MAHINA, DURJA

The sun shone like that of blood as it set for the day. Outside Utpala, Nakshathra and Prithvi waited to welcome the help she had asked weeks ago. The kitchen workers in Utpala had turned to work immediately to prepare meals for the guests. While the Yamilvas were spotted at the bridge crossing the lake, Prithvi asked, "How are they twice as big as us?" His stared agape.

"Because they are not normal like us. They are Yamilvas, gifted with divine powers who can manipulate earth. They come from the mystical land, Kamakshya. I believe they need a lot of energy to do that and that's the reason they are big in size," Nakshathra said though she knew nothing about the reason for their size.

Soon, the four Yamilvas reached Utpala. Toisara stepped forward, his staff in one hand, he greeted Nakshathra with a warm smile. His appearance had changed a little, she noticed. Moustached have grown longer, lines around his mouth and at the sides of his eyes deepened and his eyes appeared tired. "Was the journey too tiring, Toisara?" she asked, leaning against the pillar to support her weakening limbs.

"Not so much, Your Highness," he replied. "Things are not doing well back at home."

"In Gupagam?"

"In Varmohin. Our Sacred tree is being disturbed and so are our powers." His gaze locked on Naksahthra's worried ones. "Don't worry, we are still as strong as ever. Just people over there need some attention. Once we are done here, some of us will be heading there."

"Are you sure, Lord Toisara? Prithvi asked. "Perhaps you should attend to it first."

Toisara wafted his hand in the air.

"We are fine. It will take a lot of time before they completely harm the tree," said one of the three men behind Toisara. He had a long wood coloured braided hair brought to the front, his chest length beard was tied at the chin and he was large, of course like the rest of them. "I am Naroha, by the way." Naroha placed his right palm on his chest and bowed.

"Right, and this is Nortasvan and Nevan." Toisara introduced the other two men who all looked similar to each other. "We apologise for taking a long time to reach."

Nortasvan and Nevan greeted them and turned towards the bridge in unison. Far on the other side of the lake, Dhruva marched with his four Yujyagana. As a normal human, neither she nor Prithvi could have such sharp hearing and by this they had proven they were indeed blessed with powers.

"How did you know there were people on the other side?" Prithvi asked in curiosity.

"The vibration travels through earth. It differs to humans and animals," Nevan said. "It helps us detect if the approaching people are dangerous or harmless. Each footsteps sends different kind of wave."

Prithvi nodded. "Interesting."

While they were conversing, Nakshathra could hear not a thing. A deafening silence and hazy vision blanketed her. Her body grew heavy and her limbs could no longer hold her. As she struggled to stand straight, Nakshathra's hand slipped and she stumbled to balance herself.

Just then several feet scampered to her direction and caught her from falling.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Shortly after they had all entered Utpala, Toisara asked, "You don't look well, are you alright?" All others gazed at Nakshathra. One particular appeared extremely worried.

"I'd like to say I am but I am not." She grabbed the cup of water Arunya had brought for her. "A sudden lethargic wave had hit me and I am gradually losing my strength. I am growing weaker." Her voice cracked but she managed to keep in check.

"Can you help her?" Dhruva asked, his hand softly stroked her hair. "Nakshathra said you have treated her before."

"I can give a try." Toisara ran a hand along his long staff coiled with the Rekkan tree root and tapped it twice on the ground. The staff illuminated the bright room in its violet glow.

"That's.... wow...." Prithvi's amused voice waved through Toisara's murmurings.

The Yamilva then brought his hand over Nakshathra's head, violet glowing dust emerged out from his palms and seeped into her body. The process left her with tinkling sensation throughout on her skin. Toisara continued to murmur in an unrecognisable tongue.

"The healing energy inside you is wearing out. I'm not sure what has caused you to grow weak but this will keep your energy up for some time." He continued to work on his craft, sending specks of healing dust into her body. "Remember its only temporary until we don't find the cause it will be difficult to completely heal you."

Nakshathra nodded with an overwhelming thought of her health as it continued to deteriorate and she has no power to fix it.

"I understand," she said after a long pause.

