Chapter 15: Whispers of Betrayal

The camp was alive with the quiet buzz of activity as the Marathas returned to Raigad under the cover of darkness. The successful raid had injected a sense of hope and excitement into the men, but for the MC, the victory felt uneasy. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, that the Mughals had been too easy to defeat.

As he helped unload the stolen supplies with Narayanrao, he kept glancing around, his senses heightened. Every whispered conversation, every furtive glance from the men, seemed suspicious. He was new to this world, and that meant he couldn't always trust his instincts, but something felt off. The thought of Ganoji Shirke's betrayal kept gnawing at the back of his mind. Could there be another spy?

Narayanrao, wiping sweat from his brow, noticed the MC's distracted state. "What's on your mind?" he asked, his voice low enough that only the MC could hear.

The MC hesitated, unsure how to voice his concerns without sounding paranoid. "I don't know. That raid… it went too smoothly. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad we won, but what if the Mughals let us win?"

Narayanrao frowned. "What do you mean? We took them by surprise. They were outnumbered."

The MC shook his head. "I just… I've read about how Aurangzeb operates. He's always thinking ahead. What if that caravan was bait? What if there are spies among us, feeding information to the Mughals?"

Narayanrao's expression hardened. He glanced around, his eyes narrowing. "You think someone here is working with the enemy?"

"I don't know," the MC admitted. "But it wouldn't be the first time. Ganoji Shirke was close to Sambhaji Raje, and he turned on him. What's to stop someone else from doing the same?"

Narayanrao's jaw clenched. "If what you're saying is true, we'll need to be careful. The men are loyal, but loyalty can be bought."

The MC nodded, feeling the weight of his words sink in. If there was another traitor among them, it could spell disaster for the entire rebellion. They couldn't afford another betrayal, not now. Not when they were just starting to build momentum.

"Let's talk to Sambhaji Raje," the MC said, straightening up. "We need to be careful about who we trust."

Inside Raigad, the flickering torches cast long shadows across the stone walls as the MC and Narayanrao made their way toward Sambhaji's private chambers. The fort was quiet, the air thick with the sense of impending danger. As they approached the entrance, they were met by two guards, their expressions stern but respectful.

Narayanrao stepped forward. "We need to speak with Sambhaji Raje," he said.

The guards nodded and stepped aside, allowing them entry. Inside, Sambhaji sat cross-legged on a simple mat, his blind eyes staring straight ahead, but his presence still commanding. At his side stood Santaji Ghorpade and Dhanaji Jadhav, both of them deep in conversation when the MC and Narayanrao entered.

Sambhaji turned his head slightly, sensing their approach. "Narayanrao, what news?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying the weight of authority.

Narayanrao bowed his head slightly before speaking. "The raid was successful, Raje. We've brought back supplies and weapons. But there's something else."

Sambhaji raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

The MC stepped forward, his voice steady. "Raje, I think there's a possibility we've been compromised. The raid went too smoothly. The Mughals didn't put up much of a fight. What if it was a trap? What if they let us win to learn more about our movements?"

Santaji and Dhanaji exchanged a glance, their faces hardening at the suggestion. Dhanaji was the first to speak, his voice laced with skepticism. "You think there's a spy among us?"

"I don't know for sure," the MC replied, meeting Dhanaji's gaze. "But we can't ignore the possibility. Ganoji Shirke was one of your own, and he betrayed you. What's to stop someone else from doing the same?"

Sambhaji's expression remained calm, but there was a tension in his voice when he spoke. "You are right to be cautious. Trust is a fragile thing, and betrayal can come from anywhere. We cannot dismiss this possibility."

Santaji, ever the strategist, nodded in agreement. "If there is a traitor among us, we need to find out who it is before they can do any more damage. But we must be careful. If we accuse the wrong man, we'll sow division in the ranks."

Dhanaji crossed his arms, his face thoughtful. "I've known most of these men for years. They're loyal to the Maratha cause. But if Aurangzeb is offering gold and land in exchange for information… it's hard to know who might be tempted."

Sambhaji leaned forward slightly, his blind eyes unseeing but his focus intense. "We cannot afford another betrayal. We will quietly investigate this. I trust you, Santaji, Dhanaji, and Narayanrao, but beyond that, we must tread carefully."

The MC nodded. "I'll keep my ears open. If there's any suspicious activity, I'll let you know immediately."

Narayanrao looked at Sambhaji, his voice firm. "We'll be discreet, Raje. We'll start questioning the men, but we won't raise alarm."

Sambhaji's lips tightened into a thin line. "Good. We cannot afford to lose the trust of our soldiers. The Mughals believe me dead. We must keep it that way for as long as possible."

As they turned to leave, Santaji stopped the MC with a hand on his shoulder. "You've got a good head for strategy," he said quietly. "But be careful. The more you look for betrayal, the more enemies you'll make. Trust is rare in times like these."

The MC nodded, understanding the gravity of Santaji's words. He couldn't afford to become paranoid, but at the same time, they couldn't ignore the possibility that someone was feeding information to the Mughals.

The following days passed uneasily. The men continued their preparations for more raids, but there was an underlying tension in the camp. The MC found himself watching everyone more closely, looking for signs of betrayal. Narayanrao had quietly begun questioning the men, asking subtle questions about their loyalty and motivations.

The MC spent his time among the soldiers, trying to get a sense of the mood. Most of the men were enthusiastic, eager to fight for the Maratha cause, but a few seemed distant—withdrawn. One man in particular caught his attention: Vishal, a quiet, reserved soldier who had kept to himself since the raid. He was skilled in battle but seemed hesitant when the men spoke of future raids against the Mughals.

One evening, as the camp prepared for another raid, the MC approached Narayanrao. "There's something off about Vishal," he said, lowering his voice. "He's been acting strange. Doesn't talk much, and when he does, it's always about how dangerous the raids are, how we're risking too much."

Narayanrao frowned. "You think he's the spy?"

"I'm not sure," the MC admitted. "But it's worth looking into."

That night, as the camp settled down for sleep, the MC and Narayanrao decided to keep an eye on Vishal. They followed him from a distance as he moved through the camp, watching as he slipped away into the shadows. The MC's heart raced as they trailed him, staying far enough behind to avoid detection.

Vishal stopped at the edge of the camp, glancing around nervously before pulling a small scrap of parchment from his tunic. The MC and Narayanrao crouched behind a large rock, watching as Vishal tucked the note into a hollowed-out tree trunk.

Narayanrao's eyes narrowed. "That's a dead drop," he whispered. "He's passing messages to someone."

The MC's pulse quickened. "We need to see what that message says."

They waited until Vishal was gone before carefully approaching the tree. Narayanrao reached into the hollow trunk and pulled out the small note, his face darkening as he read it.

"It's written in code," Narayanrao muttered, his voice tense. "But this is enough to prove he's working with someone."

The MC felt a surge of both relief and dread. They had found the traitor, but the question remained: who was he working for?

"We need to confront him," the MC said, his voice low but urgent. "But we can't let anyone else know yet. We don't know how far this goes."

Narayanrao nodded, his expression grim. "Agreed. We'll take him to Sambhaji Raje. He'll know what to do."