Why don't you return to heaven?" "Because of my selfishness, I ruined his two life. I have to make sure that his next life will be smooth and prosperous. " "You just want to meet him for the last time and tell him, you never misunderstood nor hated him." "Maybe... Yes. I don't want him to leave with regret and disappointment. I want him to be happy for eternities from now on." "My little sister is grown up..." Aras hugged her with his left hand. Loud bells gonged all around Amai. The king is dead... She pressed her hand in anguish. She was sweating, her breath was getting denser. 'He is coming... I am meeting him... For the last time. Will he resent me' Her mind was full of thoughts? "Apu... " She turned back.
They went back with Naman and Ashok. Her death was his biggest punishment and he was punished for a lifetime. He sat on the aisle for a whole day. Tears rolled and caressed his lips dropping on the mask in his lap. All envoys left Amai fearing Hiranga. Amai was completely alienated from that day. Abhik and Charan stood beside him. He loved his di and Ashok was a brother to him. It was as if he lost all his siblings on that day. They couldn't process her death or the newly introduced cobras.A sudden thought struck Yuvan and he rushed from the palace. He rode his horse like a madman and entered his mansion. Abhik and Charan followed him. When they reached there, they heard his cry. It was from his room. They saw him collapse on the floor."Bruddah..."They saw him clenching the mask and weeping hardly. "They took everything, everything she had here except this mask that witnessed her... last... tears.""Out... Out..." He pushed both of them out of his room and ordered every person to b
"Amanya... Apeksha..." His legs were shaking. Was it because of the poison or her name, he was not sure. The day from Sayyonee to the last feast flashed in his mind. His face was sad,"was it all a plan?" The undercover legacies of Amanya ringed his ears."Whatever she planned was her responsibility just like you planned beside her as Yuvraj. But.. meeting you and falling for you were pure accidents." Ashok answered his whispers."Accidents??!!" His red eyes stared at them in umbrage."For you, she left her country, her crown, her privileges' of a queen; but... you let her down.She trusted you, to be with you she was silent about Amai's injustices. Every day was a thin ice. She walked on it just to live with you.""You let her down..." Dhruva roared.Jiva stared at Yuvan, "On that day, when you barged into my kingdom; I just asked you one thing and it was her happiness. You promised me; then where is she??" his eyes were red."You can't even protect your wife from these hypocrites, h
The palace court was eagerly waiting for him. Envoys from different countries who arrived at the feast of their wedding had not left the country. They were stationed to discuss the recent powerplay of Hiranga in Amai. But what they witnessed shook them. They experienced the psychotic arrogance of Cobra. Though they were feigning courage, their faces were pale. Their fear was evident. The majestic door of the court was opened for Yuvan. He could see the real situation of Amai from them. "What is happening outside?" "Did you catch them??" Questions were flowing from all directions. "Yesterday, Amai was in a fire. All our irrigation fields and shops were burnt and we have concluded that it is done by Hiranga." Abhik and Charan with the subordinate of Mahesh entered the room. Mekala was already present in the court with her father. All the generals were summoned and stationed outside the palace. Soldiers were all over the streets. Within two days the complete system of Amai was in cha
Thick fumes covered the capital. Cries for help spiraled from every direction. Soldiers and people filled the streets trying to blow out the fire. But the fire spread out faster and was multiplying its reach on all sides. Within time, the entire farming of the Amaian capital was burning. They rushed to the nearby fields and joined them trying to bring down the fire."Lord, it was set manually. We smell the oil." Charan reported.People were crying loud in their burnt fields. They lost their hard work before their naked eyes."Lord!! " Some soldiers rushed towards them in fright."Lord, the shops are on fire. ""What??" They couldn't even get time to understand the situation they are in. They hurried with the soldiers. People were running frantically and the streets were in complete chaos. The entire capital was on fire. Soldiers assembled large water pipes and sprayed them. By night they were able to bring down the fire but it exhausted the capital totally. They were afraid to leave t
She was rested in the flower bed. It was filled with white lilies and candles. Even the majestic armor couldn't hide her sorrow. Her sword and mask were removed from the coffin. The entire crowd was silent. Jiva caressed her and adorned her face with rouge and flowers. Tears were dripping in the room engulfed in silence and darkness."Till her end, she was the princess of Hiranga, the serpent queen but she was also the crowned princess of Amai. She should get the farewell she deserved." Jiva tuned towards Ashok and stumbled over Naman who just witnessed her silence."Naman, lead her to Hiranga with Deva. But you should be back by morning.""Prince then you..""I should stay..." He looked at her lifeless body in silence.Yuvan was brought back to his mansion. The entire night in the peak of angst exhausted him. He was tired but resolute to turn every stone he met in his favor. The loneliness around him was submerging him in darkness."Bruddah, Ashok... is missing." Abhik rushed to his
Yuvan was slowly dropping his hopes. The only way to prove her innocence was Mekala but she was too scared even to speak. Despite her state, she insisted on being clean. She admitted to harming and trying to frame Apu but with a fazan that surprisingly vanished from the scene. A cobran cloak and dagger are not in the capacity of Mekala. Only two days are left. He was too reluctant to leave the mansion of Mahesh empty-handed as he is not sure of his next destination or a new lead."Lord..." Charan stopped his horse in the mid of the road. His lips were shivering and his hands on the rein were shaking."Did you find something to save her??" He was miserable."Lord please follow me.." he galloped on the road. Yuvan followed him to the burnt prison. Large fumes filled the clouds above the land. Yuvan got off with trembling legs. He stood in a daze but was stirred by the fall of walls. He rushed in but was blocked from all sides."Apu... Apu..." He screamed with all his strength. He collap
He rolled out of the prison. The thunder stopped but the skies were still dark as if they were ready to mourn for her."She... is..."His lips were dead. He kneeled before the gate of the prison and screamed."Ashok... " A distressed voice echoed behind him. He was feeble for any response. His entire body was numb."What happened??" Another sound forced him to raise his head. Dhruva looked at him in angst."Ashok... Crowned prince and general Dhruva is here to rescue commander back." Deva spoke in a monotonous tone." Let me meet her." He tried to get up but the guilt and remorse were too much for his shoulders.He couldn't face his prince nor a word was uttered from him. All he could do was cry. He cried his heart out. They panicked at his conduct."What happened??"He bowed striking his head on the floor and extended his hands; stained with her blood.He groaned; "I... failed... her.""What?? " Dhruva grabbed his hands tightly, their eyes were red."Repeat it.. if you dare?""Lord...
The spectral darkness gulped the walls of the prison. She was hushed, her tears were rolling down.The deep silence inside the cell was getting interrupted by lightning. A heavy footstep was approaching her. She had decided her end and was waiting for him."Ashok...""Amanya..." Ashok was fuming in vengeance but this mighty word in prison sounded despondent."Ashok... I have decided to leave here." Her words were lifeless."Commander, your guilty sub-captain is here, waiting for your order." His words were suddenly loud as if he dared to proclaim his reality to the entire Amai."Bring my sword and mask. I wish to leave here as the commander of serpents."He was back within an hour. She is going to complete her life in the world. There are many she wished to do, yet she has to go without a farewell."Ashok..." Words from her were a big relief for him, " Come back after an hour. "Her request was strange but he didn't dare to ask her. He decided to wait.She smiled and cried, gazing at