Chapter 23 + bonus scene
____________

She was up before sunrays touched land.

Not without a dreadful feeling of what was to come the day. But as the brave woman she was, she didn't show it. She quickly bathed got dressed and ran up to the one place where she found solace. Her feet ran down the stairs and into the valley.

The sun was yet to grace her with his smile, birds were to sing to her and the wind to greet her. She crouched down by the lake. Her hands cupped the clear water, her mouth savoring its coolness.

She picked crimson flowers and blossoms as bright as flame on her way back to the temple. She placed them on the idol of the goddess, murmuring, "Bless us, one who is our protector. Bless us, one who is our savior. Give strength to our body, give strength to our mind. And give strength to our soul. O' great Devi, we bow to you!"

She finally showered the flowers at the feet of the idol. She then lowered herself onto the basalt floor in front of the temple, her knees facing the goddess, heels supporting her seat, forehead pressed to the ground, her eyes closed and palms joined together. She came up and relaxed into the Sukhasana position falling into a peaceful meditation.

She let out soft exhales, barely breathing in. She poured all of her thoughts, wishes, regrets, and joys into what could be her last peaceful hour. Silent tears flew down her cheeks as she recounted her fondest and worst memories. She remembered how this morning, though the same was so very different. It held the same actions that she did these past months, but the feeling... the feeling was something entirely different. 

It felt like goodbye.

She decided to focus on her surroundings this time instead of dwelling on past memories. She could hear the birds chirping, taste the fresh water on her tongue, see the dark endless universe, smell the fragrant flowers, and feel the calm breeze. 

Her eyes fluttered open after what felt like hours. She was up on her feet and in the palace. How she got there seemed a blur to her. She donned her armor, strapping in the daggers and tying a sword to her waist.

She went up the highest tower to her mother's chambers and sought her blessings. The Queen Mother did not speak, she did not cry. She smiled and blessed her daughter, her eyes predicting her daughter's victory. And that was more than enough for the princess. Although, she was highly unsure of their victory.

Her feet carried her to the throne room where she knelt at the foot of the throne, her head lowered in respect to the sword and the crown. "Bless me, Father. I know you're still with me even if not physically. I will not fail you. If I do..." her voice cracked, "I'm not worthy enough to be your daughter." She blinked away her tears, walking away from the room without a glance back.

Her eyes fell on the warriors in the hall. The general, ministers, courtiers, village heads, women in charge, and her fellow people. Their hopeful, determined, nervous, grim faces. Hopeful of their fate in the queen's hands. Determined to win against their enemy. Nervous to go out into battle. Grim, because they knew that death could be their ultimate fate.

"Revati?" Suruchi approached her with Dipankar, both clad in armor, prepared for war. "Are you ready?"

No! I don't want to lead my people to their pyres!  She swallowed back the scream, forcing a blank expression on her face that hid her anticipation, she replied what she had to as a queen.

She gulped. "Yes."

* * *

The men slashed at the thorns to make way for their ruler as they moved frontwards. The general stepped forward. 

"Make way, make way! Hurry up, you slow asses!" The last part was hissed at the group of soldiers in the front. 

They shrunk back slightly, making the path wide enough for the royal chariot to pass through. The chiefs signaled their respective troops to move behind the royal elephant and chariot quickly.

The soldiers in black marched behind in an orderly fashion. They moved together as the wheels of a chariot would. Smart and neat. Their heavy swords clanged at their waists, their feet moving to the rhythm of the march.

The forest was dark and green. The trees were thick and wide with many branches extending long. The bushy leaves on the branches blocked sight of further trees and trapped the darkness in. They were a little creepy, in fact. No squirrels in sight, no birds singing their merry tunes, not even a sliver of sunlight shone upon them.

"We found a contract. Sealed with each one of Vaibhavgarh's past rulers' seals. It speaks of an alliance with the tribe in the woods to be used in an emergency. I visited them yesterday along with my brother, the general, and the royal trainer. And... gentlemen, we have a new ally all thanks to the convincing skills of Prince Dipankar!" Revati announced with a smile.

