18 â¨ðª Letters of Lies
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To,
Prince Ivaan Narasimha Varma
The Conqueror of Nanda
Palace Nanda
Sir,
I have the honour to write to you on behalf of His Majesty Ameya Rana, the King of Rana. His Majesty wishes to have a meeting with you after the recent war between our kingdoms.
His Majesty would like to meet with you in person and discuss the terms of, as well as the release of his son, Prince Arjun and King Aditya, who are currently kept captive by your forces. His Majesty hopes that you will accept his invitation to visit Rana and stay at his palace as his honoured guest.
His Majesty assures you of his utmost respect and safety while your stay here. He requests that you inform him of your arrival date and time, so that he can make the necessary arrangements for your reception and accommodation.
I have the honour to be, Sir, Your Royal Highness's humble and obedient servant,
Abhinav Kumar,
Royal servent of King Ameya Rana
The letter was read by Ivaan, suprising them, especially Varun he had never assumed a initiative from Rana.
"What's the wait for then? This looks very easy, the King himself is inviting us." Nimit says breaking the silence.
"Or could be a trap?" Ivaan says handing over the letter to Varun.
"The King of Rana is known for keeping their promises this is not for hurting you Ivaan, but neither is this a peace treaty what else then?" Varun inquires himself not quite comfortable not knowing the motive.
"Seems like there is someone who can match you in politics and tactics in Rana, the princess Anya herself maybe, who knows? she clearly caught you in no time and was ready to cut your throat." Ivaan says smirking knowing how much it would hurt Varun's ego he liked being the smart one always.
"Well what can I say if the competitor is someone as strong as us it just makes the game much more fun wouldn't it?" Varun replies
"Then should I order to draft a letter when are you planning to go?" Nimit a
sks looking at Ivaan.
"Tomorrow the sooner the better we have to seal the deal before My Mother's spies reach there." Ivaan orders.
________
Palace of Rana
'''
The Letter
Anya and Indu felt a surge of anxiety as the soldier gave them the letter from Ivaan, The Demon tyrant himself.
They had been waiting for this moment for days, ever since her brother Arjun and King Aditya were captured by Ivaan's army.
Indu and Anya scanned the letter quickly, looking for the words they wanted to see.
"Dear King of Rana,
I am pleased to inform you that I have accepted your proposal of meeting. I agree to release your brother Prince Arjun and King Aditya Singh of Avantipura, if the terms are met.
I and my army will arrive at your capital city in three days, accompanied by a small escort of my trusted men. I expect you to welcome me with honor and hospitality. I look forward to meeting you in person and making this the stepping stone for our future prospects.
Ivaan Narasimha Varma, the Prince of Virata"
Anya smiled and folded the letter. She had done it. She had convinced Ivaan to fall into her trap. She knew he was a greedy and arrogant man, who would not resist the offer to conquer a rich kingdom.
She also knew he was a cruel and ruthless man, who would not hesitate to kill her brothers if they revolted. She had no choice but to play along with his game, until she could turn the tables on him.
She ran to her father's chamber, where he was waiting anxiously. She showed him the letter and explained her plan.
"Father, Ivaan has agreed to our terms. He will come here in three days to Rana for the meeting and free Arjun and Aditya. But we cannot trust him. He will try to betray us and take over our kingdom. We have to act fast and rescue our family before he realizes what we are doing."
"What do you have in mind, my daughter?" King Ameya asked.
"I have a plan, father. A plan that will stop Ivaan and save our kingdom...."
***
Anya was busy with the final preparations for the meeting with the Demon Tyrant.
They had no choice but to negotiate with him, hoping to secure their release without giving up too much of her kingdom's resources. Anya knew it was a risky move, but she had to try.
She checked the list of tasks she had assigned to her younger sister, Indu, who was supposed to look after the decoration and preparation of the palace. She frowned when she saw that Indu had not completed half of them.
"Indu, where are you?" she called out, looking for her sister.
"I'm here, I'm here," Indu said, emerging from behind a pile of flower garlands. She was holding a garland and a roll of golden ribbon, Katha was also right beside her.
"What are you doing?" Anya asked, eyeing the mess around her.
"We are making banners," Indu said, holding up a piece of cloth with the words "Welcome to the Kingdom of Rana, Demon Tyrant" written on it.
