1 week later

A week passed by just like that. There was no evidence against Aarthi. There were still people pending to enquire but I made sure more than half of them were enquired.

Also, there was a lot of problems going on in my dynasty. There's chances of a war breakdown. I decided to appoint some more people to enquire the people who attended the ceremony.

I went back to my dynasty because my father wanted to meet me. I hated to see his face but anyway I am meeting him because the minister said it's an emergency.

Once I entered the palace, there was a dead silence. I walked upstairs towards his room and I entered with a knock.

There were ministers, Tharun, doctors and my father was laying in the bed, sick.

"What happened?", I asked Tharun and he sighed.

"While he was going for a hunt, someone attacked him. The arrow injured him deeply. The doctors said he can't survive more than 2 days..", he said.

"Already Pandiyas are going to war against us and it's going to get worse..", I said and he nodded.

"We should keep this as a secret. If the emperor dies, it's the right time for Pandiyas to attack us and we shouldn't give them the chance.", He said in which I agreed.

"I heard Ezhil also is helping the Pandiyas to war against us. One of our spy informed that he saw him in Pandiyas' main palace.", He said.

"That bastard! Order our men to change the weapon storage to somewhere else and put as many guards in the border. I don't want an insect to enter into our dynasty for three days.", I said.

"Three days?"

"Yeah. Anyway, there's only one or two days for our father. And, we should prepare for a war.", I said and he was shocked.

"Isn't there any other way to avoid this war? Can't we have a peaceful talk? The war is going to destroy many people's life, Arjun. Not only soldiers but also the people are gonna suffer.", He said.

"There would've been a chance for a peaceful talk if Ezhil wasn't there. You know about Ezhil right? If he plans something, he won't rest until he does that.", I said and he closed the eyes sighing.

"Fine, I'll order the men..", he said leaving outside.

My father wasn't conscious and he looked so pale. What do I call this? Karma? Or fate? Is he suffering for the sins he have done for many women or fate is playing with me?

I could feel how the situation was getting worse day by day. I can sense already that the war is going to be a disaster and I have no idea how much lives it's gonna cost.

I looked at my father who opened his eyes slightly struggling to keep it open.

"Father.."

"Arjun.. it's..", he stammered taking breathes.

He doesn't have any energy left inside him to even talk.

"Calm down.", I said and he relaxed for a second before opening his mouth.

"They're going to attack within a week. They have every forces ready for war and they're doing this to eliminate us.", He said and I was right about my guessing.

"So, what's the solution?", I asked.

"War. Just get ready for a war. There's no other way. Gather all the soldiers as you can, just order to make as many weapons as they can, make a great wall within a night if you can.", He said taking deep breathes as he talked a lot.

"You should be ready for everything. I know you have seen a lot of wars. I'm sure those wars is going to be nothing infront of this one.", He warned me.

"What should I do to win this war?"

"I'm sure they have a well plan for the war and your plan have to be more advanced than theirs.", He said and I nodded.

"What about we set traps for them?", I asked as a plan clicked on my mind.

"What?"

"The forest is going to play an important role in this plan. I'm gonna set 7 traps in 7 forests which they should cross in order to reach our dynasty."

"What do you mean by traps?"

"Snakes.. do you think their weapons and men are capable of killing thousands of snakes? That's what I'm gonna do in the first forest. Even if they cross the first one, they'll be fed up with the remaining 6.", I said.

"That's good but can you make it within a small amount of time?", He asked and I nodded confidently.

The doctor have him some medicines and adviced him to rest sometimes. So we all left outside the room and I was hardly thinking about the war.

What if they have any other plans? I should have a backup plan and it should be a secret.

With disturbed mind, I went to the hall when I saw the basement door. I sighed a looked away.

I don't know why but each time I remember about, there's an unknown pain which I'm trying to control but I keep failing.

--

It's been three days and everything was ready. Only God knows how sleepless these nights were for me. But it was worth it because I was able to arrange everything.

Tamizh and Ananthi already left to their kingdom after I convinced them a lot. They were not ready to leave her behind but if they stay here, I'm afraid their life will be at stake.

That's when Tharun entered the palace tensed.

"Everything went wrong, Arjun. Someone leaked our plan of setting traps in the forest. They came to know everything so they came across the forests so easily."

"So what's the condition now?", I asked.

"The condition is becoming worse. They are now trying to break the walls we set in the border."

"So, it means we have to apply our backup plan?", I asked and he shrugged.

