A King"s Wife

Chapter -3- A Plan in Motion

Chapter ,-3
The plan in motion

Council Room of ManyaBhum -Evening

Salya stared for a while, at Kabir Bhadra, in amazement. The king had ordered him and Rudra,the commander-in -chief, to make necessary arrangements,to send a marriage proposal,of his sister to UdayKhetra, in lieu of getting arms and ammunition and a convoy, in future,so that ManyaBhum could wage a war against Gandharvipura ,any day ,if they felt necessary. Soldiers and Weapons, according to the king, would be needed frequently to combat against Gandharvipura. Political and Financial disagreements, had always been there, between Gandharavipura and Manyabhum, still, scope of reconciliation was there.
Salya never felt that it was necessary to take a jibe, with them .The war could had been easily avoided , if Kabirvadra would have handled the matter, more maturedly. An apology, would have been sufficient, but Kabir, was too proud to accept his folly.

The outrgeous behavior of the king's own army, was responsible for it.What they did, was unfathomable. Women of various rural hubs in Gandharvipura, were kidnapped by the drunk soldiers of Manyabhum, as they went for a casual hunting in the forests,located in the foothills of Gandharvipura.

On their way back, they not only massacared the residences of the poor villagers,but also ruptured the dignity of the women folk of the villages,who were having bath in the local pond. Instead of taking an action against them,Kabirbhadra,insulted the crown prince of Gandhrvipura, and hushed up the situation, when the matter came into prominence.
Vidharvadutya , the crown prince of Gandharvipura,was not a meek subordinate. The boy had a unique sense of self respect,and his concern for the dignity of his state's womenfolk, had urged him to take a step. Though a vassal state, Gandharvipura,had high morals and sense of dignity.
It was no more ready, to be under the clutches of ManyaBhum. Salya, cleared his throat,
"Are you sure Maharaj, we should proceed with the plan ,I don't think ....Kabir stopped him in midway , and commanded -"Do as your Maharaj orders you "! I would like to have some serious feedback tomorrow .I am getting late , Mandakini must be waiting for me ".
Salya, nodded in dismay . He should have been apprehended ,where it was coming from! So it was the plan made by that whore, the king had ordered only to execute it.

Salya, felt bad,for the way, things were turning up .
Kabir Bhadra, might be greedy, ambitious and ruthless, but he was not that crooked, who would,sacrifice his sister's life, to win a battle, against his enemy .. It had to be someone else , who had been channelizing, the king. It had to be that Concubine, of him, He had been a putty, in her hands ,since he had brought her from the adjacent village . four years ago .When a king ,Salya noted mentally , rules his kingdom,on the advice of his mistress, the downfall of the kingdom, is imminent.

It should be the council of ministers, who should guide the king , not that lascivious Concubine, But what else he could have said to the king , after all, he too was an employee,of his master at the end of the day . His father had served the kingdom, when Kabir 's father was alive ,now it's the legacy, that he should carry out, the duty of the chief minister ,when KabirBhadra, had become the ruler . Salya, could never agree upon the ways and whims of his king. His principles were different. Since Kabir had become the king , The state had incurred economic loss , lives of people got lost in Flood and Dysentry , Retaliation and displeasure had increased among the citizens, No one was happy with the king and the way they had been ruled .

This actually, was exactly the contrary, of UdayKhetra. Despite being an arid land ,the farmers were happy, as the king had initiated Irrigation projects, and turned the barren lands, to be something resourceful and substantial.The crown prince of Udaykhetra, Vansh, lost his mother, at the age of 15, as she died of a few day 's fever, a disease, undetected. Later, when he was 19, he lost his father,in a battle, and got coronated at the age of 20, Though he was young, he was a benevolent despot. He was aware of his people's sorrows and sufferings. Law and Order, was at per,in Udaykhetra. Trade with other countries, and the territorial expansions,had made the state,financially stable.The name and the fame,of Udaykhetra was, hiking in leaps and bounds, since, he ascended , the throne. Vansh was a young, but a reverred ruler, of India.