Blade of Vish |

27. Prince In Distress

"You're late!"

The very two words Senapathi was able to emit out of his mouth were these. Is he angry? Dhruv thought. Half of him dared to ask, while the other half actually never cared. But still, face inflated like a ballon, combined with red hot cheeks and grinding of teeth, Senapathi looked no less than a pumpkin. In short, he was angry. Why? Two words Prince Dhruv.

There is always a reason behind everything happening in his life. Or atleast he thought so. The whole palace knew both the Prince Dhruv and Princess Vaani loathed Senapathi. The same was mirrored a k to them from his side. Imagine kerosene in contact with fire, you'll get that image. 

Dhruv knew Sanapathi was waiting for him. Still Dhruv made him wait for another hour or so. Guess why? Grudges, and that too personal ones. 

Till he was tweleve, he used to like Senapathi. He was his idol. He remembered himself playing horseriding when he was little. But after his dad's death, the scenario changed. The boy who used to play with him, now was irritating the Senapathi. Senapathi engulfed himself in politics and military power. After Choti Maa's departure, he never even came to see them. He never comforted them. Whatever he and Vaani planned, he used to object and take out flaws in the plans. 

Thanks to MahaMantri, he took their care as if his own children. Count it from making them eat food from his own hands to changing Dhruv's clothes, he did it all. 

It was a little after he turned Twelve that MahaMantri told them the truth behind Senapathi's changed mindset. 

The day, on which this all happened, the day their life was changed, he betrayed them, Senapathi. That day, his father would have come back alive, if only Senapathi would have fought the war. 

The world in which the Saptasiddhis and other all creatures were living was separated from the rest of the world by a narrow shield of energy. Of course it had leaks too, but none of them opened in the seven realms. 

When the world was divided along Devas (Gods) and Asuras (Demons), Devas were given the upper realm, above the sky, while Asuras were given the realm below the ground. This lower realm were divided in seven further realms. Between the realms of Asuras and Devas is situated what is known as mortal realm. 

So because of the protection given to their world, it was impossible for a demon to directly enter in the ETKing. But that day something unusual happened. From what seemed, at the southern border, the boundary between the world had weakened that it was highly permeable. 

Senapathi was one of the first courtiers who got this news. But he ignored the subject. When his dad got the news, at midnight, he immediately sent the army to look into the matter. Dhruv never knew this until MahaMantri told him it himself. 

That night, the war fought was fearsome. Both the sides suffered casualties in thousands. 

At night demons are far more powerful, especially if it is new moon. That night was a new moon. 

Still, Saptasiddhis shed river of blood of the Asuras. They would have won the war at that very check point, but all of a sudden, Senapathi refused to fight the war. 

In army of Saptasiddhis, Senapathi had a really nice and sophisticated image. He was highly respected. He ordered his fellow soldiers to back off. The soldiers, out of whom many were his blind supporters, did as asked. Neither he fought the war, neither a large section of the army left alive. The ones who refused to give up, became martyrs, the ones who submitted flourished. 

The next day, after the funeral of all martyrs and the King himself, the remaining courtiers held an emergency in the nation. Senapathi was accused of many charges: thinking about the decline of the kingdom, attempt to sweap away the people, formation of conspiracy. It was quite sur to Dhruv that he he either would have been imprisoned till death or was to be hanged.