• The Prisnor •
Dilshana sat on the edge of a narrow wooden cot in a small, isolated chamber deep within the service quarters of the fortress.
The room was plain and functional, resembling the living space of a standard palace maidservant. The walls were made of sandstone.
Her hands were no longer bound, but she remained completely still, the veil still tightly wrapped around her head, concealing everything except those green eyes.
The wooden door creaked open, breaking the silence.
A young girl stepped into the room with a bright smile that seemed entirely out of place in this grim corner of the fort.
She carried a brass platter in her hands as she walked over and seated herself on a low wooden stool right beside the cot.
"Tumhaara naam kya hai?"
(What is your name?)
Dilshana did not answer. She merely stared at her, her eyes wide and unblinking. The silence stretched between them, but the young girl did not seem deterred.
She tilted her head, maintaining her gentle smile. "Mera naam Kumud hai. Tumhaara naam nahi hai kya?"
(My name is Kumud. Do you not have a name?)
Dilshana slowly shook her head from side to side in a silent negative.
Kumud's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. She leaned in a little closer, her tone softening with a touch of sympathy.
"Kya tum bol nahi sakti? Goongi ho?"
(Can you not speak? Are you mute?)
Dilshana paused for a fraction of a second, tracking the girl's face, before she slowly nodded her head once in confirmation.
Kumud let out a sigh and set the platter down on a small stool in front of Dilshana. The platter contained a simple meal. The rich aroma of ghee and spices filled the small room.
"Yeh lo, tumne kal se kuch nahi khaaya hoga. Khaana kha lo."
(Here, you must not have eaten anything since yesterday. Have some food.)
Dilshana looked down at the steaming platter, then looked back up at Kumud. Then, she simply shook her head in a silent refusal.
Behind the slit of her veil, her eyes quietly broke away from Kumud and began to scan every single inch of the small chamber.
She was following every movement, every detail, and every sound within the fortress.
She lowered her gaze toward herself. Her tunic was stained with dried blood, dark patches spreading across the fabric. Her hands carried the same traces, dried blood clinging beneath her nails and along her palms.
She was still holding the silver bangle in her fist. Her fingers tightened around it instinctively, the metal pressing into her trembling palm. It was the only thing she had managed to keep from the chaos of the night, and she refused to let it leave her hand.
Kumud simply watched the silent girl sitting there, clutching it as though it were the last piece of home she had left.
Dilshana remained awake for a long time. She sat against the cold wall, her knees drawn close to her chest, listening to every unfamiliar sound beyond the door. Every passing footstep made her fingers tighten around the silver bangle.
The exhaustion from slowly began to overcome the fear keeping her awake. Her eyelids grew heavier, her thoughts losing their sharpness.
She eventually lowered herself onto the narrow cot. Her body remained tense even after she closed her eyes, as though some part of her was still expecting the door to burst open again.
For several minutes, she lay completely still. She eventually drifted into a dreamless sleep.
When she finally opened her eyes hours later, a crushing wave of physical weakness washed over her. Her limbs felt heavy like lead, and her throat was completely parched.
For hours, the thick fabric had remained tightly wrapped around her face, and the continuous lack of air was now causing a suffocation. Every breath felt shallow and restricted.
As consciousness returned, Dilshana lay perfectly still, her senses straining to map her surroundings. The shift in the room was instant.
When she had first fallen asleep, the window slits had been open. Now, the room was entirely sealed. Every single wooden shutter had been closed from the outside, blocking out the natural light.
From the corridor outside the thick wooden door, she could hear the distinct thud of boots and the clink of weapons. The security outside the room was incredibly tight, turning the small maidservant quarter into an absolute tomb.
Dilshana slowly sat up on the edge of the cot. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, soaking through the inner lining of her veil. Her shoulders began to shake, and within moments, she broke down, weeping bitterly in a release of all her terror and grief.
The sound of her muffled sobs cut through the quiet room.
Kumud, who had been resting on the adjacent cot, immediately woke up. Kumud's heart wrenched. She quickly slid off her bed and rushed over, kneeling beside Dilshana's cot. She gently reached out, wanting to comfort her but hesitating to touch.
"Rona band karo. Dekho, aise khud ko nirbal mat banao."
(Stop crying. Look, don't make yourself weak like this.)
Kumud spoke in a hushed whisper. She looked toward the locked door before looking back to Dilshana.
