Chapter 214: Chapter 212: Princess Recount... Message Reaches Trivenivrata...
(A/N):
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Guys I hope you put more comments and power stones... Which will encourage me...
Guys with this Chapter Volume 11: 100 Days War begins...
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Meanwhile...
Inside Queen Devaki’s tent, the chaos and bloodshed outside felt like a distant world.
The torn canvas had already been replaced with a new one, and additional guards stood watch around the royal quarters.
The sounds of soldiers searching the village had grown faint, leaving behind only an uneasy silence.
Princess Indhumati lay upon the bed, her eyes now fully open.
Her life had been saved.
But she was far from recovered.
Her complexion remained pale, and every breath she took was accompanied by a trace of exhaustion. Even lifting her arm required noticeable effort.
The ritual had never reached its intended conclusion.
Pushpasura had failed to claim her life.
Yet...
Her blood had still become part of the sacrificial ritual.
That alone had left behind consequences.
The remnants of the forbidden Tantra continued to linger within her body like a stubborn poison that refused to disappear completely.
Although Devaratha had suppressed the curse with the blessing of Mother Ganga, the aftereffects remained.
Her spiritual energy had become unstable.
Her body felt unusually cold.
Occasionally, faint black veins would briefly appear beneath the skin around the small wound on her wrist before fading away again.
It was no longer life-threatening.
But neither had it vanished entirely.
The elderly royal physician carefully examined her pulse one final time before letting out a long sigh.
He slowly withdrew his fingers and looked toward Queen Devaki.
"Your Majesty... The Princess is no longer in immediate danger."
Queen Devaki released a quiet sigh of relief.
However, the physician’s expression remained serious.
"The effects of the Tantra have not completely left her body."
"It has been forcefully suppressed, not destroyed."
He glanced toward the faint wound on Indhumati’s wrist.
"The ritual was interrupted before its completion, sparing the Princess’s life."
"But because her blood became part of that ritual... its influence still lingers."
The Queen’s smile gradually disappeared.
"Will she recover?"
The physician answered honestly.
"I believe she will."
"But she must not overexert herself."
"Her body and mind have both endured tremendous strain tonight."
"She needs complete rest."
He bowed respectfully.
"I shall prepare medicines to strengthen her body, though I fear they can only aid her recovery."
"The remaining traces of the Tantra are beyond the reach of ordinary medicine."
After offering one last respectful bow, the physician quietly departed from the tent.
Silence settled over the room once more.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Queen Devaki slowly sat beside the bed.
Her eyes, which had remained strong throughout the night’s turmoil, finally softened.
She gently brushed a loose strand of hair away from Indhumati’s face before tenderly stroking her daughter’s head.
"You frightened me..."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"For a moment... I thought I was going to lose you."
Indhumati gave a weak smile.
"I’m sorry..."
Her voice was soft and hoarse.
"I made you worry again mother."
Queen Devaki immediately shook her head.
"Don’t apologize."
"You have suffered enough already."
Her hand continued gently caressing her daughter’s hair, just as she had done when Indhumati was a little girl frightened by thunderstorms.
Despite now being a grown princess...
At this moment...
She was simply a mother comforting her exhausted child.
Indhumati slowly closed her eyes, leaning ever so slightly into her mother’s touch.
The warmth of that familiar gesture eased the lingering fear in her heart far more than any medicine could.
Outside the tent, soldiers continued preparing for the war that Devaratha had warned was approaching.
Inside...
For the first time since the nightmare had begun... Mother and daughter shared a brief moment of peace.
Neither of them knew how long that peace would last.
The tent remained quiet for several minutes.
The only sounds were the gentle rustling of the curtains as the night breeze drifted through them and the distant footsteps of soldiers carrying out the King’s orders throughout Malikavana Village.
Queen Devaki continued stroking Indhumati’s hair in silence.
"...."
She knew her daughter needed rest.
Yet she also knew that unanswered questions would only weigh upon her mind.
After gathering a little strength, Indhumati slowly opened her eyes.
Her voice was still weak.
"...Mother."
Queen Devaki looked down at her.
"What happened... after I lost consciousness?"
The Queen’s hand paused for a brief moment.
A complicated expression crossed her face.
She had hoped to spare her daughter from the night’s horrors for a little longer.
But Indhumati deserved to know the truth.
Taking a slow breath, Queen Devaki began recounting everything that had happened.
She spoke of how Devara had immediately recognized that forbidden Tantra had been used against her.
She explained how he had discovered that the tiny scratch on her wrist, caused earlier when she accidentally bumped into her uncle, had become the medium through which the curse had entered her body.
