THE 50TH QUEEN

"Attention! Maharaja Samarthya is showing his prestigious presence!!" A servant standing on the wide gates of a large assembly hall yelled out.

A few moments later, a person with bright brown eyes and robust physique came inside with his 10 men behind. His color blonde, sharp features, hair like silk upto the shoulder, gold and diamonds from top to bottom it was literally a pleasure to watch such a handsome personality infront. He was non other than king Samarthya of a vast kingdom heelshila.

Famous for his wins over the neighbuoring kingdom of shranya at just an age of 20, never losing a single war and making several kings helpless to accept defeat and surrender, he earned the title of "king Invincible".

The moment he stepped in, every man in the hall kneel down to show respect. The women, sitting on the top floor, on the other hand stood up in courtesy and unknowing blushed hard by watching such an elegant personality.

King samarthya accepted the greets and went up to sit on the large golden throne.

After a while king ordered to start the assembly.

It was the fourth day of the week, the day dedicated by the royals to the common people of the kingdom. On that day the poors come to the royal mansion and tell their problems to the king and ask for help.

The commander exclaimed " whosoever be the petitionor, will get the justice done! Explain your matter, come one by one!!

A fat lady, with all the makeup available in the market on her round face, came in the hall, crying too much and shouting" my husband cheated on me!! Oh god!!.... take him away!!!"

Although there is seldom any kind of problems the villagers come up with or if any, are related to land distribution between brothers, property seized by small money lenders, etc so mostly the meetings are conducted by the commander himself without disturbing the king.

Its been 8 years since King samrthya took the responsibility of this kingdom after his father's sudden death by poisoning. He was just 20 then, and was accused by his step mother, Maharani Kautalyabai for his father's death and was brutally critisized. She was always harsh towards him since his mother's death and eternaly wanted her own child to be the inheritor of the possessions. However misfortune hit her hard and she continued to miscarriage third time when finally Vaidya laksh, the best clinician of the north told her that she can't conceive anymore. She went through depression and blame Samarthya for her agony. Her health continued to decline. Although she hated him with whole heartedness, and samarthya too didn't like her at all, he never counter her in any matter. But the situation is critical now. As there is no other successor of the kingdom, maharani although unwillingly, had to announce him as the new king. After the coronation, Samarthya pledged to first find his father's blameworthy and only then he would ascend to take the throne.

Within 3 days he found out the traitor and within 15 days fought the great battle against king of shranya who sent the traitor to poison the king and won over the kingdom.

King shranya's broken armor, still hanging on the gates of kingdom as an evidence of victory.

Short after the battle and Samarthya's overtake, maharani's health worsen more. She was bedridden for past 2 weeks. It was very clear that her time of departure was coming close. One day she asked to call the king. The last person she wanted to see was Samarthya. When Samarthya went to her, tears flooded her eyes and she accosted her last words "i was wrong. I was very wrong my son... to blame you for everything. I never accepted you as a child, it was my misfortune that despite of having a son like you, i chose to be acarpous. I never loved you as a mother, is the reason i was never loved as a mother. If possible my son, can you call me mom for the first and last time?"

Samarthya was shocked. His breath shortened. Somehow tears filled his eyes and his heart felt heavy. His mind was blown as he never expected such words would ever come out from maharani's mouth. With a great difficulty and courage he uttered "m..mm...mother!"

This is the first time he wanted to talk to her.... to be with her....to spend sometime with her. But this didn't last long. After listening "mother" from samarthya's mouth, a slight smile came to her lips, and maharani closed her eyes in peace and satisfaction. She died in Samarthya's arms. Samarthya's heart felt broken and he uttered "you come to me so late, and left me so soon."

All the tragedies hitting the king, one after the other made him rather more strong and more responsible. He started to focus more and more towards kingdom's welfare. From the day king took up the throne, the kingdom progressed day by day and never faced any major problems. Not a single king dared to look up with evil gaze.

So it was assumed that whatsoever be the matter today, must not be very serious and the king was troubled without any reason.

