Rudrani was tapping anxiously on the metal handle of the throne with the manicured nails of her left hand..she was waiting for the high priests of the kingdom..as she was now faced with the biggest crisis of her reign..and she could not take a decision without consulting the holy men, whom she was counting upon to show some way out of this conundrum.
The year was 2149..the map of the world had been redrawn after the 3rd world war, which led to massive casualties and had wiped off more than two-thirds of the human race. Democracy had failed mankind, and therefore the world had gone back to adopting the old ways of accepting the rule of kings and queens...as humans have found out with bitter experience how devastating the consequence can be if the power is held by the public, rather than one individual whose orders everyone had to follow.
And everyone in the country of Suvarnamati followed the orders of Rudrani..she was the revered monarch of the most powerful country in the world..which now controlled two-thirds of the fuel resources of the world...and therefore called the shots in most of the global trade transactions...thereby ushering in an era of propserity for the people of Suvarnamati.
Rudrani looked at herself in the large mirror kept by the side of the throne..There was no doubt that she was still the most desired woman in Suvarnamati, not only for her power and intelligence, but also for her beauty and sec , even at the age of 38 years.
The door of the royal conference room opened, and Rudrani saw the three holy men walk in wearing their white robes..She showed due respect to the high priests by standing up and bowing her head slightly..The monarch needed to show due respect to the high priests..and that she did..before settling back on her throne..
The high priests bowed in front of the monarch...before Rudrani asked them to sit on the three other chairs of the council room..
There was an uneasy silence that prevailed for a few seconds..all of them knew what they were about to discuss..and it will not be an easy discussion..
It has been a year since Rudrani's husband, the late king, left for the heavens..he was succeeded by his wife, Rudrani and her 20 year old son Karan..Suvarnamati had but one rule which had been laid out by the high priests, whose sermon was considered to be mandatory for everyone to be followed, even by the royalty.and that rule was that only the wife or the 2nd born child of the reigning monarch could sit on the throne..Karan, therefore, despite being the prince was not entitled to wear the throne.
So it was Rudrani who had succeeded her husband to the throne..but she knew that she had to marry again..to bear a second child who will succeed him...to prevent the country getting into a state of chaos and anarchy after her reign ended..she had therefore called for the royal battle of men..where the strongest and the most skilled men of the country competed to claim the hand of the widow queen..
The event was held at the royal Coliseum..where the knights fought intensely till a winner emerged..and that man was the powerful senator Suryakant. Rudrani was not happy with Suryakant being the winner of the event and getting the right to claim her hand..she knew that he was leader of the conspiracy to slay her late husband..but the senator was too powerful and she did not have enough evidence to implicate him.
She had no other option but to declare him the winner..and once she did that she would have been forced to marry him...and bear his child thereafter who would sit on the throne after her...she knew that it had always been part of his evil plan...but even though she despised that consequence she had no option but to accept that fate.
But fate intervened..there was one knight wearing helmet and armor who challenged Suryakant before she could declare him the winner...Suryakant was surprised but had to accept the challenge...he was sure that he was going to win..but it was not the case..the other knight seemed to be fighting with purpose and intent...and despite getting several blows he held on to his ground and finally managed to beat Suryakant.
Rudrani finally spoke.."I have put a lot of hope on your holiness..and am sure that you will be able to devise a way out of this impossible situation that I have landed in."
The chief priest looked at the queen with sympathy..and said.."The law of the land is etched in stone, your highness. What do you suggest us to do?"
"Change the law. You know this cannot happen!"..Rudrani thumped on the metal handle of the throne.
"If destiny so desires, then who are we humans to challenge it?...It was you who has declared the prince winner in the battle of men...so if you do not want to abide by the law then you will have to relinquish the throne."
Rudrani's face turned pale..she was aware of the consequences..at the time of declaring the winner of the battle of men, she did not know that the winning knight was her own son Karan. Apparentlly Karan could not bear the eventuality that his mother's hand will be claimed by the man who had a big role to play in the death of his father. He had therefore fought against Suryakant and had managed to defeat him...unwittingly becoming the chosen suitor of his own mother in the process.
And if Rudrani did not abide by the holy law now, then she will have to let go of the crown..which will open way for Suryakant to become the ruler of the country because of his clout..which she can never let happen at any cost.