Maan was waiting in his tent, he was hoping Jwala would show up because he needed her to be there.
His tent was spacious and had a proper dining table with chairs, teapots, and a separate bed chamber with four layered bedding rolled out on a slightly raised platform. Almost like his chambers in the palace, well-lit with lanterns and decorative designs on everything.
"How can you leave me with them?" The royal commander hurled inside Maan's tent.
"I couldn't have fought with all those soldiers… alone," Maan poured a glass of water giving it to Kinn. "I would have been dead as soon as I pulled my sword..."
Kinn wanted answers, not water. He pushed away the glass as well as Maan's hand. "That's why I didn't want you to go alone."
"Forgive me." Maan knew nothing would justify his action. He knew it was risky.
"All of them are liars and plotters…"
Maan took a seat at the dining table, "Aren't we the same?"
Kinn was at a loss of words, "No. We don't have a choice…"
"That's probably how they all think."
Kinn carefully looked at Maan's face, "Did something happen?"
Maan gave a long sigh. "Queen Mother has started to look for a queen."
Kinn took a seat in front of Maan. "She must be planning to pick the girl from a family that will favor her the most."
"and who will keep me on a close leash…" Maan's voice was low. He had been thinking about it since he had left the palace.
"She also wants to overpower that leftist Beak clan by having command over the royal concubine through her new pawn, the queen." Kinn saw Maan's dilemma.
They had got out of one trouble and another was already waiting at the palace.
The internal power struggle was a common thing for the palace but they could never get used to it. Not when they had to gamble with their lives.
There were two main clans, the Rei clan which supported the king and his family, and the Beak clan which opposed the king, both had their representatives in the palace.
Rei clan had the queen mother and the Beak clan had the royal concubine, Mi-Na Beak and that's how ministers influenced the king. Or how they thought they were but the queen-mother had already had all the control.
There was one more thing, a very important thing that no one knew except for the king's trusted people – the royal concubine was secretly on the king's side and she was the agent of the Beak clan.
Now the queen-mother was afraid that if the royal concubine gets pregnant with the king's child, then the throne will automatically get into the hands of the Beak clan. Beak clan having more power than her was the queen-mother's biggest nightmare.
She could never allow that so she was looking for the queen to secure the power and throne by reserving it for her clan.
------------------------------------------
Jwala was heading out for a walk after eating dinner with her fellow soldiers when Mitra asked, "Shall I accompany you, my queen?"
"No. I would like to go alone."
Mitra still followed Jwala.
"I will go alone from here," Jwala said turning back, she knew Mitra was following her.
"My queen, I will wait here."
"Don't, I am going to have a chat with the king."
Mitra was surely against it but her face remained nonchalant. She cannot oppose it and she knew her queen must have had her reasons.
"I will wait," Mitra said and bowed.
Jwala was charmed by these small gestures. "So Stubborn!," she murmured and left.
-------
Jwala walked into the Hanna camp boldly and was greeted by a group of soldiers full of suspicion. A soldier ran to inform Maan about the visitor.
"I invited the queen. Step aside." Maan said with a big smile as he approached the group.
"Welcome, the Queen of Maythene," Maan said giving a small bow and gesturing to a servant to make arrangements.
She noticed his big smile. It wasn't formal but natural. "The king looks okay, not missing the palace?"
"My tent is as good as my chambers." He added, "Care to take a look."
"I am curious."
Maan took Jwala to show his tent.
Jwala agreed too, it was the size of any palace chamber, a makeshift palace. She didn't stay inside for long, just a quick look and a few steps into the tent before she returned to stand at the entrance of the tent.
"The bribe." He whispered and presented her with a bottle of liquor.
"Aged for 50 years, from late king's collection," He understood she was trying to prevent any rumors. He brought the bottle over to her.
"So… it can be called a royal offering." She was examining the bottle.
"It isn't poisoned." He joked.
"One can't be too sure." She said holding a serious expression then gave a smirk at the end.
He laughed out loud, "Then pour me the first drink."
"I will."
