Telugu words in the chapter: Mantri = Minister; Mahamantri = Prime Minister.

---***---

"Greetings, Senapati Jayendra. Prince Samarjit requests permission to enter." No sooner had the servant announced the arrival of the crown prince, than Jayendra stood up and walked forward to welcome him.

"Yuvaraja, you should have summoned me. Please come in." Jayendra said kindly. Ever since Samarjit lost his father, the Army Chief of Virata had taken the responsibility of assisting the crown prince with all his princely duties.

Samarjit sat down. "Senapati garu, it is always advisable to approach the elders while in need of help, rather than summoning them."

"You have a task for me, yuvaraja? Name it and I shall accomplish it for you." Jayendra spoke humbly.

"I hope you received reports from the capital city of Avantipuram empire." 

"Yes. I did. Our spies inform us, they are forming an army. Though it is unclear who they are planning to attack, it is more likely that it is Virata." Jayendra replied.

"And I presume you have also heard of their attacks on our villages that lie in the border. Clearly they are taking advantage of my father's death. Ever since he's gone, our empire has become slightly weaker." Samarjit stated the fact which Jayendra found hard to accept. 

"What do you suggest, yuvaraja?" Jayendra had already ordered for more fighting men to be stationed at the border.

"I suggest you send task force from the capital city trained in every form of combat to the south. They will cover the border of Virata and Avantipuram, and protect the innocent villagers. Until now we were just defending our people. But now we will also respond to their attacks with equal intensity. We can't change the mindset of our neighbours, but we can do everything in our power to stop them from harming us more." Samarjit explained his plan of action to Jayendra, who agreed to discuss the issue with his sub-ordinates and send the task force right away.

"I must take your leave now." Samarjit stood up after signing the orders. "I need to discuss the supplies sent from north-east with--"

"My apologies for interrupting, yuvaraja." A servant entered the hall. "Maharani Vaishali has summoned your presence for a meeting with the council of ministers. She also requested Senapati Jayendra to be present."

Samarjit looked at Jayendra questioningly, who shook his head, indicating he doesn't know anything. "We will be there." He dismissed the servant.

"Yuvaraja, if you don't feel like attending, I can completely understand. You need rest." Jayendra spoke kindly. He knew how badly Samarjit was affected by his father's demise.

"The mourning period is over, Senapati garu. I have to get back to work now." Samarjit replied. Jayendra placed his arm on the crown prince's shoulder and nodded.

---***---

"What is the meaning of this, Mahamantri Susharma?" Vaishali asked irritably, pointing to the letter sent by Mayanshi. 

"Maharani, the first part of the letter speaks how saddened she is by Maharaja's death and the second part speaks about her coronation--"

"I understood that very well, Mahamantri. What makes that arrogant girl so confident in thinking that my empire will be given to her? Who is she?" Vaishali's anger grew with every word she spoke.

"Maharani, she currently enjoys princess status in an empire as powerful as Srimukha. That gave her all the confidence she needed." The minister of Finance, Kashyapa, spoke carefully. 

"What should be our action now?" Vaishali roared.

"I have heard that she is a very dangerous woman. She has formed several allies. I suspect she is planning to get rid of the royal family and everyone who is loyal to them. I wouldn't be surprised if she tries to accomplish this by having us all murdered in our sleep. We must stop her from entering our territory." The minister of foreign affairs, Agastya, advised the queen. 

"Mantri Agastya! I hope you remember who she is, before making accusations against her. And I also hope you didn't forget who her father was" said Jayendra. "She is the daughter of the man we worshipped. And she has done nothing to invite this criticism. She is our princess and no one can deny that." 

Vaishali sensed that the opinion among the council members was divided. She understood that banning Mayanshi from entering Virata would create conflict. And currently she needed all the support she could receive from them. "Senapati Jayendra. I'm sure Mantri Agastya didn't mean any disrespect to her. I agree with you. She is the last living relative of our late king Mahadeva. She is very precious to us." She paused at this point, to see the effects of her words. Jayendra seemed to have calmed down a bit.

"What we are unhappy about, is the arrogant way she chose to word her message. She wishes to rule the empire about which she has no knowledge of. How could we let that happen? We all are ready to kneel in front of her and call her our Queen. But the question is, is she ready for this?"

Jayendra seemed to be thinking. "You are right, Maharani. But she will learn."

"She won't learn anything with an attitude like this. I think it is safe to assume that she doesn't deserve to be our queen." Agastya spoke again.

"Maharani. Whether she deserves it or not, is a discussion for some other time. What we need to focus on, is this letter. A letter sent from the Princess of Srimukha cannot be ignored. A reply must be sent. In my opinion, rather than stopping her from entering, we must invite her cordially. Because if we don't, it will be equivalent to insulting King Raghuveera" said Kashyapa.

