Kama: Liberation (Vol-I)

Chapter 47: Declaration of War

Kings clash. Queens curse.

One falls. Another laughs.

****

It was the day of the deal.

At one end of the long wooden table sat Rajan Hamal, flanked by his favourite Aishan and his Senapati, Madrik. On the opposite end sat Rudra, with Aryamna on his right and Indumala to his left. The Senapati of Aryavarta had brought his wife too, for she was adamant on being a part of the court after the ordeals of last night. Thus Ishvara, although present in the court, was guarded by several soldiers. She stayed in the centre, like the pistil of a lotus, with the guards constituting the petals.

"So, formalities aside," Rudra began, rubbing the hilt of his sword, "I have come here after hearing about the inhuman troubles faced by the inhabitants of Revat, a once luxurious land now poverty-stricken."

Hamal chuckled. "I find my kingdom golden and glorious."

"The signs of hunger and assault I witnessed while coming here say otherwise."

"Every kingdom has bad apples. They suffer, irrespective of where they are."

"I think then, unfortunately, all the bad apples have landed in your Revat. Care to tell me why?"

"I am not answerable to you, Rajan Rudra."

"Your ministers may be fooled by your hollow promises and declarations of superiority, but the world outside Revat is a completely different arena, where the people are aware of who is the real Rajan of Aryavarta, the strongest man of the world." Rudra puffed up his chest, raising his chiselled chin and narrowing his eyes. "That's me, not you, Rajan Hamal. And you better stay aware of it in your heart, even if you spurt nonsense to your public."

Hamal gestured Aishan to pour him a chalice of wine. Its smell was pungent and edgy, much like his stare that pierced Rudra. He rolled his eyes after taking a sip. "I think we already know where this is going, but for goodness sake, tell me your conditions."

Rudra clicked his fingers and a guard came up, opening a scroll and reading the conditions in a booming voice. "Number one– Revat shall lose its autonomy and come under the sovereign of Aryavarta, Rajan Rudra Arumugan. Number two– the current ruler of Revat, named Hamal the Second, would no longer be able to apply taxes. All will be levied on the dwellers of Revat by the Rajan of Aryavarta, and he will decide what part of the grand treasury to provide to Revat for its healthy governance. Number three– Hamal the Second will have to give up his title of a Rajan and accept the position of a Lord, subservient to both the Rajan of Aryavarta and his Senapati Aryamna."

Hamal poked the sides of his mouth, lazily getting up and sauntering towards the guard. He snatched the scroll, running his eyes over the contents, all the while the signature tilt of his head was intact. He closed the scroll, crumbling it in his hands. Rudra smirked. "So, Lord Hamal, do you accept my conditions?"

"In return for something, yes."

Silence fell in the hall. No one expected him to agree, even though with conditions of his own. Hamal's eyes scintillated in the light reflected off the silvery chandelier. In the drapes of darkness that covered the table, a choking quietude clawed at the windpipes of the magical four of Aryavarta.