Princess Fighter: Search for the Throne

LXXIII

Gurukull, Chandragarh

As Abhirath walked away, Yash took this moment to speak in a low tone with Mriga, "I know you don't care about that. But I want you to remember that if you're in an aggressive situation with Vindhya, let him win you for a while before launching a counterattack. He is very capable on most terrains. His only weakness as I know it, is arrogance or rather overconfidence. Facing such an opponent, you will only get a chance once to surprise him and you should make the most of him. Timing will be the key there."

Although Mriga wanted to tell her not to share her insights about the other girl with him, seeing her sincere expression, she only gave him a reassuring smile, showing that she took her words seriously.

...----------------...

It was very late when Mriga returned to the dormitory. His whole body felt fragile. It was as if a small push alone would crush him into a million pieces. After taking a long bath, she crawled to her bed, only to find someone else sleeping there.

Shaking the girl who was snoring softly, Mriga complained in a crying voice, "Wake up. I need the whole bed to sleep, right now and I'm too tired to walk to your place."

Ishani yawns and sits down.

"Well, you're finally back. Wait for me here. Don't you dare sleep another two minutes" said Ishani, getting out of bed and going to the wall where their belongings were stored.

Afraid that Mriga would not notice her words, she ran back quickly after picking up a small pouch from the closet.

"Here, take this potion. I destroyed it and prepared it for you. This morning, I went to Vaidya to take this because of your exhaustion. But I forgot to give it to you at the breakfast table. He has assured me that your body aches and mental strength will be restored by drinking it for the next three days" he said in a sleepy voice.

Mriga hugged her friend showing her gratitude. His best friend is the best in the world. He placed two fingers on his nose to seal it and then poured the strong-smelling potion into his mouth.

"About this morning.." he started to be silenced by Ishani.

"Don't worry about those idiots around you. We have more important things to focus on now, don't we?" he patted her on the back and got up from her bed.

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

Five days later

The air in Chandragarh is rattling with energy. Even the trees and birds were caught up in the celebration. A QIT election is an event that occurs once in twenty-five years. It was not only a matter of national interest but also an opportunity to celebrate the values and culture of this unique matriarchal kingdom.

The story of Chandragarh's transformation has been passed down from one generation to another in detail, through folklore, drama, and song, make sure that people never forget the reasons and the way this small country grew to its glory!

For the people, the Queen is not only the one sitting on the throne, but also an icon of hope and positivity.

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

Royal Palace, Capital

The usually quiet Rani Samyukta has overturned the palace since dawn. He should not be involved in any activities related to the implementation of the administration of the competition, but the event itself is a reflection of himself and the palace and he wants everything to be perfect.

The competition was not only attended by top bureaucrats Chandragarh, but also attracted the presence of many foreign officials, some officially, some covertly. This was a matter of great concern to the neighboring countries about who would eventually become the successor to this throne!

Prince Mithilesh has received an official invitation to stay until the end of the event. The queen suspected that she might believe that she could change her mind about the financial project.

Indrani was in a fog because it was crushed from both ends, autocratic superiors and so many subordinates were grumbling.

'I can't wait for my retirement to begin, ' he thought to himself.

Just like QIT, a girl will be chosen to be the queen's executive assistant, a role Indrani has held for more than two decades. Selection is done on a much smaller scale but has equally strict rules and selection criteria.

While the queen will train the chosen successor, Indrani will do the same to her partner.

The arena where the event took place was not far from Gurukul. It is located far from the local market as well. The idea was to help the capital's economy receive a boost from increased footfalls.

In anticipation of the event, preparations have begun at the beginning of the month with many renovated inns and new restaurants opening, as well as shops stockpiling additional items to meet the growing demand.

Everyone wants to bring out the best!

Prithvi walked slowly across the vast arena built in the style of an amphitheater. Food and beverage tents have been installed among the various sections that will remain here for the next two weeks.

A new structure has been built on the side that includes a large communal restroom for all visitors.

Prithvi turned his gaze all over the place, taking into account the entrance and exit with respect to different possibilities. His cane let out a scratching sound as he dragged it across the uneven ground.

Part of him wished Ramanujam was here to take over this grueling task of observing every inch of the place, but his subordinates were busy with a very important task in the Eastern zilla at the moment!

