#Rudra Raja Mannar

[potplant-at-dreamkeepers-cottage]

Wait wait wait... Bacchi is dead????

Where do we learn that?

[ririsasy]

I think it’s long overdue that I made a

Salaar Masterlist.

Favorite Varadeva moments that solidified that they are each other’s number 1 and only.

The laying down on lap

The hug™

The no one should touch you

The raw chili powder (actually my favorite)

Going against Amma

Don’t touch, Aadhya vs Varadha

Varadeva comparison with other couple in movies

1. With kgf

2. With Baahubali (feat RRR)

3. With RRR n here, here, here

4. With Call me by your name

5. With Kadhal Desam

6. With Ugramm

7. Hombale literally made this

Metas

1. About the first kill

2. The rattling chains

3. Young Varadha and his worry

4. Young Deva and his vow

5. About the scars

6. Tenderest Scene with Poem

7. Varadha is actually really affectionate

8. Deva’s tears

9. Deva’s 2nd tears

10. Varadha being horny at the wrong time lol

11. Reading each other’s mind

Parallel scenes

1. The threat and The promise

2. Matching each other’s freak

3. About the bracelet

4. Raja Mannar vs Varadha

5. Hand feeding scene

6. Touching nose ring

7. Varadha looking at Deva

Silly metas and headcanons

1. Scene in chronological order

2. Varadha’s enemies

3. Mannar is a feline

Incorrect quote silly posts

1. Drunk scene, another version

2. Varadha as an emoji

3. Clueless Baachi

4. Failed Dirty talk

5. Deva getting Distracted

6. First deep conversation

Video edits and gifsets

3 generations mannars

Deva taking off his clothes

Prabhas’s hands

Varadha snatching waist

✨ Sparkle series

Young Varadeva separation

Deva being goofy

Shiva Mannar

Prithvi and Prabhas

What Prithvi said about Prabhas

What Prabhas said about Prithvi

Prithvi and Prabhas can’t stop touching each other and still pictures

Prabhas’s dead grip of prithvi whenever they took pics

Bonus Prashanth Favorite scene

Shruti about them lol

Funny coincidence about their join “Raju” name

The PPP

Fanfictions

Sit on my Lap

Put it in my mouth

Young Varadeva first meeting n here

Omegaverse headcanon

Bonus

1. Rudra and Ranga

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And many more I didn’t include because it’s just really silly posts lol you can just browse my blog with #Salaar tag to find everything.

I also have Discord n Community to discuss about all my favorite indian movies with the nice girlies if you want to join. 🥰👌

Please consider reblogging so it could reach more people 🙏

[celestesinsight]

Salaar Analysis!

Time and again, we were told in the movie about how dangerous Shouryangas were! How even if only one of them survives, they would come for revenge! Raja Mannar used the darkness of night to kill them all in their sleep. Even after thinking he had wiped out all the Shouryangas, he still lived in fear for 25 years, built walls and gathered an army. He was not unjustified in his fear too as Bhaarava and others were biding their time for revenge.

But it is interesting that all Deva, their true leader, cared about was Varadha, not revenge. When Aadhya asked Bilal if Deva knew that he was the rightful heir to the throne, he didn't reply. The movie ended with a suspense that Deva might have promised Varadha the throne, being unaware of his own claim.

I believe that Deva was fully aware of his identity. First of all, the scars on his back and sword ritual he performed during climax, proved that Deva's knowledge about its Shouryanga identity.

Secondly, only children survived the massacre. If Deva's birth and identity wasn't a public knowledge in the tribe, how could Bhaarava and others be aware of Deva's identity, with no surviving adults to tell them the secret.

Most of Deva's time in Khanshar was either spent with Varadha or sitting alone on the cliff, looking over the entire Khanshar. This fixation of Deva made me feel that Deva also wanted to take Khanshar from Raja Mannar as revenge, not for himself but for Varadha.

Varadha had given up his right to be a Dora and most probably his only chance of being his father's heir by throwing away the bracelet.

It was clear from the first scene that Varadha, being the child of the second wife, didn't enjoy the same power and prestige as Rudra. But Varadha could have a chance at being the heir if he could prove himself stronger than Rudra. Because in Khanshar strength prevails over everything. But he gave up his chance when he threw away the bracelet.

And Deva understood it very well. When Varadha threw away the bracelet and Ranga's father picked it up, Deva lowered his head in helplessness. He couldn't bear to see Varadha giving away his rights and only hope of life with dignity for his sake. He looked up only when he heard his Amma cry and went to hug her and cried in her arm. He was crying due to his inability to not only protect his mother, but also Varadha. That's why he shuddered when Varadha touched him to assure him of his support. There was a rage and determination in his eyes when Varadha asked them to leave immediately. And he didn't promise his Amma that he would never return to Khanshar, but promised Varadha instead.

That was the moment, Deva stopped being a person and became a weapon in Varadha's hands. Baba and Varadha realised this and named him Salaar. It was clear from Amma's dismay that she realised it too.

And that was the moment, Deva decided to give the entire Khanshar to Varadha and he was only waiting for Varadha to ask for it. That's why he asked why he didn't call him sooner, when Varadha questioned why he didn't come sooner. Deva was waiting for the last 25 years for Varadha to decide he wanted the throne and call him.

The scene when Deva stepped into the gates of Khanshar again was juxtaposed with a young Deva stepping out of Khanshar. When young Deva was stepping out he was looking back with determination and rage. His dialogue that walls were made to prevent people from getting in, not from getting out, further emphasized his understanding of Raja Mannar and his character.

During the climax fighting scene, right after Varadha declared that he wanted everything he was looking at, the scene changed to Raja Mannar telling Radha Rama that everyone was after his throne and then showed Deva's devilish smile, the reaction to Varadha's declaration. His reaction in the scene was like Varadha had finally said the words he was waiting to hear for so long.

Thiru was not correct, when he said every Shouryangas wanted revenge except Deva. Deva wanted revenge too, but not by burning Raja Mannar with his throne like Bhaarava and other Shouryangas. But his method of wreaking vengeance on Raja Mannar was to take his prized throne and give it to the son, whom he considered as a disgrace and let bullied since childhood. The son who was supposed to be his most promising legacy, if only he wasn't loyal to his most dangerous enemy.

In the childhood scenes in 'Sooreede' song, when Varadha ate the morsel of food meant for Deva, he playfully charged at him. But then in the next sequence, he himself gave Varadha his share. Varadha never had to take anything from Deva, he would give it to him voluntarily, be it his share of food or the throne of Khanshar.

[rambheem-is-real]

Saiga Okadu, Sainyam Okadu

A Salaar fic

pairing: Varadeva

warnings: mentions of depression, suicidal thoughts

-

Varadha stares in despair as he watches the truck cross the gates of Khansaar, taking with it the boy that had been Varadha’s entire world for the past few years. 

A part of him wants to run after him, screaming to all who can hear, Come back! I need you here! 

But Varadha knows this is for the best. His own father had sent men to kill Deva and his mother, and had already killed Dhaara. There was no telling what his father would do to Deva after realizing that Varadha had given up precious land for him. Not that Varadha regretted that action, he would have given up anything if it meant Amma and Deva could live. 

It’s okay, he’ll be safe now, he tries to tell himself, but he can’t stop the tears from falling as he gets into his car. He barely registers the driver starting the journey back home as it finally hits that his Deva is gone. 

-

“Why did you give up the land?” 

Varadha has never been more afraid, yet angry at his father. There’s nothing he can say that won’t implicate Deva, and there’s nothing he can say to get himself out of this situation. So he goes with the tactic he uses whenever Deva isn’t with him. The weight of silence gives him relief. 

“Why won’t you answer?” Raja Mannar looks like he’s reached his last straw, and Varadha is proven right when pain suddenly explodes on his cheek, and he reels back from the blow, dropping to his knees. He keeps his eyes on the ground in front of him, and stays just like that, unmoving.

Eventually Raja Mannar calls guards to throw him out of the court. 

“Varadharaja Mannar has given up all of his rights to be a Dora, and to be a member of this family,” Varadha hears his father proclaim to the audience behind him as he’s dragged out. 

Good riddance, he thinks.

-

At first, Varadha tried to pretend he was above engaging with his brothers. Rudra was relentless in his insults, and many others in the court soon followed Rudra. 

It’s okay, it’s only for a few more years, Varadha thinks. He knows it’s not true, but he has to stay strong. He doesn’t have Deva anymore, but he can do it. He’s a survivor. Varadha has been fighting his family all his life, from even before he met Deva. He can do it again.

The years pass.

