The afternoon sun had begun its slow descent behind the mountains when Tara finally escaped the Katyuri royal court.
Escaped was, in her opinion, the most appropriate word.
The court had been perfectly respectable. The nobles had been courteous, the king had been dignified, and the ceremonial welcome had been generous.
Far too generous.
Tara walked towards the guest residence with Malini beside her, both women carrying so many flower garlands and gifts that their faces were almost hidden behind them. Garlands hung around their necks, across their shoulders, and over their arms. Small boxes, wrapped bundles, embroidered cloth, and assorted tokens of hospitality had somehow joined the collection.
Behind them, two of Tara's attendants struggled with the remaining gifts.
One carried a large basket of flowers and several wrapped packages. The other had a collection of boxes stacked so high that he could barely see the road ahead.
Tara (thinking) : "I went to attend a court session. Why does it feel as though I have robbed an entire flower shop?"
Malini adjusted a bundle resting against her hip.
Malini : "Careful. That box is slipping."
Tara : "Which one?"
Malini : "The one you are currently crushing with your elbow."
Tara looked down.
Tara : "Oh."
She shifted the box.
Tara : "There. Saved."
Malini : "You could also try carrying fewer things."
Tara : "Brilliant. Why didn't I think of that?"
Malini : "Because you accepted every gift with both hands."
Tara : "They were being polite!"
Malini : "And you were being greedy."
Tara : "I was being diplomatic."
Malini gave her a flat look.
Malini : "Of course. The ancient art of accepting twelve flower garlands without knowing where to put them."
Tara : "You received nearly as many as I did!"
Malini : "I did not complain."
Tara : "You have been complaining since we left the court."
Malini : "I have been informing you of the consequences of your decisions."
Tara sighed and shifted another garland before it slid over her eyes.
Tara (thinking) : "I miss my bed. My bed never gives me seventeen flowers and expects me to thank it."
A few paces ahead, Satyadhara walked beside the attendants. His hands were entirely free, his sword resting securely at his side, and his expression remained as composed as ever.
Tara noticed.
Her eyes narrowed.
Tara : "Satyadhara."
Satyadhara : "Devi?"
Tara : "Could you help us carry some of these?"
Satyadhara glanced at the gifts.
Then he looked at Tara.
Satyadhara : "I cannot."
Tara : "You cannot?"
Satyadhara : "A guard's hands must remain free for immediate action. If danger arises, I must be able to draw my weapon or protect the delegation without delay."
Tara stared at him.
Malini turned her face away, concealing the beginning of a smile.
Tara : "What an excellent excuse."
Satyadhara : "It is a necessary precaution."
Tara : "Of course. A band of assassins might leap from behind a flower basket at any moment."
Satyadhara : "It is unwise to underestimate danger."
Tara : "And it is apparently unwise to underestimate your ability to avoid carrying presents."
Satyadhara : "I am glad you understand."
Tara stopped walking for half a step.
Tara : "That is not what I—"
Satyadhara had already continued ahead.
Tara watched him go, her mouth slightly open.
Tara : "Unbelievable."
Malini : "Would you prefer that he abandon his post to carry your gifts?"
Tara : "Yes."
Malini : "At least you are honest."
Tara sighed dramatically and resumed walking.
Tara (thinking) : "The next time I am invited to a royal court, I am bringing a cart. No, two carts. Perhaps an entire elephant."
The Flashiest Ministers in Bainath
At last, the guest residence came into view.
Two familiar figures stood near the entrance, waiting with their hands positioned confidently at their waists.
Tara recognised them immediately.
Unfortunately.
Aryav and Kavya had changed into the new Katyuri outfits presented to them earlier that day. The clothes were beautifully embroidered, richly coloured, and clearly made by skilled local craftsmen.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the clothes themselves.
The problem was what Aryav and Kavya had decided to do with them.
Aryav stood with one leg extended, his shoulders angled dramatically, and his chin lifted towards the sky. Kavya had adopted a matching pose, one hand resting near her waist while the other was held at a deliberately elegant angle.
They looked as though they had spent the entire afternoon studying the movements of a travelling theatre troupe.
As Tara approached, the pair turned towards her in perfect synchronisation.
Aryav : "Ah! The weary traveller returns!"
Kavya : "And what a sight she is."
They exchanged a glance.
Then, without a word, both shifted into another pose.
Aryav : "Hey, Minister Tara."
Kavya : "I hope our beauty shine didn't blind you."
They smirked.
Silence followed.
Tara stared at them.
Malini stared at them.
Satyadhara stared at them.
All three wore almost identical expressions.
._.
Aryav held his pose.
Kavya raised one eyebrow.