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

Arena, Chandragarh

Prithvi hopes to hear the latest report from Ramanujam soon. The good news is that Saraswati has completed her mission and is on her way home. Tomorrow and beyond, administrative tasks could be handled by him.

The weather was bright but with the sun shining brightly, Prithvi did not mind the cold wind. He walked to the back of the arena where the large cloth tents were being last checked by the team in charge.

These tents will house the contestants, teammates, and their equipment before and during the competition.

As of now, the length of the tent covered the entire courtyard but slowly they would start to decrease as the preliminary round progressed. Prithvi deliberately did not set up any security to guard these tents, although Indrani repeatedly reminded the same.

He desperately expected the contestants to try and hurt the opponents through different means and he would not stop them. If one could not even guard his team or his possessions, how could he be expected to manage the entire country??

Mriga hadn't slept in the least since the night before.

Abhirath has announced a holiday on the last day of preparations. He wanted her to take a step back and catch her breath before the start of the 15-day marathon.

But as the days passed, Mriga felt that it would be better if she was busy with the task rather than being left alone with her thoughts. It wasn't even dawn yet but he couldn't stay in bed any longer.

Waking up, he went to the bathroom and stopped while looking in front of him. So many girls, some of whom are familiar faces and some not, all roam around the place.

Soon he'll feel better. It seems that the restless butterfly not only visited him. He muttered a polite greeting as he passed by a few of them.

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

An hour later, he was ready and went back to the dormitory to pick up his bag. He tiptoed onto Ishani's bed and slipped a note beside her pillow before sneaking out of it.

Before heading to the Admin section, he stopped to look at the Sun that had just risen from the east. He closed his eyes and prayed briefly, seeking the positivity of the god of energy and power.

The show was supposed to start at 8am and the contestants had to report an hour earlier at the venue. Mriga still had more than an hour before he had to leave. So, he intended to use the time to clean and polish his tools that would be used today, once again.

Today's event is the first part of a double physical evaluation. It was a single event and the participants were required to demonstrate their talent or expertise in a particular field. Thankfully, this was an event Mriga had prepared for a long time, unnoticed.

Immersed in his mind, he did not realize when he reached his goal.

"Look, I won!" Nirbhay's cheerful voice broke his series of thoughts and he looked up in surprise.

The five boys stood there with various expressions on their faces.

The thought warmed his heart and he said, "What did you win? Isn't it too early for any competition?"

Vandit scowled and replied on behalf of Nirbhay, "He persuaded all of us to bet on the time of your arrival at this place. The bet is the closest. So now we all owe him."

Mriga tut rambled and laughed at their antics.

"Since you're all here, you better help me clean and pack my gear" he said.

Abhirath stepped forward with a nod, "That's a good idea. We better not open the box before your turn in the competition. Even though it's the last minute, I don't want anyone to sabotage our game."

Mriga wants to fight back by saying that everyone would be busy doing their own thing rather than looking at the opponent, but he knows that it is a different possibility and it never hurts to be careful.

"Mriga, I know that you are not the type of person who curls up in front of the competition, no matter how strong the opponent is. But be careful with pressure tactics that some people may use. The contest won't be played only on As Abhirath warns you about guarding your equipment, you need to prepare yourself for mental attacks as well. The demonstration of power can be displayed in many ways and it can affect the balance of others. Do you understand what I mean?" Yash asked him.

He replied with a reassuring smile.

"Okay, if we're done with the gyan session for now, let's get to work" Chiranjeev brought everyone back to the task.

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

The Gurukul Entrance Gate

"Oh! I didn't expect to see you here, brother. But I'm so glad you made it. How are you feeling now? Do you know how worried I was when I heard about the attack on you," Vindhya exclaimed in excitement as Vidyut met him at the entrance gate.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't come to the event that my brother had been preparing for the longest? I'm doing fine. That's not a big deal. By the way, I have volunteered to be part of the vaidya team that will be on standby during the entire competition. But I don't want to see you coming there during the contest. You have to be very careful during all the tasks, got it?" he said lovingly.

She smiled at him and promised that he would be careful. His team also came out, carrying important items they had to bring to the stadium.

