After the humiliating incident in the kitchen, evening faded into a tense twilight. Shilajit paced alone in his chambers, the fire of jealousy and malice burning bright within him. He muttered to himself, "No matter what I do, I cannot seize control of the palace as long as that girl Arohi is around. She is far too discerning. To remove her, I must destroy her bit by bit. Only when I can brand her a woman of foul character before everyone will I truly find peace. Aditya is blinded by his love for her; once Arohi is gone, making Aditya my puppet will only be a matter of time."
Shilajit devised a terrifying plan. He didn't want to kill Arohi yet; instead, he wanted to tarnish her image forever in the eyes of the royal family. He wrote a secret letter to a wicked relative, stating simply: "Send your son, Ark, to me immediately. There is an urgent royal task."
Ark was a young man who looked no less than a prince—handsome, tall, and fair-skinned. His father, as cunning as Shilajit, sent Ark before nightfall without a moment's delay. Shilajit explained the situation to Ark, saying, "You must perform a special act tonight. Your father became a landlord because of me; this is your chance to show your gratitude." Ark agreed.
The following day was Arohi's birthday. Aditya had planned a special surprise for her at the stroke of midnight. To get her favorite rare blue lotuses, he prepared to slip out of the palace secretly. He informed the household staff, saying, "I will return by tonight. Just don't tell Arohi anything; let her think I am away on royal business."
Before leaving, Aditya went to Arohi's room and said, "Arohi, I have some urgent work to attend to, so I'm heading out for a bit. You are tired; eat something and go to sleep. I'll come back and wake you up." Suspecting nothing, Arohi agreed.
As soon as Aditya left, Shilajit made his move. He summoned two maids and scolded them, saying, "Just because Aditya is away, should Arohi be neglected? Go, bring her some warm milk. She hasn't eaten anything since noon." While the maids were in the kitchen, Shilajit craftily slipped in under the pretext of making his own milk and mixed a potent, fast-acting herbal sedative into Arohi's cup.
Shilajit told the maids, "Go, make sure Princess Arohi drinks this. Even if she refuses, insist. She is very weak."
Though she initially resisted, Arohi eventually drank the milk at the maids' insistence. Within moments, her eyelids grew heavy. A strange exhaustion washed over her body. She murmured faintly, "I am so sleepy... you may go now."
Arohi usually locked her door from the inside before sleeping, but tonight, drugged and disoriented, she collapsed onto the bed while the door remained unlatched. She had no idea she had forgotten to secure it. This was the exact opportunity Shilajit was waiting for. He signaled Ark.
Ark crept into Arohi's darkened chamber. Arohi lay unconscious under the covers. Ark slowly lay down beside her and pulled her into a tight embrace. In her drugged stupor, Arohi thought Aditya had returned. She whispered dizzily, "Aditya... you're back? So soon..." Believing it was her beloved, she reached out and embraced Ark in return.
Shilajit had only instructed him to act out the embrace, but finding the breathtaking princess so close in the darkness, a vile lust awakened within Ark. He tightened his grip on her. Arohi remained completely unaware that a stranger had entered her sacred bed and that a horrific scandal was about to unfold.
Meanwhile, Aditya was galloping back toward the palace, clutching a bouquet of blue lotuses, eager to wish his beloved a happy birthday. He had no idea of the nightmare awaiting him. The silence of the night was pierced as Aditya's horse came to a halt at the palace gates. Aditya's face beamed with the joy of a small victory, holding a bouquet of those rare blue lotuses in his hand. He thought to himself, "Arohi must be asleep; I'll surprise her exactly at midnight." The entire palace was still, everyone shrouded in deep slumber. Aditya crept toward Arohi's chamber.
Upon reaching the room, he was startled to see the door slightly ajar. A doubt crept into his mind, "Arohi never sleeps with the door open! Did she forget today, exhausted by the lingering guilt of the afternoon's cooking?" He slowly pushed the door open. The room was dark. Aditya thought it best to light a lamp so as not to startle Arohi in the shadows.
As he lit the lamp, the scene before his eyes caused the blue lotuses to slip from his grip and scatter across the floor. It felt as though the earth had vanished beneath his feet. He saw his own bed occupied—Arohi lay there, locked in the embrace of another man! Dazed by the light in her drugged state, Arohi murmured, "Aditya... turn off the light! It's hurting my eyes." In her stupor, believing it was him, she traced a deep kiss on Ark's forehead.
Aditya felt as if a poisoned sword had been driven through his heart. He stood frozen like a stone. He could not deny what he had seen with his own eyes. Choking with humiliation and agony, he couldn't bear to stand there for another second. He stumbled out of the room, collapsed against the door, and slumped onto the floor. Overcome by the sheer weight of the pain, he lost consciousness right there.
The Next Morning...
Before dawn could break, Ark fled the palace at Shilajit's signal. As soon as morning arrived, Shilajit himself "discovered" Aditya lying unconscious in the corridor and began to shout, "What is this! Why is the Prince lying here senseless? Someone come quickly! Hurry!"
The King, the Queen Mother, and Shilajit all rushed to the spot. Water was splashed onto Aditya's face. As he opened his eyes, the King asked anxiously, "Aditya, what has become of you! Why are you here? Where is Arohi? Did you two have another quarrel?"
Tears streamed down Aditya's face. He cried out, "Father, do not speak her name! I never want to see her face again! She is a woman of shame!"
Stunned, everyone entered Arohi's chamber. Arohi, still groggy from the sedative, was just opening her eyes. She saw everyone standing around her. The Queen Mother spoke in a harsh tone, "You are sleeping here in comfort while my son lies collapsed on the floor outside! What is going on with you two?"
Arohi said in confusion, "Mother, what are you saying? Aditya was lying right here beside me. When did he go outside?" She reached out to touch the empty spot on the bed. Concerned, she added, "Aditya, were you unwell? Why did you get up and fall there? My head has felt so heavy since last night..."
Aditya exploded in rage and disgust, "Shut up! Just shut up! Do not utter my name with that filthy mouth. I thought you were pure; I thought you would be the light of my home. But after what I saw last night, your very existence is a shame to me!"
Arohi was thunderstruck. She understood nothing. She looked at everyone and cried out in agony, "Believe me, I know nothing! All I know is that Aditya came last night, and I held him..."
Aditya let out a devilish laugh, "I hadn't even entered the room then, Arohi! Then who were you embracing and kissing on the forehead?"
The entire room fell into a deathly silence. Hidden in the shadows, Shilajit wore a sliver of a wicked smile. He knew the poison of his slander had finally turned the royal family of Junagarh blue with grief.