It’s okay, Varadha thinks as he gets hot tea dumped on him from a shopowner that he realized too late was a friend of Ranga’s. 

It’s okay, Varadha thinks as he is made to stand with his arms crossed in the hot sun, waiting for Rudra to let him go. 

It’s only for a few more years, Varadha thinks as he tears his gaze away from his gun, and closes his eyes. His fingers shake with the effort to keep the muzzle away from his own temple. He can’t. They can beat him, they can humiliate him, but they can’t take away his dignity. Not yet, anyway. And besides, what would happen to Baachi if Varadha wasn’t there? His darling little brother, part of a group of very few people that genuinely cared about him, and the only remnant of his birth mother. Varadha had made himself a bigger target on purpose so Baachi would be relatively safe, but he has no delusions that his cruel brothers wouldn’t hesitate to tear Baachi apart with Varadha gone. 

He throws the gun away, hears it shatter against the walls of his room, and thinks about a boy he had once loved. A boy that had sheltered Varadha from all of this, a boy that had made Varadha hope for a better life, even for the very throne of Khansaar. That boy is gone. 

You could call him back, a traitorous voice whispers in his head. He promised to come back, for you. 

No. Deva was his savior, his best friend. It was because of Varadha’s family that Deva’s own had been torn apart. Deva had protected Varadha, and now Varadha would do the same for Deva. He didn’t need to come back, could live in peace with Amma wherever he was. 

Is he happy? Varadha thinks. He hopes so. If he is, then all of this is worth it. 

-

Raja Mannar had left. 

Varadha didn’t care much for anything, these days. He was paying attention to the politics of the court, of course, but nothing else interested him. Oftentimes he heard Baachi scolding him for not waking up early enough in the morning, or forgetting to take meals, but in his defense the days had started to blend together. Varadha didn’t think he was capable of feeling strong emotions at this point, and he supposed that’s what happened when you lived in a constant state of anxiety and fear for a few decades. At some point there’s nothing your enemies can do to surprise you.

And that’s exactly when they surprised him. 

Varadha tried to fight, he really did. But Rudra, Ranga, and the others outnumbered Varadha and his men almost twenty to one. As he was forced onto his knees, and Rudra’s calloused hands gripped his nose ring, Varadha thought this was the end. At least he was going with Baachi and the people that had stayed loyal to him. If this was his death, then be it. 

He had not expected the ringing of the Khansaar bell, the ceasefire announcement, or the slight disappointment he had felt at realizing his last few days alive would be spent trying not to die like a sheep. 

Varadha wanted to cry. 

Well, I can still feel sadness, a small part of him thinks. 

Not for himself, of course. But he had always wanted Baachi to be spared. Who could protect him now?

He thinks again of the boy who had protected Varadha as a child. 

Deva… could help Baachi. 

No, he had already decided to keep Deva away from Khansaar. 

But Baachi would live. 

Varadha sighs, feeling the weight of all the years he spent alive. He had no other choice, then. 

-

Varadha walks into the mechanic shop, not knowing what to expect. 

He recognizes who he came for immediately. 

Although Deva has grown, Varadha can still see the confident manner in which the other man carries himself, the broad shoulders that Varadha had thrown his arm over countless times, the care with which he handles whatever tools he’s using. 

Maybe he doesn’t even remember you. Maybe he’s so much better off here. 

Varadha’s stomach clenches, but he pushes past the fear. A memory comes to him, of a young Deva touching a live wire just to get Varadha his nose ring back, and he trusts that Varadha meant to Deva what Deva meant, and still means, to Varadha. 

His heart won’t calm down no matter what he tries, so he just ignores the nerves. He takes a deep breath. 

“Deva!” he calls. 

-

tags: @mad-who-ra @sada-siva-sanyaasi @deadloverscity @just-a-lazy-person @sambaridli

[sometimesbrave]

read chapter 1: here, chapter 2: here, chapter 3: here

warnings: dead bodies

June 1986

***

"The death of me was so quiet

No friends and family allowed

Only my murderer, you, and the priest

Who told you to go to Hell"

- doomsday by Lizzy McAlpine

***

Today was the one year anniversary of Raja Mannar's reign in Khansaar. As a gift to their king, a Mannar Dhora delivered the Khansaar court the good news: Dhaara Shouryanga Raisaar's wife and son are dead.

They were both found in Odisha. They were captured to bring back to Khansaar. But they both had tried to escape again, so, they were beaten so much their faces were brutally disfigured and eventually they died. Raja Mannar had planned to hang the bodies outside Khansaar court, but he was advised against it, as it may instigate a few rebels. After seeing the two bloody corpses, he was finally at peace. This chapter has finally come to an end. No rightful claims to the throne remained. The throne of Khansaar belonged to him and him alone.

When Varadha received this news, his soul left his body. He felt as though he was observing himself from the outside. Then he heard someone screaming very loudly. Then he realised it was him. He had actually fallen to the floor, screaming his guts out while Baba hugged him to try and calm him down. Baachi was peering at his brother through the door, not understanding what to do.

After a few hours, Varadha went to the hospital to see the bodies against Baba's wishes. The most important thing now was to make sure the death rites were done properly. It was the least Varadha could do. He can deal with his grief another day. Today he had to be responsible. When he was about to enter the mortuary, Baba took him aside.

"Varadha, whatever you see in there, must be between us. You cannot get shocked. You must accept the truth that Deva and his mother are gone, forever."

Varadha nodded his head. He entered the mortuary and saw two bodies covered in white sheets. He asked the helper to lift the sheets.

The helper looked at Baba concerned, "Sir, I don't think that's a good idea."

Varadha would not budge from his position.

"I am ordering you to lift the face covering. I will not ask again."

The helper relented and lifted the covers off both the bodies.

Varadha did not recognise the faces. There was nothing recognisable. They were so beaten. The eyes and lips were swollen while the scalp was ripped in a few places on both of them. Varadha's hands shook as he approached the bodies. He stood beside the boy's body and began to cry. He fell on his body and started weeping hysterically. Baba tried to pull him away from the body when Varadha noticed something. The bruise Deva got after his fight with Rudra's pahalwan….the electric wire shocked him. The bruise spanned from his arm to his neck and it was no longer there.

This was not Deva.

Varadha looked at Baba in disbelief.

Varadha was about to speak when Baba interrupted him, "Varadha, you are just in shock. We should get you home as soon as possible and plan for the death rites. We have to honour your friend and his mother. We must leave now."

As soon as Varadha and Baba reached home, Varadha hugged him.

"That is not Deva and Amma", he choked.

"No, they are not.", Baba admitted,

"They are just dead bodies of couple of poor strangers who will be buried in a strange land."

"But why?!", Varadha asked in disbelief.

"Because you are not the only person who cares about Deva and his mother. There are few powerful people in Khansaar who want them to be left alone"

"Who are they? Is it a Mannar Dhora?!"

"I also don't know alright. Just be grateful that this worked out in your favour. The most important thing for you to remember is that Deva and his mother are dead to Khansaar. So, your behaviour must not raise any suspicions.", Baba warned.

Though Varadha was overjoyed that Deva and Amma are not dead, he was sad that these strangers' bodies were mutilated and not given to their rightful family. The least he could do was provide them a proper funeral.

Thus, Raja Mannar believed that, on June 27th 1986, Deva Shouryaanga Raisaar and his mother's pyres were lit by his traitorous son, Varadharaja Mannar.

****

tags: @deadloverscity @ghostdriftexistence @sambaridli @rambheem-is-real @sinistergooseberries @vardhamannartitties, @moonnpaww @literariyumi @sana2410 @varadevaficrecs

[navinskizz]

Varadha is literally the saying “Calm before the storm”. He is patient, calm and thinks before doing something unlike his brothers(bacchi and rudra)or even deva, Radha Rama is likely the closest one who thinks before doing something.

I feel like thats what scares everyone. He is not an impulsive person. He knows what he is doing and I believe we still have not seen him fully go blind in rage. He was just fighting but we will in part 2(I hope we do) this could also be the reason why he and deva drifted apart like what if it was not deva who did something(like killing bacchi) but varadha who got blinded in rage and deva couldnot save him or stop him during that time so he left him. For deva he felt guilty he couldnot save his friend( that’s why he still remembers him in good memories)but for varadha he felt betrayed cus his only friend whom he thought would stay by his side, left him and that’s why he is the VILLAIN. You see this Words THE MAIN ANTAGONIST. They could have easily made Raja Mannar the main villain cus he killed deva’s tribe and father and as we have yet to know how only those two were able to defeat all the armies and get to the throne(I mean there is still a part yet to unfold) but NO VARADHA IS THE MAIN VILLAIN( ik the story of urgamm but just a little so enlighten me on that)

And also Like We have seen Deva go blind by rage anger and what he can do(Vishnu and narang) but varadha’s is still not there.

