#the way devi reacts to the coming out + the accusation

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Kanna Nee Thoongada, A Baahubali Fanfiction

Chapter Four - Diplomacy

Word Count: 2017

With the invitations to the coronation that spread to the foreign courts also went access to the Summer Palace on the banks of the great river. If any delegation had wished to prolong their stay, or if tents outside the city walls were deemed to uncomfortable for the esteemed guests, the palace had been graciously opened to them. At the time, Devasena had scoffed at such a show of decadence and wealth. When your home was a palace what need did you have for another, similarly grand estate? Now, however, it was a convenient refuge. If anyone should ask, the yuvrani had retired to the cool of the river after finding the capital’s heat too much to bear.

What Devasena had found there was in excess of anything she might have dreamed. Instead of the gaudy palace of gold and stone she’d anticipated, she found a sanctuary of lush, sprawling gardens. If not for the much more humid climate and the harsher sun, Devasena might have mistaken it for part of the river plains of Kuntala. The produce of the kingdom all came from the lower altitudes, where it was a fertile heaven of green. Perhaps if she had not come in such a dark mood, she may even have enjoyed her stay there. As it was, her righteous fury multiplied within the garden terraces.

The Kuntala delegation, however, remained in the capital, with the notable exception of the yuvrani and her handmaiden. Jaya Varma, on behalf of his sister, was reluctant to entertain discussion with the palace and instead remained mostly in his tent, in a similarly bad mood. Of course, he had never had the countenance to rival his sister’s anger, he had never met or heard of anyone who did, but he was sufficiently grumpy enough to wreck havoc within the confined quarters of a royal camp.

“Surely you attending is a greater punishment for Mahishmati than having you skulk in the shadows,” Sumitra said on the third day, when she’d finally lost patience with his antics. Devasena’s rage she was familiar with, even if she had yet to learn how to contain it, but her husband’s bouts of foul mood were few and far between, and so in all their years of marriage she had never grown accustomed to his discontented sighing. It irritated her beyond believe.

“What is your meaning?” Her husband had the nerve to ask, feigning ignorance. He knew full well his behaviour was unbecoming of his station and wearing his wife’s patience thin, but he was too petty at this stage to alter it.

“My meaning? My meaning?” Jaya Varma regretted his words instantly, “If you could express your vexation to this Baahubali rather than take it out on me, this entire issue would soon be over!”

“And how am I to do that? Shall I accuse the great king of Mahishmati of maliciously seducing my sister and demand an apology? It would cause a diplomatic crisis!” He answered. No, directly attacking this great state would only bring more humiliation to Kuntala and to Deva. After the prayer ceremony and his sister’s song word had spread fast that the yuvrani had fallen for the simpleton from Mahishmati, and she had done little to counter the claims. Everyone knew of her affections for him, and if it was revealed that this stranger was in fact the disguised Baahubali, well, it would likely not bode well for anyone involved. Excepting Mahishmati, of course, their empire had much to gain from undermining the small mountain kingdom and their future queen. It made them look weak, it made Deva look weak, and her brother worried for what the future would hold for them all.

“I’m not asking for a diplomatic crisis, I am merely suggesting that you discretely investigate this incident,” His wife said evenly, “I too feel betrayed, remember that I invited him into our home just as much as you did. This does not mean that we must break all ties, in my heart I can not believe he had any ill will against us,”

“No ill will? He stole into our household and-”

“His good nature never faltered, and that is a hard thing to feign,” She said. “You are our king, you must chose what path we will take, be it conciliatory or a severing of ties. Either way, you must stop your grumbling, I have had enough of it,” For the first time in days, a smile was on Jaya Varma’s face.

“You are right,” He said, “I will believe you when you say his intentions were good, if misguided, and investigate. Besides, we can not risk the good relationship the kingdoms share,”

“You will go and meet this Baahubali, then?”

“No,” Jaya Varma’s continued grin now unnerved his wife. “I shall send them someone who is more difficult to deal with than me in my foul mood,”

“What would be a curse greater than you in this mood?” Sumitra asked, only partially under her breath. Then it dawned on her. “Absolutely not. No. I forbid it, he’s not a diplomat, he’ll just disrupt-”

“Precisely,”

Kumara Varma was incredibly surprised when his brother-in-law entrusted him with  diplomatic relations between Kuntala and Mahishmati, and in the wake of the yuvrani’s dramatic scene no less. Despite his carefully cultivated reputation on the battlefield, ambassadorial positions had always been beyond his reach. They had never much interested him as a child, diplomats were not often granted glory in legends, and oh! how he aspired to be a legend, but in time he came to respect it. Any level of importance would earn esteem, and to have an opportunity to handle such an important issue, Kumara Varma was very surprised indeed.

As he walked up the long road to the palace, which was inconveniently constructed at the height of the city, he grew anxious as to what he should say. He began to react not asking his sister’s advice on how to even greet the king and Rajamatha. The strategy briefing they’d given him was worthless if he embarrassed himself outright by fumbling with the preliminary honours.

