[Blood of the Goddess 02] Bijapur by Dalkey Kara

Author:Dalkey, Kara [Dalkey, Kara]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780812549430
Google: -ojnGwAACAAJ
Amazon: 0312860013
Goodreads: 1443258
Publisher: Tor Books
Published: 1997-01-01T07:00:00+00:00

After she had gone, Ibrahim turned back to Gandharva, “She has changed since we last saw her, don’t you think?”

“As to that I could not say, Majesty.”

“Oh. Your pardon. Your eyes. But I am certain she is more cautious, less fiery, than I remember her. She seems to have great faith in her Mahadevi. Did you say you knew her well, Gandharva? She did not seem to know you, or pretended not to.”

“The Mahadevi, it is said, has a thousand eyes and one does not necessarily see much of another. I have spoken to her once or twice, but it would not surprise me if she did not remember me.”

“How many blind vina players are there in the world? And what did she mean about ‘The Song of The White Dove’?”

Gandharva smiled. “The music of Bhagavati is like that of no other place, Majesty. The Lady is homesick, no doubt, from living among foreigners in Goa. She wishes to hear familiar sounds from home.”

“I see. When you remember this song, I would like to hear it as well.”

“It would honor me to play it for you, Majesty.”

Ibrahim reclined on the divan again, but was unable to find a comfortable position. “Have you any advice to offer on her words? Her secretiveness disquiets me. Do you think she is telling the truth?”

“I think it would be wise to heed her words, Majesty.”

“Do you? What if your Mahadevi has decided to expand Her domain? Bijapur has prospered these many years. Perhaps She regards it as a cultivated field now ripe for harvesting.”

“The only territory the Mahadevi would conquer is that of the heart and mind. She has no need of land, or warriors to win and hold it.”

“Does She not? Then why does She permit the Portuguese and the might of Akbar so close to Her domain? Does She want to play us all against one another, weakening us? Or is this a game of Aditi’s, kept secret from the Mahadevi? The Maratha sardars are numerous here‍—Aditi might have powerful support among them. By bargaining with the foreigners, does she plot to set herself up as queen? I wish Chand Bibi had stayed‍—I could have used her wisdom, as well as some of her army. I am not a man of war, Gandharva. It pains me to think I may be hearing the rumble of Shiva’s chariot.”

“If you will forgive me, Majesty,” said Gandharva, “I fear you may be like a child in a dark house; frightened by every shadow, you invent monsters lurking there. I respectfully suggest you need to light more lamps before you peer into dark corners. From what little I know of Sri Aditi, she is devoted to the Mahadevi and would never betray Her.”

Ibrahim sighed. “You may be right. But what of this yellow-hair she asks me to take into my service? It seems a bizarre request, is it not? Why should I have a foreign herbalist in my court?”

“Perhaps it is not for your sake that she asks, but for his.

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