"Mujhe aadesh mila hai ki ab mujhe tumhe yahan akele chhodkar jaana hoga. Main bas tumhaare uthne ki hi pratiksha kar rahi thi."
(I have received orders that I must leave you alone here now. I was only waiting for you to wake up.)
Kumud stood up, pointing toward a corner. "Woh saamne snanghar hai. Aur is sandook mein mere kuch kapde hain, tum chaho toh badal lena. Main har roz sahi samay par aakar tumhe khana de jaungi. Tum apna dhyan rakhna."
(That is my bath area across. And there are some of my simple clothes in this chest, change into them if you wish. I will come to give you food every day at the right time. Take care of yourself.)
Kumud lingered by the cot for a long moment, looking down at Dilshana with eyes full of pity, torn between her duty and her compassion.
She finally turned, knocked on the locked door to signal the guards outside, and stepped out into the corridor, leaving Dilshana back in the suffocating silence of her prison.
• Unanswered Questions •
Deep in the uncharted depths of the jungle, the dawn air was freezing. A secret outpost stood hidden beneath the thick canopy of gnarled trees, its jagged sandstone walls swallowed by dark vines.
Outside the cell door, Vijaydev stood like a silent sentinel. The only light came from two torches mounted on the damp walls.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling shriek exploded from inside the cell. It was a loud cry of agony that cut through the silence, vibrating through the stone before abruptly snapping into a choking gasp.
Moments later, a blood trail began to slowly seep out from beneath the gap of the door. The pool of fresh blood crept on the floor.
The latch clicked. The door swung open and Agnijeet stepped out into the torchlight. His hands were dripping with blood. He held a torn strip of cloth, wiping the blood.
Vijaydev looked at the blood on Agnijeet's knuckles. "Did he spoke?"
Agnijeet shook his head, throwing the rag onto the floor.
"Is Ashwin there?"
Vijaydev nodded his head once.
"Yes."
Agnijeet adjusted the gauntlet on his wrist, his voice a low rasp.
"Did any message arrive?"
Vijaydev shifted his weight.
"Not yet."
He looked toward the trail outside the outpost where their horses were waiting in the shadows.
"Chaliye, dopaher hone se pehle mahal pahonch jayenge."
(Come, we will reach the palace before noon.)
Agnijeet did not move. He stood completely still as his eyes fixed onto the black expanse of the jungle, staring blankly into the pitch-black nothingness of the trees.
Vijaydev's eyes dropped to Agnijeet's torso. In the flickering light of the torches, the deep cuts across Agnijeet's shoulders and ribs were still weeping warm blood, the dark fluid glistening on the white fabric.
• The Women in White •
It was late morning when the absolute stillness of the isolated service wing was shattered by the clinking of heavy ornaments and the rustle of silks.
Two royal women marched down the corridor toward Kumud's chamber, flanked by a squad of guards and a maidservants.
The Queen of Mewar, Maharani Kalavati was Leading the march. In her mid thirties, she possessed a hawk-like face with arrogant eyes that had seen years of conspiracies.
She looked excessively opulent, draped in a heavy silk attire embroidered with gold threads, her neck and chest completely covered in multi-layered emerald necklaces.
Prince Sangram's wife, Trishani, was walking a step behind her. She was young and clearly terrified, her hands tightly clutching the edge of her veil as she kept her eyes glued to the floor.
As the entourage reached the door, two guards stationed outside immediately stepped forward. They crossed their javelins in front of the Queen, blocking the entrance. They were Agnijeet's men.
Kalavati stopped dead in her tracks. Her face contorted into fury as she glared.
"Tumhaari yeh himmat? Agnijeet ke pashuon, apni seema mat bhoolo!"
(How dare you? Agnijeet's beasts, do not forget your limits!)
The guards did not lower their weapons, their faces remaining stone masks.
"Kshama kijiye. Senapati ka aadesh hai, andar kisi ka bhi jaana varjit hai."
(Forgive us. It is the Commander's order, anyone's entry inside is strictly forbidden.)
Kalavati stepped right up to the hilts of their swords. "Senapati ka aadesh hamare mukut se bada nahi hai! Hato saamne se, isse pehle ki main tumhaari zuban katwa doon!"
(The Commander's order is not greater than my crown! Get out of the way before I have your tongues cut out!)
She violently pushed past, using her status as a shield. The warriors froze, unable to strike the Queen.
The door banged open against the wall.
