Aradhya ||Indian historical fiction||

09| MAKING PEACE WITH THE FACT.

Aradhya cried leaning against the cold rock wall of the dungeons of Ashokdhar. The sudden surge of grief took over her as she was being walked into the kingdom.

The word that Aradhya was a concubine's daughter had spread through the kingdom like wildfire. The citizens of the kingdom did not hold back in letting their tongues spiral out of control. Along with stinging words and hurls of stone at Aradhya, Vihaan and Rihit almost shielded her to protect her. Vihaan had requested the people to stop behaving inhumanely. Rihit had to get down and push the people back with his strength and yet the people had managed to make evident wounds on Aradhya.

The concubine's daughter is nothing but a disgrace. To Ashokdhar and the throne and title of the queen.

The people of Ashokdhar looked on as the chariot yanked forth a woman with its king residing in it along with the Senapati. Aradhya ducked everyone's attention as the limelight became too overpowering. She wouldn't have minded being looked on as the woman the king married but this gaze pricked her as everyone saw her with a sigh of disgust. Murmurs and whispers became audible and it seemed overwhelming.

All her life she was called that but all of a sudden a change of people and place and yet being called the same troubled her. The hopes she had for a better life were the ones that hurt her.

The mere thought of that scene made Aradhya tremble. New people and new place and yet the same views...

"What were you thinking?" A struggled voice was heard. Aradhya didn't try to hide what she felt. She left her face tear-stained and smirked.

"Maharani Sadhana...what brings you to the dungeons of your palace?" Aradhya smiled, sarcastically and stood up. She walked over a few steps towards Sadhana but failed as she felt her legs being bound to the floor.

"Stop pretending. Why did you attack Vihaan? I want answers." Sadhana pressed.

"Am I the one pretending or are you. As if you don't know why I attacked your husband."

"Maybe because I killed her brother..." Vihaan's voice resounded through the dungeons as he stood protectively before Sadhana. And as he finished his words, a swish of air was all that Vihaan felt right next to his temple. A dagger clang onto the rock wall by the sheer force Aradhya exerted.

Vihaan seemed surprised. He wondered how she knew to throw a dagger with such precision.

"Say that again and I won't hesitate," Aradhya warned.

"That won't be easy..." Sadhana uttered underestimating Aradhya's potential that she knew nothing of.

"Oh, believe me, Maharani. If I wanted, that dagger would have been in your spouse's heart."

The tension almost multiplied by a hundred at her words. Aradhya stood there, eyes bloodshot. Hair undone. Bruised around her wrists and arms by the shackles. And fire in her eyes.

Vihaan grabbed Sadhana and took her away throwing an intrigued look at Aradhya.

The plan of not showing her weakness to them worked but immediately broke the second they left. Her knees gave out and she fell to the ground. She hid her face in her hands and wept.

.   .   .   .

"You cannot do that, Vihaan." Guru Chitrabhanu said, dismay evident in his tone. Rajmata Bhadra stood by.

"You cannot just show that woman to be a criminal while the entire kingdom knows for her birth. You need to understand what she feels."

"Agreed that she tried to attack you but you know what she was going through. Now she had to go through the grief of losing her brother, being disrespected in her new home and also being despised for attacking you." Rajmata added. Vihaan stood with his head hung.