In the past few days, Rewari was bustling like never before. The capital, Bawal, had become a hive of activity as traders and merchants thronged its streets, lured by the news of a grand gathering. Delegations as well as merchants from member kingdoms of the Samrajya and foreign nations had descended upon the city, each seeking to forge alliances and secure deals.

  The atmosphere was charged with excitement and opportunity, yet it posed a logistical nightmare for the local authorities. They had to maintain the security of the fort and ensure the hospitality of the distinguished guests.

  Overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the task, the local authorities turned to Rewari's allies for assistance. Amber took on the critical role of defending the inner fort, while Jaunpur, alongside local officials, managed the security of the more remote regions. This division of bor seemed to promise a smooth operation, but beneath the surface, a sinister plot was brewing.

  Rahimulh Khan, the regent of Jaunpur and the de facto commander of its forces, had far different pns. In secret, he had allied with the Mughals and Rao Kishan Pal, the king's ambitious cousin, aiming to overthrow the current regime and decre Rewari an independent kingdom.

  Ajmer's king also pledged support, enticed by the promise of marriage to Rewari's renowned princess.

  To bolster their conspiracy, Rahimulh Khan and his co-conspirators garnered the support of disgruntled local nobles and zamindars, who were deeply unhappy with the Samrajya's reforms.

  They spread rumors among the farmers, ciming that loans from the Samrajya came with crippling interest rates, and failure to repay would result in losing their nds and homes. These lies sowed the seeds of unrest and rebellion.

  The conspirators moved swiftly and stealthily. Local authorities were either bribed or silenced, repced with loyalists to the Jaunpur cause. Control over security patrols and local defenses allowed them to intercept and neutralize any alerts sent to the capital.

  Slowly but surely, Rewari was isoted. New arrivals of delegations and merchants were turned away under the pretext of security concerns, further tightening the blockade around Bawal.

  Within the fortified walls of Bawal, a false sense of security prevailed. The communication network was severed, and supply lines were cut, leaving the fort increasingly vulnerable.

  Meanwhile, Mughal and Jaunpur spies had meticulously mapped out the fort's defenses, pinpointing locations of food stores, armories, and the all-important gunpowder storage rooms.

  The stage was set for the siege, but one crucial obstacle remained: Jaunpur's forces needed to be withdrawn from the fort without raising suspicion. Fortune smiled upon them when Punjab withdrew half its forces for its own security concerns.

  Seizing this opportunity, Jaunpur spread false reports of rebel uprisings in the countryside. This deception provided the perfect pretext for Rahimulh Khan to withdraw his remaining troops from the fort, apparently to deal with the rebels.

  Now, Jaunpur's forces were gathered in military tents just beyond the fort's reach, poised for the impending assault. The blockade of Bawal was complete, communication lines were cut, and supplies were dwindling. Inside the fort, the guests and dignitaries remained unaware of the impending doom, confident in the strength of their hosts.

  Outskirts of Bawal, capital city of Rewari, 28th Feb, 1556

  As the sun climbed high in the afternoon sky, casting stark shadows across the vast encampment, Rahimulh Khan stood at the entrance of the grand tent, his gaze fixed on the approaching figure of Rao Kishan Pal.

  Behind Rao Kishan Pal, the vast force of ten thousand soldiers stretched out, their ranks accompanied by the imposing presence of giant cannons. The air was thick with the cheers of welcome and the scent of burning wood from the campfires.

  Rahimulh Khan stepped forward, a welcoming smile on his face. "Your majesty, it is an honor to see you here with such a formidable force," he said, bowing slightly in respect. After a small exchange of greeting from both sides warmly, he added his querry

  "However, I must admit, I expected you to join forces with the Mughals and join us together. What caused the change in pns? Where are they?"

  Rao kishan pal's smile didn't waver. "There were some minor disturbances at the cannon factory that deyed our departure. The Mughals seem confident in their own strength, and I think that they don't need the cannons for hunting a small party with no artillery. However, for the siege of the fort, meticulous pnning and overwhelming force are crucial. Now, tell me the progress."

  Rahimulh khan ughed inwardly, knowing full well his true motivations for prioritizing the siege. nonetheless it was to his own better, the war will be swift and the spoils wouldn't be split if they win it before the mughals ever join.

  He responded respectfully, "Understood, Your Majesty. Currently, everything is under our control. The blockade is fully enforced, ensuring no one enters or exits without our knowledge. The local popuce appears to have sided with us, influenced by the rumors we strategically spread. "

  Delighted by the report, Rao Kishan Pal patted Rahimulh Khan's shoulder. "Well done. The day when you will be crowned king is not far off."

  Moved by the validation of his long-cherished dream, Rahimulh Khan responded warmly, "Inshalh, Your Majesty. It would be my honor for you to be the first witness at my coronation. There's another piece of good news waiting for you. Please, follow me to meet someone important."

  Rahimulh Khan led Rao Kishan Pal through the bustling camp towards a distant corner where the Prince of Ajmer, Amar Singh Rathod, was overseeing the unpacking of siege machines from the carts. The air buzzed with activity as soldiers and engineers worked diligently, assembling the various parts of battering rams, siege towers, and dders.

  Rahimulh Khan and Rao Kishan Pal approached the area, where Amar Singh Rathod was intently supervising the construction of a massive siege tower. Seeing them, he broke into a warm smile and strode forward to greet them.

  "Your majesty," Amar Singh Rathod said, bowing respectfully to Rao Kishan Pal, "It is an honor to finally meet you in person."

  "The honor is mine, Prince Amar Singh," Rao Kishan Pal replied graciously. "I see you have brought quite the force with you."