"I want to tell you that this backup plan will also have an affect to our properties and some lives. What about Thara? You have to release her.", He said.

"She's safe inside the prison than being with me. Since our father is no more, she wouldn't have any disturbance.", I said.

Yes, our father passed away yesterday and I still remember how he uttered the word "sorry" before he died. He regretted what he did to my wife.

It was not an emotional moment but a critical one. I'm now officially the emperor of the dynasty. More pressure and more tension on my first day.

"But, Arjun.. you don't know if she's safe or not. You have to be with her in order to make sure she's safe.", He said and I sighed.

"I don't know what I have to do, Tharun but I know she won't be safe with me. If my enemies come to know she's the weakest point of me, they will surely attack her.", I said sighing.

"Let her be my enemy infront of them if that's the only way for her to be safe.", I said and left upstairs to my room.

I looked through the window where the whole place around my palace was visible. It was peaceful and calm.

I don't want to make it a war land. I don't want to make this peace and calm fade away.

That's when a soldier knocked my door and I allowed him to enter.

"They broke the wall.", he said the shocking news and I think it's time to apply my backup plan.

"Okay, call Tharun immediately to my room.", I said and he nodded leaving.

After few minutes, Tharun entered my room with a tensed face.

"Should we really apply that?"

"Yes, order our men to attack then from every direction.", I said and he nodded. I hope this will work but I'm not 100% sure.

Without wasting my time, I wore my armour and took my sword which I used for many wars. I climbed on my horse and started making my way to the attack spot where some of my soldiers were following me.

Once we reached there, we hid behind the bushes. Every soldiers were hiding. We rounded them in 360° and there's no way for an escape.

As I nodded as a signal, everyone started aiming their arrows at the same time and they were struggling to resist it. I smirked and took another arrow and aimed it towards the head of the forces.

But, in a small gap, he escaped which annoyed the hell outta me. I sighed and the soldiers continued to throw arrows until they can't anymore.

They arranged the shields like a circle and used it to not get affected by the arrows. They were prepared for everything.

I just aimed the arrows continuously by there was no use.

"Throw the bomb. Let's see how they can resist the bomb with that weak sheild.", I said and the commander-in-chief nodded his head.

I waited for few minutes but they didn't seem to move a bit which was an advantage for me.

That's when I saw Tharun coming towards my direction.

"Arjun, only half of the forces are here. The rest of them have already started attacking the people. People are dying. Also, they captured our palace.", He said.

My heart almost seized when he said that the palace was captured.

Thara.. she's inside.

I heard sounds from outside and I was confused what was that about. Also, there were no soldiers near the cell which gave me more suspicion.

Is something amiss?

I don't know why but I feel nervous. There was never a day in this cell without soldiers patrolling but there was none today.

In fact, last three day, the soldiers were so tensed about something which I don't know.

The slamming of basement door could be heard and I flinched. Taking deep breathes, I peeked outside the cell through the rods.

I looked at the soldiers who was walking inside angrily. The problem is that, these soldiers don't belong to Chera Kingdom.

I don't know who they are and what they want but I was sure something was definitely wrong outside.

Tharun was released the next day he was about to be hanged. Arjun released him and I was alone since then and I am more afraid because of the fact that I'm alone.

I have been alone facing the problems since childhood and I don't know if I have enough strength to endure more.

I was physically and mentally drained. There was nothing left inside me to fight.

The soldiers looked at every cell and stopped infront of my cell. They looked at me clearly.

"Look who's here. The empress of Chera Dynasty.", The soldier said with a scoff.

Empress? But, Arjun isn't emperor yet, right? He's still a crown prince..

"W-What do you want?", I asked as I was trembling.

"Your husband is not a fool but he wasn't in his right state of mind to think. He doesn't know only half of the forces are there and went there to give them a suprise attack which was already predicted by us.", He said and I was confused what was happening.

"Can our emperor. He have to meet the beautiful wife of Arjun, right?", He said and the other soldiers left to bring their emperor.

Soon a man in his mid twenties who looked like a emperor showed up. He looked at me clearly.

"Oh so you're that beautiful lady who made two sons of Chera Dynasty to fall for you.", He said.

To be honest, I was scared that they might do something to me. Even though I live a helly life but I was afraid of dying.

"Ezhil told me about you and you're more beautiful than what he said. But, so sad that a beautiful girl like you is going to die."

My heart almost seized hearing that.

"And that death is going to be so painful..", he whispered dangerously.

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