"Forgive me, Mantri Kashyapa. Are you suggesting that we invite a girl who is a potential threat to our empire and our prince?" asked Agastya. 

Jayendra was furious again. He was about to make a counter-argument, when Samarjit spoke for the first time. "Maharani, might I request to read the letter sent by the princess? Thank you."

The hall fell silent until Samarjit finished reading. "Personally," he folded the letter carefully, "I do not feel threatened by this message. Nor do I feel that the girl who sent this, is dangerous. From this letter, it is clear that she is powerful. Yet she lacks wisdom."

"What makes you reach this conclusion, yuvaraja?" asked Vaishali.

"The simple fact she signed the letter as Queen of Virata but used the royal seal of Srimukha." He smiled. "Invite her, Maharani. Any girl who is unclear of where her allegiance lies, is no threat to the Prince of Virata."

---***---

"Devika, are you going to pack all ornaments I own? Let's keep my personal belongings to minimum. I can buy everything I need once I reach my capital city." Mayanshi instructed her handmaiden.

"We need to show them how powerful we are, yuvarani." Devika replied.

"And you think it can be proven by the number of ornaments I own?" asked Mayanshi.

"No, yuvarani. But we need to show them you are not neglected here in Srimukha. We should leave no stone unturned in showing that we have support of this great empire." 

Mayanshi was awed by Devika's point. She felt proud of her handmaiden, who, despite not being well-educated thought of something that deep. "Choose anything you like from the new ornaments we bought last week, Devika. It will be my parting gift to you."

"Parting gift?"

"Yes. I'll be going to Virata. Won't I?"

"Not you. We are going to Virata." Devika corrected her.

"What are you saying? You know I cannot allow that. It's very dangerous." Mayanshi was terrified by the idea of Devika staying at the royal palace of Virata, when there is a threat to her own life every single moment.

"It might be dangerous. But I have nothing to fear. I am under the protection of my princess." Devika stated bravely.

"Do you have any idea how powerful they are? They are competent of having us beheaded any moment." 

"If that is the case, I will be your shield. I vowed to follow you my entire life the day you took me in. Please don't ask me to break my vow. Please." Devika knelt.

Mayanshi sighed. "Fine. I allow you to accompany me. I don't understand how you manage to convince this stone-hearted princess every single time."

Precisely that moment, a servant announced the arrival of King Raghuveera and Queen Bhargavi. Mayanshi stood up and joined her palms in a formal Namaste.

"I need a moment alone with my daughter." Bhargavi ordered all the handmaidens to leave.

"Glad you visited. Help me choose gifts for the courtiers of Virata." Mayanshi requested Bhargavi.

"There will be no need for that, Maya."

"Forgive me. I agree it is my home and they are my people. But still, I am seeing them after fifteen years. Shouldn't we follow the royal protocol?"

"You won't be going anywhere." Bhargavi announced. Mayanshi frowned. Before she could speak, her mother continued. "Sending you there is killing you in other words."

"Amma?"

"You don't know how cruel Vaishali is. Right from the day her husband was crowned the king, she started feeling attached to the throne. Her love for power has only grown in these fifteen years."

"But you are the ones who taught me that I was born to rule. And now you are denying me my birthright. Why?" Mayanshi protested.

"You are the only living relative of my sister. I can't lose you." Raghuveera held her hand and tried to convince her. "I'm sure she would have wanted you to be safe and happy than seeing you ascending the throne and making enemies. I have decided to get you married. Wed any young nobleman of our empire. Assume a respectable position in the royal court and assist your brother with administration."

"It's not easy for us to make this decision. But we can't let you stay there alone, Maya." Bhargavi squeezed her hand.

Mayanshi's first instinct was to yell at them. She clenched her fists to calm down and considered pleading with them. But years of education taught her that parents won't change their mind that way. She drew in a deep breath. "Who said I will be alone?"

"We can't consider your bodyguards. Barely five hundred fighting men against an army of thirty thousand. They can't stand a chance." Raghuveera pointed out.

"Their army may not have any inhibitions attacking me. But the question is, will they dare oppose the crown prince of Srimukha?" asked Mayanshi.

"What do you mean?"

"Abhimanyu will be coming with me. That itself will give me the security I need. They might be labouring under the delusion that I am powerless and an easy target. But no one would dare to think the same way about him. Because they know that a single drop of blood from his body would lead to Srimukha declaring a war against them." Mayanshi concluded.

She could see her parents' dilemma. She was certain they would agree. 'I'd send Abhimanyu away the moment I reach the capital city.' She thought to herself. Under no circumstances was she ready to risk her brother's life.

---***---

The other claimant to the throne is introduced. What do you think about him?