The Unfinished Poetry √

Part Nineteen

Avanthika had been waiting impatiently throughout the next day. She had confined herself to her room once again, and while the entire palace was dressing up for the Karwa Chauth function in the evening, she was feeling extremely restless.

Mahendra had been to her in the morning. He had kissed her on the forehead, and promised to her that he would be back in the evening to break her fast. Avanthika had just not wanted to let him go, but one thing she had realised, Rajmata hadn't told Mahendra anything about their conversations last night. Otherwise Mahendra wouldn't have left her in a piece.

The fact was, she was ashamed too of what she had told regarding Amarendra Baahubali. She had no right to. She hadn't seen the great man once,and most importantly the amount of respect her husband held for his father, she should have just controlled her emotions. She couldn't. And therefore once again she escaped everything by staying indoors.

Not only that, she had not let Virendra outside too, who after expressing resentment in vain was now in the side wing of her room itself, painting.

Evening happened, and the maids informed her to be out for the breaking of fast ritual.
Avanthika was a bit estranged though. Throughout the day not for once did Devasena call for her. Whereas otherwise when she confined herself, she was being called for every now and then. She realised that Devasena had taken her words to heart. And she was more concerned now. Raajmata's anger might have graver consequences. She slapped herself.

Avanthika moved out to the hall where everyone had gathered at the balcony, she was welcomed thoroughly. Womenfolk of the palace stood in a line at the balcony with their respective thalis and mesh facing the sky, whereas commoners gathered below on the courtyard in the same manner. The menfolk had not yet arrived.

Avanthika watched everything and also Devasena, who stood at one place, but lacked every glow on her beautiful face. Avanthika felt bad for a second, which disappeared the next moment. She kept standing indifferently.

The moon appeared from behind the clouds and the ritual began at a particular moment, despite the fact that Maharajah Mahendra had not yet arrived. Rajmata ordered for the proceedings to go on, because rituals and offerings couldn't wait for the king.

Avanthika felt an anger grow inside once again. Yet she kept standing while watching men break their women's fast.

After sometime she thumped towards Devasena and wanted to talk to her in private. Devasena immediately ordered maids to move away.

" Where have you sent my husband that he's not yet at the palace? "

Devasena stared silently at Avanthika for sometime.

" I could have asked you to have something, but maybe you are already disappointed with me. I didn't want to disappoint you more with my requests. Maharajah hasn't particularly informed me where he's gone, but mostly he has an important meeting with a 'saamanth' state. He'll be back soon. "

" And couldn't he just inform me that he'll be late? "

" If he hasn't informed you he's wrong. And if you haven't asked him where he's going to before he left, you're wrong too. I had long back told you not to become his liability, but mostly you have forgotten to be his wife too, considering he has forgotten that as well . "

Leaving a boiling Avanthika behind, Devasena left the hall after instructing the concerned to look after the good proceeding of the rituals.

****

Mahendra entered Avanthika's room at around midnight. He looked extremely tired and unwell. He sat before a sobbing Avanthika, who was fasting till then. Virendra stood silently, a distance apart.

Mahendra called a maid and took from her a plate of food. He sat beside Avanthika, " You know how I wanted to be with you....but the meeting continued for hours, and could I just stop listening to their problems? Do I have an option? The long meeting left me so exhausted, I felt extremely sick after that...  I just... I just couldn't breathe. But then I knew you were starving, and I had to return..  I almost pulled up my heavy body on the horse, I was feeling so not well Avanthika, believe me! "

Mahendra held her hand, but she shoved away, still sobbing.

" I came in only to know the ritual ended long back. I went to maa, thinking you might be there, but you weren't. Seeing me, she at once knew I was unwell, and she fed me a glass of juice. I felt better and ran to you Avanthika, please have this.... I... "

Avanthika's features stiffened. So Mahendra had once again visited his mother first, even on the day of karwa chauth. She was starving...and...
Couldn't she take care of her husband? Rajmata, only Rajmata Devasena could?  Avanthika shut her eyes tight, while something fell beside her with a thud. Avanthika opened her eyes horrified to find, Mahendra Baahubali lying on the ground.

***

Maahishmathi drowned in utter darkness once again.
Mahendra Baahubali, the beloved king and the only descendent of the great and tragic Amarendra Baahubali had expired only at the age of forty.

Cardiac arrest, was what the 'Rajvaidya' had declared, hesitantly. Because no other cause of death was supposedly found, and yet Mahendra was healthy as a horse, the very morning, and until his death.

Avanthika took to white, turned pale, and blamed herself for the fact that her insecurities had thrown her into where she was.
Virendra turned leaner, confined himself to the side wing with his colors and books.

And Rajmata Devasena? She had stopped speaking. She spent days and nights at the prayer room of the temple, won't eat, won't drink, won't sleep. Her life was indeed, a curse.

Maahishmathi was truly at stake, and the ministers were screwing their brains.

And just then one day, with almost no one to stop, Bijjaladeva, the eighty five year old who was still hatefully alive, walked into Avanthika's, alarming her. She shouted for help but Bijjaladeva gestured her not to panic.

" Mahendra Baahubali, a healthy strong frightful king suddenly expires. Doesn't that concern you? That too on the night when a husband comes the closest to his wife, because his wife starves for him throughout the day. Virendra is weak. And there, a priest's son has been endeared more and more over years. Do you know, Maahishmathi can be ruled by a king who crosses seventeen at least? Your son is fifteen only. But rightfully he should be the king, or he can wait for two years while Rajmata Devasena rules. But seeing her condition, she will definitely pass on the responsibility to someone else. But whom? That is the question. Do you know, Raghav Bhavani looks like a reincarnation of Amarendra Baahubali to not only Devasena, but many others who have seen both, including me? I am well informed about everything in this palace. And lastly, do you know that some poisons look like a heart attack, without a trace in the body later? "

Bijjaladeva had left that day, awakening an Avanthika, who was definitely, dangerous to the true meaning of it.