Chapter 175: Chpter 173: King And His Family Arrives...
(A/N):
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As the first rays of the morning sun spread across the horizon, Mallikavana village transformed completely.
The quiet village that had spent the early hours preparing for the festival was now bursting with life.
Villagers lined both sides of the main road.
Children sat on rooftops.
Some had even climbed trees to secure a better view.
Colorful flower garlands decorated houses and market stalls.
The fragrance of thousands of blooming flowers drifted through the air.
Everywhere one looked, people were smiling and talking excitedly.
Then the distant sound of drums echoed through the village.
Dum! Dum! Dum!
The crowd immediately became restless.
"They are here!"
"The king has arrived!"
"The royal family!"
Excited voices spread throughout the streets.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Soon the royal procession entered Mallikavana.
At its center was an enormous chariot decorated with gold carvings and embroidered banners carrying the royal emblem.
Four magnificent white horses pulled it forward.
The vehicle itself was less a chariot and more a moving display of royal authority.
Behind it followed several additional carriages.
Mounted guards surrounded the procession from every direction.
Archers rode along the flanks.
Elite soldiers marched beside the wheels.
The display left no doubt regarding the power of the ruling family.
The procession eventually stopped at the center of the village.
The crowd immediately erupted into cheers.
Flower petals filled the air.
Children shouted excitedly.
Women offered prayers.
The village chief hurried forward with several elders.
The carriage door opened.
A tall, dignified man stepped out first.
King Padmanabha Varman.
His presence alone commanded attention.
Years of ruling had given him an air of authority that could not be imitated.
The king smiled and raised his hand toward the villagers.
The crowd cheered even louder.
Moments later, Queen Mrinalini Devi stepped down from the carriage.
Elegant and graceful, she greeted the villagers warmly.
Many women in the crowd immediately folded their hands respectfully.
Then came the person many had been waiting to see.
Princess Indhumati.
The young princess stepped down carefully from the carriage.
Her appearance immediately drew the attention of the crowd.
Flower petals drifted around her as the morning breeze moved through the village.
Several young men standing among the crowd looked completely stunned.
A few even forgot they were supposed to be cheering.
Their friends quickly elbowed them before the princess noticed.
Behind her came another carriage.
The door opened.
A young man wearing royal attire stepped out confidently.
Crown Prince Dhumakethu.
Unlike his father, who carried a calm authority, the prince radiated youthful confidence.
He immediately waved toward the crowd.
Several children cheered loudly.
The prince grinned and waved back.
The villagers loved it.
Meanwhile, the military preparations continued without pause.
The royal army that had accompanied the king did not enter the village completely.
Instead, most of them established a massive encampment outside Mallikavana.
Rows of tents quickly appeared across the fields.
Supply wagons arrived one after another.
Patrol routes were established.
Watchtowers were erected.
Scouts moved continuously around the village perimeter.
The commander clearly intended to leave nothing to chance.
Additional soldiers joined the advance guards already stationed throughout the village.
Together they began strengthening security around the festival grounds.
After all, with the king, queen, princess, and crown prince all present in one location, even a small security failure could become a disaster.
Fortunately for the villagers, such serious matters did little to dampen the festive atmosphere.
Soon merchants from every direction began opening their stalls.
The village streets rapidly filled with activity.
Traveling traders displayed colorful fabrics.
Jewelry merchants arranged their goods on decorated tables.
Potters showcased beautiful handcrafted vessels.
Food vendors prepared sweets and snacks whose aroma spread throughout the streets.
Performers, musicians, storytellers, and wandering artists began gathering wherever crowds formed.
Within a few hours, Mallikavana no longer resembled a simple village.
It had become a vibrant festival town.
Amid all this excitement, two particular merchants quietly opened their own stall.
Devara and Shakuni.
Still maintaining their disguises perfectly.
Their modest tent stood among dozens of others.
Various pottery items, household goods, and crafted products were arranged neatly for sale.
To any observer, they appeared no different from the countless merchants attending the festival.
Which was exactly how Devara wanted it.
Shakuni adjusted several items on display and glanced toward the royal procession moving through the village.
"You know,"
He said quietly,
"it feels strange watching another king arrive while the one king is busy pretending to sell pots."
Devara chuckled hearing his complain.
"Business seems promising."
Shakuni stared at him.
"That’s your response?"
A customer approached before Devara could answer.
The king immediately shifted into merchant mode.
His friendly smile returned.
"Welcome."
The villager began examining the products.
Meanwhile, Shakuni could only shake his head.
Sometimes he genuinely wondered whether Devara enjoyed being a merchant more than being a king.
Not far away, Sage Veenadhara sat beneath a nearby tree he had never once stopped following Devara and Shakuni.
His eyes moved between Devara’s stall and the royal family.
Then back to Devara.
Then back to the royal family again.
Something continued bothering him.
A suspicion he could not quite prove.
Yet.
As the festival officially began and the streets filled with laughter, music, and celebration, few people noticed the disguised king quietly selling goods from his stall.
And fewer still realized that while everyone was celebrating flowers, competitions, and royal festivities...
A far greater event was steadily approaching from the shadows beyond the forest.
The festival continued to grow livelier with every passing hour.
What had begun as a peaceful village gathering had now transformed into a grand celebration.
Music echoed through the streets.
Flower petals drifted through the air whenever a gust of wind passed.
Children ran from stall to stall with sweets in their hands.
Traveling performers entertained crowds with tricks, stories, and songs.
Meanwhile, Devara and Shakuni’s stall was doing surprisingly well.
Very well.
In fact, Shakuni had completely stopped questioning Devara’s decision to set up a merchant stall.
The items they had brought were selling rapidly.
Several villagers had already returned to purchase additional goods.
Some even recommended their stall to visiting merchants.