Dilshana was sitting on the edge of the cot. She was visibly weak from the lack of air and nourishment. The sudden crash of the door made her eyes widen behind the slit of her veil.
Kalavati marched straight over until she stood in front of Dilshana. Her eyes swept over the captive with absolute disgust. "Yeh kapda hatao!"(Remove this cloth!)
Terrified by the malice radiating from Kalavati, Dilshana instinctively shrank back, sliding further toward the headboard of the cot, tightly clutching the fabric over her face.
Kalavati's patience snapped instantly. She took a step closer, her voice rising to a shout that shook the room.
"Maine kaha yeh kapda hatao! Kahaan se aayi ho tum? Kaun ho? Raj Sabha mein tumhaare kaaran Senapati ne sabka apman kiya hai! Mooh kholo!"
(I said remove this cloth! Where have you come from? Who are you? Because of you, the Commander insulted the everyone in royal court! Open your mouth!)
Dilshana's head lowered as she tried to pull away from the shouting.
Kalavati turned around sharply, her face violently flushed as she gestured toward her private guards.
"Sainikon! Aage badho aur iska ye nqaab kheenchkar phenk do! Dekhein toh sahi iska chehra!"
(Soldiers! Step forward and rip this veil off her! Let us see her face!)
The two guards exchanged a terrified glance. Their feets remained glued to the floor. They knew the consequences of touching anything Agnijeet Rathore had claimed as his own.
Kalavati glared at them, her lips curling into a vicious sneer.
"Namard kahin ke!"
(Bunch of cowards!)
Kalavati turned back toward the cot and lunged forward herself, signaling her two maidservants to join her. The three women fell upon Dilshana like a pack of wolves.
The two maidservants grabbed Dilshana's arms, pinning them violently down. Dilshana kicked her legs and thrashed, sobbing behind the cloth.
Kalavati's fingers clenched into the fabric around Dilshana's neck, and violently yanked it upward. The cloth caught on Dilshana's ears, scraping the skin raw.
Dilshana tried to twist her head away, but Kalavati raised her right hand and delivered a vicious slap across Dilshana's face. The loud smack echoed through the room.
The force of the blow snapped Dilshana's head to the side, breaking her resistance completely as the veil was violently ripped away.
Behind them, Trishani let out a terrified gasp, covering her mouth.
Kalavati grabbed Dilshana by the jaw, her fingernails digging deep into the soft skin of her cheeks, forcing her beautiful face upward.
Dilshana's face was tear-stained, a red mark blooming on her cheek, her green eyes wide with helpless humiliation.
Kalavati leaned down, her face inches away from Dilshana's.
"Ab samajh aaya ki woh Ratnagarh se kya chura kar laya hai. Ek sasti rakhail! Socha tha poore Hind mein usse bada koi brahmachari nahi hai, par andar se woh bhi ek bhookha pashu hi nikla!"
(Now I understand what he has stolen from Ratangarh. A cheap whore! I thought there was no greater celibate in all of Hind, but from the inside, he turned out to be nothing more than a hungry beast!)
Dilshana's chest heaved with short breaths as the disgusting words washed over her, the tears spilling over her cheeks as she sat violated under Kalavati's cruel grip.
Suddenly, A young woman, dressed in a plain white cotton lehenga, stormed into the room. She did not have the gold or silk, but her presence was filled with a royal dignity.
She threw herself directly between Kalavati and Dilshana, shielding the captive girl. Her hands were trembling, her eyes wide with distress."Chhodiye use! Bas kijiye!"
(Leave her! Stop this!)
The woman's name was Kesar. She was elder sister-in-law of Agnijeet, a gentle soul who held herself with absolute grace despite the plainness of her life.
Kalavati looked at her, her face twisting into disgust as Kesar grabbed her hand, trying to loosen those fingernails from Dilshana's jaw. "Tumhe kisne anumati di yahan aane ki, Kesar? Ek daasi ke kamre mein tum is dushman ka paksh le rahi ho?"
(Who gave you permission to come here, Kesar? In a maid servant's room, you are taking the side of this enemy?)
Kesar did not let go, her voice breaking as she struggled to pull Kalavati away from the bed. "Yeh anuchit hai! Devar sa ko pata chala toh anarth ho jayega. Kisi stree ko is tarah peetna aur uspar laanchan lagana hamare kul ki maryada ke viruddh hai!"
(This is improper! If my brother-in-law finds out, it will be a disaster. Beating a woman like this and insulting her character is against the dignity of our lineage!)
