The Fisher Queen's Dynasty by Kavita Kane

Author:Kavita Kane [Kane, Kavita]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Westland
Published: 2017-12-15T06:00:00+00:00

The Death

They were arguing again. It seemed to Satyavati that Shantanu had little strength, and the little he had, he reserved to fight her.

‘You took the crown, the kingdom, Dev’s rights . . . you have two sons now, and your father is a minister at court. . .’ Shantanu was saying. ‘Yet, you are insecure. Or is it simply greed?’ he muttered tiredly.

It was a strong accusation, but she was used to it. It was his way of attempting to alleviating his own guilt.

‘I am not insecure about Dev, if that’s what you are insinuating,’ she said calmly. ‘He loves my sons as his own; he’s like a father to them, and he has taken over the responsibility of their upbringing completely.’

‘This was his kingdom to rule. He should have been fathering his own children, not looking after his stepbrothers!’ said Shantanu unhappily. He moved restlessly in his bed. He was bedridden since their second son was born, six months ago. ‘Both are still babies, Matsyagandha! Chitrangad cannot be anointed heir, as you are requesting. He has to be of age; he is barely five!’ coughed Shantanu angrily. ‘Till he comes of age, Dev is regent. How can I make a child the crown prince when the most capable of all, my Bhishm, is on the throne!’

She quietly wiped his damp brow. ‘Dev will always be there. He has promised loyalty to the throne and whoever sits on it—be it his father or his brother,’ she said quietly, reminding her delusional husband of the reality he desperately wanted to escape from.

‘Dev is the king, no one else,’ he muttered stubbornly. ‘The people will not accept it.’

‘The people have accepted me now, as well as our sons. . .’

She heard her husband snort derisively. ‘Never as much as Dev!’

She hugged the baby closer, as if to reassure herself that she now had two sons—her two heirs.

‘I want to make him king!’ confessed Shantanu with a loud sigh. ‘But even if I want to . . . you won’t allow it, and Bhishm will never agree. . .’ he lapsed into a dejected silence.

‘He won’t break his vow. Ever,’ she said confidently.

Shantanu threw her a scathing look. ‘You know him so well, don’t you?’ he charged, his eyes flaring with sudden fury.

Her heart stopped, thudding wildly. What did Shantanu know?

‘You know he will never turn against you or the boys,’ he said, and she breathed more easily. ‘He is too loyal; and worse, he will tolerate you and your wickedness only because you are my wife and they are my sons, and thus his brothers by blood!’ he seethed. ‘The people of Hastinapur and I will have to suffer the oath you made him take!’ he accused, his eyes glazed with grief.

‘I did not make him do anything. He took it, Shantanu, for you,’ she interposed evenly.

Shantanu went berserk. ‘His kindness lies too heavily upon me; it is too cruel. I would rather endure his unkindness any day . . . oh my Dev, what have I done!’ he wept uninhibitedly.

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