Princess Fighter: Search for the Throne

XXIX

Suppressing a triumphant smile, Ujjwala stole a glance at the Northern zilla's head that was frowning at the moment.

"Haa. I'm sure he's looking for a mistake in my proposal. But I'll bet with my life that he won't find her," he thought to himself, keeping his expression calm.

Presentation is finally finished. Before everyone else, the head of the Northern zilla appeared. But he wasn't allowed to say anything. The Queen's adjutant, Indrani signaled to sit back in his chair.

Although his expression showed his displeasure at not being given the opportunity to present his case, he had no choice but to obey the order.

Ujjwala's sharp eyes scanned the entire spectacle calmly. Rani Samyukta stood up and walked towards him. Unsure of the Queen's reason for the same, Ujjwala also stood up, along with the other people gathered there.

"Congratulations, chief of the South! You and your team have just fascinated me with your concern for welfare and state planning. This is indeed a brilliant proposal, one that will cut spending for every household if they implement it well. There was very little environmentally friendly advice at once economically feasible and this one passed both criteria very well," he held Ujjwala's hand warmly and said so.

Ujjwala was surprised by the woman's current friendly and open attitude. But she found herself returning Rani Samyukta's smile. Indrani stepped forward and announced that lunch had been served.

Rani Samyukta thanked everyone for their efforts and led the ministers and the head of the zilla towards the dining room.

"You know she is a very good Queen, if not the best among those who once ruled Chandragarh," Indrani murmured to Ujjwala, who passed her into the dining room.

"I see that you still remain a loyal pet, as many years ago," Ujjwala stopped and commented in return.

The three of them are classmates in Gurukul and Indrani is well aware of the hostility Ujjwala has long held by the Queen.

"Loyalty is a very valuable trait versus a grudge that if kept for a long time, can cloud one's judgment" he replied.

Ujjwala glared at his impudent remarks but clenched his teeth to refrain from saying anything that might be used against him later.

The queen still had time before resigning and Ujjwala did not want to engage with the enemy while he was still strong.

For now, this victory was enough for him to enjoy.

"Wait a minute.I'll show you all how to govern!" he swore to himself.

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

Gouruk

All the students had gathered in the open auditorium. The dean, a skinny old man, climbed onto the podium and drank a glass of water stored on the table there. He cleared his throat loudly, preparing to speak.

The students did not know the reason for the meeting and most of them assumed that they would be given a list of things to do for the upcoming holiday.

"The students I love. I've gathered you all here for a very important announcement. Although the information is only relevant for a specific section of the student, the implications of this news will have an impact on the future of everyone present here. In a short time from now, the notice board will display a detailed list of the requirements for the next competition of the Queen's competitors," she paused for a moment, waiting for the news to sink in.

Murmurs sounded through the crowd, students and teachers alike. The competition should not be held this early.

Isn't it scheduled to take place next year during the summer holidays?

Raising his hand, the dean waited until the auditorium became silent again.

"We are truly blessed to be ruled under the rule of Rani Samyukta whose far-sightedness and intelligence have made Chandragarh a country to be reckoned with. I am proud to say that I am several years older than him and to see him study and grow up in the same Gurukul where you all stand today. Soon, one of the girls standing on this ground will take the baton from the current queen and lead us towards what I hope will be a promising future. There are some changes that have been made to the existing criteria. I can already see some young women getting excited and impatient so I won't babble anymore. I would like to invite Prithvi, the head of the administrative department to draft the rules. He is also going to be the moderator for all the activities and challenges that take place during the competition, "the dean beckoned to Prithvi to go up to the podium.

The palace had sent a letter to the dean a few days ago asking him to assign Prithvi as a moderator as he was not bound to any students academically or personally.

As a result she would not have any bias towards or against any of the competing girls. It was Rani Samyukta's way of officially entering Prithvi into the selection process.

Prithvi has found out but chooses not to mention it to anyone except Ramanujam who has already started preparing for the handover of Prithvi's duties to him after the holidays are over.

The contest will officially begin on the first day of Gurukul's reopening with interested candidates registering their names.

Prithvi climbed onto the podium and scanned the hall before looking at the documents in his hands. Then he began to speak with his usual cold and indifferent voice.

