The officials gathered around the large map.
The enormous table inside the tent was almost completely covered by it.
Mountain ranges, rivers, settlements, roads, and passes were marked across the parchment.
Tara stood at the head of the table.
The other ministers and officials waited around her.
Yash stood near the side of the table, still wearing the travel clothes he had been wearing throughout the journey.
Tara looked down at the route they had taken.
Tara: "How much time have we lost?"
Yash stepped closer to the map.
Yash: "Compared to the original estimate?"
Tara nodded.
Yash: "Several days."
A few ministers exchanged glances.
One of the older ministers sighed.
Minister: "Several days?"
Yash: "The mountain roads are considerably slower than the roads through the plains."
Trade Minister: "We knew that before we left."
Yash: "Knowing that and experiencing it are two different things."
The trade minister frowned.
Trade Minister: "Then perhaps we should increase the pace."
Tara looked up.
Tara: "And how exactly do you suggest we do that?"
The minister opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Tara waited.
He eventually pointed toward the map.
Trade Minister: "We simply... travel faster."
Kavya stared at him.
Kavya: "Through these roads?"
The minister nodded.
Kavya: "With all the wagons?"
He nodded again.
Kavya: "And the horses?"
Another nod.
Kavya: "And the hundreds of people traveling with us?"
The minister slowly lowered his hand.
Trade Minister: "Yes."
Kavya stared at him for a moment.
Kavya: "Right."
Aryav covered his mouth slightly, trying not to laugh.
Tara returned her attention to the map.
Tara: "We can increase the pace."
The ministers looked toward her.
Tara: "But doing so simply because we're behind schedule would be irresponsible."
She moved one finger along the mountain road.
Tara: "These roads are narrow. The ground is uneven. The carriages are heavier than the horses pulling them."
She pointed toward the marked mountain passes.
Tara: "If we push them beyond what the terrain allows, the chances of an accident increase."
Yash nodded.
Tara: "A broken wheel could stop an entire section of the convoy."
She continued.
Tara: "An exhausted horse could collapse."
Her finger moved farther along the road.
Tara: "A carriage could overturn on a slope."
The room became quieter.
Tara: "And if one of our soldiers is injured because we decided that arriving two days earlier was more important than caution..."
She looked around the table.
Tara: "Then those two days weren't worth much, were they?"
Nobody immediately answered.
Tara looked back at the map.
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "Everyone wants to reach the capital quickly."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "But none of them will be the ones carrying an injured soldier down a mountain if something goes wrong."
She raised her head again.
Tara: "We are not travelling slowly because we are incapable of moving faster."
Tara: "We are travelling slowly because the road demands it."
Satyadhara remained silent.
He understood the point immediately.
Aryav folded his arms.
Aryav: "She's right."
Kavya nodded.
Kavya: "I agree."
Yash also nodded.
Yash: "The mountain roads make maintaining the same pace as the plains impossible."
Several other officials murmured their agreement.
But not everyone spoke.
Some simply remained quiet.
The two older ministers said nothing.
The trade minister stared at the map.
Tara noticed the silence.
She didn't press them.
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "At least they're listening."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "Whether they agree or not is another matter."
The trade minister eventually broke the silence.
Trade Minister: "Devi Tara..."
Tara looked toward him.
Trade Minister: "Just make sure it doesn't take too long."
Tara raised an eyebrow.
Trade Minister: "And also..."
He hesitated.
Trade Minister: "Are we lost?"
Silence.
The entire tent went quiet.
Yash slowly turned toward him.
Aryav stared at the minister.
Kavya's expression became completely blank.
Even Satyadhara looked toward him.
Tara slowly lowered her eyes toward the map.
Tara: "Uh..."
She traced the route with her finger.
Tara: "No."
She looked up.
Tara: "We aren't lost."
She paused.
Tara: "We're simply following the route we've been instructed to take."
Silence again.
Tara looked back at the map.
A few seconds passed.
Tara: "...Probably."
Nobody moved.
Yash slowly turned toward Tara.
Yash: "Okay."
He looked at the map.
Yash: "So we're not sure if we're going along the correct route."
Tara looked at him.
Tara: "I said probably."
Yash: "That's not exactly reassuring."
Kavya sighed.
Kavya: "At least we haven't completely lost our way."
Aryav: "Yet."
Kavya looked at him.
Kavya: "That was not helpful."
Aryav shrugged.
Aryav: "I was being honest."
Tara returned to the map.
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "Wonderful."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "A mountain expedition, an uncertain route, and now everyone knows we're not completely sure where we are."
She sighed quietly.
Then—
A voice came from outside.
The messenger hurried inside and bowed.
Messenger: "Devi Tara."
Everyone turned toward him.
Messenger: "Two strangers have arrived claiming to be guards of Katyuri."
The room became attentive.
Messenger: "They say they were sent by the King of Katyuri to escort us to the capital."
Several officials exchanged glances.
The relief that had begun to spread through the room suddenly became more uncertain.
Tara looked toward the messenger.
Tara: "They claim to be guards?"
Messenger: "Yes, Devi."
Tara: "And they say the Katyuri king sent them?"