(Read the tags🥹)

Hi can u do 7 for vardha please

the perfect promopt for varadha. silent fury.

_______________

Suppressing emotions wasn't new to him. Varadha was used not expressing what he felt. His sadness was silent, his anxiety was silent, his fear was silent, his disgust was silent. Whatever little joy he felt was silent too but probably the most significant emotion was the most suppressed too.

The fury, the anger, the rage, the wrath. It was all silent.

Why? for a number of reasons. One was the consequences. He knew he was badly out numbered and as much as he didn't care about himself, he had a brother to think of.

Two was Deva. God forbid if something was to happen to him-actually nevermind that-if he were even touched with wrong intention he was pretty sure half of the khansaar would be dead overnight.

Three was the consequences but a little different. He knew how bad his anger could get, he has seen on few occasions, how much destruction he has brought in a state of pure blind rage. It was like none other.

So he did what he always did best and bottled it all up.

Varadha was also aware that one day the bottle will crack and a flood will come and drown everything in its path but that was not now and he would anything to keep it away from the ones he loved.

---------

tags : @mayakimayahai @warnermeadowsgirl @vijayasena @voidsteffy @jkdaddy01 @rambheem-is-real @allari-ammayi @mellaga-karagani @ulaganayagi @ririsasy @celestesinsight @navinskizz

[celestesinsight]

Salaar: 'Prathi Gaadhalo' song analysis!

@whimsiquix mentioned during a discussion that 'Prathi Gaadhalo' might be a red herring, meant for Varadha actually. That made me listen to the song again.

"In every story it's the demon who unleashes violence, and to oppress that demon rises a king."

The demon was Raja Mannar, who slaughtered an entire tribe to get the throne or Rudra and others who started violence in Khanshar for their interest.

Was Deva the king?

I have seen analysis of the song on YouTube saying Deva was the king described in the song. Because he was the son of Dhaara, the leader of Shouryangas, the rightful king of Khanshar. But I believe it was not Deva, but Varadha who was the king.

1. Khanshar wasn't a place with law and order. They didn't have inheritance law. Son didn't automatically become entitled to the father's assets. He had to earn the position. Rudra established that in the very first scene, when he said Varadha needed to earn the right to wear a nose ring, even if he was Raja Mannar's son. That's the reason, Dhara was chosen after Shiva Mannar instead of his own son Raja Mannar. Either Dhara was the chosen king because he was stronger between the two or they had decided the tribes would take turns over Kartha's position. Similarly, being Dhara's son didn't make Deva the rightful claimant to the throne. Maybe after Dhara, the next king might have come from Dhaniyar tribe.

2. The voiceover after the first scene said that in Khanshar, if you lose a battle, you lose everything. Dhara was killed and in a way lost the battle and lost his everything. Khanshar's most important law was 'Balasthaiba Rajyam, Balasthaiba Asanam', meaning 'the strongest shall rule, the strongest shall get the throne'. Raja Mannar earned the throne for himself, even though it was by using dishonourable means and was ruling with his own strength for the last 25 years. It was also kind of a weakness for Dhara to not anticipate Raja Mannar's treacherous intention, consequences of which were suffered by not only himself, but also by his family and his entire tribe.

3. If we discard this rightful claimant stuff, Deva was indeed strong and capable of earning the throne for himself. But did he have the agency to take it for himself. The movie established from the very first scene that Deva had no agency of his own, he was a weapon in the hands of the person with whom his loyalties lie. A weapon's effectiveness depends on the person who yields it. In Amma's hands, Deva was like a weapon with a deadly and terrifying history, but locked in a glass box. It was only Varadha's hands which could unleash the ultimate power of the weapon.

4. The movie is named Salaar and we were told about the meaning behind the same through the conversation between Baba and Varadha. Salaar was the name of the powerful man devoted to the Persian Emperor. Varadha named Deva Salaar because of the latter's devotion towards him and Varadha was parallel to the Persian Emperor.

"In his quest to quell the enemy, the king has embraced savagery. He has made violence a habit and forgotten kindness, He slayed the monster fighting resolutely, Filled with ire, he has turned into a monster himself."

1. When Bilal introduced Varadha to Aadhya, he said even though Varadha was only a governor, but lived with the confidence of the lord. Varadha was someone with much restraint in the violent world of Khanshar. The whole film was about how much more Varadha could tolerate, before he snapped and fought back. His self control, dignity and calmness was what scared his enemies most. Such a person is like a volcano. When such a person abandons the restraint binding them, the lava of their wrath would destroy everything that stands in their way.

2. Towards the end of the movie, we saw Varadha telling his family members that he also had Mannarsi blood flowing in his veins. Finally, Varadha Raja Mannar, embraced the savagery and violence in his blood and fought back against the enemies. He also declared his intention of fighting for the throne against his own father.

3. Varadha turning into a monster himself while fighting monsters could be part of his villain arc.

"Be determined, dare the most powerful, Time to prove your patience and skill, Forgiveness is a noble way to win."

1. Patience was never a skill of Deva. He was well known for being an impulsive maniac. It was Varadha, who was skilled in patience, who tolerated the humiliation and unfair treatment for 25 years.

2. It was clear from the blood stained hands that Deva had a guilty conscience. He was living a placid life with his mother, hiding from the world. They were moving from place to place to escape from someone.

3. Deva was the one seeking redemption and the only person he would give power to forgive him would be Varadha.

4. Radha Rama was trying to take advantage of their falling out and make them fight each other. The only way they could win against her, if Varadha would forgive Deva and they would reconcile.

"Won't anger prove to be your weakness?"

Varadha's anger against Deva would surely be his weakness as Deva was his greatest strength.

"Stop a war with a smile and show the world, Your merits shall remain etched on time like letters on stone, Your flaws shall be erased like lines on sand."

Deva would never fight against Varadha. Varadha was the one who could stop the coming war by forgiving Deva. If he chose to do so, they would be friends again and live happily ever after. Otherwise, Varadha would go down as a villain.

"Victories don't come from wars, they come from forgiveness."

That's what Amma wrote on the blackboard during the song. Varadeva victory would be assured if they embrace forgiveness and fight together against their enemies.

Maybe I am overthinking, but the song might actually be meant for Varadha and not Deva.

[rambheem-is-real]

Varadha's Greatest Strength Part 1

A Varadeva fic

Baachi pov for Part 1

warnings: NSFW in Part 2

AU where in the crossfire, Raja Mannar, Radha Rama, Rudra, and the Ghaniyar tribe have perished. Varadha is about to assume the throne when the Shouryangas come to attack.

-

"Anna, they're getting in, we can't stop them!" Baachi cries out, watching the metal doors of the Khansaar inner court warp from the pressure of hundreds of warriors fighting to get inside.

His older brother stands behind him, unmoving. The coolness of his demeanor is irritating Baachi to no end. The Shouryangas were literally on their doorstep and Varadharaja Mannar hadn't even drawn a sword.

"Anna! What do we do!"

Finally, his brother looks at Baachi, and his lips twitch into the slightest smile.

"We can't beat them, don't bother. Let them come in."

At this, even Varadha's loyalists gape at him, but before they can say anything, the doors smash open.

With a cheer, the Shouryangas make their way into the room, quickly surrounding the few men left willing to fight for the last lord of the Mannarsi.

"Anyone lay a hand on my brother and I'll-" Baachi is cut off by Baba's hand on the arm holding up his rifle. He looks at Baba, who just shakes his head and gestures at a familiar figure walking towards them.

"You!" Baachi exclaims. "After all my brother did for you, after bringing you here, you dare betray him?"

Devaratha doesn't even look at Baachi as he passes by, who realizes in horror that Devaratha is going straight for his older brother, standing in front of the Khansaar throne.

The Shouryanga army and Varadha's loyalists both hold their breaths, waiting to see what would happen.

Devaratha reaches Varadha, who still has that damned smile on his face.

Please let it be honorable and quick, Baachi prays. It was bad enough that the person his brother loved the most would be the one to end him.

To everyone's surprise, instead of striking Varadha down with his sword and claiming the throne, as was Devaratha's birthright, Baachi sees Devaratha kneel.

It's a slow, deliberate action, meant to dispel any confusion over its purpose. Devaratha keeps eye contact with his brother until he fully reaches the ground, and then drops into a low bow.

"I, Devaratha Raisan," the man starts in his gravelly voice. "Pledge allegiance to Varadharaja Mannar of the Mannarsi tribe."