The ministers were beaming. "This is wonderful news, Your Highness. We must immediately join them in our army!"

"No. We can't."

The military commandant frowned. "Are they unwilling to fight?"

She nodded hesitantly. "Well... in a way. They were not on good terms or bad with any kingdom. They have accepted our request, to our surprise, but they will not fight in the open."

"Not fight in the open? Am I thinking correct, my queen?" he asked her.

"Indeed. They do not wish to officially declare their alliance towards our kingdom, for they do not wish to make enemies. The last few troops will be captured and kept at bay until the end of the battle."

They nodded slowly in agreement.

The soldier at the back thought he saw something move amongst the bushes but dismissed it as a rabbit. Then he felt something behind him, but before he could turn, the world before him went black. So did the soldiers in both the back rows. Now the last two troops had entirely vanished leaving the third last on with few soldiers and a startled commandant when they spun around.

All they saw were dark figures before they lost their conscience. They weren't quick enough to escape, and even if they were, the other troops had already walked a long distance further.

"Good plan, Your Majesty, but not solid enough. They are Vaishaktinagara's kingdom's soldiers and we do not know their capabilities. Even if one manages to escape, they could call for heavy re-enforcements from their kingdom. Hence, there is no other option except to..." the elderly man trailed off at the end, confirming her fears.

What!? Kill all five hundred men? What about their families, their children, their wives?

The room lapsed into a few moments of silence with no sound except the pounding of a young woman's heart.

"Your Highness? What are your orders?" he urged at last.

The young queen bit her lip. "Kill them."

The dark-skinned tribals thrust their spears into the soldiers' hearts. One man brought a searing hot liquid that was immediately poured onto their bodies when the spears were yanked out. One man leveled the other with a questioning gaze.

"Why?"

"Their blood must not taint our land." He replied in their language.

They nodded and headed back to their homes, their work for their ally successfully accomplished. They left behind them, nearly five hundred men, killed.

* * *

She took in a deep breath before stepping forward into the light, standing visible to the crowd just a floor below her. She smiled, a victorious one.

"My people of Vaibhagarh!" she yelled out to them, making sure to force enthusiasm into her voice. "Today is an auspicious day, today is the day we defeat Vaishaktinagara and defend our motherland with honor. It is not a day to bid farewell to your family, but to say this to your sons and daughters, to your wives, your parents, your brothers, and sisters: I will come back with the mark of victory. I will bring pride to our family, our clan, our motherland!"

Loud cheers rose up from the now zealous crowd, the smile on her face turning natural.

Her right hand shot forward, palm facing downwards as she spoke, "Let us pledge to our mother, our blood, this day, my fellow warriors. I, the protector of my motherland," she paused in between as they repeated her words with full patriotism. "give my word to protect, to care for, defend proudly my kingdom, and to return back to my family victorious! Hail Vaibhavgargh!"

"Hail Vaibhavgargh!" they echoed their yells after her.

She spoke with a grin on her face, "Now, my fellow warriors, you have no choice but to win in the war and return to your family, Dying is not an option, you have given your word to your family, after all!"

Light chuckles passed through the crowd, floating amongst them.

"Now, what do you all say to vanquishing a few armies and proving our worth?"

The mood grew steadier, their unsure, nervous feeling now transformed to a strong-set will.

Suruchi appeared at her side, "Why not a promise to themselves? Wouldn't that be more effective?"

"No," Revati shook her head without a moment of hesitation. "How many times have we often made promises to ourselves and actually kept them? One out of a hundred maybe? If you make a promise to others, you will deliver it as it is not your word alone to discard because of a few unstable feelings. When it is someone else's, you will take utmost care to see it fulfilled. 

"And that is what we want, don't we, Suruchi?"

Her sister only smiled, placing a supportive hand on her shoulder.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------