The Forbidden Sitar

Queen Jashoda | The Devious

"I know your secret." 

Parthiv Dev whispered in her ears, stopping her heart for a millisecond.

"What secret?!" Her voice pierced the air around her.

"That you killed the king. Not long till I tell the ministers and let them know what their queen is. A murderer."

"What?! That is the most imbecile thing I have ever heard in my entire life."

Yes, the queen is the most backless person I have ever known, but she has no guts to kill even an ant. She is a healer. She heals people, not kill them.

"But it is the truth, my lady. I wonder how a perfectly functioning king's lungs give up so easily?"

"It was because he drank a lot of Madeira and smoked hookah without caring about his respiratory system. I didn't kill him!" She said while eyeing the heavy mantelpiece beside her. She moved in the direction of the shelf. Her hands clutched the mantelpiece, ready for anything that may befall her.

"Oh really, My queen? Then why did I find Angur Shefa leaves beside his hookah? I know it is only the queen that serves him the hookah isn't she?" He said coming closer to her.

"And why did we import Angur Shefa from the cold lands in the first place? The deadly leaves are worse than poison. I wonder why the unsatisfied queen killed the unlovable brother." He asked maliciously.

"Just some shreds of evidence later, the throne will welcome a new leader. The king's brother. Why did my brother even choose you to be the next leader of the court I wonder. Well, that will end now, won't it my queen?" He smiled and came behind her, having stars in his eyes even at the thought of the throne being his. 

The queen can't kill the king. No. That's simply not possible.

Or maybe the queen did have secrets.

Whatever the case, my identity is at stake.

When the dog starts barking more, its voice needs to be silenced first for peace.

He then went towards the door and left. She went behind him veiled.

But went in another direction, towards the kitchen.

The Satyanashi leaves she collected when she went sniffing around the import business now came useful.

When she went to the hills behind Aabheer, she had collected some plants from the bushes, for she knew what power they possessed. When she went backpacking across the Aravalli hills present in the boundaries of Jaiselmer in her childhood, the tour guide had shown them the deadly plant. Satyanashi they called it. It caused sleepiness and drowsiness. Looking around her she realized it was the same place. Aravalli hills.

She had collected enough for security. Thanks to her father who had dragged her into the trip. It was saving her today.

"Raj! These are for the table in the corner! Two chais and one Chaas."

She smirked, knowing it was their order, and went unnoticed toward the table where he kept the order, while Raj was busy in his reverie, looking at the immense blanket of stars in the sky.

She crushed the leaves in her hand and slipped them inside the Chaas. She mixed the leaves inside the chaas.

"Raj!" the head of the stall yelled from the kitchen inside the tent.

She scurried outside as Raj snapped out of his reverie and picked up the order.

She soon reached the place where people sat in the khatlas (beds having thick thread weaved in between). She located Kamil and sat beside him.