She told her how Devara had urged the King to immediately seize Mahamantri Vikrama Varma.
How the King had refused to believe that his own younger brother could commit such an act.
How the Crown Prince had nevertheless sent soldiers to summon him.
And how those soldiers had been attacked by Vikrama Varma’s own loyal guards.
As the story continued, Indhumati’s expression slowly changed.
Disbelief.
Confusion.
Heartbreak.
Queen Devaki continued quietly.
"Your father wanted to believe it was all a misunderstanding."
"He trusted your uncle more than anyone."
"But..."
She lowered her gaze.
"The truth could no longer be denied."
She went on to describe the battle that erupted within the royal camp.
The assassins who had broken into the tent to finish what the Tantra had begun.
How Shakuni had fought to protect them.
How Devara had saved her once again.
How he had finally revealed his true identity.
"The merchant..."
Queen Devaki said with a faint smile.
"...was never a merchant at all."
"He is King Devaratha of Trivenivrata."
Indhumati remained silent now fully remembering what happened before her pass out.
For some reason...
That revelation did not surprise her nearly as much as it surprised everyone else.
The Queen continued.
"Your father, Devara, and your brother confronted Vikrama Varma."
"They uncovered the ritual."
"The tribesmen who worshipped an ancient Asura... had been working alongside him all this time."
Queen Devaki’s expression gradually became grave.
"They succeeded in awakening that Asura."
"Pushpasura."
"The same being whose voice echoed across the battlefield."
The Princess slowly tightened her fingers around the blanket.
"And Uncle..."
Her voice trembled.
"...what happened to him?"
Queen Devaki closed her eyes for a moment before answering.
"He became the first sacrifice."
"The very being he worshipped drained the life from him without the slightest hesitation."
Silence.
"...."
"...."
"...."
Indhumati stared blankly at the ceiling.
Her breathing unconsciously became heavier.
Everything she had believed throughout her life had been overturned within a single night.
The uncle who had always smiled kindly at her...
The man who had brought her gifts whenever he returned from diplomatic journeys...
The person she had trusted since childhood...
Had attempted to sacrifice her.
Not merely to kill her.
But to awaken an ancient demon.
She slowly shook her head.
"I..."
"I knew..."
She swallowed hard.
"When Devara... pointed out who is behind my situation to Uncle earlier..."
"...a part of me wanted to deny it."
Her voice became quieter.
"But after seeing that wound... I already suspected something."
She closed her eyes.
"I simply..."
"...never imagined it would go this far."
Queen Devaki gently squeezed her daughter’s hand.
"Neither did we."
"For years, your father trusted Vikrama Varma with matters of the kingdom."
"He never imagined that beneath that loyalty... your uncle had been nurturing such hatred."
Indhumati remained silent for a long time.
Finally, she looked toward her mother again.
"So..."
"The danger isn’t over..."
Queen Devaki slowly shook her head.
"No."
"According to King Devara..."
"The true battle has only begun."
"The Asura has awakened."
"And now..."
"...the fate of not only Pushkarnya, but perhaps all of Bhuloka, may depend upon stopping him."
The Princess slowly turned her gaze toward the entrance of the tent.
Beyond those curtains, thousands of soldiers were preparing for a war that none of them had expected when they arrived for the sacred festival.
Only then did Indhumati truly understand the scale of the disaster.
What had begun as an attempt on her life...
Had become the beginning of a war that threatened an entire world.
Meanwhile...
Away from the chaos that still lingered around Malikavana Village...
Devaratha and Shakuni stood beside a small campfire that had been lit outside the royal encampment.
The battle had finally subsided.
The wounded were receiving treatment.
The dead were being counted.
Soldiers continued patrolling the village in search of the last remnants of Pushpasura’s followers.
For the first time that night, the two men allowed themselves a brief moment of respite.
Shakuni uncorked a leather waterskin before taking a long drink.
He tossed another toward Devaratha.
Without a word, Devaratha caught it and drank a few mouthfuls.
Neither of them spoke immediately.
Both simply watched the soldiers moving about the camp.
After a long silence, Devaratha finally asked,
"Did you send the message?"
Shakuni nodded.
"I did."
"The royal pigeon was released as soon as the situation stabilized."
He took another drink before continuing.
"If everything goes according to plan, the message should have already reached Trivenivrata by now."
"The palace will already be preparing its response."
Devaratha gave a small nod.
"The army..."
"...will begin marching soon."
Shakuni answered confidently.