Messenger: "That is what they told us."
Nobody spoke for a moment.
Yash looked toward Aryav.
Aryav's expression had become more serious.
Kavya folded her arms.
The trade minister leaned slightly toward the map.
Tara remained calm.
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "So we have two armed strangers who say they're Katyuri guards."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "And we have no proof yet that they actually are."
She looked toward the messenger.
Tara: "Let them enter the camp."
The messenger bowed.
Messenger: "Yes, Devi."
He turned and began walking toward the entrance.
Tara watched him leave.
Then—
Tara: "Wait."
The messenger stopped.
He turned around.
Messenger: "Devi?"
Tara's expression became more serious.
Tara: "Tell them to leave their weapons and armour outside the camp."
The room immediately became quiet.
Tara: "They may enter unarmed."
The messenger nodded.
Messenger: "Yes, Devi."
He turned to leave again.
One of the ministers frowned.
Minister: "Why?"
Tara looked toward him.
Minister: "Are they a threat?"
Tara: "I don't know."
The minister stared at her.
Tara: "That's precisely why I won't take the risk."
The officials exchanged uneasy glances.
Yash looked toward the entrance.
Yash: "If they really were sent by the Katyuri king, wouldn't they know that this might look suspicious?"
Tara: "Perhaps."
She looked back toward the map.
Tara: "Or perhaps they were genuinely sent."
She paused.
Tara: "Until we know which is true, we treat them carefully."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "Two men claiming to be our allies have arrived while we're deep in unfamiliar territory."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "Maybe they're exactly who they claim to be."
Her eyes moved toward the entrance.
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "Maybe they're not."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "I don't need to decide yet."
Tara (in her mind/Thinking): "I only need to make sure neither possibility can put this entire camp at risk."
Outside the tent, the messenger approached the two strangers.
They were standing beside their horses near the edge of the camp.
Their weapons and armour were still on them.
Messenger: "The Devi has permitted you to enter the camp."
The two men looked at him.
Messenger: "But you must leave your weapons and armour outside."
The two strangers exchanged a brief glance.
Neither answered immediately.
The messenger waited.
Inside the tent, Tara remained beside the map.
The room had gone completely silent.
Everyone was waiting to see what the two supposed Katyuri guards would do.
The messenger hurried toward the edge of the camp.
Two men stood beside their horses beyond the perimeter.
They wore the clothing of mountain guards.
At first glance, there was nothing particularly strange about them.
The messenger approached.
Messenger: "The Devi has permitted you to enter the camp."
The taller man nodded.
Guard: "Thank you."
Messenger: "You will leave your weapons and armour outside."
The two men exchanged a brief glance.
Then they began removing their weapons and armour.
Once they were unarmed, the messenger led them toward the main planning tent.
Inside, Tara stood beside the large map spread across the table.
The three ministers were seated nearby.
Their personal guards stood behind them.
Satyadhara stood beside Tara.
The tent flap opened.
The two strangers entered.
Satyadhara immediately raised his hand.
Satyadhara: "Stop there."
The men stopped several paces away.
Several guards stood between them and Tara.
The taller man looked around the tent.
He noticed the arrangement.
His expression barely changed.
But he understood.
They were not being trusted.
Tara looked at him calmly.
Tara: "You claim to be guards sent by the Katyuri king."
Guard: "Yes, Devi."
Tara: "And you were sent to escort us?"
Guard: "That is correct."
The Trade Minister leaned forward.
Trade Minister: "Why did the king send you?"
Guard: "We were informed that the imperial expedition would be travelling through these mountains and were instructed to guide you toward the Katyuri capital."
Tara's eyes remained on him.
Tara (thinking) : "Informed?"
For the briefest moment, she glanced at Satyadhara.
Satyadhara looked back.
Neither spoke.
They didn't need to.
The route.
The actual route.
Almost nobody outside their planning group knew about it.
The Katyuri court had been told that the expedition would take the usual northern route toward the capital.
That was what any ordinary expedition would have taken.
But Tara had deliberately chosen otherwise.
Their real route was longer.
Less convenient.
Almost entirely unknown to travellers.
There were no proper settlements along much of it.
No busy caravan roads.
No villages where an escort could simply ask around.
The expedition had intentionally moved away from the route that Katyuri officials had been told.
Tara (thinking) : "If they were truly sent by Katyuri, they should be waiting on the route we gave them."
Satyadhara's eyes moved over the strangers.
Satyadhara (thinking) : "They're lying."
Neither Tara nor Satyadhara let their faces show it.
The Trade Minister, however, had not noticed anything unusual.
He had never cared much about the expedition's route.
He had left that entirely to Tara.
The Foreign Minister had done much the same.
To them, the road was simply the road.
Tara knew better.
Tara: "Who informed you of our route?"
Guard: "An official from the Katyuri court."
Tara: "Which official?"
The man gave a name.
Tara: "And what route were you told we would take?"
The man described the route.
Tara almost smiled.
Almost.
It was the route they had officially announced.
The false route.
The route they had never taken.
Tara (thinking) : "So that's what they were told."
She looked briefly toward Satyadhara.
His expression remained unchanged.
