Meeting with Queen Durgawati (1)

Chapter 14 ; Meeting with the Queen Durgawati (1)

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A soft groan broke the silence inside the carriage. Kalyani, who had been sitting quietly, glanced at the girl lying beside her.

Priya's delicate face was stained with tears, which she had shed over the death of her parents.

Her body jerked slightly as she finally became aware of her surroundings, and then she fully woke up. Her vision was blurred at first, and a dull pain throbbed inside her head.

The last thing she could remember was her father being dragged away by the attackers and then killed in front of her eyes.

The pain of seeing her parents slaughtered before her filled her eyes with panic as her body trembled.

"Where am I…?" she gasped the next second, her breath uneven as her eyes darted around in fear.

"You are safe now, child," Kalyani said gently, placing a comforting hand on Priya's shoulder.

Priya flinched at the touch, afraid, but soon realized she had never seen this woman before. Judging by her royal attire and dignified presence, Priya could tell she was someone important.

"Who are you…?" Mustering her courage, Priya asked hesitantly, her voice hoarse from exhaustion and fear.

Kalyani looked at the girl and sighed at her fate before replying.

"I am Kalyani. As for how you ended up here—when your father was killed, my son saved you from those attackers. But by the time he reached you, you were already unconscious in your village."

Priya's eyes widened as soon as she heard Kalyani's words. Memories of the massacre flooded back. Her parents… her home… everything was gone.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she started crying again.

"My parents… they were killed… woo…!" she sobbed.

Kalyani sighed silently as she watched the girl. She didn't stop her from crying—she knew it was better to let her vent her emotions. Otherwise, the pain would only turn into guilt in the future.

She reached out and gently cupped Priya's hand, pulling her toward her chest to comfort her as she cried.

"I know, child. I am truly sorry for your loss. But even if we wanted to, we couldn't save them," Kalyani said softly.

At those words, Priya finally broke down completely. A stream of tears flowed down her cheeks. She had held it in for so long, but the moment someone showed her kindness, the dam broke.

After a while, Priya wiped her tears, her expression a mixture of grief and confusion.

"Why did your son save me…? He could have just let me die…" Priya asked hesitantly, her voice still shaking. She had heard stories from villagers about how noble families sometimes took in survivors only to turn them into slaves.

Kalyani noticed her confusion but also understood her fear. She then replied, "Because he couldn't ignore the injustice done to you. He has seen the cruelty of this world. Out of kindness, he decided to save you."

Priya bit her lip, unable to respond. She had lost everything—her family, her home. And yet, she was still alive, saved by a man she had never met.

Before she could ask or say anything else, the carriage jolted slightly, slowing down.

Kalyani glanced outside the window and saw the borders of the Garha Kingdom.

Outside the Garha Kingdom

Ayush rode at the front, his eyes fixed on the towering stone walls of Garha's border outpost.

The Garha Kingdom, ruled by Rani Durgawati, was known for its formidable fortifications and powerful warriors.

A group of Garha soldiers stood at the entrance, watching the approaching group cautiously. Among them, a leader emerged.

The leader, a middle-aged man in Rajput armor, stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.

"Stop! State your name and purpose!" he demanded.

Ayush and his men stopped their horses. He raised his hand, signaling his men to remain calm.

"I am Ayush Chandra Mourya, son of Prajapati Yadav, and heir to the kingdom of the Yadu Dynasty, which was destroyed by the Mughals. We have come seeking cooperation with Queen Durgawati."

The Rajput commander was visibly surprised. He had heard of the Yadu Dynasty's fall at the hands of the Mughals, but he hadn't expected the heir to appear at Garha's borders, seeking asylum and alliance.

After a moment of contemplation, the leader spoke. "Wait here for a while."

Ayush remained on his horse, deep in thought. He knew that politics was a battlefield where allies changed with time.

And right now, Ayush wanted an alliance with Queen Durgawati—to first destroy the Bijapur Sultanate and take control of it through her help.

However, he knew that Rani Durgawati would never easily give up even an inch of Bijapur's land if she won the war. If Ayush wanted a share of the spoils, he would need to offer something so valuable that even she wouldn't be able to refuse.

Behind him, Maan Singh, Vikram, and Gaurav observed the Garha soldiers carefully, admiring the fortifications of the kingdom.

An hour passed.

Finally, a soldier returned and whispered something to the Rajput commander.

"Your Highness, Her Majesty, Queen Durgawati, has agreed to meet you," the commander announced.

"Hmm…" Ayush nodded.

He dismounted from his horse and walked toward his mother's carriage.

"Mother, Queen Durgawati has agreed to meet us. Let's go," Ayush said as he stepped inside the carriage.

However, his eyes instantly landed on Priya's face, still puffy from crying.

For a brief moment, he was lost in thought, staring at her silently.

A sudden cough brought him back to reality.

Kalyani had been watching her son looking at Priya for a long time. She hadn't expected him to develop feelings for the girl he had saved.

But for now, she turned her attention back to the matter at hand.

Patting Priya's back, Kalyani gently said, "Be careful, okay? I will leave guards here for your protection."

With that, she stepped out of the carriage.

Ayush, Kalyani, Maan Singh, and Gaurav prepared to meet Queen Durgawati to discuss their potential alliance, a meeting that could change the course of history.

Meanwhile, Vikram was assigned to protect Priya, ensuring her safety while they were away.

Inside the Royal Palace of Garha

Ayush and his group followed the Rajput commander through the fortified corridors of the Garha Palace. The stone walls were adorned with paintings of past battles, and guards stood at every corner, gripping their spears as if ready for battle.

As they approached the royal court, Ayush noticed the grandeur of the palace. Although it was not as magnificent as his own palace now captured by the Mughals, it still radiated strength, discipline, and the proud traditions of the Rajput family.

Finally, they stepped into the Darbar Hall, where Queen Durgawati sat on an intricately carved wooden throne, wearing a regal Rajput dress.

Her sharp eyes glanced at the four newcomers. She studied each of them carefully, but when her gaze landed on Kalyani, she paused for a moment and smiled. Behind her, some ministers sat, observing the scene.

Ayush and his group entered the hall. As he looked at Queen Durgawati, he had to admit, her beauty was no less than his mother's, perhaps even more striking than before she took the potion of evolution.

"You are Ayush Chandra Mourya… I didn't expect that Prajapati's son would fall to the point where he would need asylum," she said, resting her cheek on her hand as she looked at them.

Ayush stepped forward and performed a respectful pranam gesture before replying.

"Your Majesty, I never said we are here seeking asylum. We are here to cooperate with the Garha Kingdom. I simply wish to know whether Her Majesty is interested or not," Ayush said with a polite smile.

Kalyani remained silent, choosing to trust in her son's decision.

"Oh… not asylum, but cooperation?" Queen Durgawati mused. "If your father were here, I might have considered it. But he is already captured. I heard he will be executed on October 15th, his birthday. But before that, take your seats."

Ayush nodded and sat beside his mother, while Maan Singh and Gaurav took seats nearby.

"Well… tell me, what kind of cooperation do you seek with our dynasty?" Queen Durgawati asked, glancing at Kalyani.

Ayush remained calm.

"What if I told you that I have a way for 100 soldiers to fight against 1,000 without being harmed?" Ayush smiled, pulling a scroll from his system storage and holding it in his hand.