Six Years Earlier Royal Residence
There was a quiet stir within the Royal District. News had spread that the kingdom's first heir would soon be born. Maids whispered among themselves, while nobles and elites quietly weighed their positions and planned their next moves.
Devi Bhadra, accompanied by her attendants, was on her way to Mahadevi Savitri's chambers to check on her. The royal physicians had conducted a routine examination earlier that morning, and Bhadra wished to see Savitri for herself.
As she walked through the corridors, she noticed the royal physicians ahead—accompanied by temple healers as well. She greeted them politely, but they passed by in haste, their expressions tense, as though they were searching for remedies or countermeasures.
That unsettled her.
"Lata," she asked quietly, "is there something I should know that has not been shared with me?"
"As far as we are aware, Mahadevi, there is nothing of concern," Lata replied. "But His Majesty does seem somewhat disturbed today."
That is true.
His Majesty did seem distracted during court. Even while discussing the decline in trade, his thoughts were clearly elsewhere. And when I tried to speak with him afterward, he dismissed the matter entirely.
He said—I cannot speak of it now. You will understand once you meet Savitri later today.
That is unlike him.
Most times, he confides in me the matters he cannot share with the court—or even with Mahadevi Savitri. And Savitri does the same in return.
For him to remain silent now…
Did something happen with the pregnancy.....
As the thought crossed her mind, a chill ran down her spine, like a cold drop sliding along her neck.
No. I must not think like that.
Savitri will be fine.
We will speak later, just as we always do—sharing poems, laughter, and quiet moments away from the weight of the court.
There is no reason to fear.
With these thoughts lingering in her mind, Devi Bhadra arrived before Mahadevi Savitri's chambers.
There were more guards stationed throughout the palace now that a Queen was with a child. Even Bhadra's own security detail had been increased. Seeing the elite among the elite posted here was no surprise.
She paused, drew a deep breath, and offered a silent prayer before entering the chamber.
Inside, several maids were present, along with a special unit of all-female guards. Mahadevi Savitri was seated, sipping water after her evening meal, when Devi Bhadra entered.
Savitri's face immediately brightened at the sight of her, and in her sudden happiness, she choked slightly on the water.
"Careful, Mahadevi," a maid said gently as she took the cup from her hands and moved to support her. "You must be mindful not to move so suddenly."
"I know, I know," Savitri replied, waving it off lightly. "I was just happy to see Bhadra here."
The maid let out a small sigh before stepping back and returning to her station.
Bhadra let out a small laugh at the sight before speaking.
"Greetings, Mahadevi Savitri. I hope you and the child are well. Did the royal physicians say anything of note?"
"Welcome, Bhadra," Savitri replied. "I am well, and the child appears to be growing strong and healthy."
Though her words were calm, her expression suggested otherwise.
Just as Devi Bhadra was about to point this out and ask further, Mahadevi Savitri spoke again.
"Enough of formal words," she said. "Have I not told you before? When it is only the two of us, you need not speak to me as though we stand before the court."
Her expression tightened slightly, more in insistence than anger.
Bhadra smiled, as though this exchange was nothing new, and answered gently.
"Savitri, though I and you may think of the other as sisters, you are still the Mahadevi. If I grow careless in my manner, others will grow careless in their thoughts—and in their tongues as well."
Savitri sighed.
"You speak truly," she said. "Still, there are only the two of us here, and our attendants."
She paused, her gaze drifting briefly across the room.
"Unless someone present carries a tongue larger than their duty requires."
The tone of her final words was quiet, yet sharp enough that everyone in the chamber felt it.
After that, the two women settled into idle conversation—speaking of small troubles, shared complaints, and the little matters of daily life. Before long, their talk drifted to affairs of state that Bhadra had been overseeing.
They continued speaking and laughing together, unaware of the passing time.
As they continued speaking, the maids were the first to notice how late it had grown. Seeing that the sun had long since set, they stepped forward and gently interrupted, saying that it would be appropriate to rest for the night.
Hearing this, the two women finally looked toward the windows, only then realizing how dark it had become. Savitri spoke softly.
"You truly do not notice how time passes when we are speaking like this."
"That is true," Bhadra replied. "I cherish the moments we are able to spend together."
They both sighed, and for a brief moment, the warmth lingered.
Then the air changed.
As Bhadra drew breath to speak, Savitri spoke first. Mahadevi Savitri raised her hand and motioned for the attendants to leave them alone. One by one, the maids and guards withdrew from the chamber, closing the doors behind them.
When they were alone, Savitri spoke.
"You noticed that something was amiss, did you not?" she said. "I may have hidden it well, but Indra has never been good at concealing his feelings."
She smiled faintly, though there was sadness in it.
Bhadra looked at her for a long moment before answering.
"Yes," she said quietly. "His Majesty Indra has never been skilled at hiding his emotions."She paused, then added, "Though you are not much better."
Savitri let out a soft, strained laugh. "Is that so?"
Silence fell over the room, heavy and pressing, as though the very air had grown still.
A cold sweat ran down Bhadra's back. She drew in a steadying breath and looked directly into Savitri's eyes before speaking.
