Chapter 14:
Year 1961 October 25th Wednesday.
Suraj was walking here and there in the palace. He was tensed up and excited because that was the day after, was the day when the sacrifice of royal blood would take place. Everything in the palace was too quiet. Too quiet for the liking of Suraj. He had overheard the servants talking about a girl and man story being told to the Princess. Even after knowing, why Aditi was keeping quiet? More than Aditi why Niveda was keeping quiet? In fact, she had not been seen for the past few days. That made him uneasy. Niveda was not a person who would keep silence after all these.
He summoned his wife. "Where is Niveda?" asked in a normal voice. But Aditi looked petrified at this question. She covered her face with saree and stood there silently. "Have you gone mad? Where is Niveda? Why are you hiding your face?" yelled Suraj. Aditi started shivering and talked about something not being honest. "What happened Aditi? I am your husband! Are you worried about anything? Is Niveda giving you trouble? You can tell me dear!" said Suraj in a silky voice. His nearness made Aditi shrink. He had many works to do. The King had to be given Ganja, he himself had to mix it ion his drink. For that, He had invited the King for an evening party at the terrace. It was approaching 4 o clock. No time for Aditi's fear and shyness.
"Are you going to tell me about Niveda? Or stand there shivering like a kitten?" again yelled Suraj. A sob came from Aditi. This infuriated Suraj, he approached his wife and caught her in the neck. "Enough of your coyness. Tell me where is Niveda? Or else I will throw you from here!" his voice, his appearance took breath out of the Princess. Her soft heart could bear such a treatment from her newly wedded husband. "She…she….is in a village. Tamra…" Suddenly the blood dried in Suraj's brain. "Tamra? You know about her? What do you know? And why Niveda is going with her?" Yelled Suraj Still grasping the hair of Aditi.
"I am petrified Suraj! Please leave me! Don't hurt me!" cried Aditi. "Only when you tell me about everything" Insisted Suraj. The yelling and screaming brought the King to his daughter's chamber. The King could not bear the sight of Suraj holding his daughter's neck! In a jiffy he was near Suraj, hit him on the shoulder. "How dare you treat a Princess like this? She is not your servant you idiot!" roared King Jaimal. Aditi was relieved to find her father coming to her defense. "Papa…he…he…" she could only choke. No words come out of her mouth. "Don't worry dear! I will deal with him. I have heard enough to know about him. Suraj! Come to my chamber I want to talk to you!" The King went back to his chambers, summoning Suraj behind him.
Suraj's criminal brain started thinking very fast. In his mind, a scene appeared. That morning when The King and Suraj went to their office, an old man was waiting to meet the King. He had a shaggy shirt and dirty pant. Suraj concluded as some old bugger asking for charity. But the way he looked at Suraj, was evident that the old man hated him. As he had to meet the tantric baba, Suraj did not pay much attention to the old man and his contempt look. But afterwards when he came back to the office, the secretary informed him that the king was with that old man in his private room for more than an hour, and no one else was allowed.
Suraj came to the conclusion, the old beggar had told something about him, that's why the king is reacting differently. His quick cunning, came with a plan instantly. He followed the King to his chamber and stood before him. "I know what you have done Suraj! It was you, who made all those swindling game, and you have done with Raj and another man. Is it not?" asked the King with fury. Suraj did not bother to answer, instead he was searching for a weapon to hit the king on the head and make him unconscious. Yes! There was a sturdy stick at the corner. The King was going on and on, every minute Suraj slowly moved towards the stick.
Suddenly the King realized, Suraj was near the stick and was not listening to him. "What the hell?" even before the King could finish his words, Suraj hit him hard on the head two, three and four times. The King became unconscious. It was very important for him that the king should be alive for the sacrifice. So, he dressed his wound, made a bandage and made the King drink milk mixed with ganja. Wounded and drugged the king was like a dead man already. He placed the King on the bed, covered him with bedsheets, put the "Don't disturb" sign on the door, walked away to make the place ready for Tantric puja.
He summoned all servants. "The King is not feeling well, the doctor had advised me to take him to a hill resort. So, Me and my wife will be taking him To Udaipur. No need for any servants here. You can come back after a month. Your pay for this month is in this envelope."
There was a buzz among the servants. "What happened to Maharaj? I saw him one hour back, he was looking good!" said a very old servant. Suraj gave a stern look to that old man which made everyone keep quiet. One by one the servants walked out of the palace, including the cook and the security. Now the palace for ready for the sacrifice. Clapping his hands in happiness, he went to meet his wife. "I will make Aditi and her mother go in the car to Udaipur. If someone is watching, that will be an alibi." Thinking he reached his room. Aditi was sitting in the chair gloomily.
"I am so sorry Darling! The pressure of office work made my mind bad. Sorry for treating you that way!" Suraj apologized to his wife on the knees. Aditi could not decide how to react to this. She kept silence. "I know you are angry with me Aditi, trust me! I will amend my ways. I work so hard in the office just to prove to you I am Worth a princess." This made her heart warm up towards him. She looked at Suraj. "Where is my father? You had a quarrel with him?" she asked nothing else coming to her mind.
