28) Chapter

Varuna and Bhaskar stood before the grand doors of King Buddharaja's royal chamber.

The golden arches were carved with intricate depictions of past Kalachurian victories, their gleaming surface illuminated by the faint glow of torches.

As a pair of guards announced their arrival, Varuna felt an all-too-familiar knot tighten in his stomach.

Dealing with his father was one thing—but standing before the king Buddharaja Mekalas father, a man as brilliant as he was merciless, was a wholly different challenge.

A soft, melodic sound filtered through the heavy doors: the haunting strains of a sitar. The music was both beautiful and unsettling, the notes twisting and bending like a serpent's hiss.

Even after their arrival had been announced, the king continued playing, as if testing their patience. Bhaskar, ever the pragmatist, motioned for Varuna to remain silent as they waited.

Finally, the grand doors creaked open, and the two were ushered into the chamber. The king sat at the far end of the room, reclined on an opulent dais adorned with silk cushions.

His fingers danced effortlessly over the strings of the sitar, the delicate instrument looking almost out of place against the sharpness of his presence.

Buddharaja's sharp, calculating eyes flicked up to meet Bhaskar's for only a moment before returning to his music.

"My king—"Bhaskar bowed deeply.

But the king raised a single hand, silencing him without a word.

The music continued, filling the room with a strange, oppressive energy. Varuna dared not even shift his weight, knowing the king's keen senses missed nothing.

The final note lingered in the air before fading into silence.

Buddharaja set the sitar aside and leaned forward slightly, his piercing gaze now fixed on Bhaskar and Varuna. A faint smile played on his lips—mocking, perhaps, or merely amused.

"Speak, Bhaskar. I trust you bring news worth interrupting my music."

"Your Majesty, the Chalukyan prince Vishnu-vardana has entered Mahishmati. As we speak, he walks toward the trap laid for him in the old stone shrine. He will soon be in our hands." Bhaskar spelled.

The king's smile widened, but it was devoid of warmth. He tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne, as if considering something.

"Good. And what of the spy?"King asked.

"Captured my lord. Nanda, the Chalukyan general and ally of Crown Prince Ereya, is in our custody. Shall I summon the guards to present him?"

Buddharaja gestured lazily, reclining back onto his cushions as though bored.

"Bring him."

A tense silence hung in the air as two guards entered, dragging a disheveled man between them. Nanda, the captured Cahlukyan spy, looked worse for wear but unbroken. His clothes were torn, and blood stained his tunic, but his gaze remained defiant as he was forced to his knees before the king.

"Nanda. The General. Loyal dog of the Chalukyan court. Tell me, how does it feel to kneel in chains before your enemies?"Bussharaja asked leaning forward.

Nanda didn't respond, his jaw clenched tight. The king tilted his head, his smile returning as he reached for a small ivory box beside him. From it, he pulled a set of dice, the polished cubes gleaming in the torchlight.

He rolled the dice onto a nearby table, their clattering sound echoing ominously. Nanda's lips curled in disdain.

"I don't play games with devils."Nanda spelled.

Buddharaja chuckled softly, though his eyes grew colder. He picked up the dice again, turning them over in his hand as if admiring their craftsmanship.

"Oh, but you do. You played when you chose to infiltrate my kingdom. When you chose to send messages to your prince. When you chose to think you could outwit me."

"You think you've won? You underestimate prince Vishnu just as you underestimated prince Ereya. Whatever happens, the Chalukyan Empire will crush you."

"Oh yes, Nanda. Your loyalty to the Chalukyas is admirable... but tragically misplaced. You've been betrayed, my dear general. Your own trusted ally, Vijay, has been working for me." Buddharaja spelled.

Nanda's breath hitched, and his eyes widened in disbelief. He stared at the king as though he had misheard.

"Vijay? The chief minister? You are a liar!"

Buddharaja's chuckle turned into a full-throated laugh, though there was no warmth in it.

"A lie? Oh, how I wish it were. But alas, Vijay has been quite... accommodating. Feeding me information. Sabotaging your plans. Did you think your little mission here was your idea? No, Nanda, it was mine. Vijay saw to it that you were sent straight into my hands."