"Please," she said, her voice low, "Tell me that nothing will happen to you or the child."
For a moment, Savitri looked away. Pain flickered across her face, and it was clear she had not wished to be asked—least of all by Bhadra.
She took a slow breath before answering.
"The child will be born,"
She paused.
"But if things continue as they are… if all proceeds as expected… then I will not see the days beyond his birth.
Devi Bhadra's face went pale, as though all life had been drained from her. The room fell silent for a moment—Bhadra staring down at the floor, feeling as though she herself had been struck down, while Mahadevi Savitri gazed out at the dark sky beyond the window, lit only by the soft glow of the magic crystals and stones woven into the district's construction.
After several minutes had passed, Mahadevi Savitri finally spoke.
"It appears the child is drawing far more mana than an ordinary child ever should."
Devi Bhadra looked up sharply, shock clear on her face. Seeing this, Savitri continued.
"We do not yet understand why this is happening. Those from the temple believe that his soul itself may be responsible."
Bhadra took a moment before speaking, her voice unsteady.
"Can they fix it? The temple sent even their agents here—if not, then at least—"
Before she could finish, Savitri interrupted gently but firmly.
"They have been coming here for some time now," she said. "Despite all their examinations and rites, they have found no way to resolve this."She paused, then continued, "We even considered the possibility of an early birth, before the child could draw too much."
Savitri drew a slow breath before speaking again.
"Even if the child were taken from me now, it is already too late. I would not survive regardless."She lowered her gaze."So it has been decided that the birth will proceed as it must… and that you will be elevated to Mahadevi."
Devi Bhadra froze at her words.
"When was this decided?" she asked at once. "And why was I not told until now—"
The questions spilled from her, one after another, but Mahadevi Savitri listened without interrupting. Only when Bhadra finally fell silent did she speak.
"I will answer all your questions tomorrow," Savitri said quietly. "It is late."
She took a breath before continuing, her voice softer now.
"I think of you as a sister, Bhadra. I know the days ahead will be difficult once my child is born and I am gone."She hesitated."But all I ask of you is this—support His Majesty in his burdens… and please, look after my child."
Her gaze met Bhadra's.
"I do not wish to place this weight upon you. But if I may ask for one thing—not as Mahadevi, nor as the Rajkumari of the Rangas, but as a sister and a friend—please watch over my child."
Bhadra did not hesitate.
"No matter what comes," she said firmly, "whether you live or not, I—Bhadra, daughter of the House of Shetti Dhangupta—promise you as a sister and as a friend that I will care for your child as if he were my own."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That promise was made six years ago.
I swore to her that I would look after Hamsa as if he were my own son—and now, I truly do see him as such. Yet it feels as though I am failing at the one thing she asked of me.
I was born into a family of merchants. Though we have long held wealth and influence, our roots have always been in trade, and in truth, they still are. When the opportunity arose, I was ordered to draw closer to the King and, if possible, forge a lasting bond between my family and the royal house. Such a connection would finally earn my family the respect it had long believed it deserved as a noble house.[1]
During the final months of the war with the Kingdom of Ranga, I was able to grow close to him. In time, we fell in love.
Burdened by guilt, I confessed the truth to His Majesty—my purpose, my orders, and my feelings. To my surprise, he accepted me.
Later, after the war ended and His Majesty took Rajkumari Savitri of the Rangas as his Mahadevi, I believed all hope was lost. I thought I would never again be close to him, nor truly accepted within the palace, especially after my marriage.
But once more, I was surprised.
Mahadevi Savitri was far kinder than I had expected. She accepted me without hesitation. In truth, I felt small beside her. She was far better suited to be Queen than I ever could be—kind and compassionate to those beneath her, yet unyielding and ruthless toward those who stood in her way.
Over time, we grew close.
It helped that neither of us was welcomed warmly by the court at first—me, as the daughter of a merchant house, and her, as a foreign princess brought in through conquest.
In that shared distance, we found understanding.
She is gone now, and I am the Mahadevi. I must fulfill my duties, whatever the cost.
Mahadevi Bhadra looked at her son for a moment before turning to Lata.
"Lata," she said, "have the ministers prepared for a court session. And has His Majesty sent word of his return from the Ranga lands?"
The maid's expression brightened as she replied.
"As you wish, Mahadevi. And yes—word arrived this morning. His Majesty is expected to return to the capital by the end of the week."
[1] In India throught the eras, large merchant guild were present and is kind of the reason the Indian culture and wealth spread far and wide. They were during the later medieval period they were sometimes more powerful then the rulers themselves. they only started looking power once the Islamic Occupation begin and later completely destroyed under British colonial rule. Like it is even widely agreed upon that the Mauryan empire could not have been established unless these guilds helped. AS records indicate that Vishnugupta Kautilya or better known as Chnayakya used the guilds to mobalise funds in orders to thople the Nandas and help establish the Mauryan Empire it what it was. These guild often called in these kind of favours and even married into families of prestige. But often they were a bit looked down upon but not as badly as in Europe or Japan though.