Another second passed.
Aryav : "Well?"
Tara said nothing.
Kavya : "No comment?"
Tara : "I am trying to understand what happened to both of you."
Aryav : "We improved."
Tara : "I see."
Kavya : "The Katyuri craftsmen have excellent taste."
Malini : "The craftsmen do. I am not certain about the models."
Kavya's smirk faltered.
Aryav : "That was unnecessarily cruel."
Malini : "I thought honesty was encouraged in the company of friends."
Tara : "It is. Especially when friends begin behaving like painted statues."
Aryav placed a hand against his chest.
Aryav : "Painted statues? Tara, these are the latest styles of the mountain court!"
Kavya : "And you are simply jealous that we look better than you."
Tara slowly looked down at the enormous collection of gifts in her arms.
Then she looked at Aryav.
Then at Kavya.
A thought crossed her mind.
It was a very simple thought.
And it was an excellent one.
Without changing her expression, Tara walked towards them.
Aryav : "Ah, there she comes. At last, someone who appreciates—"
Tara stopped directly in front of the pair.
Then she dropped everything.
Every flower garland, every wrapped bundle, every small box she had been carrying came tumbling out of her arms.
The gifts landed across Aryav and Kavya's carefully arranged clothes.
A garland caught on Aryav's shoulder. A bundle slid down Kavya's sleeve. One of the boxes struck the ground and bounced harmlessly against Aryav's foot.
Aryav and Kavya froze.
Then—
Aryav and Kavya : "NO! OUR OUTFITS!"
They scrambled to catch the falling presents, desperately trying to prevent the embroidered fabric from being crushed beneath them.
Aryav : "TARA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"
Tara : "I have improved your outfits."
Kavya : "YOU HAVE COVERED THEM IN FLOWERS!"
Tara : "You said you wanted to shine. I thought additional decoration would help."
Malini covered her mouth.
Her shoulders shook.
Satyadhara looked away, but the faint movement at the corner of his mouth betrayed him.
Aryav carefully lifted a garland from his chest.
Aryav : "This embroidery is delicate!"
Tara : "So are my arms."
Kavya : "You could have warned us!"
Tara : "I did. I asked for help carrying the gifts. Nobody offered any."
Aryav : "We were preparing a proper welcome!"
Tara : "And I have received it."
She brushed a stray petal from her sleeve.
Tara : "Beautiful, isn't it?"
Malini finally lost the battle and laughed.
Kavya looked at her.
Kavya : "You are supposed to be on our side."
Malini : "I am on the side of whoever is funniest at the moment."
Aryav : "Then you should be on mine!"
Malini : "That is precisely why I am not."
Before Aryav could defend his honour, a strained voice emerged from behind them.
Yash : "Could someone explain something to me?"
Everyone turned.
Yash approached with great difficulty, pulling at the sleeves of his new outfit. The garment was handsome, made from thick fabric with intricate mountain patterns, but the fit was questionable. The sleeves extended past his wrists, and the hem hung lower than he expected.
He lifted one arm.
The sleeve swallowed his hand.
Yash stared at it with genuine concern.
Yash : "Are these outfits supposed to be this big, or did they give me the wrong size?"
Aryav, still rescuing his clothes from the flowers, waved dismissively.
Aryav : "Oh, come on, Yash. I don't see anything wrong with these clothes. Besides, they make us look more... flashy."
He attempted another pose.
A flower fell from his shoulder.
Kavya caught it before it hit the ground.
Kavya : "Stop posing and help me!"
Aryav : "I am helping! I am demonstrating how to wear them with confidence."
Tara : "You are demonstrating how to wear them with flowers."
Yash examined his sleeves again.
Yash : "I think I prefer my old clothes."
Tara : "At least your sleeves can provide shelter for a small bird."
Yash looked at her.
Yash : "Devi Tara."
Tara : "Yes?"
Yash : "I am beginning to understand why Malini looks tired around you."
Malini : "Finally. Someone learns."
For the first time since leaving the court, Tara laughed properly.
The tension of the journey, the endless garlands, and the exhaustion of the day's formalities seemed to loosen its grip on her. For a few moments, they were not representatives of a great empire negotiating with a mountain kingdom.
They were simply a group of people who had travelled too far, eaten too much, received too many flowers, and somehow found themselves wearing clothes that required more attention than their official duties.
But the laughter would not last forever.
Because beneath the comedy, the reason for their presence in Bainath remained unchanged.
They had come to negotiate.
And time was already passing.
A Minister's Calculations
Later, the group gathered in one of the guest residence's sitting rooms.
