The Epic of Kautilya : Born To Be King

by Deepak Thomas

  This would not do. Fear could only do so much to make citizens obey, and love only worked for a few of them. It was respect that they needed. And they would only feel respect if the leader was one of their own.

  She looked at Angad cowering in the corner. If he did not take charge then their project was ultimately doomed to fail.

  ***

  Kautilya sat with Angad next to a levelled field and inspected the drills that the new ape infantry were performing.

  A troop of apes crawled from one side of the field to the next. It had been a month since the training had started, and Kautilya had made many revolutionary changes to the structure of the army.

  Squads had been organised into companies with a single warrior in charge. These companies had then been consolidated into units with specialised skills.

  All the warriors had been trained in the fundamentals like formations and basic armed combat. Then each unit had been trained separately in their specialist skill.

  The biggest unit was the infantry, which was composed of basic foot soldiers. The apes were very adept at hand-to-hand combat. However, when it came to training them in how to use swords and spears Saira had surprised Kautilya with her skills. Wherever she had come from, she had received exceptional training in sword fighting.

  They had set up a siege unit, specialised in assembling equipment like rams and ladders to capture towns with defensive walls. They were also specialised in the use of fire and projectiles.

  Before launching any close-range attack on the enemy, however, the army needed to weaken them from a distance. For this purpose Kautilya set up a specialised archery unit. Every person who had lived in the forest knew how to use a bow and arrow. Kautilya just needed them to learn signals and practise coordinating their attacks.

  Kautilya also discovered that the apes were really good at flinging spears, which could prove especially useful in penetrating the shields and strong armour of the humans. Another benefit of a spear-flinging unit was that unlike archers they were also capable of using their spears in close-range combat. Kautilya enlisted the help of Angad, who was adept with a spear, to train these apes.

  Finally, Kautilya set up an elite commando platoon. This was composed of five squads of warriors who reported to Yama in principle but Kautilya in practice. The commando unit would carry out high-risk missions to collect intelligence and to capture important enemy leaders. These five squads were led by Ādi.

  However, a critical element in defeating the humans would be countering their cavalry units. This was where Kautilya met her biggest obstacle.

  For his part, Angad began setting up the supply chain for the armies. He ordered farms to be set up. Mountainsides were carved up to form terraces and, cultivation started. There were no cattle to give milk but there was a variety of beans and lentils. Fruits and nuts were scoured from the forest. Angad made sure that all the citizens and warriors were well fed.

  He also guided the set-up of smithies and workshops to make weapons for the armies. Though the quality did not match the weapons of the human forces, Kautilya realised that they were a good supplement to whatever the apes had managed to capture.

  Angad was smart and quickly learned all the essentials of statecraft. Kautilya saw in him great potential. The apes loved him, but...

  “Kautilya,” Nina broke into her thoughts, “the monkeys are going crazy. Some really strange behaviour.”

  “What happened?” Kautilya asked.

  “Vani is leading a riot,” Nina said. “Better follow me.”

  Kautilya stood up and Angad followed her. Soon they were in the centre of Vivila.

  A large mob of apes had assembled. Nina and Angad broke a way through the crowd.

  Vani was standing triumphantly next to a line of bloodied prisoners. But these prisoners were not humans and they were much bigger than apes. They were...

  “Bears,” Vani said. She hit the biggest one across the head. It growled. “We caught them hunting in our forests, killing innocent animals.”

  The crowd jeered.

  “Why did you bring them here?” Kautilya asked.

  “To send a message to the rest of them,” Vani said. “If they hurt animals in our forests, they die.”

  The crowd cheered.

  Kautilya studied the smallest bear – she was definitely an adolescent – and walked up to her. There were tears in her eyes and blood coated her fur. She was scared.

  Kautilya turned to Angad. “Ask her to let them go.”

  Vani looked in amazement to Kautilya first and then Angad. “Why would I let them go? And why would I listen to him?”

  “Angad,” Kautilya said, ignoring Vani, “you need to let the bears go. They are a part of Dandaka too. We cannot hurt them.”

  Angad glanced around nervously and then looked at Kautilya.