"If most of you don't know my role in Gurukul and wonder about it, please don't bother. That's not important. Coming to the task at hand, I will now make a list of the rules and requirements that have been set by the palace of Rani Samyukta. Detailed copies of the same can be collected by interested participants from outside the dean's office. Some of these rules may be familiar to you, but this time, many changes have been introduced to make the selection process more comprehensive. Therefore, it is recommended pin drop silence until I finish speaking,” he said in his haughty style.

Mriga stuck out her neck to check everyone's reaction to her teacher's words. He felt a smirk grow on his face as his eyes met Abhirath's eyes across the auditorium.

Meanwhile, Prithvi started talking again – "The rules are as follows - (1. The choice to participate depends solely on the candidate. He is welcome to seek advice from his family, teachers and seniors. But no one was allowed to suppress him for the same. If we receive a complaint about the same, it will be treated as a punishment by law. (2. If the nomination is withdrawn after entering the application, the girl and her direct descendant will be barred from competing for any royal position for the next hundred years. (3. Now the most important rule of – unlike previous contests, the eligible age for girls has been lowered to include the age of fifteen as well. To reiterate, applications will be accepted from the age group of girls aged fifteen to sixteen years. (4. There will be three stages of the contest that last for almost a month. All rounds will act as eliminations before the finalists are found. (4.1. The first stage consists of these barriers, (4.1.a. Physical Challenges, (4.1.b. Mental Skills Analysis, (4.2. After the first stage, the top ten contestants would qualify for stage two. The Queen's competitors must gain the support of one of the current zilla heads to advance to the final round. Each head will only be able to support one girl. (4.3. The details of the final round for these four contestants will be revealed at that time. (5. There will be two people chosen at the end of this competition - the Queen in Training and the Throne Challenger. (5.1. Process for the Queen in Training or RaPel, as she was the referee, when she was elected, (5.1.a. RaPel will do his training under the current Queen, Rani Samyukta until he reaches the age of twenty. (5.1.b. He will be crowned ruler of Chandragarh at the end of that training unless any challenger to the throne succeeds in winning the challenge. (5.2.b. Starting from the age of twenty, he will continue to be the ruler of Chandragarh for the next twenty-five years. (5.2.b. The future queen will be allowed to choose her partner, regardless of her background. But she will not be involved in the government of the country even after the Queen abdicates the throne. If you have any questions about understanding the rules, please submit a written application to the dean's office."

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

Lodging on the outskirts of the Capital

"Ma, Mama never told me that mama would come here. I'll come to see you early. Didn't you come with me?" Yash touched Ujjwala's feet and said so.

Yash has been given permission to skip the Gurukul meeting where the Queen's qualification rules were announced. Her mother had asked the dean for an urgent presence of her son at the cottage where she was staying.

This is the same place where Vindhya's parents held her birthday celebration. It was a place that offered the most luxurious facilities to wealthy travelers, nowadays.

Being a senior of Ujjwala during Gurukul days, the dean always amazed her, probably because at one time, she would most likely be the next Queen.

So when he received an official letter from her, he happily complied. By the way, there's not much relevance for Yash in Prithvi's lecture.

Ujjwala blessed his son and raised him, holding his shoulder.

Before he could defend his father, he continued, "Acknowledgement of best practice has been given to the Southern zilla in this year's annual winter gathering."

His voice contained a lot of pride and happiness and Yash could see it.

"That's good news and very well deserved. Mama has seen how hard you've been working for the last few years. Mama is happy the whole of Chandragarh will be able to see it too now" he said warmly.

Ujjwala gave his son a pampering look. He inherited a silver tongue from his father.

"Quite commend your mom for your hard work. Now it's time for your hard work. Mama was happy when she found out that you were attending the birthday of the Western chief's daughter. Today, some members of our zilla have planned a small meeting to celebrate our victory. All other zilla heads have been invited and other respected members of the capital are expected to attend as well. Now, Mama wants two things from you. Mama's got some clothes for you from home. Make sure you wear it for the party. Second, you have to network with these people - ministers, wealthy businessmen, and members of our own zilla supreme workers. Impress them with your intelligence on numbers and your vision for the country's future policies. You and Mama had enough discussions to let us know what you're talking about here, right?" he said, he,

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

"In the future when you take over your father's business, I want you to have a huge network ready to use to expand your existing base. You know that your father was too meek and the legacy of the rapidly growing loan money that your grandfather left him, remains stagnant. Unfortunately, Harshvardhan has not managed to add much value to it. As a result, you have to make up for the shortcomings. Mama's dream is to see your business in the top ten of the country's money lending institutions in the next decade" he continued passionately.