The gifts had been sorted into separate piles, the most delicate flowers placed carefully in vessels of water, and the boxes arranged along one wall. Yash had finally managed to fold his sleeves back far enough to use his hands properly.
Aryav and Kavya had recovered their dignity, although neither was willing to admit that the flower incident had been entirely deserved.
Tara sat on a cushioned seat, one hand resting against her forehead.
Malini placed a cup of water beside her.
Malini : "Drink."
Tara : "Thank you."
Malini : "And don't fall asleep."
Tara : "I have never understood why you consider sleep an enemy."
Malini : "Because you consider every responsibility an obstacle to it."
Tara : "That is a cruel misrepresentation of my character."
Malini : "Would you like me to list examples?"
Tara : "No."
Malini sat beside her, satisfied.
Yash, who had been waiting patiently for the conversation to settle, leaned forward.
Yash : "So, Devi Tara... how did the court meeting go? Was there anything curious or important?"
Tara took a long breath.
Tara : "I think that because we were attending the court as guests, they did not discuss anything particularly important in front of us. We were mostly spectators."
Yash : "Nothing important?"
Tara : "Nothing important."
Yash blinked.
Tara : "Most of the time went towards the nobles introducing themselves, giving us gifts, presenting flowers, and explaining how useful their particular services or connections might be."
Aryav : "You forgot the part where they praised the Pratihara Empire."
Tara : "They praised us, we praised them, and everyone congratulated everyone else for being so wonderfully generous."
Kavya : "Diplomacy at its finest."
Tara : "The whole ceremony was a way for the nobles to establish connections with our delegation. Some wanted us to remember their names. Others wanted us to remember their businesses, their influence, or their usefulness to the kingdom."
Yash nodded slowly.
Yash : "So they were trying to build relationships with us before the actual negotiations begin."
Tara : "Exactly."
She picked up the cup and took a sip.
Tara : "There is nothing wrong with that. A kingdom is not merely its king and ministers. The nobles, merchants, officials, and influential families all have their own interests. If we understand who holds influence here, it may prove useful later."
Malini watched her thoughtfully.
Tara had spent much of the journey complaining about uncomfortable seats, insufficient sweets, and the injustice of having to wake up early. Yet when the subject turned to politics, she noticed details that others overlooked.
She had not merely sat through the ceremony.
She had studied it.
Malini (thinking) : "She may complain about everything, but she never truly stops paying attention."
Yash : "Did King Malushahi give any date for the meeting with his ministers?"
Tara : "Not yet."
Aryav stretched his back and leaned against the cushions.
Aryav : "Why are you stressing so much? We have only just arrived! At least three to five days should be spent discovering the city and enjoying ourselves."
Kavya : "You mean eating, sleeping, and finding new clothes to pose in."
Aryav : "Those are essential diplomatic activities."
Tara : "I agree that we should learn more about Bainath. We cannot negotiate properly if we know nothing about the kingdom beyond its court."
She set her cup aside.
Tara : "But we have other kingdoms to visit as well. I would prefer to settle our business here within fifteen days and leave without unnecessary delays."
Yash : "Fifteen days is reasonable, provided the Katyuri court is prepared to discuss the matters we came here for."
Aryav tilted his head.
Aryav : "And what if they are not?"
Tara looked towards him.
Aryav : "What if they keep postponing the discussions? What if they insist on more ceremonies, more introductions, more visits to their nobles? What if they keep us here for a month?"
His voice had lost its earlier playfulness.
Aryav : "We cannot force them to negotiate simply because we are impatient. We are guests in their kingdom."
The room became quiet.
Outside, the sounds of the city drifted through the open windows. Somewhere in the courtyard, an attendant was arranging the gifts they had received.
Tara's expression changed.
The easy smile disappeared. Her shoulders straightened, and the weariness in her eyes gave way to something sharper.
Tara : "Do you think we came here empty-handed, like helpless visitors waiting for the Katyuris to decide our future?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Tara looked from Aryav to Kavya, then to Yash and Malini.
Tara : "We are representatives of the Pratihara Empire. We have travelled here with a purpose, and we have responsibilities beyond this kingdom. We cannot afford to let every court we visit decide how long we remain or what we are permitted to discuss."
Her voice remained controlled, but the firmness behind it was unmistakable.
Tara : "I do not intend to stand before the Katyuris like some helpless woman waiting for them to grant us a favour. We came to negotiate an agreement that serves our empire. If they delay, we will find out why. If they demand concessions, we will examine what they offer in return. If they attempt to use our patience against us, we will make the consequences of that decision clear."
Kavya's posture straightened.
Aryav stopped leaning against the cushions.
Tara continued.
