Chapter Three.
Ghadnar knelt at the foot of Sadashiv Rao, the small, podgy moustachioed princeling crouched on a round flat throne,
"With my Sepoy's your victory will be assured!" Ghadnar beamed with a pomposity that rivalled the English armies that marched across India. He looked to the right and left of Rao. He knew the princeling wanted nothing more than to supplant Lakshmi Bai or the Rani of Jhansi. He had been envious of her installation as the regret as her husband died. He was outraged that he, the nephew of Maharaja Gangadhar Rao should have been granted the throne of Jhansi but was ignored. The day that the Rani had been proclaimed had been a terrible one for the servants of the princeling, as he had struck many, propelled ornaments from pedestals, and roughly abused one of his minor concubines, which resulted in her taking refuge in the women's quarters in fear.
Then Ghadnar Labbi Singh came to his court, promising his sepoy army to usurp the Rani and be installed as the ruler. Of course, Ghandar had his motives for toppling the regent of Jhansi, apart from the gratitude of his princeling, he desired Lakshmi Bai even more than he desired the late wife and daughter of the Garrison Commander. Her beauty invaded his dreams and even when he spilt gold into the hands of whores in the city below the palace of Gangadhar Rao. They tolerated his rough hands and lack of gentleness. He would pull them, spank their round behinds, push them to the ground, and force them to suckle him, then slapped One of the high-class establishments that refused his custom and that raised a storm within him he threatened to burn the brothel to the ground but the Madam of the House soothed him with a very special and particular woman who could manage him in the bed chamber and he vented his anger upon her body. He wanted the Rani, he wanted her beneath him and succumb to him. He vowed to keep the Rani on a sliver chain in the Jhansi palace, naked at all times, and he would take her any time. He imagined fucking the beautiful princess on her flat cushioned throne, perhaps Gangadhar Rao would give him the palace as his own. He would be a true power and rule with an iron grip, that befitted his view of power. He would fill the rooms of the palace with all manner of women, large breasted native whores would recline next to slender white women from Europe. As his fevered imagination took flight, he imagined Lakshmi being fucked by multiple men, whom he invited to his court. He imagined her as the most submissive woman, who would beg for the power of his prick every night. Even his smile crept across his face as he waited for the princeling to gather his balls and agree to attack the bitch. Finally, Ghadnar looked up, his attention now recovered, the Princeling had found his courage and reached for his tulwar sword, which gleamed in its scabbard golden and bejewelled.
"Let us gather the forces of my host and reclaim my kingdom, so rudely snatched from me!" Gangadhar Rao stood and jumped lithely from his throne and landed barefoot. His court erupted in cheers and applause and the Sepoy General stood and cheered too. As the party left the audience, Ghadnar bowed lowly and made his excuses to attend to his troops. He was met by Deewan Raghunath Singh, one of his men who had joined the mutineers as they left the fort but took no part in the massacre. He looked at the overwhelmingly joyous visage of the 'General' as he walked rapidly down the sunlight veranda towards their waiting horses.
Ghadnar chuckled, "We have the fat princeling on our side and with our men, we will march on Jhansi and take the palace from that haughty bitch and then...then I will tie her to her throne, tear off her saree from her and fuck the bitch!" He laughed loudly and mounted his horse. Deewan Raghunath did not laugh, he did not like this 'General' and he certainly did not like the idea of assaulting the Place of Jhansi. He had simply joined the mutiny and helped to overcome the company garrison, then headed out of the gates on horseback to hunt down the escaping gallopers that threatened to alert the forts in the other districts. Upon his return, he first saw the oily black smoke of fires, and then the red blood of the massacred men and women. He took no part in it but was smeared with their blood so he threw his lot in with the Sepoy mutineers.
"The Rani is no fool and has a strong mounted force, you know that!" He warned Ghandar. He respected the Rani. He knew, as many did, that she was trained in horsemanship, the skills of the slender Asi sword, the barachha lance and was a markswoman with the Indian musket. Although now little better than a bandit in the eyes of the nobility, he respected the woman.
The 'General' spat in disgust, "Any forces that whore can muster will fall before us. We have over three hundred armed infantry and with the mounted forces of our princeling, there will be little if any resistance!" His buoyant attitude was irritating and Deewan knew that this expedition was already lost. As The General sped off to gather his troops and deliver another one of his rousing speeches, Deewan stopped on the outskirts of the camp. He looked at the ragged collection of mutineers, no longer a disciplined force, but more a collection of dirty, ill-fed and ill-equipped men, who would do anything for their next purse of coins to spend on wine and whores. He turned his horse away and in a sudden change of heart rode away to Jhansi and the court of the Rani.
After three days of riding, he hailed the night watch dismounted and waited for the watch commander to approach him, his way was before him and he knew he was right to betray the oncoming army, even if it cost him his life.
"I am Deewan Raghunath Singh, a former lieutenant in the Star Fort of East India Company and I have grave dispatch for the Rani!" He cried out. Within minutes, a barely dressed Gobinder came down to the valley gate to question this turncoat himself.
"You are a mutineer and a brigand, what dispatches that you bear will be false and of little interest to the Rani," He muttered.
"I am nothing to the great Rani, and I was a mutineer, but I took no part in the massacre. I bring grave news of the raising of a mutineer army under the command of Prince Gangadhar Rao!" Deewan knew that this intelligence would be taken seriously.
Gobinder nodded gravely, Prince Rao had been most vocal in his indignation at her ascension to the Jhansi palace, " The Rani will want to hear these words from your lips!" With no moment to waste, the men were escorted up to the palace and once in the audience room, the Rani walked in, with her hand-maidens holding lanterns to illuminate her passage. Gobinder and Deewan looked up, the flickering light took nothing from her beauty. Taking to his knees, Deewan waited for her to be seated and Gobinder approached and whispered in her ear, then took his place at her right hand with his blade unsheathed and his body tensed for action. Deewan, with his blades, removed, the news he carried was of great value and the Rani listened intently,
"The Sepoy leader, who fancies himself as a general, has sold himself to Gangadhar Rao who desires your throne and palace. He has given the three hundred sepoy garrison men to add to his cavalry and armed men of foot. He comes to you in great triumph and expects a great victory. To you, Great Rani, there is the greater danger, the Sepoy 'General' Ghadnar lusts after you and promises to take you in chains and use you as the lowest whore!" Deewan repeated his former leaders' lustful promises to his men.