Shakuni counted the growing pile of coins and looked toward Devara.
"I am beginning to suspect you planned this."
Devara handed a clay pot to a customer casually.
"Planned what?"
"This."
Shakuni pointed toward the crowd gathered around their stall.
"You somehow manage to profit no matter where you go."
Devara simply smiled.
The customer laughed chatting with their freinds who accompanied them.
Meanwhile, not far away, the royal family had begun exploring the festival separately.
King Padmanabha Varman had official responsibilities to attend to.
"...."
The Crown Prince accompanied him.
Together they left the village center and traveled toward the military encampment outside Mallikavana.
The royal army had been preparing for days.
Several large arenas had already been constructed.
Training grounds had been cleared.
Viewing platforms were erected.
Decorated banners displaying the kingdom’s emblem fluttered proudly in the wind.
The military exhibition was one of the festival’s main attractions.
Every year, soldiers competed in various events.
Archery.
Swordsmanship.
Mounted combat.
Spear throwing.
Formation drills.
Not only did it entertain visitors, but it also served another purpose.
A political one.
The kingdom could openly display the strength and discipline of its army.
Neighboring merchants, nobles, travelers, and even spies would inevitably witness the performances.
It was a subtle reminder.
A reminder that the kingdom was prosperous.
And more importantly...
Protected.
King Padmanabha Varman personally inspected the preparations while Prince Dhumakethu enthusiastically questioned commanders about various competitions.
The prince looked particularly interested in the cavalry events.
"...."
Meanwhile, back inside the village, a very different activity was taking place.
Shopping.
A tremendous amount of shopping.
Queen Mrinalini Devi had separated from the king and prince.
Accompanying her was a large group of noblewomen, trusted companions, attendants, and maids.
The queen moved through the market with graceful dignity.
Yet beneath that dignity... She was clearly enjoying herself.
Many merchants nearly tripped over themselves trying to attract her attention.
Some offered their finest fabrics.
Others displayed jewelry.
A few boldly claimed their products were fit for royalty.
The queen politely examined everything.
Occasionally purchasing an item.
Occasionally smiling at a merchant’s exaggerated sales pitch.
Her attendants carried an increasing number of packages as time passed.
Not far from the queen’s group was another gathering attracting equal attention.
Princess Indhumati and her companions.
Unlike the queen, who maintained a regal composure, the princess displayed much greater curiosity.
Every few minutes something caught her attention.
A flower arrangement.
A handmade ornament.
A unique piece of jewelry.
A painted vase.
A rare fabric.
Her friends and attendants followed closely behind as she enthusiastically explored the market.
The princess’s presence created a small wave wherever she went.
Merchants became more energetic.
Customers became more curious.
Young men suddenly found reasons to visit stalls they had previously ignored.
Several merchants silently prayed that the princess would stop at their shop.
One successful sale to royalty could become a story passed down through generations.
Soon, Princess Indhumati’s group reached one of the busiest sections of the marketplace.
The area was filled with merchants from various regions.
Exotic goods decorated every stall.
The princess slowed her pace.
Her eyes moved from one display to another.
Her companions chatted excitedly around her.
One noble girl pointed toward a jewelry stall.
Another toward a clothing merchant.
A third became fascinated by painted pottery.
The princess laughed softly at their enthusiasm.
Then her attention shifted elsewhere.
Toward a merchant stall that seemed strangely crowded.
Several villagers surrounded it.
People appeared to be genuinely enjoying their conversations with the merchant.
The atmosphere around the stall felt different from the others.
Warmer.
More relaxed.
More natural.
Curiosity immediately appeared in the princess’s eyes.
Nearby, Shakuni noticed the approaching royal group.
Then he noticed who stood at its center.
His eyes widened slightly.
Without moving his lips, he quietly muttered toward Devara.
"We have visitors."
Devara looked up from arranging several pottery pieces.
His gaze moved toward the approaching group.
Toward the princess.
Toward the attendants.
Toward the royal guards following at a respectful distance.
Then he calmly returned to arranging his merchandise.
As though nothing unusual was happening.
Shakuni stared at him.
"...."
A princess was approaching their stall.
The princess.
And Devara was reorganizing clay pots.
Sometimes Shakuni truly wondered whether anything in this world could surprise his brother-in-law.
Not far away, Sage Veenadhara watched everything unfold.
A mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face.
For some reason...
He had a feeling the festival was about to become much more interesting.
Soon Princess Indhumati’s group arrived before Devara’s stall.
The crowd parted naturally to make way for the royal party.
Several villagers who had been examining the merchandise immediately stepped aside and bowed respectfully.
The princess herself seemed more interested in the products than the attention she was receiving.
Her eyes moved across the display.
Unlike many merchant stalls that tried to attract customers with flashy decorations, this one was simple.
Yet every item placed upon the tables seemed to possess a unique charm.
Clay pots decorated with intricate patterns.
Wooden carvings polished to perfection.
Beautiful jewelry boxes.
Painted figurines.
Handcrafted ornaments.
Each item looked as though someone had poured genuine care into its creation.
Princess Indhumati picked up a small handcrafted lotus-shaped lamp.
Her delicate fingers traced the carvings.
The details were astonishing.
Even the petals appeared lifelike.
A surprised expression appeared on her face.
"This is beautiful."
One of her companions leaned closer.
"It truly is."
Another maid carefully examined a carved jewelry box.
The workmanship immediately impressed her as well.
The princess turned toward Devara.
Curiosity shone in her eyes.
"Merchant."
"Where do these goods come from?"
Devara smiled lightly.
"Trivenivrata."
The answer immediately drew attention.
Not only from the princess.
But from everyone accompanying her.
Even some nearby customers stopped what they were doing.
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(Author note:)
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