  Amar Singh's smile widened. "Yes, I have. Twenty thousand men and the finest siege machines, despite my father's wishes. My father still sees this as a risky venture before the joint siege in amber, but I see it as an opportunity to fasten our expedition."

  Rahimulh Khan nodded appreciatively. "You have our deepest gratitude, Amar Singh. Your support will be crucial in this siege."

  Amar Singh's expression darkened slightly, his voice lowering. "My true purpose here goes beyond mere support. I seek the downfall of Amber's King Tejpal. I want to kill him with my own hands."

  Rahimulh pced a reassuring hand on Amar Singh's shoulder. "You will have your vengeance, Prince. I promise you that."

  "I know we will not fail," Amar Singh said with determination. "But I do not want to merely witness our victory; I want to ensure it with my own eyes and strength. That is why I have brought not only my men but also the best siege machines we have."

  Rao Kishan Pal looked at the parts of the siege machines being assembled and nodded in approval. "Impressive. What exactly have you brought with you?"

  Amar Singh gestured towards the bustling activity around them. "We have brought parts for battering rams, siege towers, and dders. My men are already hard at work assembling them. These machines will breach their defenses and ensure our victory."

  Rao Kishan Pal smiled approvingly. "Your foresight and dedication are commendable, Amar Singh. We could not have asked for a better ally. Even though I don't doubt my canons but war is indeed a pce a uncertainties."

  Inwardly, Rao Kishan Pal felt relieved knowing there was backup. Despite his successful test fire of the cannons, he could not forget the sight of Mathew's smile when he was done with his gunpowder work.

  "Thank you, Your Majesty," Amar Singh replied, bowing slightly.

  Rahimulh Khan added, "Now that we are all here, let's proceed to the grand tent for the follow-up pnning."

  Amar Singh nodded. "Lead the way, prince. I am eager to see our pn come together." With that, he followed Rahimulh to the grand tent, with the trio making their way inside.

  As Rao Kishan Pal stepped inside, the leaders stood and bowed deeply in allegiance.

  "All hail the new king," one of them said, their voices resonating with unity and reverence.

  Rao Kishan Pal raised his hand to acknowledge them. "My loyal friends, the new dawn of our era has begun. Together, we will elevate Rewari to new heights! "

  Rao Kishan Pal stepped forward, his voice commanding the attention of the gathered leaders. "Under the leadership of supreme commander Rahimulh Khan, we will strike from a single front," he decred, emphasizing Rahimulh's longstanding authority.

  "Long live Jaunpur!"

  "Long live Supreme Commander Rahimulh!"

  His words elicited resounding chants from the leaders, recognizing Rahimulh's crucial role in the upcoming assault.

  Moved by this dispy of honor, Rahimulh Khan bowed graciously, expressing his gratitude. "Jaunpur will remember this moment," he affirmed.

  Rahimulh stepped forward, his expression becoming serious. "As you all know, we have successfully isoted the capital and severed their communication lines. The fort is vulnerable, but we must strike tonight to capitalize on our advantage."

  He paused, ensuring he had their full attention. "Our cannons will be pivotal, providing us with the firepower to breach their defenses. However, victory won't come from cannons bombardment alone. We must be ready to shed blood for this cause."

  He outlined the pn to attack the delegations without mercy, emphasizing the necessity to eliminate any potential threats. A murmur of agreement spread through the tent. One leader raised a concern, asking why attacking the delegations and force them to strengthen the enemy.

  Rahimulh responded firmly, "We cannot afford to trust them. Attacking the non-member delegations will allow us to frame them as the aggressors, protecting ourselves from the emperor's wrath and solidifying Rao Kishan Pal's cim as the rightful king without challenge. Obviously, our retaliation will be seen as a response by the Samrajya and will sow distrust among foreign retions. Using that opportunity, we will decre independence when either the Samrajya or the non-member kingdoms retaliate against each other."

  Rahimulh continued, "Our scouts have meticulously mapped their defenses, identifying the locations of their supplies and armories. They keep constant surveilnce on the royal family. Our spies will signal the start by exploding their gunpowder stores, igniting fires in their supplies to starve them. Following this, our assault will commence. With the element of surprise and cannons on our side, victory is within our grasp."

  Rao Kishan Pal nodded approvingly. "Prepare your men. This night will be remembered as the turning point for our generations to come. Veer Bhogya Vasundhara!(The Brave Shall Inherit the world)."

  "Veer Bhogya Vasundhara!"

  "Veer Bhogya Vasundhara!"

  With the war cry of glory the leaders dispersed, each moving to rey orders and ready their troops. The camp buzzed with activity, the preparations for the siege happening with disciplined urgency. Soldiers checked their weapons, cannons were loaded, and scouts returned with final reports on the enemy's defenses.

  In the midst of the flurry, Rahimulh Khan and Rao Kishan Pal stood together, watching the preparations unfold.

  "You have orchestrated this masterfully, Rahimulh," Rao Kishan Pal said quietly.

  Rahimulh inclined his head. "It is only the beginning, your majesty. Tonight, Rewari will witness a new order. We will crush the royal family and seize control of Rewari."

  Rao Kishan Pal nodded in agreement. "The people are with us," he added. "They will see us as liberators from the oppressive reforms."

  As dawn approached, the Jaunpur forces readied themselves for the attack. Inside the fort, unaware of the treachery that surrounded them, the guests and dignitaries prepared for another night of diplomatic discussions and grand banquet. Little did they know that by the midnight's fall, Bawal would be engulfed in chaos and bloodshed.