The castle of Ramnagaram was under seize. Jayaraj along with the imperial army had taken control of the entire castle.

Most of the courtiers were either drunk or sleeping after the feast when Shivaditya's generals attacked. With no one to guide the army of Ganpatrai, they were soon overpowered by the Imperial army.

Ganpatrai was shackled and brought to the courtroom.

Shivditya was pacing impatiently. All courtiers were under custody and brought into the court.

"Your highness, shall we read out his charges?" Jayaraj asked.

Shiv nodded.

"Raja Ganpatrai you have been charged with treason! Conspiring to murder the Crown Prince. Your penalty for this crime is death. Do you have to say anything?"

Jayaraj read out the sentence.

"I accept my fate but please spare my family!" Ganpatrai pleaded.

"I am not yet finished Ganpatrai! " Shiv said.

"What have you been doing with your people? You want me to say it? Or you will explain yourself."

Ganpatrai turned white.

Some of the courtiers looked curious.

"Bring the prisoners!" Shiv commanded.

His general brought in 3 men who dress and looked different from the local population.

"These are your Turkish partners, isn't it? " Shivaditya asked.

There was a murmur in the court.

Jayaraj continued " Ganpatrai you have been accused of massacring and illegally capturing citizens of the Empire and trafficking them as slaves to foreigners."

"What do you say about that Ganpatrai?" Shiv asked.

"This is why people are rebelling. You have illegally increased the taxes and when the people failed to pay you took away their homes, properties and sold them as slaves. Slavery is banned in the Chalukya Empire you are aware of that right?"

There was a gasp from some of the courtiers while others looked shifty.

"You were given the title of a Raja to rule on behalf of the empire so that you could take care of the citizens not torture them."

Kumar the boy who had been brought along with Shivaditya looked incradelously. Most of the innocent citizens were unaware of how local feudal lords and kings were deceiving them and shifting the blame on to the Chalukya Empire.

"Bring his son the crown prince!"

Shivaditya commanded.

A 12-year-old boy was dragged in by one of the soldiers. Ganpatrai looked on in terror.

"I can command to kill your son right now! Should I do that Ganpatrai?" Shiv asked.

The boy cried and Ganpatrai fell on his knees "NO! Please your highness No! I accept everything. I ordered the massacre of people after your army left to capture them and sell them as slaves. Please don't kill my son."

"Why not? I am called Shivaditya the ruthless for a reason!" Shiv smirked.

"I beg you, your highness! I was misguided. I don't want to go against the empire ever!"

"If you can be misguided so easily perhaps you don't deserve to be the king of Ramnagaram."

"Please your highness I am ready to do anything!" Ganpatrai pleaded.

"Hmm, now we are talking. You will tell me the names and location of my uncle. Then maybe I might spare your son's life." Shiv said.

Ganpatrai nodded.

****

The news about the fall of Ramnagaram had reached Shubhraj. His supporters were in turmoil.

"We are doomed Prince Shubhraj!"

One of the provincial leaders said.

"We should have never listened to you. You said that Maharaj Bhojraj is too old and Shivaditya is an inexperienced boy! Then how come he found out our secret?"

Shubhraj was already anxious. His plans were failing one after another just because of Shivaditya. He was still amazed at how he escaped assassins from Sindh!

Someone was helping him. He had to find out who.

"Look I tried my best. We can still win. We just need to join our armies together and attack Badami" Shubhraj said.

"Are you crazy? We can never win from the imperial army. We are mere landlords we don't even have big armies. Our people are already miffed because we have been taxing them heavily. They might rebel against us once the truth about Ramnagaram is out. Which is bound to happen soon."

"So what are you people going to do? Get killed by Shivaditya? He is ruthless!" Shubhraj said.

"We will not let that happen. We'll negotiate with Shivaditya."

Gowerishrao provincial leader of Vijayanagar said.

"Shivaditya will not spare us unless we give him something which he wants and that is you Shubhraj!" He continued.

"You people are planning to betray me?" Shubhraj looked incredulously.

"We were doing pretty well until you came along showing us dreams of forming independent states of our own and profits of forbidden slave trade!"

"Which made you earn a lot! By the way" Shubhraj smirked.

"Right now we have to save our necks which means surrendering before Shivaditya attacks us. Capture him!" Commanded Gowrieshrao.

Shubhraj was immediately caught by his soldiers.

"You will regret this!" He screamed but no one paid any heed. They were already planning terms of surrender.

*****

"So my uncle is in Vijayanagar with the rest of the provincial leader," Shivaditya said to Ganpatrai as he spilt out everything during the interrogation.

"Looks like I will have to make a trip to Vijayanagar after all." He muttered.

"Jayaraj do we have enough forces and things to continue further?" Shiv asked Jayaraj.

"Yes, your highness! We can also take the Ramnagaram army with us as they are under our control now."

"Good I need to send a letter to father. Leave some general here to keep things in check. Then prepare to leave as soon as possible."

Shivaditya finished his list of commands and went back towards the guest's chambers.

He had been awake the whole night and looked like there would be a further delay in returning. He was missing Chitra terribly.

******

"Your Highness we were able to prevent the assassination." A soldier dressed in black reported.

"Good! Keep following them I am sure there would be more attempts on his life". Devburman said to the man.

Poonam who was approaching the secret place he had shown her near stables. This is where they usually met. Few whispers distracted her attention.

She stopped in her track and hid behind a tree when she spied few people in black leaving. Hiding, she wondered who they were?