The table was set out in the open, under the stars, where people could see them but not hear them, the arrangements were made keeping the social status of both parties in mind as well as that they were of opposite genders and young.
The chairs were set across each other at a table that was big enough to seat 4 people, the snacks, water, etc were served separately.
Jwala poured the first drink into one of the tiny ceramic cups with beautiful patterns on it and slid the cup toward Maan.
He lifted the small cup, emptied it at once, and said, "Not poisoned, see."
Jwala smiled, "It could be slow poison!"
He was enjoying the leisure talk. It didn't happen often that he could be free and make a conversation without being humiliated or looked down upon.
"Alcohol is known to be the slowest poison of all, attacks when youth starts to fade," Maan added.
"Hmm… Since Hanna showed courage, Maythene cannot sit back," She picked up her cup and downed the liquid with enthusiasm.
They were talking and sharing things about their people, there was no coldness or hostility from either side. It was a light-hearted talk between two leaders.
"Hanna doesn't use silver glasses?" Jwala said while pouring another round of drinks. The utensils on the table were all ceramic.
"Not for drinking," he answered.
"Why? The poison doesn't work when drinking??" She took a sip.
Maan laughed out loud. "The queen has a good sense of humor."
"Taster tastes everything before then I eat."
She nodded in understanding.
"These cups are pretty to look at." She lifted the cup to her eye level. "Pretty and small. I should take one of these as a souvenir." She took a note for herself.
His eyes changed to serious as he said, "Pay a visit to Hanna, the queen might find far better options…"
She lazily sipped as she thought about the actual meaning, "What does this mean?"
"Is the King inviting me to see his kingdom?"
"Yes." His eyes were fixed on her.
"Is this an offer for alliance?" she placed her cup on the table and her face turned serious too. She sat straight looking right at him.
"No. it is an invitation…" He took a long sip before continuing, "…so that the queen can decide well for what I am about to ask."
'Does he want an army or resources?' she thought.
She had gathered information on Hanna and found that it was not only struggling with internal conflicts but also external conflicts like small border disputes and was being bullied by kingdoms on their eastern coast for the sea routes and trades.
"But the dispute isn't big enough to start a war…" she thought.
He put his glass away and said, "The queen sees through my weakness, I am still learning how to take care of Hanna and its people."
His voice was soft and serious. "Hanna was a powerful kingdom once with charismatic kings but when I was crowned, the times were peaceful and I learned through texts and written testimonies of kings who came before me."
"What does he want?" she was focused on breaking down his words. 'Textual knowledge! It shows…'
"Today I witnessed how a king should be when her people were chanting for the queen. Whatever I have learned through reading and through teachers… I am sure I can learn far more from the queen." He was telling the truth. "I would be very grateful if I could have you by my side as my Queen."
'I thought he would ask me to be his teacher… but this makes more sense.' Jwala was quiet while she scanned him. 'He sounds genuine but there is something suspicious…'
"Hmm… But wouldn't it shed bad light if the queen from a foreign land will marry the king? Will the people accept her?"
"The people aren't too different than the ones from these outcast villages."
"What about the palace?"
"Palace yields to power. They will definitely yield to 'My queen'."
"You sound like Mitra." She laughed. She was a little annoyed too.
'So, he wants to gain control over Hanna through me. Impressive.' She thought and poured herself another drink.
"The king has learned well." she raised the glass and said before taking a sip.
Maan could see that this was no more just a leisurely talk. He could also see that she was thinking as her expressions weren't readable. Like she had changed to another person, the person he had met the first time, the Queen of Maythene.
"The queen might have other concerns but she must know that I am sincere with my proposal." He said one last time. "It would make me the happiest man if I could have the queen by my side for the rest of my life."
She smiled out of annoyance. 'This makes me laugh… rest of his life my foot!'
Hanna had polygamy as did Devdurg but her kingdom hadn't made it mandatory for the king to absolutely have multiple wives.
Hanna had a separate rule book when it came to polygamy with all the instructions and rules on how wives and concubines should be selected, appointed, their roles, etc.
…