Bisringkhal-An Assam Timeline

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Historical Note

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1671 is a year that is enshrined in the memory of Assam, for it is the year in which Lachit Borphukan and his army defeated the might Mughal war machine at Saraighat. The battle and Lachit’s leadership proved a turning point in the war between the Mughals and Ahoms as it drove the Mughals out of Assam, and restored Guwahati to the Ahoms.



Everything seemed as though it was on the ascendant for Lachit and his King, Sunyatphaa, however, tragedy struck when shortly after Saraighat, Lachit died. Sunyatphaa, concerned that with his best general gone, the Mughals would try something, ordered his remaining commanders under Atan Burhagohain to garrison Guwahati.



This proved to be a costly mistake, for Sunyatphaa fell under the sway of a Brahmin named Paramananda. So strong was Paramananda’s influence over the King that he became almost like a chief minister for the sovereign. Nothing was done without Paramananda being consulted.



This led to a great deal of concern and irritation amongst the nobility, especially when under Paramanda’s advice, Sunyatphaa ordered the persecution and murder of various Vaishnavite Mahantas. A foolhardy decision given that many of the nobility were followers of the Vaishnavite sects present in Assam at the time.



All of this culminated in a palace coup, in which Sunyatphaa’s brother, Sarugohain with the support of Debera Hazarika and other members of the nobility deposed Sunyatphaa and had his favourite killed. Sunyatphaa was imprisoned and eventually executed, with his brother taking the name Suklamphaa.



However, the issues didn’t stop there. Unhappy with missing out on the promotion he felt was his due, Debera Hazarika schemed and plotted his way into becoming the Borbarua, a senior position at court. He then schemed and removed any who stood in his way until he became the King’s chief minister.



As chief minister he exercised almost absolute power, deciding who got to live and who to got to die. Justifying his decisions to the King by claiming that those who died at his hand were traitors to the King and thus in need of being removed.



For a time, this state of affairs seemed as if it would hold firm, after all the King was young and seemingly healthy, and the threat from the west seemed to have calmed down.



But fate has a way of making things turn.



As our story starts, Suklamphaa and his wife Minati have suffered yet another stillbirth, one that seems will leave Minati unable to ever have children. With the succession now up in the air, Suklamphaa must decide who he wants as his heir.



He has a few choices, his brother Sunyatphaa’s sons, or members of their extended family.



That’s not even considering who Debera would want on the throne.



Let the game of thrones begin.

 

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Chapter 1: Ceremonies​

November 1674
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Kalia splashed water onto his face and took a deep breath. Today was going to be a tough day, this day was always a tough day. It was the anniversary of his uncle’s ascension to the throne. The anniversary of the day when his uncle had deposed Kalia’s father and instead of giving the throne to Kalia as he should have done, the man had taken it himself!

The previous year, Kalia had managed to get out of attending the festivities due to an illness, one that he had worried might take his life. Thankfully, God had seen fit to bring him back to health and he had carried on. This year, there was to be no illness, he would have to go through with attending the ceremony. He blinked as the water droplets fell into the bowl and exhaled.

Kalia knew he could do it, he had to. A glance to his right showed that his brothers Narayan and Noban were up and getting themselves ready. He had to set an example for them. His mother had begged him to do that before she had been put to death. He had sworn he would, and he fully intended to stand by that promise.

Moving away from the bowl, Kalia took the piece of twig from his servant and used it to remove the dirt and debris from his teeth. That done he handed the twig back and took the cup of water, drank from it, washed his mouth with it and then exhaled.

Today would be a long day, of that, he was sure. He would just have to grit his teeth and bear it. He turned and walked out of the washroom and moved into the main room. Kalia looked around, once more reminded of what this day meant.

When their father, Sunyatphaa had been King, Kalia and his brothers had lived in the main palace, they had each had individual rooms. Rooms that made this room look insignificant by comparison. In his old room, Kalia would have been able to fit all his brothers, here, he, Narayan and Noban struggled to all fit in with their beds and clothes.

Kalia pushed that thought to one side and took the items of clothing he was handed. Loose shirt and loose trousers. He put them on and then took the blue turban-red was reserved for the heir apparent- and placed it on his head. That done he looked at his brothers and saw that they were also dressed.

“Let’s get on with this.” Kalia said, careful to keep his voice soft and emotionless. If he showed any emotion then who knew what his brothers, especially Narayan would do. They could not afford to have any scenes, or anything else dangerous happening today. Not with the entire court-apart from those officers stationed in Kamrup-being present.

Kalia led the way out of the room, as they got into the corridor, they spread out. Kalia in the centre, Narayan on the left, and Noban on the right. They had some distance to walk. Time to talk then.

Clearly something Noban picked up on, for he was, as was always the case, the one who spoke first. “Will the King actually do anything today? Or will it be like last time?”

“What happened last time?” Kalia asked, his illness and his general desire not to commemorate the murder of his father and mother had meant that he hadn’t bothered asking what exactly had happened.

Noban snorted. “The King sat on the throne and listened as singers sang his praises. The fact that the Nagas were in revolt didn’t seem to matter.”

“Well now the Nagas have been dealt with.” Kalia said, a brother of the Borbarua had seen to that. “And we already know that there will be gifts given.” Kalia had been ordered by the Borbarua to present a gift to the King from himself and his brothers. They had discussed it at length and had reached a decision a few days ago.

“I still think you should have given him that flower we found near the Minister’s Hall.” Narayan said.

Kalia glanced at his brother and sighed. “We all know why we couldn’t give him that. That’s a dangerous flower, not something to be dealt with lightly.”

“I’m just saying.” Narayan said.

“Well keep that to yourself, we cannot afford anything going wrong here.” Kalia replied, turning back to face frontwards, his thoughts turning to the rumours he had heard recently about the Borbarua apparently sniffing around for a new Queen for the King and the King’s adamant refusal to take a second wife.

Something would give there, he was sure of it. But what it would be that gave, he did not know. His uncle Solail would know, but Kalia did not like Solail, the man was an idiot and a slob.

“Whatever happens, the King likely won’t speak at all during this ceremony.” Noban said.

“Why?” Kalia asked, keeping his voice low as they turned a corner and got closer to entering the main palace. The palace quarters were divided up into several sections.

There was the section where Kalia and his brothers lived, which was the oldest part of the palace, the rooms were smaller, the air was hotter, and the atmosphere was stale. Then there was the main palace quarter, this was newer, built during the reign of Susenghphaa, the burha Raja, the old King. That was where Kalia and his brothers had grown up whilst first their uncle Supangmung, and then their father had been King.

Noban didn’t reply.

Kalia stopped as they got to the entranceway to the main palace. The gates were big, engraved with the Royal Dragon and Tiger fighting. There was some story there behind that, but what it was he could not remember, he would need to check after this. There were two guards standing before them.

Kalia nodded to them both and in as commanding a voice said. “We have come to celebrate His Majesty’s Ascension Day. We are Kalia, Narayan and Noban Gohain.”

The two guards looked at them for what seemed an age. Kalia had to fight back the impatience. They knew who he and his brothers were, they saw them enough, indeed, if he was not mistaken the guard to his left had been here when Kalia had been a boy. Still, needs must, there was protocol and other such things to follow.

Eventually, after what seemed like a thousand years, the guards turned and opened the two doors and Kalia and his brothers entered the Main Palace.

To be specific, they entered the main courtyard. The main courtyard wasn’t really a courtyard per say, it was more of a hallway that was covered, but had little trees and other such things within it. The burha Raja had been an eccentric man, Kalia had to admit. But then he supposed you had to be to survive waiting for your throne for fifty years.

He rolled his shoulders and pressed on. Trying to keep his feet as soft as possible as they landed on the stone, he levelled his breathing. It would not be easy seeing his uncle sat where he by all right should be sat, but he was a man now at seventeen, he could handle it.

They got to another set of doors, these were also guarded, this time by two burly men, these men didn’t require Kalia to state who he or his brother were. Instead, they merely nodded, and opened the doors. Kalia muttered his thanks and stepped into the chamber that was attached to the throne room.

There were others present in the room, as he had expected. This was the place where everyone waited before the King had entered court and taken his seat on the throne. Kalia could remember when his father had been King, there had always been some sort of entertainment present in the chamber. A singer, a poet, or a juggler. Someone to keep people entertained as they waited. His uncle, Suklamphaa was different. The man seemed to despise entertainment.

Or was it his minister, Debera Borbarua who despised entertainment?

Nobody was quite sure who actually ruled, was it the King or the Borbarua? That was an issue, especially now that the Queen had had another miscarriage.