The mention of Agnijeet's name only made the venom in Kalavati's blood boil hotter. She violently shook her arm, her face contorting into a filthy laugh.
"Maryada? Us bhediye ne apne sharir ki garmi bujhane ke liye is kothri mein ek raand ko chhupa rakha hai, tab tumhaari maryada kahaan gayi thi? Agnijeet ka paap pvitra hai, aur mera use dekhna apradh?"
(Dignity? That wolf has hidden a harlot in this room just to quench the heat of his body, where was your dignity then? Agnijeet's sin is holy, and my looking at her is a crime?)
The words were so vulgar that Trishani behind them covered her ears.
Kesar stood her ground, her heart pounding against her ribs as she looked into Kalavati's hateful eyes. She knew the power Kalavati held, but she also knew the absolute terror of the man they were talking about. She pressed her palms together, openly pleading.
"Agar yeh apradh hai, toh ispar kal subah Rajya Sabha mein baat kijiye. Devar sa ke saamne unki aankhon mein aankhein daal kar yeh kahiye. Yahan ek akeli, nishasthra ladki par krodh nikalne ka koi arth nahi hai."
(If this is a sin, then speak about this in the Royal Court tomorrow morning. Say this looking straight into my brother-in-law's eyes. There is no meaning in taking out your anger on a lonely, unarmed girl here.)
The mention of facing Agnijeet in the open court brought silence over the room.
The two maidservants slowly stepped back, their aggressive posture melting into sudden anxiety. Even the guards outside the door seemed to hold their breath.
Kalavati's chest heaved with suppressed rage, the venom freezing in her throat. A dangerous smile slowly crept onto her lips. She released her grip, smoothing down the creases of her attire.
She took two steps backward, her hateful eyes cutting down to Dilshana's face.
"Raj Sabha mein toh baat hogi hi."(There will definitely be a discussion in the Royal Court.)
Kalavati turned sharply, her gold ornaments clinking loudly as she marched out of the room. Trishani and the train of maidservants scrambled out behind her.
Kesar stood over the edge of the cot. She looked down at the shivering girl. This was the stranger who had tricked the untamable Commander of Mewar on the open battlefield.
Kesar closed her eyes for a brief second to compose her own racing heart.
"Main khana bhijwa rahi hoon. Kha lo aur kapde badal lo."
(I am sending food. Eat it and change your clothes.)
Kesar lingered for another moment, her eyes locked onto Dilshana's tear-stained cheeks. Her gaze was a complex tangle of a bitterness for the enemy who had harmed her family's fiercest warrior and an involuntary pity for the helpless woman.
Kesar turned away, her white skirts rustling softly against the floor as she exited the chamber and pulled the door shut behind her.
Dilshana remained seated on the cot, completely alone once more. Her hands trembled violently as she pressed them against her bruised face, her chest heaving as she wept bitterly into the lock-bound silence, the raw sting burning against her skin.
The midday sun was burning harsh through the open arches of the royal residential wing as Agnijeet marched down the corridor. His leather boots left dusty prints on the floor.
Suddenly, a scent of rich musk blocked his path. Kalavati stepped out from a side gallery, intersecting him completely.
She could clearly see the thick bandages and the lash marks crisscrossing his chest and shoulders, through the semi-sheer fabric of his kurta,
She took a deliberate step in his path.
"Commander... where are you coming from?"
Agnijeet simply turned his face toward the open courtyard.
"I am in a hurry right now, Maharani."
He moved past her like a cold gust of wind, leaving the Maharani standing alone in the corridor, her teeth grinding in frustration.
Agnijeet strode into his private chamber. The room was dark, the curtains around his massive bed drawn tight, keeping the blinding daylight out.
He peeled the loose cotton kurta off his torso, the fabric sticking to the fresh blood weeping from his back.
Within minutes, the old royal physician entered the chamber. The old man gasped as he inspected the severity of the wounds.
The whip lacerations across Agnijeet's back were jaggad, claw marks inside the wounds had torn the muscle fibers apart. The gash on the back of his head from the silver bangle was swollen and caked with dark blood.
The physician applied a burning herbal paste over the raw flesh. Agnijeet sat perfectly still, his hands gripping his knees as the medicine burned through his veins.
Once the wounds were packed and tightly bound with white cotton cloths, the physician bowed and quickly retreated.
