Princess Fighter: Search for the Throne

II

Vallabh read and reread the text before handing it back to the girl. Those words were enough to stir up his curiosity that he bit the bullet and followed the girl into a dark alley.

Entering the crowded hall that reeked of forced laughter, alcohol, and an almost unfettered lust, he was directed into the corridor located at the back end of the building and was relatively quieter.

Vallabh completely changed his mind as he passed by the scantily dressed girls and the eunuchs who were dressed up festively.

The entire atmosphere was fake and bright enough to injure his hard eyes. Finally, he was ushered into a rather dark room, with only a few candles to accompany him. After the chaos elsewhere, this room felt like a reprieve.

Surprisingly, it was barely decorated. There are no garish decorations and almost no decadent arrangements to suit the living room of the head of the brothel.

He had never met Devyani before, but there might be a sassy picture in his head about her, which was why he was surprised to see her in person.

Clad in a plain pink muslin saree, she was not wearing any jewelry and her face was free from artificial colors.

With her arched hourglass body, her unruly key on a clear face, she was none other than the Goddess of beauty. Had she crossed paths with him on the street, she would have thought of him as a normal woman, not a pretty attractive woman from a respectable family.

"Welcome, General. I'm grateful you've accepted my invitation," she said gently, hinting that she should sit in front of him.

"Well, to be honest, I didn't mean to, but your vague words sparked my curiosity. If you don't mind, I'd rather you go straight to the purpose of inviting me. I had ... err, an important night and I didn't have too much patience to handle something unnecessary" he spoke harshly.

Not offended by his words, he smiled calmly and replied, "I like long-winded men."

"Well, for starters, I know all about the welcome you received tonight in the capital. It's not my place to judge right and wrong. But I know a sense of contempt. I also know what you look like.an honest and honest man who is famous for the loyalty of his troops who never die and are unwavering. In order for you to inspire such devotion, you have to be a great leader, "he says all this in a real way.

Devyani could see the man was uncomfortable with the compliment.

With another smile, he said, "These words are not meant to flatter you. I'm just telling you everything I know. Anyway, the reason I asked you today is to ask you to help me plan a coup on the current monarchy."

Vallabh, who was listening to his words in a daze, suddenly looked at him in shock.

"Is this a tactic extended by the head of South Zilla?" his first suspicious thought.

Devyani looked at him and understood his unspoken thoughts.

"I am not involved in any mechanism in the royal palace or its minions. The proposal is mine and only mine. I know we are strangers meeting today for the first time, with nothing in common. But what you don't do know that tonight, there is one thread that ties us together – threads of injustice,” he said.

Vallabh was ready to get up and leave a minute ago, but now he was leaning back into the padded chair.

There was something about the way he said those words that made him hold back as he did, when he read his scroll outside the palace.

Devyani went on to recount the incident in which her pride had been snatched in court a few weeks ago, as she went to fight for the rights of her people.

He recounts the entire episode separately as if recounting an incident that happened with a stranger. Perhaps that was why the truth of his words affected him more.

Vallabh finally understood the reason he asked for his presence.

He must have very good connections within the palace to know about the incident that just happened, he thought.

"I cannot claim to understand remotely the magnitude of the wound caused by the king's words and actions. But what you have in mind is absolutely impossible. First of all, this is a betrayal that if someone is found guilty, will get you entangled in your neck. Second, even if we want to appease our wounded egos by trying such an action, you think what a famous but equally helpless army general and prostitute can accomplish. I suggest you take the wealth you've earned and live a comfortable retirement life somewhere outside the capital" he said, unfriendly.

Devyani's nostrils widened as she replied, "It looks like I got the wrong impression. I'm told that you are a brave man who is not afraid of enemies, known or unknown. But it turns out your nickname as a Southern tiger is just a myth. Instead you are a coward who chooses to run back to safety with his tail tucked between his legs at the first sign of trouble."

Hearing his heated words, Vallabh looked at him with a complicated expression.

"Just because my words don't contain poison, does that mean I'm a coward? I just think that personal revenge does not require an act of treason against one's country" he said gently.

"Do you go to the king for personal gain? I think you represent the plight of the villagers at the hands of corrupt administrators. So how does that get personal? Or do you think their problem isn't yours and then you want to wash your hands as soon as you've been thwarted the first time?" he challenged.

Vallabh stung him with pain in his eyes and spoke softly, "You know that's not true. If you believe that, you won't ask me to come here."

Devyani had said those words to ignite her anger, but her eyes closed them. He stood up in a liquid motion and poured a glass of water for her.

It seemed that he was not the type of person provoked with a simple tactic, so he waited patiently.

"Even if I take your advice for one hypothetical moment, do you even have a clue about what such a major operation entails and how it is performed? And who will fill the vacant position if we overthrow the king? There are no other royal members in her family who are suitable for the role at this time. The princess was only four years old, too young to marry someone. There will be total chaos and civil war for the throne. Have you thought about this? things?" She asked.

He suppressed the relief that surged through him. For a while, he was worried that he would retreat completely.

He asked these questions, giving him hope. Giving him a calm smile, he walked towards the wall opposite him and pressed the wooden panel on it.

A small drawer appeared out of nowhere and he pulled something from it before closing it back to an invisible angle.

"I hope this will answer some of your questions. Forgive me because my handwriting is not as fluent and advanced as scholars. I'm self-taught literate," he said self-conscious.