Kalia overheard his brothers talking and turned to them both, keeping his expression as serious as possible. “Say nothing unless spoken to. Do you understand?”

“We have been to court before, brother.” Narayan replied.

“That hasn’t stopped you before.” Kalia remarked. He remembered all too well the words that Narayan had exchanged with a Hazarika a few months ago that had almost led to a duel. Kalia had had to physically pry his brother away from the Hazarika. That it had happened in full court had not helped.

“That was one time.” Narayan murmured, clearly thinking of the same incident.

“Once was enough.” Was all Kalia said, turning as the bugles sounded, indicating that the King had entered the throne room and was seated.

A herald appeared and in a loud voice called out. “Please form a line in order of seniority as stated in the orders laid out last year. You will all file into the throne room and present your gift to the King and then take your place within the court.”

“I can’t believe this actually happened.” Noban remarked from behind Kalia, referring to the fact that the King had managed to get the Order of Seniority sorted out properly, something that their own father had failed to do.

Though he supposed it helped when three of the most important nobles of the realm were away. The Princes of the Blood were all here though, Kalia knew they’d be here. None of them would miss a chance to kiss the Kingly Arse.

He pushed that thought aside as he and his brothers got into the line, right behind their uncle Solail. Solail was a stocky man, all muscle, and no height. He had fought at Saraighat and before that in the previous battles against the Mughals. He’d been scarred by the experience, but many wondered if he might become the next King assuming the current King had no sons of his own body.

Solail’s name was called out and he walked through the entranceway and into the throne room. Kalia didn’t bother trying to strain to see what gift his uncle had got the King; he would see it soon enough.

Instead, he took a moment to get his mind blank. His brothers would be walking through the entranceway with him. He wanted to make sure he showed his uncles that he commanded their little family. That there was no reason for alarm.

Why that mattered to him he did not know. But it did.

“Kalia Gohain and his brothers!” The herald called out.

Kalia exhaled and then walked forward, keeping himself level, he moved through the entranceway and continued walking until he was before the throne. His uncle, Suklamphaa was dressed in the royal finery, jewels and crown atop his head.

Kalia bowed and spoke. “Our congratulations and felicitations on this your Ascension Day, Your Majesty.” He heard his brothers say the same thing internally breathed a sigh of relief.

The King said nothing, keeping his eyes lowered, Kalia spoke once more. “For such an august person as Your Majesty only something true and real could be of great benefit during this most auspicious of days.” He hated himself for the words he was saying, but servants had come with a box now, and they opened it before the King.

“From the thickness of the jungle, we present to you a rarity. A claw from a white tiger.” An animal that was so rare that to see it was considered an omen of good fortune.

The King broke protocol then by speaking. “We thank you, beloved nephews for this most precious of gifts. Bring it here.”

Kalia watched in amazement as a guard took the box from the servants holding it and brought it before the King, the King looked at it and then picked it up out of the box. Kalia watched amazed, this was a complete breach of protocol. What was going on here?

The King looked at the claw, and then remarked. “We shall wear this mark of auspicious fortune for the rest of our days. We thank you, nephews, and bless you.”

Kalia didn’t dare risk a look at his brothers, this was something unexpected. Instead, he bowed again and said. “The honour is ours, Your Majesty.” Keeping his eyes lowered he moved away from the throne toward his own place in court. Once he got there he raised his eyes and shared a look with his brothers.

What had just happened?

 

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Chapter 2: Heavy Lies The Head​

November 1674
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Suklamphaa wanted to groan. His head hurt. He’d had far too much sulai yesterday. He had thought that he would be able to get away with it due to it being his Ascension Day celebration, but clearly God did not think it worth giving him an excuse to get away from that particular mortal affliction.

Therefore, he drank plenty of other liquids to nullify the pain in his head and contemplated why he had a headache. Being King was something that Suklamphaa had never aspired to. At least, not when he had been a child, indeed, when he had been a child, there had not be a remote prospect that he would ascend the throne.

After all, his cousin Sutmala had ascended the throne in the year that he had actual memories, and it had seemed like the man would keep the throne for a long time. Sutmala had been young and healthy, and he was married and his wife had been young and healthy too. Then things had gone wrong, Sutmala had died without a son, and Suklamphaa’s brother Supangmung had ascended the throne, and everything had seemed to be going one way.

Of course, Supangmung would never have had children, not many people knew this outside of the immediate family, but his brother was physically incapable of having children. An accident or a war wound during the fighting against Delhi had seen to that. So, it had always been known that either Sunyatphaa or his sons would ascend the throne once Supangmung died.

Suklamphaa had been happy with that state of affairs, he had not particularly hankered after the throne. But then Supangmung had died, Sunyatphaa had become King and that man, that stain of a man, Paramananda had become his brother’s chief advisor.

Paramananda was toxic and had succeeded in alienating most of the great nobility of the realm. Suklamphaa had done what he had done to preserve the Kingdom and the throne. He had heard the rumours that some of the nobles were considering completely removing their part of the family from the throne and giving it to that fool Suhung or his ilk. To stop that Suklamphaa had acted. He’d got the support of Debera and a few other junior officers and staged a coup. Removing his brother from the throne and killing Paramananda.

Initially, Suklamphaa had considered putting his eldest nephew, Kalia on the throne, but Debera had pointed out that doing so might invite Delhi to meddle in their affairs. Therefore, with a great deal of regret, Suklamphaa had taken the throne.

And now, here he was, two years later, with a headache and a whole host of anxieties. He did not want to be King. Indeed, if he could do it all over again, he would kill Paramananda-that had been his dharma to do so-but instead he would keep his brother on the throne. Sunyatphaa had been a good man, he just needed the right guidance. Suklamphaa knew he could have provided that guidance.

Instead, he had listened to Debera, and now sat the throne. But his concerns had increased. He did not trust Debera for one thing.

There was something about the man who served as his chief minister that unnerved him. A lack of empathy perhaps, or something more? He did not know, but it was eating away at him, and he did not know what to do about it.

It was not as if he could recall Atan and Lalusoka from Kamrup, not with the threat of Delhi ordering an invasion still a strong possibility. Furthermore, there was nobody in the capital who could serve as a replacement. Kalia was far too young, and the other Princes were idiots and fools. The Phukans present in the capital were all loyal to Debera as well.

Suklamphaa pushed a sigh away and glanced to his right, where the man in question, Debera Borbarua, sat waiting for a sign to begin speaking.

Might as well get this over with. Suklamphaa thought to himself. He nodded to Debera and the man spoke.

“Yesterday’s festivities went well, I thought, Sire.”

“Indeed.” Suklamphaa replied, the festivities had gone on late into the night. That was why he had such a headache now. The festivities only ended when he left, and as such, he had had to stay until almost everyone had been drunk or asleep or something more. It was a tiring process, but that was what came with being King.

“The presents are quite manifold this year as well.” Debera continued.

Suklamphaa knew that was because an order had gone out commanding all those who attended to bring a present, whilst last year, no such order had gone out. He did wonder what would happen to those presents, as he had no real need for any of them. Other than the tiger claw that Kalia and his brothers had gotten for him. That he would keep.

Still, he needed to act surprised, to keep the charade going and so he said. “Indeed, we are very pleased with how things turned out.”

Debera grinned, and in that moment, Suklamphaa briefly saw what it was that had drawn him to the man. Debera had been good fun before Paramananda had gone fully overboard with his demands and his requirements of Sunyatphaa. Since the coup, Debera had become serious and Suklamphaa hesitated to say this, but he wondered if perhaps the man was slightly mad as well.

He pushed that thought down as Debera continued. “Might I be so bold to ask Your Majesty what made you speak upon receiving the gift from Kalia Gohain and his brothers?”

Suklamphaa pushed down a sigh, he had been expecting this question, almost from the moment that he had opened his mouth the day before. He did not really know what had prompted him to speak and break through protocol, but he had, and he was glad he had done so. The look on his nephews’ faces had been something else.

Suklamphaa was not a fool, he knew his nephews likely hated him for the way in which he had removed their father and dealt with their mother. But he was also their uncle and he wanted to show them some appreciation. But how was he to explain this to Debera without causing alarm, after all he knew that Debera had not agreed with his decision to keep Kalia and the boys alive.

In a most unKingly manner, Suklamphaa shrugged and answered. “I felt that it was the right thing to do.”

Debera frowned, and his tone was if not reproving, close to it. “It has started a whole lot of chatter at court. Some are whispering that you intend to make Kalian Gohain the heir apparent to the throne.”