Gasps are heard around the room, and the Shouryanga leaders, Bharava and Dheru, look furious. Baachi himself isn't sure what's happening.

"I have vowed to protect my Sulthan, and I will always be his Salaar. Anyone who disagrees will cross Dhaara Raisan's son."

Baachi sees his brother's smile widen into something more joyful, something softer and more intimate than he thinks a roomful of enemy Shouryanga warriors should be seeing. And in the second twist of the night, Varadharaja Mannar moves forward to kneel before Devaratha.

He gently caresses Devaratha's face, who leans into the touch as if he craves it.

"My Salaar," Varadha says, so softly Baachi almost can't hear it over the sound of the unhappy Shouryangas. He can't see what expression Devaratha makes at that, but it's enough for Varadha to grip him by the jaw and pull him in for a kiss.

Oh. Ohhhhh.

"Deva, what-" Bhaarava tries to yell but is interrupted by Devaratha, who stands up and raises his sword.

"I WILL NOT LET ANYONE TOUCH HIM!"

The declarations stuns the Shouryangas, who, after a long pause, start to back away.

The reality of the situation sets in for Baachi, and he can see from the suddenly hopeful faces that Baba, Bilal, Rinda, and the others have also understood.

Devaratha was never a threat, never a weakness, he had always been Varadha's greatest strength.

Baachi's face breaks out into a grin. "All hail the next karta of Khansaar, Varadharaja Mannar!"

"No, Baachi." His brother says, standing up. He locks eyes with Devaratha once more. "There will be a change to the Nibandhanam."

Varadha turns to address the entire room. "Shouryangas!" He calls.

The retreating army pauses. Bhaarava glares at Baachi's brother. "What do you want?"

Varadha just smiles at him, and grasps Devaratha's hand. "I propose an equal partnership between the Mannars and the Shouryangas."

Dheru scoffs, and Bhaarava narrows his eyes. "And how will you do that? When the rightful heir to the throne and the savior of our tribe is beneath you?"

Varadha shakes his head. "Deva is not beneath me. My Deva is always an equal to me, the one I love most."

Devaratha gives him the sappiest look Baachi has seen a man give another person, and he internally shudders.

Ugh. That man was going to be his brother-in-law soon at this rate.

"Which is why I want to rule Khansaar with Deva. As a partnership."

There it was.

Bhaarava gives Devaratha a cautious look, who nods.

"And what will that entail for us?"

Baachi tunes out once the negotiations start, but he's glad that his brother is alive and happy once more, even if it means he has to keep dealing with Devaratha.

He catches Varadha's eyes during a break, and sees the question in them: Are you okay with this? With him as well?

Baachi smiles in response, and sees Varadha relax at the confirmation that Baachi approves.

-

tagging moots and the people that commented on my post about writing a smut fic: @deadloverscity @sada-siva-sanyaasi @sambaridli @sometimesbrave @just-a-lazy-person @vijayasena @mad-who-ra @umbrulla @jitterbugbetty @importantpiratesgetscaredofme @chocolate-1-0-1 @pitrsattabhaadmeinjao @sinistergooseberries @tulodiscord @varadevaficrecs

[celestesinsight]

Raja Mannar understood that the biggest threat was not Rudra, who was eyeing his throne, but it was the son he had always considered a disgrace, when Varadha said he also had Mannar blood flowing in his veins. Varadha's eyes promised his father bloodbath before being dragged away.

[ririsasy]

Raja Mannar jr. and Raja Mannar sr. having almost the same style with that scarf around their necks.

Now I think about it.....perhaps it's Rajamannar who copied Varadha's style lol because Varadha wore it first? But then again Rudra also sport this style once and also one of the lords from Ghaniyar tribe so I think the scarf was somehow also a high fashion choice for the elites perhaps in Khansaar 🤔

You know what irked me the most about the contrast of the scene when Rajamannar invited Varadha to be lord again he pat his shoulder as he walked pass him and Varadha was smiling happily just from little acknowledgment that his father spared him 😭 all his life Varadha might’ve doubted himself, why he couldn’t be loved by his own parent unconditionally why, and that doubt he carried with him through his entire life just like a little boy hoping someday his father would say that he is proud of him, the damaged that Rajamannar have done toward this man is irredeemable.

Pissed me off that Raja mannar didn’t even spare a glance at Varadha when he walked beside him during the trial like Varadha was in this position because of him too? Like he didn’t just suffered the most assault from this mofo almost losing his life because of Rudra and Ranga ganging up on him to take his place that Raja mannar himself offered for him? Why daddy? don’t you have brain and a little heart?

Who am I kidding asking for a heart from a man who initiated and advocated the ethnic cleansing of shouryangaas this man is no better than h!tler. Deserved whatever coming his way in Salaar 2. I want it to be as brutal as the way he massacred them 😭😭 in their sleep, will never forget and never forgive and shouldn’t Deva and his entire remaining tribesmen.

“Make your disgrace complete now (still bringing up the land he threw away when he was a kid)” he taunted Varadha before he made his decision about lifting the ceasefire or not??? Like WHERE IS COMPASSION?? Your two sons and his entire people almost got wiped out when you weren’t in khansaar but all you could think about was about keeping “peace?” There is no peace to speak off the moment they decided to ambush Varadha’s residence and almost killed him! He injured Varadha ! there are scars still fresh and visible on his face!

This kind of parents deserve not just jail time but GRAVE! Gladly I would like to see his demise in either Deva’s hands or Varadha’s own but whatever way i will be the one who cheer the loudest.

.

.

Based on this request

[rambheem-is-real]

Snail Fic

varadeva, crackfic based on server convos

Kid Deva is afraid of snails.

-

1981

Deva runs over to his father, dutifully presenting the bundle of documents Amma had sent with him. 

Dhaara smiles down at him, ruffling his hair affectionately. “Look at my boy, so responsible.” Deva feels his chest puff with pride. “Six years old and already going on important missions for the tribe.” Dhaara pokes Deva’s cheek, and Deva giggles. 

His father takes the documents, glancing down at them before setting them on the desk, and then returns his attention to Deva. “Well? Didn’t your mother tell you to come back home once you’re done here?”

Deva doesn’t move, but his lips drop down into a pout. Dhaara chuckles. “Alright, alright, I did promise you last week that I would take you into the Shouryanga forges,” he says, and Deva bounces on his toes, giddy over the fact that he’d get to see where his father worked most of the week, when he wasn’t at home or in political meetings with the rest of the tribe council. “Follow me.” 

Dhaara reaches towards the documents on the desk, then stops. “Not again,” he sighs. “We’ll have to get new ones, chinna.”

Deva walks over to the desk, leaning on his tippy-toes to see the papers. He gasps when he sees that they look.. wet? He quickly scans the rest of the surface. The cup of coffee is on the far side, and there’s no way it would’ve spilled all the way over here. However, there seems to be a trail of wetness across a corner of the desk, the one that the papers were close to. “What happened?” he asks. 

“Snail,” Dhaara says. “Now come on,” he gestures towards the door, but Deva stays put. 

“What’s a snail?”

“It’s an animal,” Dhaara explains. “It’s tiny and when it moves it leaves behind a trail of mucus.”

Deva glares at the wetness. Mucus, Dhaara had called it. How dare this snail ruin Nanna’s papers! he thinks. He turns back to Dhaara, shaking his head. “There’s a snail in here,” he says, and as always Dhaara understands his son perfectly. 

He chuckles at the little boy. “What, you’re gonna stay here until you catch it?” 

Deva nods, imagining himself as one of the superheroes in the comic books Varadha had stolen from Rudra. 

“And then what? You’ll kill it?” 

Deva immediately deflates. He hadn’t gotten that far in his imagination. How hard would it be to kill a snail?

“Chinna,” Dhaara tries to reason with him, but Deva’s already turning his back on him, pushing a chubby finger through the mucus on the desk. 

Determined little wolf, Dhaara thinks affectionately. He’s going to be a great leader. Chuckling, he makes his way out of the office room. Dhaara’s halfway outside the door when he hears an ear splitting scream, and immediately races back inside, heart pounding. That had been his son.

Expecting Mannarsi soldiers, Ghaniyar spies, or a ferocious beast of an animal, Dhaara runs into the office to see Deva sitting on the floor, staring agape at the desk, clutching his left hand to his chest. 

“Deva?!” 

Deva turns to look at him, still shocked, and wails, “SNAIL!”

