Chapter 104: chapter 104

N A N D I N I The palace had never been so quiet, so still. The weight of it pressed against me like a heavy cloak, a constant reminder of my defeat. Sanmayi had taken the throne with such ease, as though it were hers by divine right. And now she had everything—Ranajay’s adoration, the loyalty of the court, and the love of the people. But there was one thing she couldn’t have: the future.Her pregnancy, that delicate hope growing within her, threatened everything I had fought for. It would be the final nail in my coffin, the assurance that I would never again have the power I so rightly deserved. I had been patient. I had bided my time. But the time for patience was over.I had lost once, and I would not make that mistake again. If I could not wield power openly, I would do so from the shadows. And this time, I would make sure that Sanmayi's child never had the chance to secure her rule.I had to act quickly.I sought out one of the kitchen staff, a young cook named Madhavi, who had served the palace for years. She was quiet, obedient, and, most importantly, easily bought. My offer was simple: a sum of gold, enough to make her forget her loyalty to the crown, in exchange for her complicity in my plan."Add something to the food, something that will make her ill, but not kill her," I whispered to her in the darkened corner of the kitchen. "Just enough to make her weak, to make her question her own health. She will not be able to take the throne with a fragile body."Madhavi nodded, her eyes wide with fear and greed. She was already calculating the gold in her mind. I didn’t need to explain further. She understood exactly what was at stake.I watched her go, my mind racing. If this worked, if Sanmayi's body failed her, then Ranajay would lose his trust in her. He would have no choice but to seek someone stronger to lead, and I would be waiting. I had been patient, but no longer. Now, I was the only one left standing.The plan had begun.---S A N M A Y I I had always prided myself on my strength. I had withstood the battles of the kingdom, the power struggles, the betrayal of those closest to me. But now, something felt different. Something I couldn’t quite explain. It began subtly, just a dull ache in my stomach. A strange heaviness, like my body was rebelling against me, as though it knew something I didn’t.At first, I thought it was the pregnancy, the changes in my body. But as the days passed, the discomfort grew more persistent. My energy waned, and there were moments when I felt faint, lightheaded, as though the ground beneath me was unsteady.I confided in Ranajay one evening, after dinner. His face tightened with concern, but there was nothing in his eyes that hinted at worry—only love and the ever-present devotion that had been my anchor since we had first joined forces.“Sanmayi, you’ve been working so hard lately. Perhaps you need rest. You’ve given so much of yourself to the kingdom,” he said, his voice soft as he cupped my face. “You are not invincible, my love.”I smiled weakly, but even I could see the truth in his words. I had been pushing myself too hard, especially with my pregnancy. The weight of the crown, the responsibilities, it all weighed heavily on my heart. Perhaps I had overextended myself.But the next morning, I woke with a sense of unease that would not leave me. I felt sluggish, disconnected from my own body. It was as though something was wrong, but I couldn’t quite pinpoint it.I ate a simple breakfast, a bowl of kheer, something mild, and it seemed to help calm my stomach. But by midday, the discomfort returned. My hands trembled as I worked, and I found it harder to concentrate. The palace physicians had visited me earlier, after I complained of dizziness, but they could find nothing wrong. It was as if my body was betraying me in the most inexplicable way.The discomfort persisted for days, and I grew more anxious. Ranajay insisted that I rest, but my mind would not let me. The court, the kingdom, it all needed me, and I could not afford to appear weak. Yet, with each passing hour, my resolve weakened, and I became more certain that something was not right.What had happened? Was it just the toll of the pregnancy? Or was there something more insidious at play? I did not know, but I could not afford to ignore the growing suspicion gnawing at the edges of my mind.---N A N D I N I Days passed, and I watched from the shadows, knowing that every moment of weakness in Sanmayi would bring her closer to my victory. I had made sure of it. The kheer had been tampered with just enough—enough to bring her discomfort without her suspecting. The child inside her would grow weak, and so would she. She would become frail, and the people would begin to question her ability to rule.She had been so proud of her strength, so certain of her position. But I would break her, slowly, methodically, until she realized that the crown she had fought for could not protect her from the shadows that sought to destroy her.I had made my move, and there was no going back. I was patient. I had learned the art of waiting. And when the time came, when she was broken enough, I would step forward to claim what was mine. Nothing would stand in my way—not even her child. I had been patient for years. The time for patience was almost over.I smiled to myself as I watched her struggle. It was almost too easy.---S A N M A Y I It had been a week since the discomfort began. I had lost weight despite eating, and the sickness in my body was starting to drain my spirit. The physicians still could find no explanation. I had grown anxious, my thoughts spiraling into the worst-case scenarios. Was the child in danger? Was I?I felt like a stranger in my own skin, caught between fear and uncertainty. The people of Amaravati, those who had once looked to me with such hope, would see my fragility. And I could not bear to disappoint them.Each day, I forced myself to eat, though the food never seemed to settle right. The meals felt like poison, and I wondered, just for a fleeting moment, if I had been poisoned, if someone had tried to hurt me.But who could it be? My mind raced, seeking answers in the faces of those around me. Could it be Nandini? She had always been a shadow in my life, lurking just beyond my reach. I had thought her vanquished, but now... now I wasn’t so sure.The palace felt suffocating, the walls closing in around me, and I could not shake the sense that I was walking a fine line between life and death. Something was wrong, and I could not ignore it any longer.I would find the truth, no matter the cost.---The tension between the two women continues to grow, as Nandini's subtle scheme begins to take its toll on Sanmayi. The palace is thick with the invisible threat of betrayal, and while Sanmayi clings to her strength and the hope for a healthy child, Nandini watches, waiting for her moment to strike. The world of the palace, once a place of grand celebrations, now felt like a cage where every glance, every whispered word could spell disaster.