Commander himself thought "people think that the king is free to that extent to solve the marriage affairs now, oh what a pity!"

Still the king agreed to listen to the villagers today so no one thought more about it.

King asked in his deep voice "what is the matter lady, tell me the whole thing".

The lady shouted "Maharaj, my husband cheated on me, he is such a bastard!! Leaving his young and beautiful wife he goes to some slut out there!!! Oh god! Take him away before i stain my hands with blood!"

From behind came a slim man, his face older than his age, nose slightly tilted towards left, his gait like he is drinking continuously from three days and also drank a bottle just before entering the hall.

Still he was completely in his senses, criticized his wife and shouted "you bitch, first of all i did not cheat on you and secondly you...you are not beautiful at all !!"

All the ministers sitting on their respective places giggled but instantly became quiet when the king looked up.

The king then said" lady, on what bases are you accusing your husband?"

The lady replied "maharaj, i met an old brahmin yesterday. He is very good at fortune readings and can tell anything if asked. He told me that this bastard is cheating on me then definitely it must be true!"

One of the ministers got up and said "thats not enough to accuse someone like this. You must present strong evidences."

The lady said with all the tears flowing out of her eyes "after that old brahmin told me so, i myself went to keep an eye on him. I myself saw him with a tall ugly lady. He is 100% cheating on me".

The husband of her shouted again " first of all that old man is so old...seeing the future is a far concern i doubt if he can barely see the person standing next to him with his tiny eyes."

Then lady asked "and secondly?"

The husband shouted "and secondly that lady was not ugly...you are ugly!!"

The lady started crying more and more.

The minister got up again and said "here...he himself accepted that he met a lady..therefore there is no doubt he is cheating on her...he must be punished by the lord"

The king said "accused must be given the chance to plea".

The husband said "first of all even if i met other woman, it is no wrong...our lord himself has the highest no of wives. If he can have 49 wives...why cant i have two?

And secondly despite of all, i am still not cheating on her. I met that tall beautiful lady but my misfortune is one step ahead."

" You useless fellow, watch your words before they come out. Anything against our lord cannot be tolerated. And say clearly what you want to say!" The minister said angrily.

The husband replied "first of all pardon me if i spoke wrong. And secondly what i wanted to say is the lady i met was not a lady at all. He was a man in lady's costume!"

All the people in the hall were shocked!

"It was the first time someone come up with this excuse" one of the minister said.

The husband said " firstly.."

The commander shouted "leave your first..second. come to the point right now." Then the husband said "no no! Its not an excuse. He was genuinely a man. I myself got tricked by him. Yesterday, i was coming back from selling my wheat to the trader some miles away from the kingdom, when i saw a very beautiful lady passing by. I was astonished by her beauty and followed her. She went towards the forest and i found out this to be a great opportunity so i instantly ran into the forest. But when i went near, i found out that infact she was not she but he!! Not only he broke my nose but also broke my legs due to which my gait feels like i am drunk."

Once this man finished...the silence surrounded the hall. There were so many questions in everyone's mind. Who is that guy? Why is he roaming here and there with a lady's costume? Is he mad?

The king asked "do you know who that man was?"

The husband replied "firs... No no your highness...i dont know him"

The minister said "hence the case is closed. The man did not cheated on his wife."

The king said " no! He did not because he could not. But his intentions were surely filthy. He must be punished with 10 wipes from our female soldiers so that he never forget to respect women. Nose and legs already broken by that man, ego to be broken by us! Case closed!"

After the agreement of all the queens, the case was finally closed.

Before he could say something the lady went near her husband and intimidated "already so slim you are, if half or two breath still remains in you after this punishment and you come home alive, i will sit on you and take them away!"

Not only the man got horrified by these words..but the ministers too trembled for a second.

That lady added "i told you already..that brahmin has magical powers to reach the truth and tell the fortune. God bless him!"

Commander ordered the servants "take this man for the punishment".

The lady thanked the king and was about to leave when king called her "wait! Call that old brahmin. I want to see him"

The lady immidiately nodded "ofcourse my lord. I will definitely call him."