Dhaara has to fight to not immediately burst out laughing at the mental image of what must have happened. Oh my God, he thinks, he’s terrified of snails. His brave little wolf cub, who wasn’t afraid of the dark, snakes, spiders, Raja Mannar’s scowling face, or anything a typical child might be afraid of, was terrified of snails.  He gently approaches his son, trying his best to keep a straight face. “Did you touch it?”

Deva nods, and a tear slips down his face. “It was so sticky,” he whispers. 

Dhaara scoops Deva up into his arms, and Deva doesn’t protest, only curling around him and resting his head on Dhaara’s neck. “It’s okay, chinna. Let’s just go home.” He only hopes Deva doesn’t feel the way he’s shaking from keeping the laughter in. 

-

1985

“-and those wisps up there, they’re called cirrus clouds,” Varadha explains, pointing to said clouds. Deva nods, listening raptly. His Varadha was so smart. 

They’re enjoying a leisurely day in the meadow, both of them not having any clan-related duties for the time being. Deva had brought a blanket for them to sit on, and Varadha had brought some biscuits to snack on. They spent most of the morning chasing each other in the grass, until they got tired and laid down, Deva’s head resting on Varadha’s chest, as he talked Deva’s ear off about what he learned that week from his science tutor. Not that Deva had any complaints. It was cool information, and even cooler coming from his best friend. 

“The water cycle-” Varadha cuts himself off, but Deva just closes his eyes, soaking in the sun, the cool ground underneath, and the feeling of Varadha so close to him. This was bliss. 

“Oh hey, little one,” Varadha croons. He’s probably found another frog or something, Deva thinks. Varadha had a problem when it came to animals, always wanting to cuddle the ones he thought were cute even if it meant it might be dangerous. “You’re adorable. Rey, Deva, look at this!” 

Deva feels something dropped onto his chest, and figures it's the frog. “What should I name him?” He opens his eyes, aiming to only briefly glance at the thing and offer a suitable name for Varadha, before going back to relaxing. 

Deva’s met with an abomination of a creature, its white eyes staring Deva down from the V of its antennae. He immediately lets out a strangled scream, body jolting in terror. 

Varadha immediately turns to him in confusion. “Deva? What’s wrong?”

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. 

Deva can’t let Varadha know about his fear. No self respecting ten-year-old should be scared of snails. Besides, it was usually Varadha being scared about something and coming to Deva for reassurance (that Deva would gladly provide), not the other way around. Varadha wouldn’t think Deva was cool if he ever found out about the snail problem. 

“Nothing, ra. Just thought I felt something.” 

“Oh, ok,” Varadha says, although he still sounds suspicious. “You’re alright then?”

Deva forces himself to look away from the beast’s horrific body, crawling around right on his chest , and towards Varadha, still worried. He plasters on a fake grin. “Of course! Never better! Absolutely jolly.” 

Varadha raises his eyebrow. “‘Absolutely jolly’? What the hell, ra?”

He’s gotta do something about this. Deva leaps to his feet, turning his back on Varadha, brushing away the snail as quickly as he can, shuddering at the wet sensation on his knuckles. 

“I think I’m just tired, I’m gonna go home and sleep,” he tells his friend. Go home and cry, more like, Deva thinks to himself. It was so wet-

“You dropped him!” Deva whips around to see Varadha lunge towards the fucking snail between Deva’s legs, cradling it within his hands as if it were some angelic being. Varadha smiles down at the way it squirms, not noticing the way Deva’s body is doing the same thing in the presence of the snail. “I think I’ll call him Deva Jr.”

Deva bites back all the swears he knows, which are honestly not a lot. “Ok, have fun with your snail. I’ll see you tomorrow, ra,” Deva calls back as he starts to speedwalk his way out of the meadow, determinedly not looking back. 

“Rey! Picchoda, you forgot your blanket!” Varadha calls out, and there was definitely suspicion in his voice. 

“Bring it to me tomorrow!” Deva shouts back. As soon as he’s out of the field and within the trees he starts running. 

-

Snails. Hundreds of tiny ones. They were slowly gaining on Deva, mucus trailing behind them. Deva backs up into a wall, eyes wide as he realizes there’s no way out. The snails crawl up his body, up his face, in his-

“Rey, wake up, Amma is calling!” 

Deva wakes up gasping. He stares at Varadha in his room, and Varadha stares back until he seems to realize he had something to say. 

“Oh! I’m here to return this,” he explains, and shows Deva the blanket, putting it on the foot of the bed before he scampers back to Deva. “Don’t have time the rest of today, I’m helping Thatha with the Bharghat negotiations!” Varadha beams at Deva, clearly excited, and Deva can’t help but smile back. His Vara was too cute. 

Something wet brushes his arm, and Deva yanks it out of the bedsheets. Both he and Varadha look at the white snail suctioned to Deva’s arm. He’s too tired to pretend he’s not scared out of his mind, he just woke up for God’s sake. Deva screams. 

He wiggles his arm around in the air, trying to get the snail to fly off, but the snail is sticking to him with the mucus. Varadha watches, eyes wide. “So THAT’s why you left so early yesterday?” 

Deva tries flicking the snail with his other hand, but that doesn’t do anything either. 

“You’re afraid of SNAILS?”

“NO I’M NOT,” Deva yells back, resorting to slapping at the arm. The snail crawls forward during a brief pause of Deva’s hand swatting at it, and Deva screams once again. 

“YES YOU ARE!” Varadha cackles.He gently grips the body of the snail and pulls it until the suction gives way. He grins at Deva, who looks like he’d rather be anywhere else. “What were you even trying to do? You couldn’t have just told me?” 

Deva looks down at his hands, frowning. “You’d think I was a coward.”

Quickly, Varadha darts in and gives Deva a hug. When he pulls back, Varadha gives him a soft smile. “Rey. You’re the bravest person I know. Even now.”

Deva perks up at that. “Really?”

Varadha nods. “Of course. And the snail thing,” he grins bashfully, “just makes you cuter.” 

Deva feels his ears burning. Cuter. His Varadha’s voice calling him that is going to rattle around in his head forever. 

“Rey Deva, wake up, how many times must I yell?” The voice of Deva’s mother seems to bring Varadha back to reality. 

“Oh, I’m gonna be late. Bye, ra!” Varadha calls out as he runs out of the room. He peaks around from the door, shit-eating grin on his face. “Of course, you can visit Deva Jr. anytime you want in Kotagadi!” 

“Yedava!” Deva yells, throwing a pillow at his friend, and Varadha easily dodges, laughing as he leaves the hallway. Deva can’t help but smile though. 

Cuter.

-

[rambheem-is-real]

My Love Mine, All Mine

pairing: varadeva

warnings: explicit nsfw

Varadha emerges from his shower, clad in only a towel, and Deva can't look away.

-

Deva lounges in the spare chair in Varadha’s room, waiting for his lover to come back from his shower. It’s the last night both of them will spend in Pathraan, most of Varadha’s important belongings already packed up and sent off to Kotagadi, where Varadha will officially start reigning as Khansaar’s kartha. Varadha had only needed, when he heard the news that he should move into Raja Mannar’s old quarters in the palace, to give Deva that hopeful-shy look for Deva to immediately agree to move in with Varadha there as well. There had been muffled giggles throughout the room, as Deva sleeping in the same bed as Varadha at Pathraan could be explained as Deva protecting Varadha, but with the entire Khansaar military at Varadha’s command now? With Rudra and Ranga dead? It was as good as publicly declaring their relationship. 

Deva didn’t care, he belonged to Varadha in every way and wasn’t worried about what others might think of them. Varadha had smiled, a radiant blush on his face, and Deva knew Varadha felt the same way. 

He idly fiddles with his father’s necklace as he hears the sound of the water turning off, then smiles as he hears the lotion bottle hit the floor and Varadha’s consequent curses. His Varadha, such an enigma. He could be as graceful as an angel one second, then clumsy enough to walk into walls the next. It’s a few more minutes later when he hears the bathroom door open, and Varadha walks out. 

Deva spins around in the chair, about to give Varadha the updates on the small mining colony Varadha had sent Rinda to pacify, but his breath catches in his throat as he looks at a very undressed Varadha. 

Varadha had come out in a simple white towel covering his lower half, vigorously drying his wet hair with a smaller one. The arm muscles, flexing as they were lifted up to his hair, nipples hard from the cold, defined abs, and a small, dark trail of hair leading down into the towel were on display for Deva, who subconsciously licks his lips. Varadha turns and leans down on his desk, frowning at a message on his phone, and Deva gets an uninterrupted view of his back. All of a sudden, images run through Deva’s mind: his hands surrounding those hips, holding on as he fucks into Varadha, a palm splayed between Varadha’s shoulder blades, his own nails digging into the soft skin, leaving marks as Varadha pounds into him. He imagines, and he aches. Deva hadn’t even known he could feel hunger like this, but of course it would be Varadha, it would always be Varadha. 

