HIS FIRST QUEEN

Chapter 18 [Anshuman]

The week had dragged, each day a slow, grinding battle against mounting frustration. My attempts to disrupt Indravathi's trade routes had failed to create the chaos I had envisioned. Their defences were tighter than I had anticipated, and Tara's family had used the time to fortify their position. My initial plan had faltered, leaving me with the grim realization that I needed a new strategy.

The strategy room was cluttered with maps and scrolls, each evidence of my recent failures. I paced the room, the silence broken only by the occasional rustle of paper. Tara was secure in her father's court, far from my reach. The brute force approach that had initially seemed so promising had proven futile. I needed her to return of her own accord, to see Aranyapura as the rational choice, not merely as the consequence of my anger.

A knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts. Rajan entered, his usually composed demeanour replaced by a subtle tension. I gestured for him to sit, already sensing that his news would be critical.

"Speak," I said, cutting to the heart of the matter.

Rajan settled into a chair, his face drawn tight with concern. "Maharaj, we have a new development. The Yuvraj's forces have neutralized our disruptions and secured new trade agreements with the western provinces."

I frowned, disbelief etched across my features. "How did this happen? Our plan was meticulous."

Rajan's expression darkened. "It seems that the Maharani has been advising her brother. They anticipated our moves and preemptively secured new agreements before we even implemented our strategy."

A surge of frustration surged through me, my hands clenching into fists. Tara had always been strategic, but this was an impressive counter. Her ability to predict and counter our every move was both infuriating and admiring. I needed to rethink my approach; this time, I had to be smarter.

"How did they manage to secure these new agreements so quickly?" I demanded.

Rajan's voice was laced with caution. "The agreements were in the works before we even began our disruptions. The Yuvraj, guided by Tara, anticipated our approach and acted accordingly."

I turned away, my gaze fixed on the darkening sky outside. Tara had been playing a deeper game, one I hadn't fully grasped. She had outmanoeuvred me on every front, using my own tactics against me.

A bitter smile tugged at my lips. Admiration mingled with my rage. Tara's strategic brilliance had turned our situation from one of dominance to one of vulnerability. But this was not the end. I would not be outplayed.

"Change tactics," I said, my voice cold and sharp. "We need a new plan. Tara may have secured a temporary victory, but there's still a way to turn this around."

Rajan's eyes glinted with understanding. "There's an opening, Maharaj. Maharani's actions have strengthened Yuvraj's position in the short term but may have also created a vulnerability. We need to exploit that weakness."

I looked at him, my mind racing. "What vulnerability?"

Rajan outlined a plan, his voice steady but urgent. "The agreements the Maharani has helped secure are likely fragile. Economic stability can be volatile, especially when built on new alliances. We can create an opportunity by introducing a subtle disruption that targets the core of their new agreements."

I listened intently, feeling the weight of the plan. Rajan's strategy was intricate—an indirect approach that undermined the stability of Yuvraj's new arrangements without direct confrontation.

"How do we ensure they believe the disruption?" I asked.

"Through misinformation and economic pressure," Rajan explained. "We spread rumours of imminent unrest in the western provinces. These rumours should be exaggerated to make the situation appear dire. We use our intermediaries and controlled leaks to ensure the Yuvraj and his allies take the threat seriously."