The Aftermath

The land shed tears of blood as anarchy reigned supreme. The New king, Sourabha Raya or Chandala Raya as he was popularly known proved himself to be a great misogynist. The first thing he did was to do the unthinkable - prohibit women from fighting. All women Regiments were disbanded and the women soldiers were sent home. One such regiment was the Katyayani Regiment led by Uppalapati Vasundhara Devi. She had been captured by General Keechaka and had been sent to the capital.

The streets wore a deserted look as the men were summoned for a special meeting with General Keechaka. The women sat in front of their houses discussing the news.

“Sister Kamala, why do you think He called our men?” Sarala asked stressing the He to give a new meaning to the word. She didn’t feel like taking the General’s name.

“Why else? To keep us in our proper places! It is an open secret that He never wanted women Regiments. He will most probably brainwash the men to keep us indoors!” she spat on the ground in disgust. “Our carefree days are over sister. Mark my words!”

“Yes, Yes. We will no longer have any say in anything. Do you know, Chandala is bringing a new law banning women from coming out except during festivals?”

“Oh my god! Who will bring the vegetables and provisions then? How will we go to the temples?”

“They say we are not allowed to sit like this and talk even.”

“That would be a disaster!”

“What about Princess Vasundhara? Any news about her?”

“They are very tight lipped about it. They must have done something to her.”

$$$$

Little did these simple women know that Princess Vasundhara was going through the most horrible phase of her life. She had been thrown into the deep, dark dungeons. No one had come to visit her yet. But she was sure someone would come eventually and it would not be pleasant for her.

Time was meaningless for her as she lay on the hard, cold, stone bed for nobody knows how long. It may have been days, months, years or just a few hours as time seemed to stand still. There was no source of light in the cell she was thrown in. she recalled how she had been captured.

She had been talking with her favourite maid, when she saw a few men enter her tent without permission.

“How dare you enter without my permission!” she had spoken in anger. But they didn’t seem to hear as they were followed by more armed soldiers. Sensing something was wrong she had sent her maid out of the tent. She had grabbed the twin swords she kept near her bed always.

“Speak you insolent fools! Don’t you know your heads will roll if you enter the tent of a Princess unannounced?”

“You are a prisoner of war!”

“What!”

“His Highness Ugra Chandala Raya has taken over the reins. He is now the emperor of this glorious empire! Long live the Emperor!”

“So, What if He became king? I am from the Royal family!”

She had been hit on the head by someone from behind. “What a mean and cowardly act!” she had thought as she fell unconscious. When she had woken up, she was here in the dungeons in the pitch dark. They must have used the secret passage to reach the dungeons in the capital so fast.

&&&&

The men in Srinadhapuram returned from the meeting. They were accompanied by a few soldiers. Some of the men were bruised as if they had been beaten. Some had black eyes. The women were outraged. They rose in anger grabbing whatever came handy – sticks, stones, mud, cow-dung cakes; some even managed to go inside and return with chilli powder!

They were furious by the way their men had been treated. The anger on their face reflected the redness of the chilli powder! They attacked as soon as the soldiers got within their reach. The soldiers ducked and raised their shields in a meek attempt to defend themselves. Their captain however reacted differently.

He grabbed one of the men and kept a sword on his neck. “STOP!” he shouted. “OR HIS HEAD ROLLS!” the women looked at him in shock. The man he had grabbed was the husband of the village Head. He was a man known for his devotion to his wife and to dharma. He was known and respected for his principled and austere life.

The women lowered their weapons. The captain spoke. “Collect their weapons!” the men gathered all the weapons from the women.

“Listen up! You have insulted General Keechaka by attacking his soldiers. This is an insult to His Highness, the Emperor. This is considered treason!” he looked around letting his words sink in. “I am a kind and generous man. So, I will let you live if you women follow my orders without question. Am I clear?”

They nodded their heads silently. “First, you will feed my men whenever they are hungry or the man of that house gets killed. Second, you will not come out if the soldiers are passing through the village. Third, you will obey the soldiers and follow their instructions, whatever they might be. Clear?” The women nodded. It seemed their worst fears were coming true.

*********

The loud clang of boots on the hard ground of the dungeons reverberated painfully as Vasundhara woke up from her thoughts. The place she had been hit was caked with blood. She waited for her tormentors as they came behind a huge fountain of light shot from powerful search torches.

As the light illuminated her cell, she took stock of her surroundings. She was sitting on the hard floor that looked like it had not been cleaned in ages. On one side of the cell was a pitiful excuse for a pot with no lid. She doubted she would be able to drink anything in that pot.

The walls were full of dried blood that perhaps belonged to the previous inmates. There was no window and the cries of the prisoners wouldn’t be heard by anyone.

“Like our hospitality?” The man mocked her. She looked up and saw a handsome man, fair skinned, six foot seven, looking as majestic as the god of love himself. If only he reflected the views of the god and not the perverseness of a demon, it would be so nice for the empire. She steeled herself for what she knew was to follow – the torture of a royal female by a sadistic blot on the name of royalty.