Varadha turns to him, and Deva belatedly realizes he’s been talking to him all this time. Varadha gets a good look at him, realizing he hasn’t been paying attention to a single thing Varadha was saying, and frowns. 

“Are you okay, Deva?” He tilts his head, waiting for an answer, but the combination of Varadha saying Deva’s name like that, like he was someone dear to Varadha, and the state of undress that Varadha’s in is scrambling Deva’s brain. 

“I’m fine, raa. What were you saying?” He tries to cover up for himself, pretending it was a momentary lapse in focus, but Varadha’s eyes are sharp. 

Varadha slowly advances on him, paying close attention to Deva’s face, and fuck Deva’s only human. Without his permission, Deva’s eyes drop down to the bare, golden chest in front of him. Varadha comes to a stop mere inches away from Deva, who holds his breath. 

“Were you ogling me?” He sounds more amused than annoyed, but Deva’s face burns anyway. He looks to his side, not wanting to look at Varadha’s body, but not wanting to look in his eyes either. Quickly, Varadha clamps one hand on the headrest of the chair, and uses the other to cup Deva’s jaw, forcing him to look at Varadha’s face, stray water droplets dripping down from his wet hair. This close, Deva can smell the scent of freshly washed skin, soap with a hint of jasmine, and his mouth waters. It takes everything in him to not draw Varadha closer, to run his lips over every inch of exposed skin, to not worship Varadha as he wants, as Varadha deserves. 

He finally lifts his gaze to Varadha’s eyes, sparkling with mischief and joy. Varadha grins down at him. “Ah, I was wondering when this side of you would show, or if it would be chaste kisses and nightly cuddles for the rest of my life.” 

Deva pauses, realizing this was what Varadha wanted. “Well that side of me is here. What do you want him to do?” Varadha observes him for a moment, then climbs into Deva’s lap. Deva’s brain short circuits for a few seconds, realizing the only barrier between him and Varadha’s bare skin is the thin towel between them. Varadha trails his fingers up Deva’s face, settling in his hair, smoothing it and tugging on it in alternating motions. 

“What do you want to do, raa?” Everything, Deva wants to answer, but his tongue won’t work. “Do you want to..look?” Keeping eye contact, Varadha slowly removes the towel, tossing it onto the bed, and straightens up, clear permission for Deva to do exactly that. 

Deva looks down, following the trail of hair down his abdomen, finding Varadha’s cock resting on the zip of his own pants with how they’re pressed against each other, not yet hard but not entirely soft either, surrounded by curly black hair. Fuck. Deva wants it. In his hands, in his mouth, in his ass. He’d guess it’s not as long as his own, but thicker, and he knows the stretch would be exquisite. He looks down further, taking in the sight of the golden, hairy thighs wrapped around his stomach. 

“Do you want to..touch?” Varadha asks, and Deva nods, swallowing. He hesitantly lifts up a hand, slowly inching towards the gorgeous skin. He doesn’t even know where he wants to touch first, settles on Varadha’s sternum as it’s directly in front of his face. Varadha, seemingly impatient, grabs Deva’s hand and presses it to his chest, both gasping slightly at the contact. “Rey, why are you hesitating? All of mine is yours, and all of yours is mine.” 

Emboldened, Deva takes his time exploring all of Varadha, noticing how Varadha’s cock is getting harder at the touches. He trails up, at first, tracing the planes of Varadha’s neck, the marks that his daily silver necklaces leave behind. Maps out Varadha’s face, his jaw, his strong nose, stroking his mukku pogu from a flash of childhood memory. Runs his fingers over the long lashes, strong brows. He comes back down, tugging at the softened nipples until they’re hard again, flicking his finger against the buds until Varadha’s squirming with every movement. Trails a hand down Varadha’s chest, fingers splayed over his stomach possessively, until finally he takes Varadha’s cock in his hands. Varadha does jolt at that, moaning at the touch. Deva looks up, trying to decipher what Varadha wants, and the other man pulls him into a kiss. It’s unlike any of their previous kisses, Varadha kissing with a fierceness that excites Deva. Varadha pulls back an inch, breaths intermingling as he whispers another order, “Fuck me.”

Deva makes a desperate sound at that, at the thought of getting to be inside Varadha. “How? Any way you want, bangaram.”

“Just like this. I’ve been dreaming of sitting on the Khansaar throne for years, but I’ve also been dreaming of sitting in your lap, of fucking myself on my own personal throne.” Varadha tugs Deva’s head back by the hair, grinning when Deva moans at the pain. “You’ll do anything I say, won’t you, raa? You’ll be still and let me use you as I see fit.” Deva frantically nods, his own dick rock hard at the fantasy of Varadha using him like a sex toy, using Deva to chase his pleasure. 

“I’ll do anything you say,” Deva repeats, and it comes out like a prayer, an offering of worship, “Kartha Varadharaja Mannar.” Varadha’s eyes darken at the title, dragging Deva up for another kiss. When they break apart once more, Deva sighs. “You do have to get off for me to find some lube, though.”

One side of Varadha’s mouth curls up, smug, and there’s a glint in his eyes that Deva finds very sexy. “It’s on the desk right next to you, which you would’ve known if you had been paying attention to anything I was doing other than the way my back muscles looked.” Deva chuckles at that as he reaches over for the bottle, but he doesn’t regret anything. It was an amazing view. “And besides,” Varadha can’t hold back the grin, and it seeps into his voice, “you don’t need to do much, anyway. I’ve come prepared.” He winks at Deva, and the realization nearly sends Deva directly to heaven. 

“..Is that why you spent so long in the shower?”

There’s a tiny blush on Varadha’s cheeks now, and Deva stares at the red spots, transfixed at his lover’s ability to be both adorable and sexy at the same time. “It’s also why I had a bottle of lube tucked into my towel coming out, but of course you didn’t notice.”

“Varadha..” It comes out breathy and desperate, but well, Deva is desperate at this point. Varadha notices, and takes the bottle from Deva’s hands, telling Deva to unzip and pull his pants down. Once Deva’s lower half is bare, he drizzles a bit of the lube onto Deva’s dick, spreading it around, and fuck if this is what only his hands are doing to Deva then he’s really going to die- throws the lube somewhere to the corner. It’s not as methodical as what he did to the towel, Deva notices, and thrills in the feeling of knowing Varadha is just as desperate for this. 

Varadha lifts himself up, aligning Deva’s cock with his hole, and sinks down a little bit, splaying his hands on Deva’s chest to hold himself up. They both groan in unison at the feeling of Deva’s tip breaching Varadha’s hole, and Varadha slowly pushes down until Deva’s bottomed out. He leans onto Deva’s shoulder to get used to the feeling of being so full, closing his eyes, and Deva presses a kiss to his temple. 

Once he adjusts, Varadha experimentally rolls his hips, moaning at the sensation. Deva holds onto Varadha’s hips as he starts lifting himself up and sinking back down, fucking himself on Deva’s dick, increasing in speed as the minutes pass by. 

“Rey,” Deva gasps out. “I’m not going to last if you keep going like that.”

“That’s- ah- that’s the goal,” Varadha says, chuckling. There’s a thin layer of sweat covering Varadha’s body, making the dark hair glisten. He still smells of jasmine, and is making the most beautiful sounds Deva has ever heard. 

Deva wraps a hand around Varadha’s cock bouncing between them, tugging it in time with Varadha’s thrusts, and Varadha’s moans grow in intensity. It doesn’t take long before Varadha’s spilling between them, covering Deva’s chest, and the sight of that as well as the knowledge that he had made Varadha cum pushes Deva over the brink as well, spilling deep inside of Varadha. 

Varadha slumps onto Deva, pressing his forehead against the other man’s as he kisses Deva deeply, pulling back after a few beats with a contented sigh. Deva cups Varadha’s face in his hands, smiling at his minx of a lover, and Varadha turns his head slightly to press a kiss to Deva’s thumb. Eyes sparkling, Varadha teases, “Are you going to just stare at me all day or join me under the water? Especially when it’s your fault I’ll have to take a second shower.”

Deva scoffs in mock offense. “My fault? How is it my fault when this was all the carefully orchestrated plan of the kartha? I just followed orders.”

Varadha rolls his eyes, lifting himself up to slip out of Deva and getting back on his feet, dragging Deva up with him. “Come on, my Salaar,” he says, amused. “You are duty-bound to care for your Sulthan and now it means washing him up.” 