Anya sighed. "You can't put that up! That's rude and disrespectful!"
"Oh, come on, Anya. It's just a the truth " Indu said, grinning.
"It's not funny Indu, Katha you should be stopping her.
It's dangerous.He's not someone to mock or provoke,we have to make him fall for the facade" Anya said, snatching the banner from Indu's hands.
"Fine, fine. I'll make another one. How about this: 'We hope you enjoy your stay, Demon Tyrant." Indu said, while Katha gave her another piece of cloth.
"No, it's not better. It's worse." Anya said, smiling a little she was finally getting back to her self, and Indu and Katha did everything they could to see her smile even a little.
"Okay, okay. I get it. You want something more formal and polite. How about this: 'Greetings, Demon Tyrant. We are honored by your presence. We hope to reach a peaceful and mutually beneficial agreement.' Is that good enough?" Indu said, getting a piece of cloth.
"That's better, but let's just omit the Demon tyrant." Anya said, shaking her head.
"Why do I have to do this anyway? Why do I have to prepare for the arrival of the Demon Tyrant, who is a criminal and a monster? Why do I have to welcome him with a smile and a bow, when he has taken our brothers hostage? Why do I have to pretend that everything is fine, when it's not?" Indu said, Katha nodding along.
"Indu, calm down. I know you're angry and frustrated. I am too. But we have to do this. We have to play along. We have to be diplomatic and courteous. We have to show him that we are not afraid of him, but we are also not hostile to him. We have to make him think that we are willing to cooperate, but we are also not willing to surrender. We have to find a balance, Indu. A balance between respect and defiance, between humility and confidence, between fear and courage. Do you understand?" Anya said, putting her hand on Indu's shoulder.
"I understand, Anya. I do. But I don't like it. I don't like him. I don't like what he's done to us. I don't like what he's making us do. I don't like any of this," Indu said, wiping a tear from her eye...
"I know, Indu. I don't like it either. But for our kingdom. We have to do it, Indu. And we have to do it well. So please, help me. Help me make this work." Anya said, looking at Indu and Katha
Indu looked back at her sister, and saw the determination and the hope in her face. She felt a surge of admiration and affection for her sister, who had always been her role model and her best friend. She smiled and nodded, getting back to her Job.
"Okay, Anya. Let's do it. What's his name again?" Indu said, pretending to forget.
Anya rolled her eyes and laughed.
"His name is Ivaan Narasimha Varma, Indu. Ivaan the Demon Tyrant. And we're going to make him wish he never met us," Anya said, hugging her sisters.
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The day had arrived, The three sisters were getting ready in their chambers, wearing beautiful dresses and jewels. They knew they had to look their best, for this welcoming facade.
Anya knew that they had to be careful and diplomatic with Ivaan, and not provoke him. She chose a blue gown that matched her veil and a silver necklace that sparkled in the light. She looked calm and confident, but inside she was terrified.
Indu was the most rebellious of the three. She hated Ivaan with every fiber of her being, and she wanted to kill him if she could. She chose a red dress that matched her fiery temper and a dagger that she hid in her sleeves. She looked angry and defiant, but inside she was desperate.
Katha was the most innocent of the three. She chose a green dress that matched her gentle nature and a flower that she tucked in her hair. She looked sweet and shy, but inside she was brave.
Anya asked for Indu and Katha into her chambers
"Indu, I need you to promise me something. You have to listen to my every order in the time Ivaan is going to be here in the Kingdom. No matter what I say or do, you have to trust me and follow me. Do you understand?"
Indu nodded, although she was scared and confused. She loved her sister and trusted her, but she wondered what Anya was planning to do.
"And one more thing, Indu. If I order you to get out, you have to take Katha and get out of the Kingdom and go to Madhura. Don't look back, don't hesitate, just get out of here at any cost. Promise me, Indu."
Indu felt a chill in her spine. She looked at Katha, who was sitting quietly on the bed. Indu and Anya protected her more than anything in the world.
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"I promise, Anya. But why? What are you going to do?"
Anya hugged her and kissed her forehead.
"Nothing, Indu. Nothing that you need to worry about. Just be ready and do as I say. Now, let's go. They are waiting for us."
..............m
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