Yash, who was used to her mother's harsh words, listened patiently. He did not try and correct his statement about his father.

Although Harshvardhan has done very well in his business, he is a laid-back person and never boasted of his achievements.

As a result, his wife did not think highly enough about him. Yash is well aware of his mother's nature.

He smiled and said, "I know, Ma. Mama told me this enough times. Now if mom doesn't let me go, how am I gonna get ready for the party? Ah... Is it okay if I invite a little friend to today's event?"

She asked hesitantly, hoping she could use this opportunity to at least introduce Mriga to her mother once.

"no need. You can't interrupt today. This is a work event for you, not a social event" he said in a rude manner.

Noticing his sad expression, he smiled and said, "Don't look sad. Mama will surprise you with this, but since you seem to need something to lift your spirits, you better say this now. Mama has sent an invitation message to Vindhya to join us tonight. It will be an informal introduction of the two of you as a couple into society."

A look of horror grew in Yash's eyes with every word his mother spoke. What the hell just happened??

It will go wrong in the worst way. After she told Vindhya about her feelings for Mriga, there was no way she would join her on the show today.

What if he wrote about his reason for refusing a reply as well? No, he needed to tell his mother about it before Vindhya sent out her answer.

"Ma, that's. uh, mama should have let me handle the conversation with Vindhya. I don't think he's going to join us today. The reason.." he started off hesitatingly.

"Uff, you're like your father, so not sure of your own charm. It seems like the girl is already in love with you. He not only confirmed his presence, but even asked if I needed him to come early to help. The message seemed excited. As an aspirational Queen candidate, the girl needs to cover up her reaction better," her mother sounded arrogant.

Yash's eyes were wrinkled confused. His mother must have misread the situation. There was no way Vindhya would react like this knowing the truth.

If she said yes, it was probably because she gave face to her mother because of the relationship between the two families. Looks like she's gonna have to tell her mom everything tonight.

'I'll do it after the party. Perhaps her mood would have been happier then and.' she avoided thinking about her mother's reaction to her confession.

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

The Gurukul

"Wait a minute! Did I understand this clearly? Master has just told us that even our class has qualified to participate in the race for the Queen's throne?" Ishani screeched in disbelief.

Mriga laughed at the cute expression on her friend's face.

"Does this mean we'll see you sign up for it?" Mriga asked her friend, tongue on cheek.

Ishani resembles a train accident as the exam approaches. It is almost impossible to visualize his preparations for this rigorous life-changing contest.

"Remove that condescending smile from your face. I know exactly what you're thinking right now. How can you be so evil?" Ishani scowled at the emotion play on the transparent face of her friend.

"So, are we going to see you two in a fight with each other, any time soon?" The sound of Vandit laughter reaching the girls made them turn around.

Mriga sees Ishani's face instantly turning into beets upon his arrival. Swinging his gaze from one to another, he could not help but swipe at them.

"Well, I'll participate in the contest if I'm sure of your support. After showing your incredible skills during the quiz, I was amazed. But unfortunately, if I fight Ishani now, I don't think you'll help me with that skill even though I've been your friend for a long time. Yeah! Fighting against someone's best friend and losing important support, I won't have a chance," she imitated Ishani's exaggerated expression.

The result was that he obtained sharp glances from the two of them.

Seeing Abhirath reach them, he turned to her with a pitiful expression and said, "Please help me. Gurukul's latest love bird is bullying me."

"Latest... ap... what?" Ishani stammered at the brazen words of her friend.

Vandit's ears resemble a deer's nose.

"Mriga, aren't you too shameless? How can you say something like this?" He complained of embarrassment.

He looked at them confusedly and said, "Wait, don't you guys see each other?"

Abhirath shook his head resignedly before stepping inside again to smooth things out, "Mriga, I need to talk to you about something very urgent. Can we…"