Deva grins. “Your wish is my command, kartha.”

[rambheem-is-real]

Gold Rings and Black Roses Pt 4

pt 3 here

-

On the fourth day Aadhya tries her luck in going outside. It’s been a while since she’s been exposed to direct sunlight, staying inside the house all these days. She walks up to the main door cautiously, but the men standing guard don’t even look at her. Now or never, she thinks, and takes a step outside. When she isn’t immediately shot, Aadhya slowly makes her way down the steps outside of the mansion until she gets to the gravel road. Here she notices the outside guards staring at her, but they make no move to bring her back inside, so Aadhya keeps walking, turning to see the mansion from the outside. 

Somehow it looks a lot less scary now than it had when she was first brought here, though that was because Aadhya had thought she was being led to her death then. She’s no architecture buff, but she thinks it’s beautiful. She’s also more familiar with the inside of the mansion now, both in terms of the layout and the people. Aadhya’s made friends with some of the women working for Radha Rama, especially the tall one that gives her clothes to wear for the day, Sara. She’s spent a few hours every day talking to Sara and the other women about her life in America, and listening to their stories of Khansaar. She’s come to the conclusion that Khansaar seems like a terrible place to grow up, what with the constant threat of being murdered, but maybe Aadhya’s just soft. Sara had spoken of it with barely concealed longing, and Aadhya had sympathized with being stuck in a place far from home. She didn’t sympathize with the rest of it, though. 

“I miss Khansaar’s government,” Sara had said last night. “Here in India, there’s way too many laws against killing people,” she scoffed. 

“...I think that’s the case in every other country in the world actually,” Aadhya had replied. 

Aadhya thinks about the rest of the conversation as she walks around the building, taking in the sights around her. She had gotten Sara and another woman working for Obullamma, Rohini, to spill about Radha Rama’s ex-husband. 

“It was a political marriage, Bhaarava was a powerful warrior and Raja Mannar wanted him in his control,” Rohini explained. 

Sara nodded. “And of course ammagaru didn’t oppose the marriage, she was willing to do anything for her father.” Rohini gave her a look. “Well, she wasn’t opposed to Bhaarava either,” Sara continued cautiously, looking like she was nervous of Radha Rama appearing behind her. “He was attractive, competent, and knew how to play the game of politics. Ammagaru… really liked him.”

Aadhya frowned. “Then what happened? Did he die?”

“Well yes, just after he was exposed as a Shouryanga spy,” Rohini spits. 

Aadhya perks up at the familiar name. Was this man related to her too?? 

“But Deva killed him and many of his soldiers in his quest to hand Varadha the throne.” 

Oh. Probably not, then. 

“Good riddance,” Sara says. “He betrayed our ammagaru, that pig. Even before he went for the throne, he sided with Rudra against her during the ceasefire.” 

So Radha Rama probably only felt resentment towards her ex-husband, Aadhya thinks as she makes it to the other side. She gasps as she realizes the back of the building is a huge garden, plants clearly only recently trimmed and wrangled into place. Delighted, she runs over, examining the different plants. She has no idea about the differences between the flowers, but she thinks they’re very pretty. Further along the path are ornate benches to sit on, and carved statues. There seems to be a fountain in the distance, in the center of the garden. 

Aadhya loves it. 

She spends the next hour exploring, and just enjoying the fresh outside air. Towards the end of the hour, she spies a cluster of beautiful black roses. The petals of the roses are pitch-black, looking almost alien amongst the rest of the white lilies and jasmines surrounding them. As she brushes her hand through them, Aadhya’s reminded of the black saree that Radha Rama wore on the first day she saw her, before she changed into the yellow one. She tilts her head, considering. Actually they remind her of Radha Rama in general. She knows there’s probably a superstition about black roses somewhere, that they represent mourning and loss, but beyond that Aadhya can see the elegance and mystery that surrounds the flowers, much like Radha Rama herself. Even though she was in mourning, and had been for the last seven years over her husband, her kingdom, and her father, Radha Rama had stayed strong throughout, still managing to be so regal despite her situation. 

“Aadhya Krishnakanth.” Aadhya jumps as she hears a voice behind her, turning to find a bored man looking at her. “You are expected for lunch in ten minutes.” 

“Oh, I’ll be there then,” Aadhya says, and it looks like the man is satisfied as he walks away.

She turns back to the flowers. Has Radha Rama ever received a bouquet of flowers in her life? Was Bhaarava the type to pamper her? Aadhya frowns as she thinks back to what she’s heard about the man. Probably not. She makes her decision, plucking a handful of black roses from the ground. She looks around and spots someone that looks like the gardener, digging a few yards away from her. Aadhya makes her way over to him. 

“Hello!” She attempts a friendly greeting. The man, who was muttering angrily to himself, turns to look at her. 

“What do you want,” he sneers. 

Aadhya’s taken aback by the blatant hostility emerging from this man, but soldiers on regardless. “So sorry to bother you, but could you please dethorn these roses?”

The gardener stares at her. “...Aren’t you the kidnapped girl?”

Aadhya squirms. “Yes?”

He looks at the roses in her hand, then back up to her face. “Who the fuck are the roses for? You’ve been here for less than a week and you want romance?”

She blushes. “Radha Rama, actually.” He stares at her some more, then a grin spreads across his face.

“I want to see this play out. Give me the roses.” He pulls a device out of his back pocket, overflowing with other gardening tools, and proceeds to clip and dethorn the stems of the roses. He hands them back to Aadhya when he’s done. “Here you go. Hope you go out quickly.”

“...Thank you,” Aadhya says, and tries to walk back inside as fast as she can. She knows she’s impulsive, but hopefully this doesn’t backfire on her as much as the gardener clearly thinks it will. 

-

Aadhya enters the dining room with the flowers held behind her back, wanting it to be a surprise. Radha Rama is already seated at the other end of the table as is their usual arrangement, scrolling through her phone. Aadhya had successfully convinced the older woman to download a few social media apps yesterday, but not before Radha Rama had gone through every sentence of the terms and conditions for each app. 

“I am not giving a random businessman my private information,” she sneered. But Radha Rama had seemed to find Twitter funny, which Aadhya counted as a win, as she believed getting the older woman on the Internet was the best way to integrate her into general society. She wasn’t royalty anymore, and it wasn’t healthy for her to hold onto that grudge for so long. Aadhya hoped Radha Rama would learn to have some fun soon. 

Radha Rama looks up at Aadhya’s entrance, raising an eyebrow at Aadhya’s hidden hands. “Are you going to try to shoot me?” Aadhya… decides not to be offended at how relaxed she is under the assumption that Aadhya has a gun behind her back. 

“Nope. I brought you a gift.” Radha Rama blinks in surprise, and Aadhya shoves her nerves down. She presents the loose bouquet of black roses, holding them out in front of her like a shield. 

When Radha Rama keeps staring at the flowers, Aadhya shifts on her feet. “I got you some roses from the garden. They’re black, and I thought of your saree, and also how cool you are…” Aadhya trails off as the older woman looks up at her, eyes piercing through her. 

“You got me roses?” Radha Rama’s voice is hoarse. “Because of… how cool I am?” 

“Well yeah. You haven’t killed me yet, and you’re mysterious and beautiful just like these roses.” 

Radha Rama lifts her arms to take the bouquet, gently stroking one of the roses as she inspects the flowers. 

“Radha Rama?” Aadhya asks. “Do you like them?” Aadhya hasn’t ever seen Radha Rama this unresponsive, and she’s nervous. 

“Rama.” The older woman says, and there’s a hint of a shy smile on her face now. “Call me Rama. It’s what my dad and-” she stops herself. “It’s what my dad used to call me, and it’s the name I prefer.” 

“Ok,” Aadhya says, relieved that Rama doesn’t hate the gift. “Rama, then.”

“I like the roses,” Rama says mildly, but Aadhya can see the blush high on her cheeks. Oh. Aadhya had done that, had put that blush there. Her heart starts to beat faster as she realizes her crush may have the remote possibility of being requited. 

Rama turns her head to the doorway. “Obullamma!” she calls. When the woman comes in, Rama hands her the flowers. “Put these in a vase in my room.”

Obullamma gingerly takes the flowers and leaves, not before shooting Aadhya a look, a mix of jealousy and bewilderment. Aadhya tries not to do anything as childish as sticking her tongue out at Obullamma. 

Rama turns back to Aadhya, then sits back down, gesturing for Aadhya to take her seat. “Let’s eat,” she says, smiling. Aadhya obeys, feeling very much like she’s accidentally rolled a Nat 20 on a charisma check. 