Suklamphaa snorted. “Do they have so little faith in my abilities to sire children?” Minati was not even thirty yet, there was time yet for them to have children.

“No, Sire,” Debera replied in what Suklamphaa was sure was meant to be a reassuring tone, though it came across as vaguely patronising. “It is more that they are concerned that something might not go right given Her Majesty’s difficulties in childbirth.”

Difficulties in childbirth…. Minati had almost died during her latest childbirth, the baby, a girl had been stillborn, but Suklamphaa remembered the heart ache and the nervousness he had felt waiting for news. There had been five other instances of this as well, starting a decade ago.

Minati had told him after this last one that he should take a second wife, someone who would be able to bear children. Suklamphaa had told her not to speak nonsense. He would not take a second wife, he would have only one, the only woman who had ever truly understood him.

“God will grace us with a son.” Suklamphaa said. “The Queen and I are young yet.”

“Of course, Sire.” Debera said. “But still, it would not hurt to consider alternative options.”

Suklamphaa narrowed his eyes at the man who served as his chief minister. “What are you getting at?” He demanded.

The boldness of Debera continually amazed Suklamphaa, the man dared to do things that nobody else would ever consider. Including right now, Suklamphaa watched as the man cleared his throat and said. “I have compiled a list of eligible ladies from the noble families of the Kingdom. Women from fertile families who would be more than honoured to marry Your Majesty.”

Suklamphaa bit down the urge to yell at his minister, instead he waited. Debera took this as a sign to continue.

“Amongst these women are the daughter of Atan Burhagohain, the daughter of Lalusoka Borphukan, then there are the daughters of Lecha Hazarika and more.”

“No.” Suklamphaa said simply. He would not marry anyone other than Minati. She was his wife and that was that.

“Sire?” Debera replied sounding confused.

“There will only be one Queen so long as I am King, and that is my wife.” Suklamphaa said. “Nobody else shall embrace the role whilst I do live.”

Debera’s boldness came through once more when he replied. “A second wife need not bear the title of Queen, Sire. After all, His Most Auspicious Majesty Sukaphaa had many wives, but only one woman served as his Queen.”

Suklamphaa frowned at his chief minister. “I need no lessons on the history of my dynasty.” He knew more about the dynasty’s history than any of his brothers, and certainly more than any of the other fools from the extended family. “The answer remains no.”

“Then I fear that someone might try something. There are already rumours that Solail Gohain is speaking with members of the court to gain support for something.” Debera.

“He is trying to gain enough support to force my hand into granting him command of the forces at Kamrup.” Suklamphaa replied. “Solail is a fighter, not a politician.”

Indeed, out of all the brothers, Solail was perhaps the best warrior. He had earned his stripes fighting Delhi during the war of the 1660s under Sutmala, and then again under Lachit Borphukan. He wanted to be in command, and as a Prince of the Blood, perhaps he deserved it. But the thought of him scheming to try and claim the throne was laughable.

“Be that as it may, it could not hurt to consider, Sire.” Debera said.

“No.” Suklamphaa replied. “My answer remains no, and if there is nothing else worthwhile discussing, you are dismissed.”

Debera looked as though he wanted to protest, but instead he rose, bowed low and then raised himself up and departed.

Suklamphaa watched him and realised that his headache was starting to go away as well. He snorted; God worked in mysterious ways.

 

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Chapter 3: A Queen​

November 1674

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Minati Konwari, Queen of the Ahom Kingdom, wife of Suklamphaa, the King of the Ahom Kingdom, found herself lost in thought. With one hand pressed to her stomach she found herself wondering why God had decided to curse her so.



Another child lost, another failure. She had been married Suklamphaa for a decade now, and in that time, there had been numerous miscarriages and stillbirths. This most recent one hurt all the more though. For, they had come so close, so close to having an heir. But God had seen fit to take the child away from them.



Now the rumours were starting again. The courtiers were all whispering that the issue was with her that she was faulty, that there was something terribly wrong with her. Some had even revived the old rumours that had flared when she and Suklamphaa had married.



The rumours that stated that because she was not from the Kingdom, she would never bear a healthy child because everyone knew that people from the west never did. Especially from the area where the Emperors of Delhi had so desecrated the land of God.



Minati pushed those thoughts to one side. Those were nothing but scurrilous rumours. She was confident that she could bear a healthy child. They just needed to try one more time. She would give her husband and the Kingdom a son. She would!



“What are you thinking about?” A voice asked, and a hand on her shoulder pulled her out of her contemplation.



Minati turned and found herself gazing into her husband’s eyes. He seemed tired. He always seemed tired as of late.



“What had happened.” She said, knowing that her husband knew her well enough to not need to ask.



Her husband didn’t bother with the useless platitudes. He didn’t bother saying that it wasn’t her fault, he didn’t bother saying that they had simply been unlucky. He knew her too well to think that such things would ease her mind.



Instead, he asked. “And?



“I spoke with the Physician; we can start trying again in another few months.” Minati said.



Suklamphaa nodded and eyed her, concern writ large on his features. “Are you sure that this is something you want to do?”



“Yes!” Minati replied forcefully. “It is nothing that I want to do, it is something that I have to do. I must give you an heir.”



Her husband sighed and said. “Very well, if that is what you wish, then who am I to complain?”



His tone scared her. Had he grown tired of her? Minati knew that her husband’s brother had grown tired of his first wife and had therefore taken a second wife. She also knew that her husband’s father had taken four wives, simply because his lust could not be sated with one.



Suklamphaa was not like that. For as long as she had known him, he had only ever had eyes for her. From the time they were children. She did not know what she would do if he said that he had lost attraction for her.



“Do you not want to?” She asked, her voice small.



Suklamphaa looked at her in surprise. “Of course, I want to! Minati, the only person I’ve ever wanted to be with is you, surely you know this?!” Minati nodded, she knew, but sometimes it was good to be reassured.



“But,” Suklamphaa continued and something in Minati tightened. “I do not want you to get hurt, and I am worried that if we keep trying you will get hurt.”



“Why would I get hurt?” Minati asked. “The Physician did not say that the pregnancies were leaving long lasting hurts on me. Only that I needed time to recover.”



Suklamphaa nodded, though Minati could see that he wasn’t convinced. He walked forward then and turned so that he was now in front of her. He pulled a chair and sat down. She saw the lines on his face, the darkness under his eyes. He looked exhausted.



Pushing her own concerns to one side, she took his hand in hers and asked. “What’s happened?”



“I had a conversation with Debera.” Her husband said.



Minati frowned, she didn’t like Debera, she never had. As far as she was concerned, he was a snake. A dangerous snake who had whispered poison to her husband and got him to do something that was completely out of character for him.



She still remembered the screams of her brother in law’s wives as Debera had had them killed. She tried to push them down now, but they were ringing in her ears. Inhaling, Minati asked. “What did he have to say?”



“He broached the topic of marriage.” Suklamphaa said, his voice soft.



“Marriage?” Minati asked. “Your marriage?”



Suklamphaa nodded, and the tightness in her got worse.



“What did he say?” She asked, she might as well find out how bad things were going to be.



“He proposed a list of candidates and said that it would be good for the Kingdom, he mentioned our ancestor and all of that.” Suklamphaa said, he sounded tired but also angry.



“And what did you say in response?” Minati asked.



“I told him that I would not marry anyone else. That you were the only woman I have ever wanted to marry and that it would remain that way.” Suklamphaa replied.



Minati exhaled, that was a relief, but she also knew that it had made things all the more dangerous for them both. Whilst she was certain that God would not be so cruel as to deny them a son, she knew that her husband needed to have a plan in case their worst fears became true. Especially if Debera was already looking for wives for her husband. Now that Suklamphaa had rejected the idea, Debera would start looking for someone else to go to. Someone who would listen completely to him.



“You need to decide on what to do if the worst happens.” She said then.



“What?!” Suklamphaa exclaimed, his eyes had widened.



“If for whatever reason God decides not to grant us a child, you need to have a plan, you need to know who you want as your heir.” Minati said, even though the words pained her.



“God would not be so cruel as to deny us a child!” Suklamphaa insisted. “We have done nothing wrong!”



“You took the throne from Sunyatphaa.” Minati said. “You then had him, and his wives killed.”



“Sunyatphaa had to go!” Suklamphaa protested. “He was getting too dependent on that charlatan Paramananda, something had to be done!”



“And did that mean he had to be killed?” Minati asked, she knew why her husband had had him killed, but she asked the question anyway. She needed him to see what had become obvious to her.



“I could not have sat easily on the throne had he still been alive.” Suklamphaa replied.



“And his wives?” Minati asked.