"No quarrel Aditi! I just obeyed the King. I apologized. That's all. He went to Delhi for a meeting, he went in a hurry, had no time to inform you!" Poor Aditi believed in every word Suraj said. Suraj continued. "Aditi you and your mother deserve a vacation from this palace. I have made all arrangements for you to go to Udaipur. Take dresses, sarees whatever you want. Ask your mother to pack hers too! You can leave in an hour's time!" said Suraj kissing her on the forehead.
Aditi was at a loss as to what to do next. She had never packed her bag in her life. Without Niveda how could she go? "What happened Aditi? Are you not happy?" asked Suraj in a slightly irritated note. "No…Not at all! I am so happy! But I don't know how to pack" replied an innocent Aditi. This made Suraj furious but outwardly he smiled. "That's all? Don't worry honey! I will pack your bags, and your mother's too, if she wants." Said Suraj. "But what about the servants?" asked Aditi meekly. "Can't you live a day without being waited on hands and legs? Servants for everything! Half the servants had gone with the King and the remaining are on leave. Enough? Happy? Go tell your mother about the vacation. I will pack your bag!" Not able to face Suraj, Aditi rushed to her mother's room.
Two hours later, both Aditi and her mother were seated in the car driven by one of Suraj's men. When the queen asked about the King and their private driver, he said he had gone to Delhi with the King. Aditi felt something strange in her stomach. But did not open her mouth. She was worried about Niveda. She may be back in a day or two. How to inform her to come to Udaipur? May be, she could send someone to Dantla and ask Niveda to come to Udaipur. Aditi had many doubts, only Niveda could clear them. As the car rolled out of the palace, unknowingly Aditi and the queen wept silently. Their soul might have known that they were never going to return to the palace again.
Suraj was feeling very pleased with himself. He was indeed a master planner. Without any hindrance, his plan was working like a well-oiled machine. He had some local thugs to assist him in his deeds. They filled the palace in the capacity of servants, because no one should doubt even for a minute. Wednesday evening the King started gaining consciousness, was again given ganja which made him again unconscious. His heart cried for the love of his daughter and his wife, but no one other than a wicked looking man came to his room.
Thurday Morning came very slowly according to Suraj. Because that was the day, when the sacrifice was scheduled. At 3 in the morning, Tantric Baba entered the palace and started preparing the place for Puja. By noon everything was over. They were waiting for the Sun to set. The baba told exactly at midnight, when there was no moon on the sky, the sacrifice should be performed. So, waiting for the time Baba and Suraj were in the terrace.
"Remember Suraj, once we make this sacrifice, we have to perform the other sacrifice within 8 days. Otherwise, this will go waste!" said the baba. "Don't worry Baba! I have planned everything. I have shifted all the valuables to another palace I purchased two days ago. No servant in the palace now. My wife and the queen had gone to Udaipur." Said Suraj proudly. "That's Ok! But how are we going to Dantla? What will happen to the King's corpse? People might ask you know?" for this Suraj gave a very knowing smile. "Yes! I know Baba! After the sacrifice, we will set fire to this palace. In the fire everything including the corpse will burn. I will escape with minor injuries. You go to your place. Saturday we will start for Dantla in the night, because me leaving the palace on the same night might cause some ripple." Explained Suraj.
They decided the plan was brilliant and flawless. The day was slowly coming to an end. When the clock struck 7, the Baba went to take bath, to get prepared for the Puja. Suraj was to take a shower too, and wear red dhoti. The thugs in the name of servants were instructed to stand at the entrance and see to it that no one entered.
Exactly at 8 o clock the Tantric Baba started the Puja. As he chanted the Mantras the atmosphere of the house started changing. A bad smell was there in the air. After 2 hours, the chanting of Mantra still continued. Suddenly Suraj heard a shriek and some lamenting. He got terrified. To his horror he realized that, only he was able to hear those sounds. The thugs could not hear any. The Baba also remained unaffected. That was too much even for a cruel murderer like Suraj. He went out and sat near his men. Even then the noise followed. Sometimes it was a lamenting of a wolf, sometimes it was crying of a woman, sometimes it was like murmur of a man. He closed his ears. But still those were audible. He could not ask the Baba, because he had given strict instruction not to talk to him or ask him till the Puja was over. Suraj silently bared everything thinking of the fortune he would gain.
At last, around 11:30 PM, the Puja was over. By now, the palace was full of bad odor, and the place looked red. Still chanting the Mantra, the Tantric gestured to bring in the King for sacrifice. Obligingly, Suraj and one more man brought the unconscious King. Baba took the sword which was kept at the feet of Kali idol. Now even the stars were not visible in the sky. The clock struck 12 times. "Jai Maa Kali" with this cry Tantric Baba severed the King's neck. The blood came out like fountain and filled the room. Suraj rushed to Baba got the sword in his hands and soaked it with blood completely, put in a box.
At the same time Arunika sleeping in her house at Dantla, felt a stab on her chest, and awoke with a start.