WARLOCK'S INTERNS

Chapter 18: Distress at Palace

Queen Keertidevi was terrified at once hearing the news. She hurriedly walked into her daughter’s chamber. She was lying unconsciously on the lap of Mani.

“CHITRAKSHI, My darling, Chitra, Please wake up; what happened to you?” She began to cry hard, her worst fears have come true. Something terrible has happened. 

“When I came she was lying down your highness,” Mani tried to explain the Queen between her sobs.

Soon there were heavy footsteps all around, King Maheepati hurriedly walked to the Chamber with his Chief Minister Yamil. He saw his Princess lying on Mani’s lap. 

“Oh God! What happened?” The King asked in his shaking voice.

“She is unconscious, my Lord! Do something, quickly.” Keertidevi looked at him with earnest and continued to sob.

“CALL THE PALACE PUNDIT AT ONCE.” The King ordered to the nearby guard. Maheepati took control over the situation, he knew it is better to control his emotions and take immediate action. Perhaps, they would be able to treat her in time.

Chief Minister Yamil knelt and observed Chitrakshi’s surroundings; he observed the dried white foams. He looked at the King and said in a very low voice.

“She seems to have been poisoned my Lord!”

“TELL ME everything, AT ONCE.” Maheepati looked angrily at Mani; he knew it was her responsibility to take good care of Princess. He was eager to know it from her.

“I - I don’t know my lord! When I walked in, she was lying on the ground.” Mani tried to explain her helpless while sobbing continually. Where had she gone wrong? In fact, she had left Princess for herself for only few moments.   

“Apple! Who gave her this, Mani?” Maheepati knelt down and picked up the half eaten apple.

“I too don’t know, my lord! No one came here, I swear!” She was very sure of that. There were numerous guards and there was no way could an intruder make his way unnoticed.

**

Soon Princess Chitrakshi was hoisted onto her bed. Palace Pundit came hurriedly with his pouch of medicines and potions. Queen Keertidevi and Mani gave him way and stood aside. The Palace Pundit soon began to examine her carefully. He had been here on many occasions; he was the one who treated the Princess whenever she was ill. But this time the matter seemed to be very serious to him. He soon took out his cloth pouch and began to mix blue and red colored potions into a small bowl. He stirred it up well and fed it drop by drop to Princess with the help of Mani. He watched something for reaction, there seemed to be none; he worriedly looked at the King.

“Oh King! This seems to be a deadly poison, I have given the potion, but it is not working.”

“Is there an external injury? Perhaps, a snake bite?” Yamil leaned towards the Palace Pundit and enquired in a soft voice, he did not want to scare the Queen or the King.

“No injuries, no bites, she seems to have eaten the poisoned apple my lord!” Palace Pundit shook his head, he had indeed checked for external injuries but there were absolutely nothing.

“What can we do now?” King Maheepati was worried; he had to take right decisions now.

“I would say my lord, it is better to call Vaachaspati, Perhaps he may have some tricks under his belt.” Palace Pundit suggested. He knew Vaachaspati was no hermit or Pundit like him; however he was man worth trying for his knowledge was immaculate.

“So be it, call him at ONCE.” King Maheepati ordered instantly not wishing to waste any precious time.

**

Vaachaspati completed his rituals before eating the meal. The kids watched him motionlessly. They were all very silent than usual, life seemed to be moving slowly for them as well. Vaachaspati began to eat in silence too, suddenly he remembered he needed some herbs for one of a sick man whom he met near the temple, and he knew Atma could bring it up from the river bank.

“Atma, I need some herbs, it is besides river bank -”

Suddenly there was a sharp knock and footsteps on the door. Even before Champaka could get up a guard ran in straight to them. He was panting heavily.

“Oh! Priest, you are to come to Palace immediately, Princess is seriously ill.”

“What happened?” Vaachaspati stood up at once, leaving his meal behind.

“Don’t waste time, she has eaten a poisoned apple, come immediately.” The guard was still panting hard; he seemed to have run all the way from Palace. The matter seemed extremely serious.

“Let’s go -” Vaachaspati hurriedly washed his hands and taking his upper cloth began to walk.

“We shall come too.” Atma and Bakula stood up at once, they were too curious to know what exactly has happened. They worst fear seemed to have taken life. Hundreds of thoughts began to cross their young minds.

“NO – You are not.” Vaachaspati turned back sharply and replied, he did not wanted any distraction when he was attending some serious matter.

**

Vaachaspati examined Princess as cautiously as possible, although he was not a hermit; he knew all the symptoms of a disease. This was a poison, he understood at once. He had seen many snake bites and poisons and even treated some of them successfully. But the symptoms here were showing rare signs of a deadly poison. 

“My lord! This is a very rare serpent’s poison which none of us know. This poison is directly attacking her blood veins; I have never seen such deadly poison before.” Vaachaspati looked at the fearful face of King Maheepati. He knew it was terrible news to give, but at the same time he has to, for good or worse.

“Can’t we do anything?” King Maheepati was extremely anxious.

“Call the Wanderers of Forest at once; they could buy us some time.” Vaachaspati knew only time can help them. He knew of the wanderers of the forest, they certainly would have the knowledge of all kinds of rare poisons and potions.

“Call them at once.” King Maheepati looked at Yamil at once and uttered hastily. He wanted things to happen soon.

“As you wish, my Lord!” Yamil bowed and walked away hastily to carry out the royal orders.

**

Gorma’s joy was boundless; she was extremely satisfied with the things. She was too proud of her dear sister Rukma. For the first time in their Witch life, Rukma had done something spectacular. Her all plans have worked out as per her wish. She was very close to her goal now. She knew this would hurt the King immensely. She hugged her sister Rukma for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

“Rukma, my dear sister, you have done it.” Gorma laughed very contentedly.

“I have done it.” Rukma joined her in the laugh nervously; she too could not believe that she had done something right since a very long time. She always loved to please her elder sister; she was only one person whom she believed in.

“Now, no one can save her, including the old Warlock.” Gorma walked towards the window and looked at the west clenching her teeth.

“What shall we do, next?” Rukma was curious about their next move.

“Let us wait until she dies, then - ”

“Then?” Rukma chimed eagerly.

“Then, I shall kill his Queen and become his new Queen.” Gorma began to laugh viciously, this was her dream and she was very near in making it happen.

“What about me?” Rukma was alert at once. She did not want her sister to desert her all alone.

“Perhaps, you have found one too and you know how is he, isn’t it Rukma?” Gorma encouraged her smiling mischievously. She had thought about the alliance with Lord Phaninath, yes, it would certainly do her good. She could have the control of both worlds, upperworld and underworld.

 ****