  “They are not our enemy,” Kautilya said.

  Angad shrugged.

  “They are mine,” Vani said. “Listen, pretty. The punishment for these creatures can only be meted out by real apes.”

  Kautilya shook her head. She told the bears. “Stand up.”

  The bears looked at Kautilya amazed.

  “Stand up,” Kautilya said.

  The bears stood up.

  “I will escort you out,” Kautilya said.

  “What do you think you’re doing, human?” Vani asked.

  “I’m leading the bears out of here,” Kautilya said. “Get out of my way.”

  “Or what?” Vani asked. She looked down at Kautilya. “There is no rakshasa to protect you this time around. And the demigod is off too.”

  Kautilya stared straight into Vani’s eyes. “I don’t need either of them to take care of you. Want to find out?”

  Kautilya pulled out her bow and an arrow. She nocked the arrow and pointed it straight at Vani, who bared her fangs.

  The apes around Vani grabbed her by the shoulders. “Let it go, Vani. Three filthy bears aren’t worth it.”

  Vani looked around and then stepped aside.

  Kautilya led the bears away. Nina and Angad followed her.

  “Don’t get too cocky, Angad,” Vani said. “Neither your friends nor your mother will be in charge for long. And then you’d better watch out.”

  Angad gulped. “But I was on your side.”

  Nina sighed. “Have some guts!”

  Kautilya led the bears outside Vivila’s gates. “You can go now,” Kautilya said. “No one will harm you. But stay away from these forests for some time.”

  The biggest one spoke. “Thank you for saving our lives, dear human. We are forever indebted.”

  “Just stay safe,” Kautilya said and she looked at the young bear. “And take care of her.”

  The two big bears wrapped their arms around the little one and nodded. Then they left.

  Kautilya was saddened by the display that day. How could apes and bears fight each other when they were both being oppressed by humans?

  She turned around to see Angad waiting embarrassedly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was of no help. But if I had supported you then a lot of apes would have been displeased.”

  Kautilya looked at Angad. “A leader has to fight for what is right, sometimes, against his own people. You have to become a leader, Angad. The apes will need you soon.”

  Angad hung his head in shame.

  Kautilya grabbed Angad’s shoulder. “You are already loved enough, Angad. Now you need to be more than loved. You need to be obeyed.”

  CHAPTER 43

  A Break

  Soon, all the major tasks in the fledgling Dandaka Kingdom were organised. The older apes had taken up the responsibilities of foraging, cultivation and rationing food. Granaries and terrace fields had sprung up all over the hills. Apes who had lost an arm or leg in war were now dedicated to the task of crafting weaponry and mai
ntaining the town.

  Kautilya took particular interest in educating and bringing up the ape younglings. There was now a fledgling school. She realised that the Lord Chief too was interested in how this was shaping up.

  The two months that passed in set-up had been really taxing for Kautilya. She hardly slept as she spent the days implementing her plans, the evenings reporting progress to the Lord Chief and the nights making plans for the next phase of the campaign. By the time she got back to her sleeping area, her squad would already be asleep and every morning she had to wake up much earlier than they did. She hated not being able to spend time with them.

  At long last it seemed that the whole structure had stabilised.

  “It is done,” Kautilya said. Her weariness had been replaced with relief.

  The Lord Chief smiled. “You’ve done really well, Kautilya.”

  “Now on to the next part of the plan,” Yama said.

  Kautilya almost collapsed at the suggestion.

  “Patience, Yama,” the Lord Chief said. “Do not forget that Kautilya is still a girl. Let her be with her friends a while and recuperate.” She turned to her. “There is a great temple to the Ape God in the higher hills. It is a beautiful temple, the air is fresh and the weather is cool. You and your squad should go there for the next week and spend time relaxing and praying.”

  The Lord Chief had not lost her maternal instincts.

  ***

  It had been a day and a night since Kautilya and the squad had left the confines of Rishykapu. The change of scenery was good for all the squad members.

  Higher up in the hills, herds of beautiful animals grazed the land and rare birds would occasionally appear. Barong was having a great time chasing down wild critters.