Here, Suklamphaa had no answer. Instead, he just stared at her. Then something seemed to click, and he asked. “If I don’t decide on an heir now, if we continue to have issues, then someone will do to me what I did to Sunyatphaa.”



“Not somebody. The snake is already here.” Minati replied.



“Debera?” Suklamphaa replied sounding confused. “Why would he?”



“You have rejected his suggestion of a second marriage; you are standing by me. He will now know that you are not as under his thumb as he may once have thought. So, now he will go looking for someone else to cultivate.”



“Who?” Suklamphaa asked. “Solail hates him and has always hated him. And Debera has never considered Kalia and his brothers as proper candidates.”



“He can always choose someone from a different branch of the family.” Minati pointed out. She had always found it odd how the dynasty’s founder had allowed the great nobles of the realm the opportunity to choose the next King, if they felt the current King was not up to standard. It seemed like complete madness.



Suklamphaa sighed. “I will not name Solail as my heir. The man is almost as old as I am, and he is no politician.”



Minati nodded, Solail, her husband’s younger brother was a soldier, and a damn good one, but he was no politician, and right now, that was what the Kingdom needed. “So, will you name Kalia?” She asked, referring to her husband’s eldest nephew.



Kalia was a good man, he was smart, pleasant and he seemed to have made friends with various courtiers. Plus, he was very close to his brothers, which was important, especially now.



Suklamphaa frowned. “I have not spoken to Kalia outside of court functions.”



“You did acknowledge his gift during the Ascension Day festivities.” Minati pointed out.



“I know, but since then I have not spoken with him.” Suklamphaa. “Understandably, he has not always wanted to speak with me.”



Minati frowned, that was true. They needed a way to get Kalia to be more open to an approach from Suklamphaa. Something that would not make him put his guard up. A thought came to her then, and she silently cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner.



“I can be the person who gets him to speak to you.” Her husband looked at her, an eyebrow raised.



“I was very vocal in my opposition to the murders of his mother and stepmother. I have also ensured that his younger siblings have received a good education. I can speak with him.” The more she spoke, the more she warmed to the idea. Yes, that was what she would do. It would be a way to make Kalia feel relaxed enough that when Suklamphaa came to speak with him, he would not put his guard up.



“Will it work? Her husband asked. “What would you even say?”



“You leave that to me.” Minati said. “I will make sure that he is willing to talk to you, and that he feels comfortable.” What she would say she didn’t know exactly, not yet anyway. She would figure it out though and she would make it work. She had to, the future of the Kingdom was at stake.

 

[Brahman]

Very good and a rare timeline focusing on India, even rarer that it focuses on Assam

 

[VVD0D95]

Very good and a rare timeline focusing on India, even rarer that it focuses on Assam

Cheers

 

[Georg von Frundsberg]

Very good and a rare timeline focusing on India, even rarer that it focuses on Assam

Is this your first non-Anglo-centric TL, @VVD0D95?

 

[Brahman]

Is this your first non-Anglo-centric TL?

I am not the author, VVD0D95 is

 

[VVD0D95]

Is this your first non-Anglo-centric TL, @VVD0D95?

Yes

 

[Zulfurium]

An interesting read. I don't know much of anything about the specific locality and period, but it seems like an intriguing period in Ahom's history.

 

[VVD0D95]

An interesting read. I don't know much of anything about the specific locality and period, but it seems like an intriguing period in Ahom's history.

Cheers and it definitely is if I do say so myself 😛

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 4: Borbarua​

November 1674

​

Debera exhaled; the King’s rejection of the marriage proposals had caused him some concern. For one thing it showed that the control he had thought he exerted over the man was not as strong as he had previously thought. For another it meant that he had had to start considering alternatives.



If the King was independent of his control, well that left Debera exposed. He was fully aware that his power depended on maintaining the King’s confidence. Without it, he was an overmighty vassal, and as the King had shown before, there was only one-way overmighty vassals ended up.



Debera was determined not to die that way, he was determined that he would die an old man, in his bed, with a woman, or several with him. With his legacy secured, his family in the ascendant. He would not be executed for treason; he would not end up falling down the deep pit of despair.



The King had rejected his suggestions for a second wife, and if his intelligence was right-which it undoubtedly was-the King and Queen were closer than ever. That meant there were going to be issues for Debera regardless. After all, he doubted that the Queen would appreciate him having suggested to her husband that he take another wife.



Debera exhaled. If he had had a daughter, this would not have been a problem. He could have simply put the girl before the King and let nature take its course. But he did not have a girl. Indeed, all he had were sons. Four sons to be exact. And whilst they were his pride and joy, they were not what he needed to address this particular challenge.



Debera huffed and turned to look at the Bhitarual Phukan and the Na Phukan, the men responsible for defence of the Royal Palace and the Capital respectively. These were men that he had appointed, the Bhitarual Phukan was his brother, whilst the Na Phukan was his nephew. He trusted them, well as much as he trusted anyone, to get the work that needed to be done, done.



“What news?” He asked of the Bhitarual Phukan. The man guarded the King and Queen, day, and night, if anyone would know the exact state of the Royal Marriage, it would be him.



The man took a deep breath and then said. “The King and Queen are spending more time than ever together. Indeed, I would not be surprised if they end up sleeping together sooner than expected.”



Debera nodded; this was perhaps not such a bad thing. If he could find a way to make it work to his advantage. “Anything else?”



“Yes, one of my men overheard the King and Queen talking about their issues having children.” Bhitarual replied.



“And?” Debera asked, leaning forward interested. This no doubt meant that the King had told the Queen about his suggestions.



“The King spoke about your suggestions, Lord Borbarua, and the Queen gave her two bits of view.” Bhitarual said.



“And what were those two bits of view?” Debera asked.



“Whilst the King reassured her that he had no intention of taking a second wife, the Queen did say that he would need to name an heir soon, to avoid someone getting it into their head to depose him.” Bhitarual said.



Debera nodded, that was common sense. Anyone who had seen how the King had come to the throne would know that such a thing could happen again.



“The Queen suggested that he consider getting closer to Kalia Gohain.”



“Kalia Gohain?” Debera replied surprised. That was something. Despite the King breaking protocol and speaking to Kalia Gohain during the Ascension Day celebrations, relations between the two men were understandably tense. “Did the Queen say how he was to do this?”



“The Queen said that she would handle things.” Came the response.



“How exactly?” Debera asked. How would the woman bring her nephew closer to the King? A man who was responsible for the deaths of his father and mother.



“She did not say, Sir, but I believe we may find out the solution sooner than later.” Bhitarual said.



“What do you mean?” Debera asked intrigued.



“The Queen has asked Kalia Gohain to accompany her on a walk around the capital on the morrow, and it seems that she has also asked him to accompany her to visit the Bazaar the day after.”



“How does she expect that to be a way to bring the man back toward viewing his uncle, the King favourably?” Debera asked. Did the Queen think that Kalia Gohain was a woman that he could be bought over with fancy trinkets and baubles?



“I do not know, Sir. But what I do know is that the King has given his blessing for this and has even written to several merchants telling them to expect a visit from the Queen and the Gohain.”



“Which merchants?” Debera asked. Depending on who had been written to, Debera could perhaps figure out what strategy the Queen was going to try.



“The fish merchants located on Sukaphaa Bazaar, and the cloth sellers on Lachit Deri.” Came the response.



Debera exhaled. Those two made no sense. If you wanted to win over a Gohain, surely you would go to the places where the Gohain would actually want to go. Places like the armoury that was famous for making rare swords and other weapons. But a fish merchant and a cloth seller? What was the Queen hoping to get from that?



“Your men shall be accompanying them of course.” Debera said.



“Of course, Sir.” Came the response. “I have chosen four of the best men who are loyal directly to me for the job.”



“Good.” Debera said. That way they could get direct information on what was said between the Queen and the Gohain. Speaking of which, Debera wondered if the King and Queen had made any plans for Kalia’s brothers. The two who he was closest to. He asked the Bhitarual this.



“As far as I know, there have been no plans discussed between the King and Queen for the other Gohains, Sir. Other than the arrangement the Queen has for the younger Gohains education.” Came the response.



“I see.” Debera replied. Perhaps the time had come for him to start courting the other Gohains, Kalia’s younger brothers by his father’s second wife. Especially the eldest of the children by that second wife. “Send someone to speak with Abhirath Gohain, telling him that I request his presence.”



“Of course, Sir.” Came the response.



With luck the tension between Kalia and Abhirath was still present and exploitable.



He pushed that thought to one side for the time being and instead turned his attention to another pressing issue. “Now, what have you learned about Solail Gohain?”