A little later, Kumud stepped inside, her movements hesitant as she carried a silver platter filled with hot food. The thick silk curtains surrounding the canopy bed were closed.
Kumud stopped a few feet away from the bed, keeping her head lowered.
"I have brought the food."
Agnijeet's voice came out in a deep, exhausted rasp.
"Keep it there."
Kumud placed the platter on the table. She turned on her heel to leave, but as she reached the center, her footsteps slowed down. Taking a deep breath, she turned back toward the curtained bed.
"Rana sa... us goongi ladki ne kuch nahi khaaya."
(Rana sa... that mute girl hasn't eaten anything.)
The air in the room turned ice-cold. The silence stretched for three seconds before Agnijeet's sharo voice cut through. "Tumse kitni baar kaha hai ke Rana sa mat bola karo."
(How many times have I told you not to call me Rana sa.)
Kumud's face turned completely pale. She realized her mistake instantly. She bowed frantically, her voice trembling.
"Kshama kijiye... Kunwar sa"
(Forgive me... Prince.)
She turned and scrambled out of the chamber, pulling the doors shut as fast as she could, leaving the room back in its suffocating silence.
Time lost all meaning inside those sandstone walls of Kumud's room. The sun dipped below the horizon, plunging the chamber into pitch blackness, and then rose again, casting dull gray light through the alcoves.
Dilshana lay curled on the cot, untouched by food or water. Her body was a map of exhaustion, her mind a churning storm of grief and terror for her unknown fate.
Her throat felt like parched leather, and her stomach twisted in sharp pangs, but she refused to let cry out or bang on the door.
Yet whenever she closed her eyes, the same face returned to her without mercy. Agnijeet's monstrous features emerged from the darkness of her thoughts, his cold brown eyes fixed upon her with that same terrifying intensity she had witnessed. The image of his blood soaked hair, the dark crimson still dripping from the strands and running down the side of his face, remained disturbingly vivid in her memory.
She tried to push it away, but an even more frightening thought followed close behind. What would happen when she had to face that monster again? What would he do to her the next time he stood before her, when there was nowhere left for her to run?
Dilshana forced herself to look away from the memory, squeezing her eyes shut as she tried to summon the face of her mother instead. She pictured the warmth of her voice, and the softness of her hands. Yet even those memories could not completely silence the question haunting her mind.
What did that ruthless Commander intend to do with her, and how long could she survive inside his fortress without knowing what fate he had chosen for her?
She simply existed in the shadows, enduring the slow crawl of hours, waiting for whatever dark fate awaited her.
• The Conspiracy •
The private chamber had fallen into a tense silence. Durgpal stood beside the tall window, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared into the courtyard below. The humiliation still burned, every word Agnijeet had spoken before the entire Raj Sabha replaying in his mind.
The Minister stood a few steps behind him, while Yuvraj Sangram remained seated on the chair.
After a long silence, the Minister finally spoke.
"Maharaj... ye achha avasar hai."
(Maharaj... this is a good opportunity.)
Durgpal slowly turned his head toward him, but Sangram spoke before the King could respond. "Haan. Hum hamesha uski manmani nahi seh sakte. Woh dushman stree ko ranbhoomi se uthakar le aaya hai aur ab use mahal ke andar rakha hai."
(Yes. We cannot keep tolerating his arrogance forever. He brought an enemy woman away from the battlefield and has now kept her inside the palace.)
The Minister's gaze shifted between the King and the Prince before he spoke.
"Bal se hum Senapati ka saamna kabhi nahi kar payenge. Humein uske saamne talwar lekar khade hone ki avashyakta nahi hai... humein aise prashn khade karne honge jinka uttar dena uske liye kathin ho."
(We will never be able to confront the Commander through force. We do not need to stand before him with swords... we need to raise questions that will be difficult for him to answer.)
For the first time, something resembling satisfaction appeared in Durgpal's eyes.
A slow smile curved across his lips as he turned fully toward them. "Rajdarbar ke prashnon ko toh woh apne vastron se dhool ki tarah jhaad dega."
(He will brush aside the questions of the royal court like dust from his clothes.)
His smile deepened.
"Senapati ki Maa Saheb ko le aao."
(Bring the Commander's mother here.)
The Mahamantri's expression shifted subtly at the order, but Durgpal had already turned back toward the window, his
eyes settling upon the distant palace grounds.
The Commander's mother rarely stayed inside the palace. She spent most of her time at an ashram situated far away from the royal residence.
Write a comment ...