But his eyes had already hardened.
The Foreign Minister spoke.
Foreign Minister: "That sounds correct."
Tara turned toward him.
He looked completely convinced.
She said nothing.
The Trade Minister continued.
Trade Minister: "Then how did you find us?"
The taller man answered without hesitation.
Guard: "We were informed that your expedition had changed its route."
A small silence followed.
Tara's expression remained calm.
Tara (thinking) : "There it is."
She looked toward Satyadhara.
He gave the smallest movement of his eyes.
Satyadhara (thinking) : "Not now."
Tara understood.
They would play along.
Tara: "I see."
The guard continued.
Guard: "We were told that you might choose a less-used route through the mountains."
Tara nodded slowly.
Tara: "And yet you found us."
Guard: "Yes, Devi."
The Trade Minister looked impressed.
Trade Minister: "Then perhaps they really are useful."
Satyadhara remained silent.
Tara could feel his suspicion from beside her.
She knew exactly what he was thinking.
Tara (thinking) : "Let them believe we believe them."
She turned toward the map.
Tara: "How did you know where we were?"
Guard: "Our scouts observed the road."
Tara looked at him.
Tara: "Which road?"
The guard pointed toward the route they had actually been travelling.
Tara's eyes narrowed slightly.
Tara (thinking) : "They know the road."
That was worse.
It meant whoever had sent them knew more than the information given to the Katyuri court.
The Foreign Minister studied the map.
Foreign Minister: "They may have simply followed our tracks."
Satyadhara finally looked at him.
Satyadhara: "With what scouts?"
The minister paused.
Satyadhara: "There are no settlements along this section."
He looked toward the two strangers.
Satyadhara: "No regular patrols."
Then toward the map.
Satyadhara: "And no known caravan route."
The two strangers remained quiet.
The Trade Minister looked between them.
Trade Minister: "Then how did you find us?"
The taller guard answered.
Guard: "We were watching the mountains."
Satyadhara stared at him.
Satyadhara: "Convenient."
The guard did not react.
Tara stepped closer to the map.
Tara: "You said you were sent to escort us."
Guard: "Yes."
Tara: "Then you should know where we were originally expected to travel."
Guard: "We do."
Tara: "And you should also know that we aren't there."
The man's expression remained calm.
Guard: "We were informed of the change."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Of course."
Another brief glance passed between Tara and Satyadhara.
They had reached the same conclusion.
These men were not Katyuri escorts.
But neither of them would say it aloud.
Not yet.
Tara: "Do you have proof of your orders?"
The taller man slowly reached inside his clothing.
Several guards immediately shifted.
Satyadhara: "Slowly."
The man stopped.
Guard: "A sealed letter."
Tara: "Take it out."
He carefully removed the letter.
One of the guards approached, took it, and brought it to Tara.
She examined the seal.
It appeared genuine.
Tara (thinking) : "A convincing seal."
She opened the letter and read it.
The contents were plausible.
Almost too plausible.
Tara folded it again.
Tara: "This appears legitimate."
The Trade Minister relaxed slightly.
Trade Minister: "Then perhaps we were worried for nothing."
Tara looked at him.
Tara: "Perhaps."
Satyadhara said nothing.
Tara handed the letter back.
Tara: "You may remain with us tonight."
The two men nodded.
Tara: "But you will stay at the outer edge of the camp."
Guard: "Understood."
Tara: "You will remain under guard."
Guard: "Of course."
Tara: "And tomorrow, you can show us this supposed faster route."
The taller man nodded.
Guard: "It would save you several days."
Tara gave him a polite smile.
Tara: "Then perhaps you will prove useful after all."
The two men bowed.
They turned and left.
The tent flap fell shut behind them.
Silence.
The Trade Minister leaned back.
Trade Minister: "Well, that went better than expected."
The Foreign Minister nodded.
Foreign Minister: "If they truly know a faster route, we may recover some of the time we've lost."
Tara said nothing.
Satyadhara remained beside her.
For several seconds, neither looked at the other.
Then Tara slowly turned her eyes toward him.
Satyadhara did the same.
A single glance.
That was enough.
Tara (thinking) : "They aren't Katyuri."
Satyadhara (thinking) : "And they know far more about our movements than they should."
Tara returned her gaze to the map.
Tara (thinking) : "But now they think we believe them."
She quietly moved one of the markers on the map.
Tara (thinking) : "That's useful."
Satyadhara finally spoke.
Satyadhara: "We'll keep watching them."
Tara nodded.
Tara: "Closely."
The Trade Minister looked confused.
Trade Minister: "You still don't trust them?"
Tara looked at him.
Tara: "I don't trust strangers simply because they carry a letter."
The minister shrugged.
Trade Minister: "Fair enough."
Tara looked back toward the entrance.
Tara (thinking) : "Let's see who sent them."
Outside the tent, the two supposed Katyuri guards were escorted toward the edge of the camp.
Neither looked back.
But one of them quietly spoke to the other.
Guard: "They bought it."
The second man glanced toward the main tent.
Guard: "For now."
Neither of them noticed Satyadhara standing in the shadows several paces behind them.
Watching.
Waiting.