Dhruva and others have settled once she gradually started feeling better. Nakshathra took a moment to observe them. Each one present in the room were the people who were not supposed to be investing their time on her problem but there they came together to work alongside each other. It broke her heart to see them attempting to put an end to the misery of her people while she slumped on the couch unable to move at her will. This has to come to an end. All their effort should pay off. Alli, the queen of Durja had taken our peaceful method for granted. She should do it no more. She should stop.

Nakshathra cleared her throat. "By the way, Toisara, I called you for a reason. Do you think you can detect living beings underground?" she asked. Much to her dislike, Nakshathra brought their attention back to the Kavishians.

The Yamilvas glanced at each other before Toisara replied, "I am not sure why we can't," with an assuring smile. "I mean if we can't do that, I don't think we can call ourselves Yamilva."

It took them two days for planning and make preparation to begin their hunt. Dhruva with his twenty-four Yujyagana along with two guards from Kavish set their journey to find the rest of captives with Yamilvas. The remaining number of her guards were ordered to look after Nakshathra, leaving her on Prithvi's care.

"Come back to me soon, alright," she had said to Dhruva before he left with a heavy heart.

Nothing could have made him hesitate to leave but her deteriorating health but she hoped to welcome him with regained health and open arms when he returns.

-*-*-*-*-

Dhruva absent mindedly followed Toisara's lead to find underground dungeons with signs of humans. They had split into four group, each towards one direction in hope to find more in short time. It had been almost two weeks and his group have found about two dungeons with Kavishians in it.

As per their plan, they were to bring the rescued to a nearest village, have them treated and groomed and send them back to Kavish with a guard from the village garrison as an escort. Dhruva sat at the side of the ratha vimana ramp as he watched it took flight to Kavish.

Although it was a delight to be able to retrieve these people and send them back home, Dhruva's mind was still with Nakshathra. Every night as they retire for the day, he would wander around their camp ground and sometimes a little further. Worried sick of his wife who has been visibly going weaker by the day and wondered what had made her so weak.

A part of him said he should leave this search to Toisara and head back to Mahina while another part reminded him of his responsibility. Regardless, he had chosen to stay despite his heart screamed to return. He had promised her to find all of them and so, to keep his distress mind at bay Dhruva set to wander in a small village in the northern part of Durja. Near a lake, he found a small shrine and there he prayed.

Please give Nakshathra enough strength and give her back her health. No matter what had caused her to grow weaker, please make it stop.

Between his joined palm, he held Achi Mangalam's amethyst stone she had gifted them and it glowed in soft violet.

*-*-*-*-

She marched from the main palace to SuryaKanthi Sabha in a foul mood. Glaring at servants who stopped to greet her and every lady who followed her to the palace. If she had been in a position to shun everyone away, she would have in an instance but with the mask she wore, Kumudhavalli had to play her part; soft, kind, strong and steadfast.

Kumudhavalli stopped a few feet away from the entrance of her palace and turned to address the ladies behind her. "I would have loved you to join me for the day but I like to have the rest of the day to myself."

The aged lady stuttered however, let Kumudhavalli advance towards SuryaKanthi.

It wasn't like her, to be stern at the wives of the courtiers or show how she really felt. Kumudhavalli had been a master in disguising her emotion for the past nineteen years since her marriage. This had to be her first in the past years to show her temper to everyone.

All the blame goes to her husband, the king who had developed a fatherly love to his daughter-in-law. How on earth did Nakshathra manage to change his mind was beyond her imagination. It had only been a week since Nakshathra arrived to Mahina back then and Yogathepan was all praises for her quick respond to a medical emergency which happened in the court room on the day she was to be introduced to the courtiers.

Since then, he had forgotten the fury he had carried on for all the years. Now, he was worried sick for his daughter-in-law who was crawling towards her death bed. "Death bed," sounded sweet to her ears as she whispered the words. Kumudhavalli too had visited Nakshathra along with Yogathepan a few days ago and she was over the moon. Although the news of the crown princess's extreme change in health condition was not in her expectation, having to see her unable to stand by herself, thrilled Kumudhavalli.