Nanda's head dropped for a moment as the weight of the revelation settled on him. When he looked up again, his expression was a mixture of anger and heartbreak.

"I don't believe you.. you Devil. Vijay is loyal to the Chalukyas. He would never—"

"—betray you? Betray his kingdom? And yet the truth is ..here you are, kneeling before me, thanks to his whispers." buddjaraja interrupts.

Buddharaja gestured for the guards to tighten their grip on Nanda, who struggled violently against them.

"You're lying! Vijay is no traitor!" Nanda shouted.

Buddharaja rose from his throne, his towering presence casting a shadow over Nanda. His voice dropped to a menacing whisper.

"Deny it all you want, General. The truth remains unchanged. Vijay has chosen the winning side. Perhaps it's time you did the same.

Nanda spat at the king's feet, his defiance unbroken.

"You think you've won, Buddharaja? This isn't over."

The king smiled coldly, motioning for the guards to haul Nanda away.

But as the guards prepared to drag Nanda away, King Buddharaja suddenly raised a hand, stopping them in their tracks.

"Wait. This man has been of some use to us, despite his... misguided loyalty. Perhaps it would be amusing to let him watch the Chalukyan prince, Vishnu, walk into his death."

Nanda's eyes widened in confusion and panic as the king's words sank in. The guards, still holding him, looked at Buddharaja for confirmation.

"Tie him to the pillar, so that he can witness the final act. Let him see the prince who once thought he could challenge me, come to his doom."

Nanda's face twisted in shock, realizing what the king meant. His struggles grew frantic as the guards moved to bind him, their hands cold and efficient.

They tied him securely to a stone pillar at the far end of the chamber, just a few feet from where the king sat, lounging in his throne.

The ropes bit into his wrists as they tightened, and Nanda could do nothing but watch helplessly.

"You won't get away with this, Buddharaja! Your victory will be hollow!"Nanada shouted.

The king, unmoved by the threats, turned his attention back to Bhaskar and Varuna, who were standing by the entrance, waiting for further instructions.

"Now that Vishnu is on his way into our hands, it is time to discuss the next phase of our plan." Buddharaja spelled.

Bhaskar straightened, his expression calm but his sharp eyes glinting with anticipation. Varuna, still uneasy from the tension in the room, tried to maintain his composure as he listened intently.

"Your Majesty, with Ereya away in camp and Vishnu walking into this trap, Vatapi is vulnerable. The old emperor will not have the strength to command a defense, and Ereya's wife..." he paused briefly, choosing his words with care "...will have no means to rally the people in his abscence".

King Buddharaja's smirk widened, and he rose from his throne, stepping down to the floor with deliberate grace. The light of the oil lamps cast long shadows across the chamber, accentuating his commanding presence.

"Devi Vijyashrii or Pramila..." he drew out her name, savoring it like a delicacy "...Ereya's young bride. They say she is a rare jewel, unmatched in beauty and grace. It would be a shame to leave such treasure unclaimed."

Varuna's face twitched slightly at the king's tone, though he quickly schooled his expression into one of neutrality. Bhaskar, ever the strategist, gave a slight nod of agreement.

Suddenly  a soldier rushed in, his armor clinking as he dropped to one knee before King Buddharaja. His face was flushed, and he was visibly trying to catch his breath.

"Your Majesty! The Chalukyan prince... he has entered the passage."

The king's sharp eyes lit up with satisfaction, his fingers pausing on the strings of his sitar. The faint note he had been playing lingered in the air, a haunting melody that seemed to underscore the moment

"Ah well , let the fly walks willingly into the spider's web." Buddhraja spelled.

Back in the chamber, King Buddharaja glanced toward Nanda, who was still tied to the pillar. The general's face was a mask of defiance, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of worry.

"Prepare yourself, Nanda. Soon, you will have company. Let us see how loyal your prince remains when faced with his own destruction."

The king's laughter echoed through the chamber, dark and foreboding, as the pieces of his grand game fell into place.

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