Vallabh took the scroll from him and looked at it curiously. The scroll was divided into three parts.

One of them was a crude image that tried to depict the movement of soldiers in a place that looked like a royal palace.

The second part is a list of things to do and read something like –

• erasing dynastic power

• check and balance to reduce corruption

• a possible hierarchy?

And the third is another drawing, this time a flow chart showing the proposed plan of government from the throne to the common man.

"You ... You drew this?" his voice turned into a whisper in astonishment.

Devyani blushed seeing the admiration that seemed in her eyes. For the first time in the night, he made eye contact with her, eventually treating her equally.

...****************...

The pigeon flew into the impatient courtyard, packing wildly until it was held and pacified by the waiting handler.

Removing the message scroll from her feet, the young woman perched on the wall where a bowl of water and some seeds were her gift, after a long flight.

One of the girls quickly brought the small piece of parchment straight to Devyani's room. He knew that it was this news that made Devyani uneasy since morning.

"The nest is empty now. All but one of the birds have migrated" he wrote.

"Tell the second leader of General Vallabh's forces that he should expect the last group of his team to arrive today" Devyani told one of his closest aides.

Nodding his head, the eunuch walked towards the outskirts of Central Zilla where over the past few weeks, a small portion of the Southern Zilla army began to arrive silently.

In that fateful meeting, seven weeks ago, Devyani managed to convince Vallabh of his intention to usurp the throne.

He had taken some time to realize the fact that people would accept the current queen as their king, but Devyani is confident about the fact that no wealthy and powerful household can raise its voice against this decision.

All the secrets he and his clan had gathered from the various households, over the past few years, were summoned.

The ultimate decision-maker of any rich and influential family is blackmailed or viciously poisoned or coerced, ensuring that there is a change of power in the family from the male to his wife or mother, it depends on who is more traumatized.

Devyani is not a male hater, but she believes that for most men, it is almost impossible to accept a woman and that too, which does not qualify, as their ruler.

It takes years, not months to convince them that a woman can handle any task in front of her, as well as her male counterpart.

Unfortunately, time did not side with him and hence, this method of approval was chosen to subdue the powerful head.

In the past month, quiet but robust financial transfers and decision-making have taken place in most households, whether they are traders or politicians or members of religious sects.

None of these men wanted to admit it in front of the others and the existence of an inflated male ego served as a favorable factor to keep things hidden.

But Devyani knows that it is only a matter of time before these gains are lost. As a result, there is a frenzy that grips people behind the scenes.

He and his people had worked hard during this period of time. The normal facade must be maintained.

Therefore, they all carry out their duties as prostitutes, servants, and others during their working hours and as spies and information carriers.

Devyani is well aware that the current queen often receives blows from her husband, king Chandranarayan.

In fact, he was the only survivor of the marriage, of his four wives. Apparently, the king could not ejaculate until he did not see any blood on his partner.

Although the palace maintains an exclusive harem for the king, but the girls are also sent for training to Devyani's house.

When the first concubine appears bleeding and bruised, Devyani secretly slips a stack of sleeping pills at them with a strict warning that it should be used on really bad days.

In some form or another, most of the servant class working in Central Zilla owed Devyani for many years.

He didn't do this to get an award or a compliment. It's just his way of pointing the nose at the norms of the rich and powerful that exist.

After much deliberation, she approached the queen two weeks ago, through a trusted eunuch.

He had told her to support his cause and in return, she would be free from the nightmares she had been living through for the past three years.

Not surprisingly, nineteen-year-old Rani*Damyanti did not hesitate even a minute before saying yes.

It was possible that he had yet to fully understand the implications of what was about to happen, but in his mind, there was something better than the hell he had discovered at the moment.

Devyani has visited South Zilla several times over the past few weeks as it is easier for her to travel undercover than Vallabh coming to Central Zilla.

The surveillance of people entering the capital is far more than in any other province.

Before meeting the queen, they argue over who among the two should ascend the throne.

Vallabh, as an apolitical man, had told him unequivocally that the government would not survive under him.

What he could confirm was, successfully subduing the royal guards and taking the king as a prisoner.

He had also assured that he would defend the next king from other Zilla generals, with the help of the armies of Central Zilla until they made the entire country surrender and pledge allegiance to the new ruler.

But the politics of running a day-to-day administration, is something outside of its field.

"Why don't you become the next head of state? After all, this is your plan," he told her, her serious eyes blazing.

Waiting for Devyani to stop laughing at her suggestion, she continued in earnest, saying,

"I don't see any other creature more capable or worthy of that position, right now."

Strangled by the emotion at her sincere words, she shook her head.

"Chandragarh is far from the day when someone with a less than stellar reputation can fight for the throne, let alone the fact that contestants are female. But if we manage to make this change, one day it will happen. For now, I think I have the right candidate who won't draw objections from most sides" he said with determination.

...****************...

Royal palace, six days since the coup

"What news from South Zilla? Are there any signs of trouble from the general?" the king asked one of his ministers of trust.

"Rajaku, it seems he has opened a new chapter since the episode two months ago. Before, he was a celibate man, only caring and dedicated to serving the country. But ever since he returned to his post from here on, he began to engage in all means of entertainment, whether it be drinking, prostitution or gambling. He visits the local brothers almost every night now. I don't think we need to worry about any rebellion from the end" the minister assured him.

......................

* Rani – Queen