Chapter 86: chapter 86

S A N M A Y I The air smelled of rain and blood. The battlefield stretched before me, its muddy expanse churned by the chaos of war. In the distance, Ranajay’s forces clashed with the enemy, the sound of steel on steel reverberating like a grim symphony. From my position on a ridge overlooking the chaos, I felt the weight of my responsibilities pressing down with every passing moment.Something was wrong.“Commander Atul has yet to signal his flank’s advance,” said Aditya, standing at my side. His brow was furrowed, his tone clipped. “The enemy should be pinned by now, but they’re pushing harder than expected.”I gritted my teeth, my eyes scanning the battlefield. Atul’s division held a critical position on the eastern front, and without his forces engaging, the rest of our strategy was crumbling. What should have been a decisive strike was rapidly unraveling into a desperate defense.“Send a runner,” I ordered. “Find out why he hasn’t advanced. We can’t afford delays.”Aditya nodded, already moving to dispatch a messenger. I turned my gaze back to the battlefield, unease coiling in my stomach. Atul was a seasoned commander, trusted by Ranajay and respected by his men. This hesitation was unlike him.The runner returned faster than I expected, his face pale and streaked with sweat. He bowed hastily, his words tumbling out in a rush. “Your Majesty, Commander Atul’s forces are holding position... but they’re not preparing to advance. They’ve fortified instead, claiming the enemy strength is greater than anticipated.”I felt a cold knot tighten in my chest. “Did they send scouts to confirm that?”The runner hesitated, his silence speaking volumes.I exchanged a glance with Aditya, who returned to my side, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. “It’s not like Atul to act without clear orders,” he said quietly.“No,” I murmured, my mind racing. “It isn’t. Unless those orders didn’t come from Ranajay or me.”---The tension in the command tent was stifling when I arrived. Atul stood at the center, surrounded by his officers, his expression grim but defiant. His armor gleamed in the torchlight, but there was no hiding the flicker of unease in his eyes when he saw me.“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing stiffly. “I didn’t expect you here.”“That much is clear,” I replied, my voice sharp. “Explain why your division has not moved to support the eastern flank.”He straightened, his tone calm but defensive. “The enemy’s numbers were greater than anticipated. To advance would have been suicidal. I acted in the best interest of the army.”I took a step closer, my gaze narrowing. “The enemy’s numbers are precisely as we expected. Your hesitation has thrown our forces into disarray. Now I will ask again—why haven’t you advanced?”Atul shifted under the weight of my scrutiny, his jaw tightening. “With all due respect, Your Majesty, I will not sacrifice my men in a futile attack.”I studied him for a moment, my instincts prickling. Something didn’t add up. Atul was a strategist, a commander who understood the cost of hesitation in war. This wasn’t hesitation—it was sabotage.“You’re lying,” I said, my voice cutting through the air like a blade.Gasps rippled through the room, the officers exchanging uneasy glances. Atul’s face darkened, but I pressed on.“You’ve received other orders,” I said, stepping closer. “Orders that contradict mine. Tell me, Commander, how much did Nandini pay for your loyalty?”The room fell silent, the accusation hanging heavy in the air. Atul’s eyes widened, and for a moment, I saw the crack in his armor. Then his face hardened, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.“Be careful with your words, Your Majesty,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “I have served Amaravati longer than you’ve been alive. Do not question my loyalty.”“I don’t question your loyalty to gold,” I shot back. “Your actions betray you, Atul. You have put this entire army at risk, and for what? A few coins and a false promise from a queen who will discard you the moment you cease to be useful?”He lunged before I could finish, his sword flashing in the torchlight. But I was ready. I sidestepped his attack, drawing my own dagger in one fluid motion. The room erupted into chaos as his officers scrambled to intervene, but I held my ground, my blade pressed against his throat before he could swing again.“Stand down,” I commanded, my voice cold. “Or I will end this now.”Atul froze, his chest heaving as he glared at me. “You don’t understand,” he hissed. “Nandini has eyes everywhere. If I didn’t comply, she would—”“She would what?” I demanded, pressing the blade closer. “Kill you? Threaten your family? Do you think she won’t do the same even after you betray us? Open your eyes, Atul. You’re a pawn in her game, and she will sacrifice you without a second thought.”His expression wavered, the weight of my words sinking in. Slowly, he lowered his weapon, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “You don’t know what it’s like,” he muttered. “The promises she made... the threats...”“I know more than you think,” I said, stepping back but keeping my blade at the ready. “And I know that your betrayal has cost us dearly. But there is still time to salvage this, if you tell me everything.”Atul hesitated, then nodded, his voice trembling as he began to speak. He revealed the full extent of Nandini’s plan: bribes, blackmail, and promises of power to those who turned against Ranajay. His division was meant to hold back, allowing Jayavikram’s forces to overrun our eastern flank and encircle the army.---By the time I returned to the battlefield, the tide had begun to turn. With Atul’s confession in hand, I rallied the remaining forces, redirecting reinforcements to the eastern flank and cutting off the enemy’s advance. It was a grueling fight, but we managed to regain the upper hand, forcing Jayavikram’s army to retreat.When I returned to Ranajay’s side that evening, exhausted but victorious, he met me with a mixture of relief and admiration. “You uncovered it in time,” he said, his voice filled with gratitude. “You saved us.”“Barely,” I replied, my tone weary. “The cost was high, Ranajay. We lost more than we should have because of one man’s greed and fear.”He placed a hand on my shoulder, his touch grounding me. “But we prevailed. Because of you.”I looked into his eyes, seeing the trust and love that had carried us through so many trials. “This war isn’t just fought on the battlefield,” I said. “It’s fought in the shadows, in the hearts of those who claim to stand with us. We can’t afford to let our guard down again.”“We won’t,” he promised. “Together, we’ll face whatever comes next.”As the camp settled into an uneasy quiet, I knew that Nandini’s schemes were far from over. But for now, we had held our ground, and I was determined to see this fight through to the end. Amaravati’s future depended on it.