Page 42 of Rudra Nandani: The Saga of Control And Seduction

Mounting my horse, I hurried back to Suryagarh. Once I arrived, I stormed towards the servants' quarters and opened my room door. Rummaging through my belongings, I searched for the sword my mother gave me when I was just seven years old to learn to combat.

Clutching its hilt, I drew the sword from the sheath and strode toward the royal court. It was past midnight, and the place was dark and deserted. The guards at the door glanced at me and the naked sword in my hand.

On instinct, they drew their swords and maneuvered to attack me. I swiftly swung my sword, and the metallic clanging resonated in the empty corridors.

While I was engaged with the guards, chaos erupted as soldiers of the royal army joined in the combat. I tried to push my way in, but suddenly one guard plunged his dagger into my arm. I looked at him and immediately thrust my sword into his gut. He screamed in excruciating pain, blood flowing out from the deep cut on his stomach, making him fall to his knees.

Instantly, other soldiers lunged at me with their swords, and I drew my sword from the wounded guard to engage them. Blood trickled down my upper arm, but that did not stop me.

I didn't stop until I got to the throne.

I told him… I told him she was my woman, yet he dared to sleep with her. To hell with him being my uncle and the King.

Two more soldiers fell to the ground, and suddenly, one of them fled. Fuming with anger, I slaughtered a few more soldiers, knocking them over onto the ground.

As soon as I opened the gigantic doors of the hall, my gaze fell on the bejeweled throne, glimmering under the moonlight, streaming through the latticed marble windows. The majestic hall echoed with my footsteps as I tread toward the dais.

I pulled the dagger out, which was penetrating my arm, causing profuse bleeding. With a bloodied arm and attire, I climbed the stairs and stroked my fingers over the royal seat.

The velvety touch reminded me of all the harsh memories I had with the king, particularly the way he constantly insulted me for being the son of a low-level concubine.

It was a bitter reality that a person's status and class mattered more than their potential, proficiency, and hard work.

My mother was my father’s concubine and later became his first wife. However, no members of the royal family accepted her wholeheartedly due to her social status. They treated her worse than the bottom-rung attendees. Even after my birth, this treatment persisted, and they called us the‘illegitimate ones’.

We were kids; what was our fault? Why were we accused of a crime we never committed? Why did they treat us like culprits and look down on us, and why were we deprived of our rights? My father’s pyre consumed the little peace my mother had left.

Many people were responsible for all the miseries we endured.The person who killed my father, the king, and those who blamed my siblings and me, simply because our mother was a slave.

The residents of the palace were her killers. She was sick and isolated from everything, yet none of them, no one, came forward to help her, leaving her bereft of any medicinal support. Despite all the struggles, she raised me like a prince and wished for me to become a great king who would protect his kingdom and its people.

And so I waited. I waited for years to get what was mine because I wanted to fulfill my mother’s wish. But some people are simply not worthy of our patience. They always behave like the vipers they are. One of them was undoubtedly the king, who had lost both sons, making me the next in line to succeed. But that old bastard valued blood and standards above everything.

But I had had enough of being nice to the king. I had waited long enough for the right time.

Now it was time for me to take action. I needed to make a higher jump because if I continued climbing the ladder, following smaller plans, this world would keep pulling my feet down, never allowing me to reach where I wanted to.

I had to, for Nandani. Because she was the only person I ever called mine, I couldn't tolerate anyone eyeing what was mine. How dare that scoundrel touch her? I was so enraged.

I sat on the throne, and closing my eyes, I promised myself to be menacing.

Suddenly, footsteps rushed into the hall, creating havoc. I opened my eyes to find the chief of justice, the nobles, and all the courtiers present, accompanied by a troop of soldiers holding swords in their hands.

“What do you think you are doing sitting on the royal throne?” the chief railed. Turning the honed point of the sword toward the ground and slumping forward, I rested my bleeding arm on its pommel.

“Before the next moonrise, I will be the King. Now, you all have two choices: swear your fealty to me or give up on your life.” Chaos heightened in the room, and they all began to murmur to each other.

A few of them were my followers, who stepped forward and stood by my side. Those who shared the ideology of‘blood and status is everything and above’with the king held their ground,and one of them opposed:“We will never serve the son of a slave. Did you forget where you belong, Rudra?”

I faced him.“Well, my father was a prince, so rationally, I belong here, by blood and by strength. And it is not Rudra... it is Rana Rudra Dev Singh,” I roared, and the man stepped forward, attempting to threaten me.

“You know, one word from me and these soldiers will decapitate you and history will never know that someone like you ever existed,” I chuckled at his venomous words.

“Calm down, my dear minister, don't strain your heart getting so riled up at such an age. I'm afraid you might become history soon,” his eyes widened in fury upon hearing my reply.

“Get him and throw him behind bars,” he immediately commanded. The soldiers instantly began moving toward me. Standing up, I clenched the sword’s hilt and stretched my wrists, watching them.

“So…. none of you ever won combat while training with me,” I said, taking my first step down the stairs.“I wonder how brutal your death would be when I finally use my battling techniques today.” They stopped at a distance, frozen in fear, because neither could they get their hands on me, nor could they ignore the minister’s command.

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