Chapter 12: chapter 12

S A N M A Y I The corridors of Amaravati’s palace were a labyrinth of polished stone and gilded arches, yet they always felt cold, as if the walls themselves carried the weight of secrets far too heavy for any man to bear. I had grown accustomed to this chill, its permanence seeping into my bones, and yet it was in these very halls where I would weave my next strand of deception. The threads I had begun to spin with such care were ready to be pulled taut.The lieutenant, Arvinder, was a man of little imagination, but one with an unwavering loyalty to his prince. He was a soldier to his core, rigid in his duty, blind to the subtle currents of power that moved like the tides within the court. His faith in Ranajay’s leadership was admirable, though it bordered on folly. And therein lay my advantage. The simplest of men often believed the simplest of truths.I had spent weeks observing Arvinder, studying his mannerisms, his conversations, and his alliances. It hadn’t been difficult. He was the sort of man who wore his thoughts on his sleeve, a man who believed in the righteousness of Amaravati’s conquest and the invincibility of his prince. But the cracks in his loyalty were there, waiting to be exploited.As I walked the halls, I knew I had to be careful. Every word, every gesture had to be timed with precision. Ranajay’s eyes were ever-present, his gaze sharp and wary, as if he sensed my scheming from a distance. I knew he wasn’t blind to my manipulations, but he had yet to confront me directly. There was something unspoken between us, a silent understanding that neither of us was willing to fully acknowledge. I would continue my game of shadows, pushing and pulling him without ever letting him realize that he was the one being maneuvered.It was late in the evening when I finally found the opportunity to speak with Arvinder alone. He was seated in a small chamber, poring over reports of troop movements and supply lines. I had seen him there before, and I knew he would be alone. His constant diligence made him predictable, and I used that predictability to my advantage."Lieutenant Arvinder," I greeted, stepping into the room without knocking. He looked up, startled, but his surprise quickly turned to a forced smile."Lady Sanmayi," he said, his tone respectful but guarded. "What brings you here?"I moved gracefully to the chair across from him, my steps measured, my voice soft but purposeful. "I wanted to speak with you, Lieutenant. I have been hearing troubling things about the prince’s leadership. I thought you might shed some light on these matters."Arvinder’s brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing as though he were trying to understand my motives. "What sort of things?" he asked cautiously.I leaned forward slightly, allowing my words to hang in the air like the scent of a well-planted seed. "Rumors, mostly. Whispers from the ranks that the prince is losing his grasp. His decisions—some say they are becoming... erratic. There are murmurs of discontent among the soldiers, growing louder with each passing day."Arvinder’s eyes flashed with a mixture of disbelief and defensiveness. "The prince is a man of honor," he said quickly. "He is a warrior, and his leadership has been nothing short of exemplary. Any discontent is the work of troublemakers."I allowed a small smile to cross my lips, feigning innocence. "I would never question his honor. But sometimes, even the most honorable of men can become... blinded by their own sense of righteousness. Perhaps the soldiers are simply reacting to the burdens of war, the weight of the choices he must make. War is never simple, is it? The lives of so many depend on the decisions of one man. Perhaps it is only natural for doubts to creep in."Arvinder’s gaze shifted uncomfortably, and I could see the faintest flicker of doubt in his eyes. It was fleeting, but it was there. Just as I had hoped. "You seem to know much of these things," he said slowly, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty. "But I assure you, the prince’s resolve is firm. He will not falter.""Firmness is not always the answer, Lieutenant," I replied softly, my voice like velvet. "Sometimes, the best leaders are those who listen—not just to their advisers, but to the very men they command. Perhaps the prince should consider what his soldiers are saying, rather than simply dismissing their concerns as the ramblings of discontented fools."Arvinder shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his hands gripping the edges of the table. "What are you suggesting, Lady Sanmayi?"I leaned back in my chair, my posture relaxed, though my mind raced with the possibilities. "I am not suggesting anything, Lieutenant. I merely offer you the chance to reflect. After all, you are a man who values loyalty, aren’t you? Loyalty to your prince, loyalty to Amaravati. But loyalty should not blind a man to the truth. If the prince falters, if his decisions lead the kingdom astray, then it is the duty of those who serve him to ensure that he does not drag the kingdom into ruin."Arvinder was silent for a long moment, his eyes flicking to the papers on the table as if he were searching for the right words. But I could see the seed I had planted beginning to take root. Doubt was a dangerous thing, especially for a man like Arvinder, whose loyalty had always been unquestioned. If he began to question the prince, even for a moment, he would begin to question everything. And that was what I needed."I will think on your words, Lady Sanmayi," he said finally, his voice low. "But I will not betray my prince. You must understand that."I nodded slowly, as though conceding to his point. "Of course, Lieutenant. I would never ask you to betray anyone. But I do ask you to consider the bigger picture. Sometimes, the greatest loyalty lies in the ability to speak the truth, no matter how difficult it may be."With that, I rose from my seat and turned to leave, but not before casting one last glance at Arvinder. His face was pale, his mind clearly grappling with the weight of the conversation. I had given him much to think about. And in that moment, I knew that I had planted the first seed of discord within the Amaravati ranks.---The days that followed were filled with a quiet tension, both within the palace and beyond its walls. I watched as Arvinder became more distant, his interactions with Ranajay marked by a subtle shift. The lieutenant was no longer the unwavering confidant of the prince, but a man torn between loyalty and doubt. He began to question decisions that were once beyond reproach, his eyes lingering on Ranajay with a mixture of uncertainty and mistrust.Ranajay, of course, noticed. I could see the flicker of suspicion in his eyes whenever he crossed paths with Arvinder. He was no fool, and he had sensed my subtle manipulations. He had not confronted me directly, but the tension between us grew with each passing day. He knew that I was playing a game, but he refused to acknowledge the rules. And that, perhaps, was my greatest advantage. In his refusal to confront me, he allowed my influence to fester, unchecked.I saw him less and less, his visits to my chambers growing infrequent. I knew he was preoccupied with the growing unrest in the kingdom, with the whispers of rebellion that had begun to surface. But there was something else, too. Something between us, something unsaid, but deeply felt. I could see it in the way his eyes lingered on me when we crossed paths, in the way his jaw clenched when he saw me in the presence of other men. He was watching me, and I knew it.Yet, as much as I enjoyed the game I was playing, I knew it was only a matter of time before it all came crashing down. I had set my plans in motion, and now I had to wait, like a spider in its web, for the first spark of chaos to ignite the flames of rebellion.And when it did, I would be ready.