The lunch tastes exceptionally good that day, Aadhya thinks. 

-

Bilal finds Aadhya in her room sometime in the evening. 

“You gave flowers to WHO?” he asks incredulously as he enters. 

Aadhya sets aside the book she was reading, a political text that Sara had given her. She found it boring, but apparently it was a childhood favorite of Rama’s. Aadhya can unfortunately see that, all the talk about authoritarianism and the duties of a centralized government was right up Rama’s alley. 

“I gave them to Rama.” She shrugs, but can’t help the flush that runs through her at the thought of Rama’s smile at the gift. “She liked them.” 

Bilal stares some more. “Is this my life then? Am I to spend the rest of it running after Shouryangas who fall in love with Mannars?”

“Bilal!” Aadhya blushes. “No one’s in love with each other.”

Bilal scoffs, clearly disbelieving. “Uh huh. And you’re secretly Amma’s favorite child. Right.” He sits at the edge of her bed, keeping a respectable distance. “Whatever you’re doing to keep Radha Rama on your good side, keep doing it, but don’t get too close. Do whatever you can to get yourself out of here, then run. Don’t look back. Don’t come back. Forget about Khansaar and your biological family.”

Aadhya frowns. Her first instinct is to defend Rama, but she remembers that she’s here because Rama did have her kidnapped. But that was only to get Deva here, right? “Well, what’s the update on Deva? I’m here because of my brother, right? When’s he supposed to get here then?”

Bilal shrugs, looking uncertain. “I’m not sure, thalli. But when he does come, you should escape with him. He’s not going to let Radha Rama live when he realizes she’s kidnapped his little sister.”

“You assume he’ll care,” she mutters under her breath, but Bilal hears it. “Oh no, thalli. If Deva truly sees you as his, he’ll protect you in any way he can. He’ll tear Radha Rama to pieces if he needs to.” When Aadhya looks up, ready to protest, Bilal sighs, and lifts a hand to stop her. “You can’t protect her from him, Aadhya. You only know her good side. Deva has seen her at her worst, and if he realizes she was initially trying to set him up to kill Varadha, he’ll be even more angry.” Aadhya remembers what Bilal had told her days ago, about how Deva had beheaded a lord for daring to grip Varadha’s collar. “Think about it. That’s all I ask. Try to save yourself, Aadhya. If not for yourself, at least for your father who’s probably very worried.” 

Once Bilal leaves, Aadhya lapses into thought. Deva, with his history, has every right to kill Rama, and it would be the smart thing to do for her to use the opportunity to escape. But Aadhya realizes, with a jolt, that she really doesn’t want Rama dead, that she’ll truly miss the woman. She resolves to try to negotiate with Deva, whenever he shows up, bargain for Rama’s life somehow. 

-

Late that night Aadhya goes back outside. The skies are clear and she wants to see the stars, suddenly feeling homesick. As she tilts her head up to the sky, letting the vastness of space calm her down, she spots a familiar figure sitting on the roof. What was Rama doing up there? She wonders, but if Rama’s up there it means the guards will let her go up there. Aadhya finds the stairs that lead to the balcony of the mansion, giving an awkward wave to the unamused man standing on patrol near the staircase. She climbs up the stairs, then climbs up the ladder that leads to the rooftop. 

Rama turns her head to the side slightly at Aadhya’s approach, but seems to realize who it is and relaxes, facing forward again. Aadhya takes the opportunity to observe Rama from the back. 

The older woman is still in the red Banarasi saree she was in this morning, patterned with silver diamond designs. Aadhya absentmindedly wonders what her pajamas look like, or if she sleeps in the sarees she wears all day. Rama’s thick curls are gathered into a french braid, falling beautifully down her back, and Aadhya blushes as she realizes one of the black roses she picked this morning was carefully placed in the center, surrounded by silver earring chains. Rama’s still sitting as straight-backed on the roof as she does in chairs, but the set of her shoulders seems more relaxed than usual. As Aadhya sits next to her, crossing her legs, Aadhya’s breath catches as she observes the way Rama’s face gleams in the moonlight. The soft white light turns the hair in the front silver, making it look almost like a crown. 

Rama glances at her, brown eyes shining from the moonlight. “Couldn’t sleep?”

“I wanted to see the stars, so I came outside. Then I saw you up here, so I came upstairs,” Aadhya explains. 

Rama nods. “The stars are beautiful tonight.” 

Aadhya just barely stops herself from responding to that the way she really wants to. “Yes, they are,” is what she replies with instead. “Is this a habit of yours? Coming outside to stargaze at night?”

“I never did anything as simple as stargazing in Khansaar, no.” Rama sighs. “I was too busy for things that weren’t related to politics. It was always ‘Rama, there’s a rebellion that needs to be put down in one of our territories, authorize the military’, or ‘Rama, can you go sort out whatever’s wrong with your brother’, or ‘Rama, your husband didn’t show up to the lords meeting today, find out what happened’. I was my father’s finest weapon, and I’m proud of it. But in the grand scheme of things, does all that I did even matter? If the owner of the weapon is dead, then what good is the weapon?” 

She leans back a little, closing her eyes. “That bastard brother of mine didn’t even give my father an honorable death. Decapitated him right in front of everyone, then went and sat on the throne like it was his birthright. Of course that boyfriend of his slaughtered everyone on his way to the throne, then offered the crown he picked off my father’s corpse to my brother.” She swallows, and Aadhya can hear a deep bitterness in her voice. “It was still stained with my father’s blood when your brother crowned mine, did you know that?” Aadhya can only shake her head. “All those years Raja Mannar still kept that boy in his heart, even after he threw away my father’s greatest gift. He wanted to make him a lord, was willing to upset the Ghaniyars for it. And what did Varadha give him in return? Nothing. He kept taking and taking until he took what mattered most to my father.” 

The two sit in silence for a few seconds, Aadhya thinking about her response. She doesn’t want to anger Rama, doesn’t want to ruin the vulnerable mood between them, but as a neutral observer she thinks Raja Mannar is also very much in the wrong.

“Your father shouldn’t have punished him so harshly for what he did as a child,” Aadhya says hesitantly. Rama looks at Aadhya sharply, but Aadhya decides to keep going. “Not to mention killing Varadha’s friend’s entire family, and turning a blind eye to Varadha’s suffering all the years after.” 

Rama scoffs, quickly standing up, and Aadhya’s stomach turns. Oh, now she's done it. All the times she kept pushing, hoping that Rama would be charmed by her instead of offended, and now the worst has actually happened. 

“Of course you’d take his side,” Rama hisses at her. “You’re one of them Shouryangas too. I don’t know what I expected from you.” This is the first time Aadhya has seen Rama angry, and the shock is made worse by the fact that it’s directed at her. 

“Rama wait! I have nothing to do with the Shouryangas, I just got here! And I can’t just blindly take your side either,” Aadhya tries to explain. 

“No.” Suddenly the anger is gone, replaced by sadness. “No you can’t.” Rama wraps her arms around herself after a sudden cold gust of wind, and Aadhya’s horrified to realize that she looks close to tears. “No one takes my side, not even my own brothers, and not even my own fucking husband.”

“Rama…” Aadhya trails off, not knowing what to say. 

Without another word, Rama turns and descends the ladder. 

Aadhya stays up there for a few more hours by herself, feeling miserable and even more homesick than she was when she first came outside.

-

@illusions-of-serendipity @just-a-lazy-person @nini9224 @recentinterest @omgdontlookatmeuniverse @greatkittykoala @theimmortalprince

[navinskizz]

Mannnnn I just can’t wait to see prabhas in this look😮‍💨

I too think he had this look after varadha sat on the throne. We saw a glimpse of this look in the tunnel which is the way to khansaar. I feel like deva will become like the general in KGF( I forgot his name😭) who stands at the door of gold mines. Varadha’s man is gonna protect khansaar from outside threats, yeahhhhhhhh yk in KGF after rocky killed Garuda everyone wanted narachi. I feel like after Raja Mannar,rudra and many powerful people deaths in khansaar it will spread out and there will be a lot more outside threats so deva made the decision to stand at the tunnel and kill everyone who dares to try to cross it🔥. And that’s why he is called not only varadha ka salaar but also Khansaar ka SALAAR🙏

So what do you think about this pic? When? How? Deva looks sick🔥

Interpret it the way you like.

funny story how this picture was responsible for me suffering a nose pain [there is a whole story of me being to distracted and running into a glass door] anyways this is probably Deva standing guard around the place Varadha is in [like a house or something] where he has already killed some very "smart" people who thought they could kill him or even better get past him to get to Varadha (talk abt death wish)