As far as Debera was concerned, Solail was the more dangerous threat to his power than Kalia. Kalia was a boy, a boy who had no support anywhere. Solail was a man, a very capable man who had fought for the Kingdom and been scarred doing so. He had support. He needed to be neutralised.



“He is going to be heading to Charaideo in a few days’ time to oversee the training of new soldiers before heading to Kamrup.” Came the response.



“He is heading to Kamrup then?” Debera asked. The King had initially refused to allow his brother to head to Kamrup, despite the latter’s pleading. Now it seemed the tide had changed. Debera wondered if the Queen had something to do with that.



“Yes, it seems that the Gohain had a meeting with the King late last night and many things were discussed. Foremost amongst the items being discussed was the possibility of the Gohain heading to Kamrup. Many arguments were used by the Gohain and eventually the King conceded to the Gohain.”



“Is that good or bad for us?” Debera’s nephew asked.



“It depends.” Debera replied, his mind working quickly.



“On?”



“On whether Delhi decides to attack Kamrup. They have been oddly quiet as of late.” Debera said. Something about that didn’t sit right with him. Yes, Saraighat had happened, but the emperor sat in Delhi didn’t seem like the type to just sit there and allow nothing to happen after such a defeat.



Something was afoot west of the Manas River, but what it was, Debera did not know.

“If there is no fighting in Kamrup, then Solail Gohain will be in Kamrup, and he will have a chance to build a following, no? After all the Borphukan and the Buragohain are there.” Debera’s nephew pointed out.



“Yes, though the Borphukan and Solail Gohain do not like one another.” Debera said. He knew that for a fact, remembering the blistering arguments the two had during the campaign against Delhi in the previous decade. “Indeed, perhaps the Borphukan will see off Solail Gohain for us anyway.”



“Do you think he truly would?” Debera’s nephew asked sounding surprised.



He could understand the surprise, after all, Solail Gohain was a Prince of the Blood, and the Borphukan was from a family that had only recently risen to prominence. Such an act would mean the end of him and his family. But the Borphukan was unlike his brother an impulsive man. “Solail Gohain is not the easiest of men to get along with. Add in their previous relationship and the setting for where they are and who knows what might happen.” Debera said suggestively.



His nephew chuckled and Debera smiled, then changed the topic. “Now, the Borpatragohain will be coming to capital in a week’s time.”



“Whatever for?” His nephew asked.



“No doubt he has some new idea he wants the King to implement.” Debera remarked sarcastically. The Borpatragohain was a man filled with ideas, and Debera despised him.



“I want him, and his party watched the entire time they are in the capital.” Debera said. “I want to know who they meet, who they speak with and where they go when they are not at the Palace.”



His nephew frowned, no doubt wondering why Debera wanted such a close eye kept on a man like the Borpatragohain who was an oddity. It was specifically because he was an oddity that Debera wanted him watched. One never knew what to expect from him, and that made him dangerous. Eventually, his nephew nodded. “It will be done.”



“Good, we must all remember that the family comes first. Any threats to the family must be dealt with.” Debera said. And if the Borpatragohain turned out to be a danger, he would be removed. Debera would use the knife to do the deed himself.

 

[Emperor of Greater India]

The game of intrigue and power is afoot quite splendidly. Watched with interest.

 

[VVD0D95]

The game of intrigue and power is afoot quite splendidly. Watched with interest.

Oh indeed a web is being spun

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 5: Garhgaon​

November 1674

​

Kalia bowed low as the Queen approached. “Your Majesty.”



He towered over her, which was saying something given he was not the tallest of men. The Queen acknowledged him with a nod. “Kalia, come.” With that she walked toward the carriage that had been in the courtyard since Kalia had arrived. He noted that the Queen was accompanied by six of the Royal Guard, he watched them mount the horses that were stationed behind the carriage.



Not for the first time he found himself wondering just why he’d been asked on this journey. It wasn’t that he objected, Kalia actually quite liked the Queen, she was his favourite aunt, she’d always been kind to him and his brothers, especially after the King had ascended the throne. But she hadn’t asked him to accompany him on a journey around the capital.



For a brief moment Kalia found himself wondering if this was some sort of trap. Was this a ploy? Was his uncle using the Queen as a way to show that Kalia had designs beyond his station? The thought of it sounded ridiculous, the Queen was someone who would never allow herself to be used in such a plot. Would she?



Kalia looked at the carriage, why did he feel uneasy about this? Something was gnawing at him, but what it was, he didn’t know.



The carriage door opened, and the Queen looked at him, a frown on her face. “Are you coming, Kalia?



Kalia blinked, he was being foolish. The Queen wouldn’t harm him. She was not her husband. “Of course, my apologies, Your Majesty.” He hurried forward, waiting for the Queen to get back inside the carriage before hurriedly getting into it. He shut the door behind himself. The Queen hit the roof of the carriage and it moved forward.



Kalia heard a shout go out, signalling that the gates were to be opened, he settled into the carriage and waited. He knew how these things went. He wasn’t to speak before the Queen did. Even if he had a thousand and one questions burning inside him, which he most definitely did.



The carriage moved out of the palace, hitting the bump that had been there for as long as Kalia could remember. It then got onto the flat road that been built during the reign of Suhungmung, the King who had developed the capital.



As they got into the capital proper, Kalia could hear people, some were chattering away, no doubt discussing the latest bit of gossip that they’d heard, others were hawking their wares. It was a vibrant place, but there was a hint of tension underneath it all. Kalia knew because he went out and he spoke with the merchants and the stall sellers.



It was one of the few benefits of not being the heir apparent, he had more freedom and people trusted themselves around him more. The situation in Kamrup was causing a build-up of pent-up trade and demand, merchants were looking for other areas to sell their goods but were coming up against barriers that hadn’t been there before.

Kalia wanted to help, but he did not know how to.



“How are you doing, Kalia?” The Queen asked pulling into his thoughts.



Kalia blinked and saw that the Queen was looking at him, an unreadable expression on her face. “Your Majesty?” He asked a little confused by the question.



“How are you doing?” The Queen repeated. “Are you keeping well?



Kalia did not know how to answer that question. Was there a layer behind it? Something more than immediately greeted the eye. He hesitated. “I am keeping well Your Majesty.”



“Truthfully?” The Queen asked.



This could be a trap. A voice inside his head warned him. Kalia looked at the Queen, she was a woman a decade or more older than him, she was small, and she wasn’t strong, at least not physically. If he felt threatened, he could always leave the carriage ride. But the Queen wouldn’t invite him to ride with her only to threaten him, would she?



“Truthfully?” He replied, sounding the word out. He did not know. Was he doing well? Compared to the merchants he spoke to? Perhaps he was.



“I feel there is something more I could be doing.” He said then surprising himself.



“Such as?” The Queen asked, looking at him intently then.

“I have been meeting with various merchants and stall sellers over the last few weeks,” Kalia said, the lack of surprise on the Queen’s face told him she likely already knew this. “Many of them have expressed some concern.”



“Concern around?” The Queen asked.



“The situation in Kamrup.” Kalia replied, knowing he’d have to talk about this issue tentatively.



“Go on.” The Queen commanded.



“They feel that with the situation in Kamrup being as it is, there is a lot of demand being stored away somewhere. As such it is harming their ability to freely trade. As I am sure Your Majesty knows, before the situation in Kamrup, goods from the Kingdom freely went west of the Manas River and goods came in. Now the opposite is true, little goes out and little comes in. The merchants feel they are being impacted significantly, especially as no alternative has really been put forward.” The words came out in a torrent, Kalia realised he’d been waiting to speak to someone about this for a long time.



“There are the other Kingdoms nearer to us. Manipur, Tripura…” The Queen pointed out.



“With the greatest of respect, Majesty, we both know they are not valid options for trade, given the hostile relations existing between some of the King’s ministers and the emissaries from those Kingdoms.” Kalia replied, and it was clear from the way the Queen’s eyes sparkled for a brief moment that she knew exactly which of the King’s ministers he was referring to.


“What then would you suggest?” The Queen asked.



“I would like to either be part of the committees that have been formed to address this issue, or to be sent on a diplomatic mission to Manipur or Tripura to address their concerns.” Kalia said.



The Queen seemed as though she was genuinely considering this. For Kalia it would make sense, he was a Prince of the Blood, and he knew the King didn’t attend the committee meetings, leaving them to the Borbarua. That man had no desire to improve things for the merchants. Kalia did, he had a direct link to the merchants, and he had more freedom to meet them, not being the heir apparent.



