The Burning Lotus

12. The Calm Before the Storm

The queens’ palace, Chittorgarh

“I am sorry that I could not come to see you, my love, to see my son, one last time. That foreigner will attack at dawn and the loss of Gora and so many men has weakened us. It will be a fatal blow. He is superior in numbers, in weapons and we shall not be able to withstand the onslaught. No doubt, as you read this, you can hear the preparations for tomorrow’s battle outside. I will not live to see it through; I feel this in the depths of my soul. We are surrounded and there is no way to escape, even if I was inclined to consider that cowardly option. When we are gone, who will be left to protect you, your ladies and their children? The slave has already shown that he has no honour and who knows what he will do once you fall into his hands? I have looked at this from all possible angles and have come to the conclusion that there is only one option open to us: ....”

Rani Nagmati crumpled the letter in her hands. Her fears had come true. She would not see her husband again.

Her son was playing childish games, sitting on the floor by her feet. The lamplight fell on his silky head and handsome features.

“Look, Ma, this is the foreigner and his army,” he said pointing to a few clay figurines lined neatly on one side. “And this is Father, with his horse and he’s going to attack and kill the foreigner like this....” He picked up the dolls in two tiny hands and hit them gently together.

Nagmati couldn’t help but smile. If it were only so easy! She wondered who had told him about army camped outside their walls. On an impulse, she scooped him up and hugged him tightly.

He squirmed in her arms. “Let me go, Ma. The foreigner isn’t dead yet. Father needs to kill him.” He suddenly noticed her wet cheeks. Dropping his toys, he reached up to touch her face. “Why are you crying, Ma? Is it because the foreigner isn’t dead yet? Don’t worry, Father will kill him. Father will win. He always does.”

Ah, poor innocent child! Her son would never learn the art of war or the delicacy of politics. He would never know the pleasures of a hunt or the touch of a wife. Nagamati sucked in a deep breath to steady herself. It was of no use to think on things that could have been.

She wiped her eyes and took him by the hand. “Come,” she said, leading him into the corridor and clutching her letter tightly. “We must see Padmini.”

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Padmini had been a little shocked when Nagmati had come into her suite. The older queen usually went out of the way to avoid her. Now she had decided to come visit her. What was even more surprising was that she had brought along her son.

The older queen’s eyes were red and puffy, like she had been crying. “What’s the matter? Why have you come to see me?” asked Padmini. Nagmati wordlessly handed her a letter.

Padmini’s eyes scanned the letter quickly. They grew large with fear and then became filled with resigned understanding.

“Our lord is right. We do not have another way out,” she said. Her sharp eyes caught the way Nagmati drew her child closer to her.

The boy had probably seen the fear in her eyes because he said, “Don’t worry. Father will protect us. When I’m old enough, I’m going to be just like Father. I’m going to defeat everyone and become the king of the world!”

Padmini smiled at the little boy. “Are you now? And when you conquer the whole world, what will you do?” The boy paused to consider this.

“You know, all the little princes need to eat well to become great kings. And I’ve got something for you.” Padmini handed him a sweet which he proceeded to stuff into his little mouth with greedy little fingers.

She turned her attention back to his mother. For once, her eyes did not hold hate or envy. They were filled with apprehension and fear. The walls had disappeared and Nagmati’s heart was laid bare for Padmini to see.

“Go, spend time with your child. I’ll take care of all the necessary arrangements.”

Nagmati offered her a grateful smile and disappeared through the door.

Padmini sighed. She hadn’t told Nagmati that she had received a similar letter. She agreed with her husband and was prepared to make the sacrifice asked of her.

“Meera, send someone to the Maharana and tell him to make the preparations. Send messengers to every noble woman as well. They would have already been told what we are planning to do. Tell them to gather near the main palace just before dawn.”

The girl disappeared to carry out her tasks.

“Radha,” said Padmini to another maid. “Set out my wedding dress and the jewels to go with it. Run a bath as well. Someone will have to do the same for Rani Nagmati.”

Padmini sighed as the maid scurried off. This was it. Tomorrow at dawn, their fate would be sealed.

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“The Rani Padmini has asked you to go ahead with the arrangements, Sire.”

The Maharana dismissed the messenger with a wave of his hand. It was not long till the first glimmers of dawn. The ranks had to be whipped into shape, the men to be armed and strategies to be worked out.

He sighed. Ratan Singh only wished that he could have seen his family again before he entered the battlefield for the last time.

He called up a low ranking officer. “Take twenty men and get what we discussed ready. We do not have much time, so do it quickly.”

The man hurried off to complete his task and the Maharana turned his attention back to his war council.

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Khilji waited in silence for the first light of dawn to kiss the sky. By this time tomorrow, Mewar would be his and so would Padmini. He would make her pay for the deceit and the surprise attack. Khilji smiled grimly as he thought of the things he would do to her.

There was an unnatural silence throughout his camp, like the calm before the storm. Everyone was simply waiting for the first command, for the first charge. Tomorrow, Chittorgarh would fall for the first time and he would be the first to have conquered it.

 

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