MidReal Story
Chapter One Jhansi March 1858 Rani Lakshmi Bai kneels at the edge of the prison pit and scrubs the blood off her husband’s hands. He is a big man, broad-shouldered and thick through the chest, with a wild, black beard and a crest of wavy black hair that falls to his shoulders. But his face is pale and lined with pain, and there are dark circles under his eyes. “He’s dead,” he says flatly, staring down into the pit.
Scenario: 17th century India where the Maratha emperor Shivaji Maharaj is talking to his soldiers in his fort.
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Chapter OneJhansiMarch 1858Rani Lakshmi Bai kneels at the edge of the prison pit and scrubs the blood off her husband’s hands. He is a big man, broad-shouldered and thick through the chest, with a wild, black beard and a crest of wavy black hair that falls to his shoulders. But his face is pale and lined with pain, and there are dark circles under his eyes.“He’s dead,” he says flatly, staring down into the pit.
She glances over at the body, but she already knew. She’d killed him herself, a few moments ago, and she’d seen the light go out of his eyes. It had been a hard thing to do—she weeps now, silently, as she scrubs—but it had needed to be done.Her husband’s name is the Maharaja of Jhansi. He is her husband by right of her own blood, for she is the Rani of Jhansi, the queen, and she will love him even though he has been a bad king. She loves her city too much to do otherwise. She loves it more than she loves herself, or even her own son.She has no time to grieve. The British are coming, and they will take her son if they find him. They will tear him from her arms and raise him as a Christian, and he will forget who he is. And she can never forget who she is.“I’m almost done,” she says.The Maharaja stares down at her with empty eyes.She is relieved that he is not angry, though she does not blame him if he were.She has just sentenced him to death.“Do you want water?”she asks.“Do you need anything?”He just stares.There is nothing she can do to change her past actions, so she stands and says, “Come with me.”He doesn’t move.“Come,” she says.“Do you have any strength left in your legs?”He leans on her heavily as they go.They have not treated him well in prison, and he has grown weak from illness and hunger.It is a long walk back to the palace, but they manage it.He sits on the edge of their bed while she bathes him as gently as she can.When she finishes, he closes his eyes and leans his head back against the wall.He looks so thin that she is afraid the bed will swallow him up.But there is no time for him to rest.
“The English will be here soon,” she says.“You should go.”He opens his eyes and looks up at her, but his gaze is still empty.“I will be with my army,” she says.“I will protect our people.”She must believe it, even if it is a lie.He nods, but does not move to obey.