Furthermore, his grandmother had been a Tripuran Princess, which meant he was related to the King of Tripura, albeit distantly. Surely that would mean more for a man like the King of Tripura who all knew considered family a serious business, rather than sending some distant politician who no doubt had been appointed by that Borbarua who hated the King of Tripura.



As the silence stretched on, they passed through a street where there were a great many people congregated. This was the Lachit Deri, where the cloth sellers located themselves. They had made a fortune before the war, and now were struggling. Not even the patronage of Solail Gohain and his wives could help them. Only freedom from the burden that war had imposed could.



Eventually, the Queen spoke. “I shall speak with the King and see if we can arrange something for you.”



Kalia felt his eyes widen. “You would?”



The Queen smiled at him. “Yes, if a Prince is wishing to dedicate himself to the people, then he deserves the opportunity to bring that fully into service.”



“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Kalia replied bowing his head.



They turned away from Lachit Deri and as he peeked out of the window, Kalia saw that they were in the Street of God. A place that was filled with idols and paintings of Gods. A place that had risen up over the years, especially after Suhungmung had declared that Sankardev was no threat. There was a great deal of idols dedicated to Krishna, and to Radha, as well as a few other forms of Krishna.



The Queen had clearly seen him looking at the idols for she asked him. “What do you think?”



Kalia turned away from the window and looked at the Queen, unsure what she meant. “Majesty?”



“What do you think of all of this?” The Queen asked gesturing to the scene outside their carriage.



“Your Majesty?” He asked again, unsure what the Queen was trying to suggest.



“All of these idols and paintings, they are quite something are they not?” The Queen asked.



Kalia realised then what the Queen was doing, she was trying to see if he was like his father and believed in that idiot Paramananda’s views. “I think they are necessary, Majesty.”



“Necessary in what sense?” The Queen asked.



“People need something to visualise when they worship God, Majesty.” Kalia said. “Those few who are enlightened and need no such thing are few and far between. But the rest of us mere mortals need something that we can see and that we can identify as being a representation of God. Therefore, I think it is necessary.”



“And what would you say to those who claim such things go against God?” The Queen asked.



“I would say that unless God has come and spoken to them directly, they should not try and claim to speak for him.” Kalia said. “Or her, as is the case with Mother Kamakhya.”



If there was one place he wanted to visit before he died, it was Mother Kamakhya’s temple in Kamrup. Maybe one day he would get that opportunity. Until then he could only hope and pray.



The Queen nodded, and a silence fell over them for the rest of the journey. Though Kalia couldn’t help but wonder if he had just faced an interrogation and if so, had he passed or not?

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 6: Fish​

November 1674
​

Minati found herself looking at her nephew as they walked through the street. He was an interesting young man, whilst he was not a tall man, he was taller than her and he was slightly darker than the average member of the family. No doubt that came from his maternal side. But apart from that, the things he had said during their palanquin journey yesterday stood out.



Here was a man, a Prince who could have stewed in resentment, who could have allowed the things he had been denied, to consume him. Instead, he wanted to contribute to the Kingdom and make life easier for his uncle, the King. Not only that, but he had also thought through the things he wanted to do and what possible impact they might have.



Minati was impressed. She did not know of many people let alone young men who could hold such a view and carry on living. It showed real character on his part. And that was partially why she had held true to her initial desire and decided to bring the boy to the fish market.



Suklamphaa had snorted when she had told him where she was taking Kalia. He had remarked that if there was any way to put a young man through hell it was the fish market. A place, that as they entered it caused Minati to wrinkle her nose, was filled with noise, stank and was generally chaos.



And yet, as she watched her nephew, he didn’t seem to mind the smell or the noise. Indeed, he seemed to revel in it. He immediately moved to a stall and started talking to the merchant. Minati stepped closer to hear what they were saying.



The Assamese they spoke to one another was not the Assamese of the court Minati thought somewhat amusedly. No, this was the Assamese of the street.



“Eh! You are selling a fish that is too big for the price. You are charging twenty, but that fish is worth forty!”



“Eh! What sort of fellow are you, are you wanting fish for cheap or are you wanting to lose money?!”



“Nothing doing, I am only trying to help you. You only complained that your fish wasn’t giving you good returns.”



“Bastard! I don’t want your advice. You are not a fish monger; you are some fool.”



Minati raised an eyebrow at that. Did the man not know he was talking to a Prince of the Blood? Evidently, he didn’t for he continued.



“And what are you doing bringing a woman here? Have you lost sense, bloody fool!”



Kalia looked briefly at her, his eyes indicating an apology, before he turned back to the fish monger and replied. “Eh! Bloody fool, that woman would box your eyes and turn you into a fish gut if she wanted to.”



Before the fish monger had a chance to reply, Kalia turned and walked down the street, stopping at another stall.



Minati didn’t follow him, instead she thought about what she had just heard. She had always tried to make sure her nephew and his brothers got the best of everything. They had had the best tutors-his younger brothers still did-and they had had their every need met. There had been no opportunity for them to become like his uncles had, urchins who did nothing but swear and complain. Therefore, she wondered where he had learned to speak as he just had to that fish monger.



She almost turned to speak with the captain of her guard, but instead, she caught her nephew looking at her, gesturing for her to come to him. It was a most un-princely gesture, and so, naturally she walked to where he was.



The stall was right in the middle of the street. It was battered and bruised, and the person heading it, was not a man, but an old woman, who was slightly bent over. She looked at Minati with appraising eyes.



“Ma,” Kalia said formally, Minati hid her surprise behind a closed off expression. “This is the lady I was telling you about. This is Jumuna Kuri, she sells the best fish in the entirety of the Kingdom!”



The woman bowed her head, and Minati acknowledged her with a nod.



Kalia turned to Jumuna and spoke. “I was just telling Ma that your fish is the finest I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. That one dish you made for me the other day was fantastic!”

When did you try this woman’s cooking? Minati found herself wondering as she looked at her nephew and why?



The lady, Jumuna turned to face Minati and in incredibly formal Assamese-did she know who it was she was speaking to-said. “Madam, your son is too kind. You have truly raised him well.”



Minati briefly looked at Kalia, but saw no anger then, only happiness, and then looked back at the woman and folded her hands together. “Thank you, I have done my best, everything you see before you is what my son has decided he wants to be.”



The woman smiled before reaching down and picking up two large pieces of fish and placing them into two banana leaves and thrusting them out at Kalia.



“Kuri, I can’t take this!” Kalia protested. “Not without paying for it!”



“No!” Jumuna said. “You take it and you cook for your mother!”



Kalia looked as if he was going to protest again when Jumuna continued. “You are always telling me that you want to cook for your Ma, well, now, is the time for you to do it. Cook these two pieces of fish the way I told you.”



Kalia has wanted to cook for me? Minati found herself thinking over that statement, even as Kalia took the fish and spoke. “Fine, but I will repay you some way.”



Did her nephew truly see her as his mother? Did he truly want to cook for her? She didn’t know what to think. She looked at Kalia, but he was busy saying something to Jumuna, her mind was a whir with everything she had just heard.



Maybe….



The thought got pushed out of her head when Kalia said. “Come Ma, we should get going.” With that he walked straight ahead, Minati followed, quickly catching up to him. Her guard walked a discreet distance behind them.



They walked through the street, Minati listening to the cries of the fish mongers, hearing the chattering of the people. Nobody had recognised her, that was both comforting and slightly unsettling. Was she truly that unknown amongst the people? Kalia seemed to know everyone, as they made their way back to where her palanquin was waiting, various people stopped him and spoke with him.



Some spoke animatedly about the fish, about the rivers and about other things that made no sense to her. Whilst others spoke softly, asking after his brothers-how did they know he had brothers-whilst others invited him to their homes.



She observed all of this with fascination. This was an entirely new side to her nephew. One that made her think she had made the right choice in deciding to bring him into the fold.



The silence was eventually broken by Kalia. “I spent a lot of time when I was younger moving out of the palace and coming here.”



“Why?” Minati asked.



“I wanted to know what it was like for the people. I wanted to get a sense of it.” Kalia asked.



Clever boy. Minati thought to herself, out loud however, she asked. “And what did you learn?”



“People like Jumuna, or the fish seller we met first, they are doing reasonably well, but they know that if things continue as they are, they will struggle.” Kalia replied.



It took Minati a moment to realise what he was getting at and when she did understand, she turned her full attention to him. “Kamrup?” Why was everything coming back to that?



“Kamrup.” Kalia agreed. “It’s not that they don’t acknowledge the need to prevent Delhi from trying to take it again, but it’s that everything seems to be stopping the longer things remain tense. The fish they are getting are good, but the quantities are not the same as they were before everything stopped coming from Kamrup.”