"There isn’t a commander in Trivenivrata who would delay after receiving an order bearing your royal seal."
"The moment the message reached the capital..."
"...the war preparations would have begun."
Devaratha quietly looked toward the eastern horizon.
"I only hope they arrive before Pushpasura fully regains his strength."
Shakuni’s expression also became serious.
"So do I."
Meanwhile... Far away...
Trivenivrata...
Royal Palace...
Within the Royal Palace of Trivenivrata...
A royal messenger hurried through the palace corridors before stopping outside the Queen’s chambers.
"Your Majesty."
"The emergency dispatch from His Majesty has arrived."
Queen Gandhari immediately accepted the sealed scroll.
Recognizing Devaratha’s royal insignia upon the wax seal, she broke it open without delay.
Her eyes moved rapidly across the contents.
With every passing line...
Her expression became increasingly grave.
The letter contained Devaratha’s direct orders.
Pushpasura had awakened.
A conspiracy had been uncovered within the Kingdom of Pushkarnya.
The Trivenivrata Army was to march immediately in support of their ally.
The message also contained a brief account of everything that had transpired at Malikavana Village.
By the time Gandhari reached the end of the scroll, she slowly lowered it.
A flicker of worry appeared in her eyes.
"...So..."
"...he’s already standing on the battlefield."
No one understood Devara better than she did.
If he had personally ordered the mobilization of the entire army...
Then the threat before him was far greater than an ordinary war.
Without wasting another moment, Gandhari rose from her seat.
"I need to meet Rajamata immediately."
Inside another wing of the palace...
Rajamata Satyavati, who had chosen to spend the remainder of her life in Trivenivrata, was quietly reading scriptures when Gandhari arrived.
The moment she saw the Queen’s expression, Satyavati knew something serious had occurred.
"What has happened?"
Without saying a word, Gandhari handed her the scroll.
Satyavati carefully read every line.
The warmth on her face gradually disappeared.
By the time she reached the end...
She folded the message shut.
"Summon the Royal Assembly."
"Immediately. We need to address it..."
The great assembly hall of Trivenivrata filled rapidly.
Ministers.
Generals.
Court scholars.
Royal advisers.
Every important official answered the emergency summons.
Among those entering the hall was Ashwatthama.
His sharp eyes immediately noticed the unusually solemn expressions on everyone’s faces.
Queen Gandhari ascended the royal throne.
Rajamata Satyavati sat beside her, silently observing the gathering.
Only after every seat had been occupied did Gandhari begin speaking.
"A message has arrived from His Majesty."
The entire hall fell silent.
She unfolded the scroll and read Devaratha’s orders before the assembled court.
When she finished...
A heavy silence lingered throughout the chamber.
"...."
"...."
"...."
None of them had expected an Asura to awaken.
Nor had they expected Trivenivrata to be marching toward war so suddenly.
Gandhari’s gaze settled upon Ashwatthama.
"
He immediately stepped forward.
"Your Majesty."
"You will lead the Trivenivrata Army to Pushkarnya."
"You will reinforce His Majesty and fight alongside the Kingdom of Pushkarnya against the Rakshasa forces that are certain to gather around Pushpasura."
Ashwatthama bowed without the slightest hesitation.
"As you command."
"I shall depart as soon as the army is assembled."
"There will be no delay."
Gandhari gave a slight nod before turning toward the elderly warrior seated among the royal advisers.
"Dronacharya."
The revered master looked up.
"Your Majesty."
"Until His Majesty returns..."
"You will oversee the kingdom’s military affairs."
"I want the capital’s defenses strengthened."
"Double the palace guard."
"Increase patrols along every border."
"If Pushpasura has followers within other kingdoms, we cannot assume Trivenivrata itself is free from infiltration."
Dronacharya slowly rose to his feet.
"You have my word."
"The capital shall remain secure."
"No enemy will breach Trivenivrata while I yet live."
Gandhari looked across the entire assembly.
"His Majesty has chosen to stand beside Pushkarnya in its hour of need."
"Now..."
"It is our duty to ensure that Trivenivrata stands firmly behind its king."
One by one, every minister, commander, and noble rose from their seats.
They brought their fists to their chests and bowed in unison.
"For Trivenivrata."
"For His Majesty."
"For victory."
The kingdom that had enjoyed peace under Devaratha’s rule now began preparing for its first great war.
Across the palace, bells rang through the night.
Messengers raced toward military barracks.
Smiths reopened their forges.
War drums echoed across the capital.
The Lion Kingdom of Trivenivrata had begun to awaken.
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(Author note:)
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