“Oh Madhu!” Chandrika put her arms around her elder sister, who was painstakingly getting ready for her wedding. “Aren’t you scared? Not even a little bit?”

“What should I be scared of, Chanda?” Between the sisters, they didn’t speak Sanskrit. They spoke the commoner’s language which they used with their friends and servants too.  That’s how her pet name did not sound out of place in their conversation.

“He is married already.”

Madhumita chuckled, “Oh my baby sister. For how long will you remain a baby? Since when has it become news that kings have multiple wives? And in this case, it is hardly a concern. I am the one who will have his heir.”

“But his affection? Who will have that?”

“None of his wives, in all likelihood. It is probably a mistress who already has all his affection. Why worry about all that?”

“It’s not like they stop when they have an heir. When they have mistresses to fulfill other needs, for providing variety and for doing all their biddings, why do they still keep marrying?”

“It’s politics, Chanda. Why do you think this wedding is happening? Any princess could have given him an heir. But only this alliance could have given him Chandranagar.”

“But our father never remarried. Even after mother passed away…”

“May be he made a mistake, Chanda. May be he should have married. Then we would have had more well-wishers and friends.”

This brought tears to both their eyes. With their father’s failing health, things hadn’t been easy on them. Their mother had died when Chandrika was little. They had no brother and their father never remarried. Now all sorts of relatives had their eyes on the riches of the family and kingdom. They were going to depend on Bhumimitra now to keep them at bay.

“What are you sisters crying for?” Mrinalini, one of their friends and companions, came in just then. “Princess Chandrika, you are also going with Princess Madhumita. What are those tears for, then? It is not like you are going to be separated.”

The sisters forced a smile on their lips. They couldn’t have discussed their troubles, especially the political ones, with their companions.  Younger sister accompanying the elder sister marrying a king was a common tradition in their age. This kept them from being lonely. The younger sister could also be married to the king later, if he so wished. Else she would be found a suitable groom in the royal family. In this case, however, there was a very practical reason for Chandrika going with Madhumita. The political intrigues of the court were always reflected in the dynamics of antahpur too. The same enemies who were a danger to King Chandravarna, also had their shadows in the antahpur. Chandrika was not worldly-wise like her sister. She wouldn’t have been able to protect herself against the intrigues once Madhumita went away. She had to go with her for her safety. But all this could not be told to Mrinalini.

“Why Mrinalini? You aren’t sparing a thought about us leaving our father behind. Don’t you think we will miss him?” Madhumita came up with an alibi for their tears.

“Ah! You princess, once you are in your husband’s arm, would not have a thought to spare for your father. I can grant that princess Chandrika would indeed miss him.”

“Why? If it is only about finding a husband and she would be comfortable away from her father’s home, then we will find her one quickly,” grinned Madhumita, “Probably Maharaj himself…”

“Madhu!”

“Well.. My kid sister wants Shri Rama for a husband, who would promise to be faithful only to her…”

“God forbid anyone should have Shri Rama for a husband who would throw her out at the slightest pretext! Madhu…” she had started off bitterly at the mention of Shri Rama, but grew emotional as she came to her point, “You are not just a sister to me, Madhu. You are my mother. You have brought me up like one. You have protected me like one. How can I ever be a rival to you? No. You must not say such things. Otherwise I will not go with you. Let me perish, if that’s what must happen.”

“Oh Chanda. My baby,” Madhumita hugged her sister tight, not only to comfort her, but also to stop her from speaking too much while Mrinalini was still there. “Mrinalini. She is worried about nothing except her jungle sojourns coming to an end,” Madhumita continued jocularly, “And that, I am afraid, you must give up, Chanda. Else it would create an unprecedented commotion at Raigarh palace.”

Chandrika smiled understanding that her sister was trying to lighten the mood. “Don’t worry,” she assured her sister.

“By the way, if anyone is interested,” Mrinalini said excitedly, “I have some reports of what Maharaj of Raigarh looks like.”

Chandrika noticed that despite the cold practicality with which her sister regarded royal marriages, her eyes shone at the mention of her groom’s name. But she wouldn’t say anything out of modesty. So, Chandrika decided to come to her rescue and asked, “Out with it, Mrinalini. What does he look like?”

“Like Lord Krishna…”

“He is dark-skinned?” Chandrika made a face to tease her sister, whose face fell.

“Oh no, Princess. How you twist my words. What I meant is that he had those looks which would make any woman swoon. He could have women eating out of his hands like Lord Krishna. And fair as marble if you must know. You know what they say? That he has led thirty-six wars and won all of them. But nothing in his countenance looks like he is a war-torn soldier, so perfectly groomed he is. He is war-toughened, I would say.”

Chandrika winked at her sister. But her thoughts, at that description, went back to the soldier she had met in the jungle yesterday. Fair as marble. That he was! And didn’t look war-torn at all. Was he even a soldier? “You are tempting my sister, Mrinalini,” she said outwardly.

“Are you tempted too, Princess Chandrika?”

“Shut up, Mrinalini. Else I swear I will have your skin ripped off.”

Mrinalini grinned insolently and then went away on some errand.

—

To be continued