“So, what would you suggest?” Minati asked.



“I would suggest that we slowly reduce the armed presence in Kamrup.” Kalia said, then he hurriedly added. “I am not naïve; I know it cannot be completely reduced. Delhi would take that as a sign of weakness. However, we do not need the entire army stationed there. That builds nervousness, as the people think there will be war, and when war doesn’t come, people start wondering.”



“Wondering what?” Minati asked, though she had a fairly good idea what this wondering involved.



“Whether things are all as they seem. After all Kamrup was and is a vital trading point for the Kingdom. It being under military occupation for this long suggests something is a foot. But if it isn’t Delhi, then what is it?”



That was a logical assumption, Minati had made that statement once before to her husband and had been met with a stare that had quietened her quickly. “What would you suggest then?”



“Recall the Burhagohain and the Borgohain to the capital, keep the Borphukan in Kamrup and set a standard that Kamrup is open for trade.” Kalia said.



“And do you think that will work?” Minati asked. She had her doubts, but perhaps her nephew knew more than she did. He did after all seem to be on a first name basis with many people here.



“It will show the traders and the people that there is nothing to fear. That Kamrup is not desolate. They will go there, and they will start trading again. As will others.” Kalia said.



“And if Delhi decided to get involved?” Minati asked.



“That’s where alliances are needed. We need to do more to get Manipur, Tripura and the Rajas within Bengal onto our side. We need to show Delhi that if they try and attack us they will face consequences.” Kalia said.



“And do you believe that you are the right person to bring these alliances together?” Minati asked wanting to see if the boy was committed to his line of view.



“Yes.” Kalia said. He looked around, no doubt making sure they were not going to be overheard. “The Borbarua is not the man to make these alliances. He has done too much to antagonise the Kings of the Kingdoms we need. The Burhagohain and Borgohain do not know the situation having been in Kamrup. I am the one who can be of use. I am a Prince of the Blood and am not associated with the Borbarua.”



Minati said nothing then, for the palanquin had come into view, they walked the last little bit in silence, Kalia helping her in, then getting himself in. The curtain was closed, and they began their journey back to the palace. Perhaps it was time to speak with Suklamphaa. Time for her nephew and her husband to speak face to face

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 7: Kingly Concern​

November 1674
​

Suklamphaa plopped himself down onto the bed in a most unKingly manner and sighed. The council meeting today had been thoroughly exhausting. There had been so many arguments, so many people shouting, he had just wanted to get them to all stop.



The thing that had gotten them to stop had been him yelling. Something he rarely did. And yet this time he had done it and it had worked. They had all stopped. The Borbarua and the Borpatragohain, they’d looked at him and neither of them had quite believed it.



He ran a hand through his hair, was it starting to thin? He supposed the arguments and the shouting had been justified. At least partially anyway. There had been a lot to discuss, especially after the surprise that had come from Koch Bihar. That had been something worth getting agitated about.



He looked to his right as he felt another weight on the bed. Minati was sat next to him, looking at him intently. She was beautiful, truly beautiful. She was the only woman he had ever cared for.



“What happened?” Minati asked without any preamble.



“A council meeting that made me wish I’d never accepted the throne.” Suklamphaa answered honestly.



“It was that bad?” Minati asked surprised. She knew how much he regretted taking the throne, but this, he supposed was something else entirely.



“We received an emissary from the King of Koch Bihar.” Suklamphaa explained, turning fully to face his wife.



“What did he want?” Minati asked. Suklamphaa knew that her family had come from somewhere near there, at least her mother’s family had. There were no good memories for her in Koch, which would make what he would have to say soon even harder for her to bear.



“He wished to propose an alliance.” Suklamphaa said. “He would get some of the Rajas within Bengal and the surrounding areas to revolt against Delhi. They then expect us to march westward and expand our Kingdom toward the Karatoya River.”



Minati snorted; she knew just how insane that sounded. Karatoya was a great deal away from Kamrup. Suklamphaa continued, that wasn’t the worst of it.



“In return, he wanted his daughter married to the Kingdom.” He used that phrasing simply because he was not sure if he could bring himself to say that the King of Koch Bihar wanted his daughter married to Suklamphaa himself.



His wife seemed to ignore that last, for she said. “How can he be offering support for this war when he is a vassal of Delhi?



“That is what caused the tensions within the Council today.” Suklamphaa explained. “We heard the proposal and then there was hours of debate.”



“Who said what?” Minati asked.



“The Borpatragohain was all in favour of taking this proposal.” Suklamphaa said. His wife’s eyes widened, and Suklamphaa continued. “He said that this was the right opportunity. That this was the perfect time to put the army in Kamrup to good use. After all, there are reports that things are not looking good for Delhi, what with revolts in Mathura and elsewhere.”



“This could also be a trap. After all, there have been no reports of discontent in Koch and the other principalities, no?” Minati asked.



“Correct.” Suklamphaa replied. “As far as our spies have been able to work out, everything is going well for Delhi in the region. Which is why the Borbarua replied by calling the Borpatragohain a fool and an idiot.”



Minati snorted. “What did he have to say?”



“He said that this was an obvious trap. That Delhi had clearly gotten the King of Koch Bihar to try and make a proposal that would bait us into being the aggressor, thus giving Delhi an excuse to send their full might into Kamrup. To make up for the humiliation at Saraighat.” Suklamphaa said.



“And what do you think?” Minati asked.



Suklamphaa exhaled. What did he think? He did not know. On the one hand there was a temptation to take Koch’s offer at face value and assume there would be an alliance against Delhi. He wanted the chance to prove himself. After all his brothers had had the war against Delhi and Saraighat to their credit. What did he have? Nothing.



This could be his chance to write his name into the stars. But on the other hand, much as he might not like to admit it, Debera was right. They had no evidence to suggest that there was any chance that this was genuine. This was very likely a trap.



If he committed to the fight and nothing happened, they would not win. Not if Delhi committed everything to the fight. Suklamphaa looked at his wife and said. “I do not know.”



“You don’t know?” Minati asked, Suklamphaa wasn’t sure if that was surprise or disappointment in his wife’s voice.



“I do not.” He repeated. “On the one hand I think taking this offer could be the thing that makes all the bloody struggles I’ve gone through since taking the throne worth it. Nothing would rally the men and the people of the Kingdom like a war against the old enemy.” Minati nodded; they both knew that was true. War was a way to unite.



“On the other hand, I do not think this is a genuine offer. And I have no desire to send so many of my men to their deaths.” He continued.



“So, what will you do?” His wife asked.



“I will wait.” Suklamphaa said. “Let us see whether the King of Koch is genuine or not.”



“How will you know?” Minati asked. “It sounds as if he wants confirmation of your support before he actually does anything.”



“The Raja of Darrang may or may not be going on a visit to his cousin soon.” Suklamphaa said.



“Truly?” Minati asked.



The Darrang and Koch families were one and the same, or at least they had been until earlier in the century. But they hated one another. “If he is serious, he will meet the Raja of Darrang as a friend. If he is not, he will try and arrest him.”



“And the Raja is happy with this?” Minati asked.



“He has not yet been told.” Suklamphaa said.



“What?!” Minati exclaimed sounding horrified, and rightly so.



Still, Suklamphaa did not want to deal with an argument at this time, and so he asked. “How have things gone with Kalia?” He still did not know what to make of his wife’s insistence on visiting places with their nephew, but perhaps it would be worth it?



Minati smiled then, and he knew that he was about to get a lot of information. “He is a good man. He is kind and he knows the people.”



Suklamphaa raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean he knows the people?” Was his nephew turning into some sort of people’s champion?



“When we went out for a walk yesterday, he spoke to each and every fish monger and seller, he knew their names and their life stories. And they knew him.” Minati replied, something like admiration in her voice.



“Very well.” Suklamphaa said, not sure that that had to do with anything.



“And his views on things are very informed. Somewhat by his conversations with the merchants and sellers around the capital, but also by his own readings of things.” Minati continued.



Intrigued, Suklamphaa asked. “Such as?”



“Well, the situation in Kamrup. He believes that it is impacting the ability of the people to trade and do business effectively.” Minati said.



“How?” Suklamphaa asked. This was something that he’d heard from the Borpatragohain but wasn’t sure how true it was. He hadn’t been shown the numbers, only Debera handled them.



“Limit of goods coming and going. He would be able to give you a more detailed explanation.” Minati replied.



“Hm.” Suklamphaa said, unconvinced.



“I think you should hear what he has to say.” Minati said.

