~        And the storm did hit the palace. And a mayhem did arise.

                 And like the moon she had a side so dark to her that even the stars couldn't shine on it.

                A side so cold that even the sun couldn't burn it.            ~

"Dastur! Nawab -i - Awadh is all here!", screamed the court guard.

The nawab entered with his entourage headed by pasha Mir Alam following him closely.

"Start the proceedings for the day.", ordered Amir, seated on his gem studded throne, a gift from Persia.

"Nawab, we have a letter from the English East India Company. Apart from that even the Marathas have sent a message for you stating that their ambassador shall be arriving in our state, most expectedly tomorrow afternoon.", the pasha informed.

"Oh so that's bad news since the British sent us a letter. Only Allah knows what lay for us in store. Anyways the Maratha ambassador should be welcomed with warmth, grandeur and our Awadhi tehzeeb. Ibrahim Khan, you are given the responsibility of welcoming our guest. You will make arrangements for our guest. You may consult Mir Alam if needed. I should not find any shortcoming on our part. If I find any complain from our guest, you know the consequences well.", declared the nawab.

"As you order, so will I do, your Highness.", confirmed Ibrahim Khan,the diwan - i - rahasalatmuhtasib; or the external affairs minister.

"Alam Pasha, read out the letter from the Britishers in loud and clear voice."

"As you order, your Highness. So the letter goes as ;                                                                                          'Nawab of Oudh, 

 Amir Ali.

This is to inform you about your extreme privilege that has chanced you to get into a subsidiary alliance with the English East India Company in accordance to the new applied law passed by Her Majesty Queen Victoria. According to this law the Indian state entering the alliance need not worry for its safety because the Company promises that. The company would help the state at the time of its emergency that includes controlling situations of internal disorder and external attack. But for the same the Indian ruler needs to accept the terms and clauses are mentioned in the upcoming lines :

- the Indian ruler entering into a subsidiary alliance with the British would have to accept the British troops in their territory and pay for their maintenance. - the ruler would accept a British Resident in his state. - the ruler would not enter into any alliance with any other foreign power without the consent of the British. - the ruler would accept the British as the paramount power of Hindustan. - if the ruler fails to make the payment a part of his territory would be seized. - Indian rulers have to maintain British troops in their state.

Sir Edward Law,

Governor - General of Hindustan. ' "

The pasha went numb after reading the letter, he expected such a move by Mahashweta, what he did not know was that she would be so quick.. He looked at the nawab, who was too shocked to reciprocate anything. 

"Yah Allah! Why are you taking such a test? This is death both ways for my province. People will perish. Awadh will be conquered. We do not have arms and ammunitions to face them if we do not agree to them. And if we agree to their terms it means we have already lost without even fighting the war. What shall do you all reckon?"

"Your Highness, I think we should fight and not succumb to their atrocities.", said another diwan Jamil Lodhi.

"But I disagree, it would be smarter to agree to their demands. Many kingdoms have already agreed. If we don't, we shall not have any backing for us, in case the war goes against us.", said Ferhat pasha, the defence minister and the third important person in the court after the nawab and pasha Mir Alam, the prime minister.

"But should we subdue ourselves in front of those white pigs. Our nang and namoos, pride and honour is at stake.", yelped the finance minister, Ahmed pasha.

"But we have no choice, anyways we have been given time to decide. So I reckon it is more important to prepare for our guest's arrival tomorrow. We can hold another meeting by the end of this month, were we will make the final call. Is it fine nawab?", questioned Mir Alam.

"Fine, so it is decided. The final meeting will be held by the end of this month. Ibrahim, do as I have directed, make apt arrangements for tomorrow. The court is called off for the day.", declared the nawab.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Walida - i - nawab! I have a news for you.", screamed Nigaar Kalfa, the chief apprentice of the harem. 

"Cool down, what happened?", asked Majida begum, the nawab's mother.

"There is a bad news."

"What? We have not even recovered from Roshana begum's death, only Allah knows what lay ahead of us!", said Walida - i - nawab tensely.

"There is a letter from the Britishers, in brief it says either we need to bow our heads in front of them, that is accepting them as our supreme head; or fight against them."

"War means we are done because we are not in the condition to fight the mighty British, and bowing means our defeat, losing our self respect."

"What do you think will happen?"

"Thank you for your information, but that's none of your business. Do not open your mouth in front of anyone else. You may leave now."

"As you order, your Highness.", saying so Nigaar Kalfa left.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mahashweta walked around in the garden of her haveli, with thoughts messing her mind. She wanted to wait and watch the Awadhi downfall. She knew it would take time but she did not want to miss the beginning. Unfortunately for her, she had to leave. She had to leave for accomplishing the next part of her plan. Only time would say what ventured her minds...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                                                                                Please comment your feedback because I value them a lot. And vote and share if you enjoyed. Also lookout for my new book "Tales from the Odyssey" which I'll be updating soon.