The sun the next morning was still just a red-orange line on the horizon, and the air in Chandragarh palace held the chill and moisture of dawn, when a sensational uproar broke out in the guest chambers. This commotion started even before the first ray of sunlight, like an invisible storm shaking the very foundations of the palace.
Raja Vidhaan was getting ready for his morning rituals in his spacious private chamber. The palace's thick walls couldn't completely muffle the growing unrest in the outer courtyards. His trusted elderly servant, whose hands trembled slightly, helped him into his heavy, gold-embroidered royal robe. As the King slipped his hands into the robe, his fingers suddenly brushed against a small, crisp note tucked into the corner of the pocket. The sensation was like an electric shock.
Deep furrows instantly appeared on his forehead, and his brows knitted together. A sharp, dreadful premonition tore through his gut. He quickly, almost jerkily, pulled out the note. The flickering, dying flame of a candle from the night before cast a ghastly, dancing light in the room. In that uncertain glow, his eyes raced over the words:
"The Lion of Suryagarh still lives. What you seek is closest to you. — A Shadow"
Raja Vidhaan's face turned pale with rage and a deep, suppressed panic, as if a large block of ice had been placed on his chest. 'The Lion of Suryagarh'—the meaning was clear, Prince Veer Pratap! For a year, he had slept soundly, believing him to be dead. The thought that he could be alive was shattering to his entire confidence.
And then the second sentence, even more terrifying than the first: 'What you seek is closest to you.' It was a threat, a warning that his prey had now become the hunter, and was hiding within his innermost circle.
Vidhaan looked around with a sharp, suspicious gaze. Was there a traitor in the court of Chandragarh, among his own people? Who was this 'Shadow'? Was it a courtier? A soldier? Or perhaps...? He immediately, his voice laced with venomous anger, summoned his cruel and ruthless commander, Kaal Bhairav, who was already present at the door, as if he had sensed his master's unease.
"Search every corner, every ruin, every dark crevice of this palace!" Vidhaan's throat was dry. "From the chambers of the royal family to the quarters of the lowest servants, flush out any rat hiding there! I want that 'Shadow', alive or dead! And..." he paused for a moment, a deep, sinister spark flashing in his eyes, "keep an eye on Princess Viddhi. Outwardly, there should be no suspicion on her, she should feel no fear, but I must know about her every breath, every step, every minor movement! Is that clear?"
Meanwhile, Viddhi sat still and calm in her chamber, but her heart was racing like a wild horse inside her chest. She felt the invisible unrest in the palace's quiet courtyards. Then, peeking through the window, she saw Raja Vidhaan's soldiers, clad in black armor who until now had stood only as guards, now scurrying around the palace grounds in a strange, purposeful manner, as if someone had poked a stick into an anthill.
A subtle, satisfied smile played on the corner of her lips, contrary to her calm exterior. 'It is done,' she thought to herself, a cold shiver running down her spine. Now Raja Vidhaan was scared. And a scared enemy, like a wounded animal, makes unexpected and fatal mistakes. She would wait to trap him in the very web he was weaving
: The Secret of the Forest
To hide the turmoil in her mind and to further her search, Viddhi took permission from Guru Shivaji to practice in solitude outside the palace. She mentioned an ancient, almost neglected temple situated on the edge of the nearby forest. The next day, she set out in a simple carriage with her friend Tara and two trusted, chosen bodyguards.
The path through the forest was deserted, dense, and filled with a strange eeriness. The thick branches of the trees covered the sky like a green canopy. No sound could be heard except for the rustling of leaves and the call of some unknown bird in the distance. Viddhi's heart was beating fast, not just from fear, but also from a deep hope. Would she find a clue here, in this wilderness? Was Veer Bhaiya really hidden in some cave or hut in these deep, mysterious forests, with his shattered life?
Upon reaching the temple, which was indeed dilapidated from time and neglect, Viddhi began her practice. The clang of her sword tore through the silence, creating a strange echo. Tara and the bodyguards sat down a little distance away, in the shade of a broken temple wall, alert but disinterested. Viddhi's eyes, however, were not only on her sword. They constantly roamed over the temple walls, its carvings and cracks, searching for a sign, a mark.
Then, her gaze stuck on a strange, faint mark carved onto a stone block. This mark resembled the royal emblem of Suryagarh—a rising sun—but it had an arrow etched into it, pointing from the center of the sun deeper into the jungle. This couldn't be a coincidence.
She held her breath. She followed the mark. The mark, sometimes clear and sometimes faint, led her behind the temple to the narrow, dark entrance of a cave, surrounded by bushes. Inside the cave was a thick, almost tangible darkness, seeming ready to swallow the outside world. Viddhi mustered her courage, gripped the hilt of her sword tightly, and stepped inside. Cold, damp air brushed her face.
In a corner inside the cave, amidst dust and stone fragments, lay a broken sword hilt and a torn, dirty piece of cloth. Ignoring the violent pounding of her heart, Viddhi bent down and picked it up. The piece of cloth... her fingers recognized its texture. It was from the special silk fabric used by Suryagarh's royal family! And on it, were stains of blood, now blackened but still distinct. Seeing this, tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. This was not the time for emotions.
Just then, she heard a deep, gruff voice from behind her, which sounded terrifying as it echoed off the cave walls. "Who are you? And what are you doing here?"
Viddhi turned swiftly, holding her sword in front of her. A tall, lean man stood at the cave's entrance, silhouetted against the light coming from the doorway. His face was hidden in the shadows, but his voice held a clear and dangerous threat.
"I... I just came here," Viddhi said, trembling, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. "I lost my way."
"Where did you find this sword and cloth?" the man asked again, his voice a deadly mix of curiosity and suspicion.
"I found it right here... in this corner," Viddhi said, shifting her stance. "Do... do you know whose this is? Have you seen anyone else here?"
The man came closer and stared at her intently, without blinking. His eyes were deep and probing. "You are the princess of Chandragarh, aren't you? I saw you in the palace, from a distance. Why would someone like you come here, to this desolate place? This is no place for princesses to wander."
A storm raged in Viddhi's mind. Should she tell this man the truth? Was he trustworthy? Or was this a trap set by Raja Vidhaan? Her instincts screamed that trusting anyone here could be fatal.
"I was practicing swordsmanship," she finally said, sticking to her story. "I saw a mark outside... an arrow mark... and I followed it into this cave. That's all."
The man looked at her, then at the pieces in her hand. After a long silence, he spoke, his voice now softer, but even more mysterious, "This place is not safe for you. Nor is this material. Go, leave this place now. And give that sword and cloth to me. It belongs here."
After a moment's hesitation, Viddhi handed the items over to him. The man took them and made a vague gesture towards the deeper, darker part of the cave. "Go, now. And don't... don't mention this place to anyone. For your own good."
Viddhi left, her feet moving quickly, her heart still pounding heavily. But now, along with fear, her mind was swirling with many new, complex questions. Was that man a trusted companion of Veer Bhaiya, guarding their hiding place? Or was he one of Raja Vidhaan's cunning men, present here on the same search? A deep, inner voice told her she was on the right path, that she was very close to the truth. But now, she would have to be even more cautious, even more cunning, because more than one hunter often hides in the dark.