First Light Read Online Free

out of the palace, so see whatever you can from the roof. After you’re wed even that freedom will be taken from you.’ Monomohini brought her palms together in reverence to her royal uncle and sped out of the room with the grace and swiftness of a doe.
    â€˜Why is she with you?’ Birchandra asked his wife. ‘Where is her mother?’
    â€˜You don’t remember a thing. Didn’t my sister burn to death two years ago?’
    â€˜Did she burn as a sati?’
    â€˜It’s one and the same. Burning to death is burning to death.’ ‘The girl’s ripe for marriage. It’s time you found a husband for her.’
    â€˜I have found one already. Her future husband is the most eligible man in Tripura.’
    â€˜Really! Who is he?’
    â€˜Maharaja Birchandra Manikya.’
    â€˜What an outlandish idea!’ The Maharaja tweaked his wife’s nose affectionately. ‘Do I have the time to get married?’
    â€˜You must find the time. Tell me truly, did you not like her? She’s a lovely girl and good and sweet. I’ll give her to you. Enjoy yourself with her. You needn’t go to that sour faced bitch Rajeshwari ever again.’
    Birchandra embraced his wife tenderly and said, ‘Leave all that for now Bhanu. You know I love you the best.’ Bhanumati resisted an overwhelming urge to lay her head on her husband’sbreast. Instead she said sharply, ‘That’s a lie. I’m old and ugly and you don’t love me anymore. If you do, take me to the mahabhoj.’
    â€˜How can I do that?’
    â€˜The subjects don’t even know I’m the queen consort. Radhu is your heir and Rajeshwari will be queen mother. I’ll be treated as her handmaid. They may even drive me away from the palace.’
    â€˜That’s nonsense. Everyone knows that though there are dozens of queens in the palace there is only one Mahadevi. And her name is Bhanumati. Even the king is in her debt. By the way, the treasury is nearly empty. You’ll have to lend me a lakh of rupees. I must go now. I’ll come back to you tonight after the mahabhoj.’
    â€˜Will you really?’ Bhanumati’s voice softened and her eyes grew moist with love.
    â€˜Of course I will. We’ll sleep together in your bed tonight and I’ll sing my new song for you.’
    Birchandra walked out of the queen’s wing and, crossing the gallery with its floor of chequered marble, entered a room where servants waited with his shoes. His brow was furrowed in thought. Bhanumati was his first wife and the daughter of a powerful king. She was wealthy, too, in her own right having inherited the taluk of Agartala with its vast fort from her father. There were many in the palace who would take her side. What if they conspired to kill Radhakishor? But in a moment he rejected the idea. Bhanumati wouldn’t do anything so drastic—not during his lifetime at least. They were held together in a bond, if not of love at least of friendship and affection. He shook his head sadly. Bhanumati had all the qualities required of the first lady of the realm. She was a princess of Manipur. She was beautiful and stately and commanded respect from all her subjects. However, the second queen Rajeshwari took precedence over her in one thing. It was she who had borne the king’s sons. Bhanumati had lost face. For what was the worth of a woman who could not give her husband a son? How was she superior to the concubines the king kept for his pleasure? Eventually, of course, she had redeemed herself. A son had been born to her but only after Rajeshwari had presented the king with three princes.
    Now that the time had come to choose an heir Birchandra found himself in a delicate situation. Should he nominate the sonof his queen consort or should the privilege go to his first born son? Much as he cared for Bhanu’s happiness, he knew it had to be the latter. For even the British upheld