Greetings, Your Majesty, from Kuntala - No, no, much too informal. He was meeting a king, after all, and the king of Mahishmati after all. He was the most powerful man on the continent, he could not risk such familiarity.

Your humble servant Kumara Varma - Absolutely not! As brother-in-law to the king he was the second highest ranked man in Kuntala. Besides, his elder sister had clearly instructed him that he was to be firm and polite, ask for and accept apology, but to remain prideful, respecting Kuntala’s independence. That ruled out obediences too… What was he to do?

By then the heat was affecting him, he could feel the sweat trickling down his back, soaking his fine clothes, and his mind began to wander in dizziness. The sun was relentless, and the fact the stones trapped the scorching heat only worsened his condition. When he finally reached the steps to the great hall, all Kumara Varma could think was that at least Kuntala had the decency to hold court in a valley, not at the peaks of their mountainous terrain.

He found that all of his worries went to nothing, however, as when he entered the hall he considered himself fortunate not to have died from a heart attack. Kumara Varma had politely lowered his gaze, eyes trained to the floor as he approached the dais, and barely found the courage to look up when he came to a stop. When he did, he was rendered speechless from the shock, and could not have spoken if he tried. Understandably, of course, for in the high seat of Mahishmati sat none other than Shividu in place of the famed Amarendra Baahubali, newly crowned king and the greatest warrior living. Kumara Varma was reduced to staring, eyes and mouth wide open as Shivdu only grinned.

“Welcome, my friend, I am very glad to see you,” He said, stepping down off the throne and extending his arms to Kumara Varma. Unable to react, he stiffly accepted the embrace and felt the eyes of hundreds on his back.

“Baahu, you know our Kuntalan guest?” A woman questioned from the side, and Kumara Varma felt something drop in his stomach when he saw her. He did not need any help to recognise the Rajamatha Sivagami Devi, she was unmistakable. A Rajamatha that was under the impression that Shivdu was… That Shivdu was her son.

“I do, Amma,” The man before him said, “This is Kumara Varma, brother to the Rani of Kuntala, and a renowned warrior, brave of heart,” Coming from Shivdu the words were earnest and kind, though he had heard similar things said of him in mockery.

“It is good that the Kuntala delegation has returned to us,” The Rajamatha said, and perhaps she would have said more, but Shivdu spoke first.

“If it please the court, a reunion of friends is a private matter, I would adjourn the court for an hour. The Rajamatha will hear the urgent matters,” And with that Kumara Varma was whisked away, out of the hall and into an adjoining room before he could even comprehend what was happening.

“The Kuntala delegation has been absent since the coronation,” Shivdu said, turning to him once they were behind closed doors. “Then I am told that the yuvrani left for the Summer Palace. Kattappa was unable to find out why,” His friend, however, was unable to follow the conversation, let alone explain.

“You are Shivdu,” Kumara Varma said, backing away a little to see him fully. Undoubtedly, it was Shivdu. “And you are also Baahubali?”

“Yes, my friend, I am Amarendra Baahubali,” The king confirmed. “Do the rest of the delegation know?” Does Devasena know?

“Yes, they saw you at the coronation,” Kumara Varma had attended as well, but as he was not of royal descent he had been stationed a considerable distance away from the main event. He had only learnt later, after Devasena’s unfortunate outburst. “The yuvrani came to see you, for an explanation, but she was turned away,” Kumara Varma was nothing if not loyal, and the idea that Deva had been refused so callously made his blood boil.

“Devasena was here?”

“Yes, and was met with insult,” He had not been indulged by his sister in learning the details, she was wary of his tendency to gossip, but what he had learnt painted a dark picture.

“Insult?”

“There is a rumour that you were meeting with yuvrani Varuni, and so were preoccupied when she asked for an audience,”

“Lies,” Shivdu said, and for the first time Kumara Varma saw something other than a sunny countenance in his friend’s face. There was true rage written across his features.

“They made some crude accusations against her as well, from what I understand,” Devasena had come barreling into the tent, her eyes ablaze, thundering about the indecency of guards and their assumptions, believing that she would act in such an unbecoming manner beneath her station. Kumara Varma had not heard much beyond that, as his sister and brother-in-law had followed trying to calm her down. “She left soon after,”

Before Kumara Varma could say anything more, Shivdu had pushed passed him and out the door, and all he could do was trail behind him. Some guards frowned at them as they walked, but few dared to question the king as he rushed across the palace halls, down countless stairs, until his companion realised they were in the stables and his friend was mounting a horse.

“Baahu?” A voice came from behind, and Kumara Varma turned to see a dark eyed man in armour approaching. “Where are you going at such a time?”

“Bhalla, tell Amma that I will be back soon,” Shivdu said, showing no indication that he would slow. “I have something important to do,” By the look of recognition on the stranger’s face, Kumara Varma might have guessed who had started such a vicious lie.