Tara : "And if the negotiations reach a point where they deliberately obstruct us, then we will use whatever leverage is available to us—even the possibility of military pressure, if that is what it takes to bring them to the table."
The room seemed to grow colder.
She had not raised her voice. She had not struck the table or threatened to march an army into the mountains.
That made her words more unsettling, not less.
Tara (thinking) : "A threat is useless if the other side knows you cannot carry it out. And reckless if you make it before understanding what it will cost."
She folded her hands in her lap.
Tara : "I am not saying we should threaten them immediately. That would be foolish. We must understand their interests, their fears, and what they stand to gain from cooperating with us. But we must also understand what they stand to lose if they refuse."
Yash studied her carefully.
Yash : "So we establish our leverage before making our demands."
Tara : "Yes. We learn what matters to them. We determine which concessions we can afford to offer and which ones we cannot. We make cooperation more attractive than refusal—and ensure that refusal has a cost."
Yash nodded.
Yash : "That is the rule of negotiation. Do what is necessary to secure the result, provided we understand the consequences of our methods."
Tara : "Exactly."
Kavya watched Tara for a moment before speaking.
Kavya : "Are you serious about using the threat of invasion?"
Tara met her gaze directly.
Tara : "Completely."
Aryav's expression became unusually thoughtful.
Aryav : "Tara, an army cannot simply cross into the mountains because a negotiation has gone badly. The terrain alone would make such a campaign difficult. And if the Katyuris have strong local support, threatening them could unite their nobles against us."
Tara : "I know."
Aryav : "Then you understand that even mentioning military action could destroy the goodwill we have just built."
Tara : "Which is why I will not mention it without reason."
She leaned forward slightly.
Tara : "But goodwill is not the same as an agreement. A warm welcome does not guarantee cooperation, and a room full of smiling nobles does not mean they will give us what we need. We should appreciate their hospitality without confusing it for a promise."
For once, Aryav had no immediate reply.
Tara : "I want a peaceful agreement. It would be better for both kingdoms. But peace is not achieved by agreeing to everything the other side wants."
Malini's gaze remained on Tara.
Malini (thinking) : "There she is."
The girl who complained about waking early. The woman who could turn a pile of flowers into an argument. The minister who had spent the journey pretending that her responsibilities were an inconvenience.
All of those things were true.
But so was this.
Tara understood that diplomacy was not a performance of politeness. It was the difficult work of balancing interests, calculating risks, and knowing when to stand firm.
Yash rose from his seat.
Yash : "Then I will review our notes on Katyuri trade routes, available supplies, and the kingdom's regional connections. If we are to negotiate effectively, we should understand what they value before we enter the next meeting."
Tara nodded approvingly.
Tara : "Good. And discreetly gather whatever reliable information you can about the kingdom's financial and military position. We do not need rumours. We need facts."
Yash : "Understood."
Kavya folded her arms.
Kavya : "And what do you want the rest of us to do?"
Tara paused, then allowed the smallest hint of a smile to return.
Tara : "For now? Rest. Learn the city. Speak to people when appropriate. Pay attention to what the nobles say, and more importantly, what they avoid saying."
Aryav brightened.
Aryav : "So I may explore the city?"
Tara : "Yes."
Aryav : "Visit the markets?"
Tara : "Yes."
Aryav : "Try the local food?"
Tara : "Within reason."
Aryav : "Excellent! I knew you would understand the importance of cultural diplomacy."
Kavya : "He heard only the word 'food'."
Tara : "I am beginning to think that is the only language he speaks fluently."
Aryav : "I heard that!"
Tara : "Good. Your hearing remains intact."
A few quiet laughs passed around the room, easing the tension.
Yet the discussion had changed something.
They had arrived in Bainath as guests, welcomed with flowers and ceremonial honours. They had been treated generously, and the Katyuri court had given them every outward sign of respect.
But respect was only the beginning.
Tomorrow, Tara would begin finding out what lay beneath it.
She glanced at the gifts stacked against the wall, then at the fading light beyond the window.
Tara (thinking) : "Fifteen days. A king who keeps watching the city gates. Nobles who want to become our friends before negotiations even begin. And an empire waiting for results."
She sighed.
Tara (thinking) : "I should have brought the second cart."
Malini looked at her.
Malini : "What are you thinking about now?"
Tara : "Nothing important."
Malini : "That expression means you are either planning something troublesome or thinking about food."
Tara : "Why can't it be both?"
Malini shook her head.
Outside, the mountain wind moved through the palace gardens, carrying the distant sounds of Bainath into the evening.
The court had welcomed the Pratihara ministers with flowers.
But when the real negotiations began, neither flowers nor smiles would determine who left with the better bargain.
That would depend on who understood the other side first.