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

The Gurukul Entrance Gate

"You continue. I don't want to arrest you. I will also be there among the senior officials, supporting you. Wishing you the best!" with that, Vidyut ruffled her hair and saw her ride on the carriage that was waiting for her.

Before he could move from there, he saw another familiar face that made his lips smile.

"And hello to you! Don't tell me, you also participated in that event?" Vidyut asked

Mriga who has contacted him now.

He gave her a worried look and then lowered his head to apologize.

"I'm so sorry for the day before. How are you feeling now? I came to visit you after that but you've been transferred from the clinic" he said guiltily.

It still pisses him off that he has abandoned him when he is surrounded by thugs in East Zilla.

Vidyut smiled at him and waved his hand in denial, "Please don't apologize. You did the right thing. And from now on you should only think about the competition ahead rather than other silly things. All the best for you ."

Hearing her warm words, Mriga slightly relaxed and lowered her head again before leaving. The boy stopped some distance away from the two, but now reached Vidyut.

"Yash?" Vidyut looked at him with a confused frown.

"Hello, Senior!" Yash acknowledged it with respect.

"Sorry, we're in a hurry now. I'll be visiting you soon," with that Yash also left, leaving Vidyut staring at him, expressionless.

Abhirath did not bother to give any greetings and instead scowled as he crossed Vidyut. But the latter was not disturbed at all. He stood there and smiled as the party passed him. This must be interesting!

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

Arena, Chandragarh

In the two hours leading up to the start of the event, the entire venue had started to get crowded. As is tradition, the start of the competition is done with a small yagya* that presents a tribute to the five elements known to man.

Yagya is a common feature practiced by many learned scholars even on a daily basis as a means to purify the atmosphere.

The queen and the priest completed the ritual. Followed by the blowing of three large conch shells simultaneously marked the start of the competition. Loud cheers rang out in the crowd as their beloved queen took her place on the secluded stage.

The platform gave him the clearest view of the events in the arena. There is a pulpit just below where the five appointed officials will be seated.

Their job was to record the details of each contestant's appearance.

But these men were part of Rani Samyukta's private entourage, meaning official evaluations were recorded by a large group of others stationed right in front of the arena. Next to them was an emergency medical team on standby in case of an accident.

The specially appointed five-member team carried a form designed by the queen herself. On top of the criteria listed where the contestants will be tested for next, the queen has created her own parameters that are based on her personal experience over the past two decades.

This team evaluation would not be used for elimination, but for deeper observation of a person. The main idea is that by the time the elected candidate reaches the last stage, there should be enough real and intangible information that the queen has about them.

Since this is the first round of the two-stage physical evaluation, the number of participants is maximal. In this special event, each girl was given only one minute to impress the judges by showing their skills, knowledge, or talents.

Mriga shares a tent with nine other girls and his team respectively. It was quite chaos here which was as expected. The exact number of participants was 90 and each had at least one team member with him.

Mriga was glad she had not eaten anything in the morning, otherwise she would definitely throw it all away this time.

The amount of competition hit his head. He and the other participants entered the arena from behind. So, he didn't know the number of people out there that were gathering. But the noise level kept increasing and it was a terrifying sound at the moment. She had never suffered from stage fright or appearance pressure, but this moment made her uneasy.

Rationing of the slot will begin immediately and will be done by taking chits with numbers written on it.

Thankfully, a team member can go and do the same on behalf of the contestant. Vandit and Nirbhay had debated it for a while before Abhirath vetoed them and left on his own.

Mriga asks Chiranjeev to guard the equipment and steps out. Walking up to the old tree, he leaned against his sturdy trunk, placing his wet hands on a dry and hard surface, as if seeking support. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on regulating his breathing.

"Mriga..what are you doing here? The first contestant just went on stage. Guess whose turn is next?" Vandit ran towards him.

Everyone including the participants and spectators treated Vindhya as a serious challenger to the throne and her every move definitely attracted people.

He straightened up and smiled at her, "Vindhya number two?"

"No, but close enough. He's third. Do you want to come and see him perform?" She asked.

He thought about rejecting it but then checked himself out. Better to know the enemy than to bury your head in the sand.

...----------------...

*Yagya - Sacrificial ceremony or offering prayers to the gods