The queen dismissed her chamber ladies to let her temper dissipate but no longer than a couple of minutes later, she heard a knock at the door. Someone pounded against the thick wood when she refused to answer the door.

When she swiftly turned towards the sound, the door burst open and by the entrance stood a visitor Kumudhavalli did not anticipate.

*-*-*-*-

Nakshathra unrolled a set of letters sent from Kavish through the official messenger of the nation. She chuckled, seeing the number of letters she had to read to keep herself updated on Kavish and it exhausted her. The afternoon sent a hot breeze across the city and the heat was no exceptional in Utpala. Every window in the palace was kept wide open with curtains drawn close.

Nakshathra waved a hand fan back and forth to keep herself cool from growing heat. The temperature in recent days have increased she kept looking for water every hour. Her hand reached for the cup at her bedside.

"I hope they are keeping themselves hydrated," she said thinking of her husband and the rest who had gone to find the Kavishians.

It has been more than a week since they have left and Nakshathra had only grown weaker by the day. Toisara's healing dust only sustained for a day and she was back to how she had been the day after. Royal physicians have also paid their visit and all her attempt to heal her was only proving futile that she had given up on looking for any medicines.

Now, she simply passes her day reading books, spending time lounging at the balcony, chatting with Arunya and her guards, sometimes with Prithvi and waiting for miracle to happen. Nakshathra groaned and brushed off those killing thoughts. She then took the first letter in the bunch to read, it dated a week after her wedding. Two months had gone in a whisk.

By sunset, she had finished reading all her letters and Nakshathra felt at ease. Situation in Kavish had been improving a lot and the rescued Kavishians, Dhruva had been sending from time to time have elevated the people's spirits in her home country. The letter also read; the court sometimes receives gratitude letters in the form petition in order to reach them. Her brothers have sent some of it too, and those petitions only made her teary.

We also thank you, Nakshathra for capturing Chitramala. With her in our possession, we managed to squeeze information on the slave traders Ranganathan and Alli had sold our people too. Nathan had gone with our Water Watchers and some Vajrapadai to rescue them. It's a big task to accomplish but we will do it. You have been a great strength for us in finding the missing Kavishians, Nakshathra. You will always be the strength we need, albeit the distance. Everyone here misses you. I'll make a visit as soon as possible.

Till then take care.

She held the last letter close to her heart as she sobbed uncontrollably. How was she going to give them strength when she had none left in her? How was she going to meet her brothers in such a state? Nakshathra shook her head and wiped off her tears.

"I can't continue to be weak. That's just not me."

With great effort and support of a walking aid Prithvi had got for her, Nakshathra wobbled her way to the balcony. She gazed up the orange sky with teary blurred vision, her hand grasped the parapet tight holding herself from collapsing. When she could not hold on any longer, she dropped on to a chair kept close to the parapet. Her lips trembled as she bit them to stop herself from crying. Nothing was working and her willpower was slowly diminishing like her health.

An hour had gone by as she sat there watching the sunset for the day and she gaze flickered from the swans swimming in the lake to a palace worker crossing the bridge. Her eyes followed the lady carrying the copper cup on a tray, must be the water from the temple, she thought. As she observed her from the balcony, another lady waited at the end of the bridge with a similar looking cup.

Sceptical over the exchange that took place at the end of the bridge, Nakshathra waited for it to be brought in for inspection. Does the exchange always been happening? What have I been drinking all along? She held her fast beating heart and sweat beads trickle down her forehead.

Moments later, Arunya walked into the room with the same tray and cup as the woman who waited at the bridge. With her shaky hands, Nakshathra reached for the cup in a swift and looked into its content. In the cup, she noticed something black floating. Quickly using her hand to strain the content, Nakshathra ended up having several leaves in darkest shade of a colour—black.

Horrified with the discovery, Arunya dropped the tray with a loud clank. She reached for the slumping Nakshathra as she wailed. Arunya's words were incoherent as she supported Nakshathra back into her chamber. Her friend helped her change into a fresh saree while she remained detached to the happenings around.