Suklamphaa raised an eyebrow.



Minati continued. “He has invited us to his residence for dinner tomorrow, and I said that we would go.”



Suklamphaa looked at his wife and sighed. “Fine, I will go, but only for you.” He wanted to see if the man was leading his wife on or not.

 

[VVD0D95]

Chapter 8: Cook​

December 1674
​

Kalia stared at the food laid out before him. He had spent the past four hours giving orders to the cooks to ensure they got everything right. The sweets that would be served first had been handled by the cooks, they knew what they were doing there. The fish however, had been his duty. He had taken the recipe Jumuna Kuri had given him and had done his best to cook the fish accordingly.



He looked at it now, the head had been removed of course, and it was bathed in vegetables and sauce as it were. Was sauce the right word? He didn’t know. All he knew was that it smelt good, that was fine to think, wasn’t it? God would not punish him for that thought surely.



“Your Highness?” A voice pulled him from his thoughts. Kalia turned around and found his chief servant, Moidul, standing there, looking at him.



“Yes, Moidul?” He asked.



“Their Majesties are here.” Moidul said simply.



Kalia nodded, as he turned and walked past Moidul he said. “Make sure the sweets are brought out first.”



“Of course, Your Highness.” Moidul said.



Kalia nodded then pushed that thought from his mind. This was to be an important meal. He wanted to make a good impression on the King and Queen, the Queen more so than the King. After all, he had said he would cook for them, and he wanted to show that he could.



There was also a part of Kalia that thought that if this meal went well, maybe the King would finally appoint him to the committees he wanted to be on. He knew the Queen had said that she would speak with the King, but one should never leave anything to chance. Kalia knew that.



He stopped at the entranceway to his residence. The King and Queen were stood there, their guards behind them.



Kalia bowed low. “Your Majesties, please enter.”



He stepped back and turned to the side, as the King followed by the Queen entered. The King, he noticed was dressed in the light blue of their dynasty. The colour deemed appropriate royal wear for a dinner, something decided by the first of them, Sukaphaa.



The Queen wore a Mekhela Chador, the traditional dress for women within the Kingdom. She looked more regal than ever, if such a thing was possible.



Kalia led the King and Queen to the grand table, where he guided them to their seats. The King at the head, whilst the Queen sat to his right, Kalia sat to the King’s left.



Once they were seated, the King spoke. “Thank you for this kind invitation, Kalia. We are most pleased to come here and eat with you.”



“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Kalia replied and knowing that custom dictate he answered for why his brothers were not here he said. “Narayan and Noban send their deepest respects and apologise for being unable to attend. There was some business that they had to attend to at Charaideo.” Business that their uncle Solail had asked them to attend to.



If the King was annoyed by this, it didn’t show, instead he simply nodded.



Taking this as his cue, Kalia clapped his hands and waited. A few moments later, the servants came and placed the sweets onto the table.



“I know that Your Majesty likes these sort of sweets,” Kalia said looking at the Queen. “So, I asked that they be specially made.”



The Queen smiled. “Thank you, that was most kind of you.” She leaned forward and took one of the sweets from the plate. The King followed suite, once they had taken the sweets, Kalia took one himself. The King and Queen both watched as he took a bite and smiled, the sweet tasted delicious, he would need to thank the cook. Both the King and Queen seemed satisfied that he wasn’t trying to poison them, for they soon took bites out of their sweets as well.



Once they had all eaten, Kalia went to speak, but before he could, the King spoke first. “Tell me something, Kalia, are you happy?”



Kalia leaned back in his chair, taken aback by the question. First the Queen and now the King. What was it with this couple and asking such questions?!

“Your Majesty?” Kalia replied.



“Are you happy with your lot in life?” The King asked.



Is the King trying to test me? Kalia found himself wondering. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t, either way, Kalia knew he had to be careful. “My every need is taken care of, Sire.” That was true in a way, despite the fact that the King sat on the throne which rightfully belonged to him.



“But?” The King asked.



“But I feel that I could be doing more for the Kingdom.” Kalia said. He had already told the Queen this and he suspected that she had told the King as well. But it would not hurt to put his own side forward.



“And what is it that you think you could be doing more of?” The King asked.



Kalia noticed that the King was staring intently at him, all thoughts of the sweet seemed to have disappeared from his mind. A glance at the Queen showed that she was eating her sweet and looking at Kalia intently as well.



“I could do more to ensure that the merchants and the average person does not feel as though their voice isn’t being heard, Sire. I could ensure that they know the Crown takes their concerns seriously.” Kalia said. He supposed he should be more careful in his wording, especially as the King’s nostrils flared at his words, but he decided that it was more important to tell the truth than lie.



“And what concerns are those?” The King asked.

“That trade is being negatively impacted by the situation in Kamrup, and that furthermore, the continuous presence of soldiers in Kamrup is creating harmful conditions within the Kingdom as a whole.” Kalia answered.



“How?” The King asked, sounding genuinely confused.



“Kamrup was previously the centre by which a vast majority of trade from the West entered the Kingdom. Now that the army is stationed there, many traders have noticed that their western counterparts feel less willing to make the journey. They fear getting caught up in a war between us and Delhi. Subsequently, the quality of goods coming in from the West are less than what they used to be, and the ability for our traders to export to their biggest market has been greatly reduced.”



“This has as you can imagine hurt their ability to make money and thus contribute to the economy. And whilst our neighbours such as Manipur and Tripura are there, they are not as big a source of trade as the West was.”



He could see that his words were having some impact on the King, still he needed to get the point home, so he continued.



“Furthermore, the presence of the soldiers in Kamrup has meant that the type of fish present within the rivers has changed. The standard Rohu are all being used to feed the army there, whilst the other fish are changing course or being consumed in much larger quantities than before. But demand for Rohu elsewhere within the Kingdom remains high, which is creating a bottleneck that could erupt at any moment.”

“You think people will rebel because they are not getting enough Rohu?” The King asked sounding amused.



Kalia shook his head. “No, but they will cause trouble if they feel they aren’t being heard.”



“And you think they aren’t?” The King demanded, sounding somewhere between angry and uncertain.



“At present?” Kalia replied. “No. I think things are going away from them. I have heard that the duties on fish brought in from the river are due to rise by 3%.”



“What?” The King asked. “Where did you hear this?”



“From the fish mongers two days’ ago. They were all talking about it. Supposedly a member of the council came and read a declaration out in your name stating that the duty was to rise across all goods.” Kalia said.



The King had clearly not heard about this, or if he had, he was very good at acting shocked. Kalia watched him exchange a look with the Queen before he turned back to Kalia and asked. “What would you suggest then?”



“I am not naïve,” Kalia said. “I know we must keep a garrison or a sizeable force in Kamrup. However, I would have that force be commanded by the Borphukan and allow the Borgohain and the Burhagohain to return to their lands. This would show that the threat is not so significant and also show that the merchants won’t be caught in a possible war between us and Delhi.”



“And do you think Delhi will just let us do this?” The King asked.



“Perhaps not, but if we build alliances with our neighbouring Kingdoms and the Rajas near to us, then they will have to think twice.” Kalia said.



“And how would we build these alliances?” The King asked.



“My brothers and I would be more than happy to venture to places such as Tripura and Manipur to build confidence there. We are Princes of the Blood thus our word would carry more weight than a mere emissary. With Your Majesty’s blessing we could negotiate an offensive and defensive alliance. We could also go to Arakan if deemed necessary and make use of their ships to go against Delhi.”



The plates with the sweets were taken away in the silence that followed, and the servants brought out the fish alongside rice. It was served onto fresh plates and Kalia waited as the King tried a bit. The man closed his eyes and spoke. “This is delightful, Kalia, did you cook this?”



“Yes, using instructions given to me by one of the fishmongers, Sire.” Kalia replied.



The Queen tried it then and spoke. “This is truly brilliant, Kalia, you must cook for us more often!”



Kalia smiled and took a bite himself, it was nice, that was true.



They ate in silence for some time, then the King stopped eating and said. “I have thought about what you have said, Kalia.”



Kalia leaned forward intrigued.



“I believe that you are right in what you say. However, for this to happen on a basis that all will recognise, you will need to present your ideas before the Council. There is to be a meeting tomorrow. I want you to attend it and say what you have said to me today, then.”



Kalia bowed his head in acknowledgement. “It would be my honour, Sire.”



The King nodded, then added. “This fish truly was something else.”



Kalia smiled.

 

[Emperor of Greater India]

So our protagonist is starting his rise. Glad to see that.

 

[Emperor of Greater India]

What year is this supposed to be? 1680s?