The evening turned night. The waxing moon peeped through the clouds. Had she been as her old self, Nakshathra would have found the scene admire-worthy but that night she crumbled and crushed into pieces. A mistake so vividly visible and she had ignored it. It's the water that made brought her to such a state and what leave was it, she racked her brain. She tried to remember every plant she had learnt about but nothing helped.

Naksahthra woke up from her trance like state, wretched Arunya sat by her side with the former's hand in hers. Worried faces surrounded her, Prithvi sat at the end of the bed and the rest of the guards stood. A physician sat at a corner, stirring a small pot with a laden.

"Nakshathra," Arunya noticed her first. She burst into tears and kissed the back of her hand. "Thank God, you woke up. You scared us all. Please don't do that anymore," she sobbed.

"Vaithiyar, the Yuvarani is awake," Prithvi alerted the physician.

As Arunya made way for the physician to check her pulse, Nakshathra opened her palms to show the wet black leaves to him. "Can you tell me what leaves are these?" Her voice course from the sleep.

The royal physician took those leaves, inspected it front and back, smelled it, brought it to a light source and declared he knew nothing about such leaves.

"Please, review it with other fellow physicians and come back to me as soon as possible," she instructed the physician and turned to the nearest Yujyagana. "Arasu, can you get me the temple priest. I need to question him immediately." As she finished giving orders, Nakshathra heaved a sigh.

"You really scared me to death, anni," Prithvi said soon after the room was cleared.

Nakshathra swept her glance from the dark sky to her brother-in-law, her heart tightened. She had made a brave man cry. "Oh, Prithvi. Stop, please. I'm fine..." she stopped. "I am still alive." Nakshathra corrected her reply and chuckled.

"Barely."

"There is still time."

"If that time ever comes, Dhruva will have my head."

"I'll make sure he doesn't."

"How are you behaving as if nothing really happened, anni? Like this is all a kind of play?" Prithvi argued, hie eyebrows dipped.

Nakshathra drew a weak smile on her face. "A play indeed."

A guard by the door announced the presence of the temple priest.

"Let's see if we can get to a depth in this play," she said and called for the priest to enter.

"And I'll see to it that everyone is informed of your condition," his voice mellowed down as the priest approached.

The aged priest walked in with a slightly hunched back and garlands of sacred beads hung on his shoulders. He bowed to Nakshathra and Prithvi with his hands joined together.

Their interrogation gave them no path to proceed further. He had sworn upon the God he worships every day; he knew nothing about the leaves. In fact, he had said, the water had nothing in it when he sends to her and vouched it was messed by someone else on its way here.

Nakshathra laid helplessly on her bed staring nothing in particular. The thought of her being foolish at the most crucial moment made her chide herself. Nakshathra was then too keen to watch what was to happen to the water that she missed to notice the lady who carried the other. It made things harder to conclude.

*-*-*-*-*

The next day as the sun rose to its fullest, Ramani entered Nakshathra's chamber with a tray of freshly cut fruits. Nakshathra observed Ramani with quizzical gaze from her reclined chair Prithvi had instructed to be made for her.

The girl appeared to have developed dark circles around her eyes, pallid, thin and exhausted. Nakshathra had never seen her so washed out before. Had Alli been tormenting her?

"Why did you bring it? Where is Arunya?" she asked and picked a piece of mango slice.

"I was thinking about yesterday, Your Highness," she ignored Nakshathra's question and jumped to speak her mind. "The leaves you showed to the physician was the only think I had in my mind."

"What about it? Do you know anything?"

Ramani held the hilt of her sword tight and pressed a hand on her throat.

"I have seen a similar coloured plant in SuryaKanthi Sabha," she blurted followed by a sigh.

Nakshathra dropped the uneaten mango slice to the floor. Although she had her suspicion on Alli, she hoped it to be someone else. Alas, Kumudhavalli, the queen of Durja turned out to be the most self-centre woman who's trapped in the pain of the past and finds joy in inflicting fear in others.

"Bring me to her," Nakshathra ordered.

"But, Yuvarani..." Ramani hesitated.

"Take me to her." She held her hand and dragged herself with Ramani's support out of Utpala.

*-*-*-*-*