  “Look, it’s a flying panda!” Nina screamed.

  Kautilya looked and sure enough, gliding through the sky, were the red pandas with the wing flaps between their arms and legs that helped them glide from one tree to the next.

  “They’re so adorable,” Saira said.

  Ādi called to the others, “You need to hurry up. There’s a beautiful stream up ahead. It’ll be great to camp there.”

  “Stop running around so much, Ādi,” Saira said. “You’re panting like crazy. The air here is thinner, you know.”

  Ādi blew a raspberry at Saira and ran off again with Barong in tow.

  “He’s such a child.” Saira shook her head.

  “Yeah, but he’s really kind at heart,” Kautilya said. “And fiercely loyal.”

  Saira nodded. “Yeah, he’s capable of a lot of love. Anyway, you’ve been really busy the past few months.”

  Kautilya put a palm to her face. “You have no idea. It was insane. It’s amazing that the apes have survived this long with the sort of lifestyle they lead. It’s amazing they managed to build Rishyamukh, for example. I wonder how they did it.”

  “I’ve heard,” Saira said, “that the apes used to be very well structured and organised before. Once the humans took over they broke up a lot of their institutions and made most of them slaves. The only ones that escaped that fate were the apes of the hills, who were basically tribal folk.”

  Kautilya nodded. “That makes sense.”

  Saira pursed her lips. “Do you think it is a good idea for you to interfere with their way of life?”

  Kautilya sighed. “It’s never a good idea to interfere with anyone’s way of life. But sometimes you have to change according to the realities of the world. To cling onto traditions and customs for the sake of clinging on isn’t very smart, is it?”

  Saira nodded. “You’re very smart, Kautilya.”

  “Hey, Kautilya, check this out,” Nina said. “I made a portrait of the human king.”

  Kautilya looked and saw a sketch of an ugly man with a large head, a hooked nose, receding hairline, evil eyes and a moustache.

  “That’s not what he looks like,” Kautilya laughed.

  “All humans look the same to me.” Nina shrugged.

  “You think I look like that?” Kautilya said.

  Nina screwed up her eyes at the portrait, looked at Kautilya and then back at the portrait again. “Yeah, maybe.”

  “Hey, flatface,” Ādi called Nina from a distance. “Hurry up, we don’t have all day.”

  “We have five days!” Nina screamed back.

  Ādi looked forlorn. “Whatever suits you. Barong and I want to do as much as possible with our holiday.”

  Suddenly Barong pounced on Ādi and they began wrestling. Kautilya watched longingly.

  “Want him as a pet?” Nina asked Kautilya.

  “Isn’t Barong already our pet?” Kautilya said.

  “I didn’t mean Barong.” She giggled and ran off.

  “Sorry,” Kautilya said to Saira. “Nina is so stupid sometimes.”

  Saira smiled. “The thing is, they aren’t pretentious. They’ve been brought up to be honest and genuine. Not pretentious like the so-called cultured folks.”

  “But you’re different,” Kautilya said.

  “The two of us are very similar, you know,” Saira said.

  Kautilya nodded. She wondered why.

  CHAPTER 44

  Temple Of The Ape God

  “Beautiful,” Saira exclaimed, and Kautilya had to agree.

  They had finally reached the Temple of the Ape God. It had three golden spires and a moss-covered stone façade, and was built over a waterfall.

  Several apes were crossing the waters carrying offerings above their heads.

  “No, Barong,” Ādi reprimanded the cub. “You cannot come into the temple. You have to stay here.”

  Barong bowed his head mournfully, wanting to be part of the visit.

  “It’s all right, child,” an old voice said. “Let him go. The Ape God does not distinguish between creatures. He loves everyone the same. ”

  Barong’s ears perked up and before anyone could stop him he bounded through the water and into the temple. On the way, he frightened a few pilgrims who fell into the water.

  Kautilya turned to see an old bear wrapped in brown cloth sitting on a boulder. Her forehead was covered in ceremonial ash. Instinctively, Kautilya reached to touch the bear’s rear paws.

  “Live long, child,” the bear said. “You must be the girl everyone tells me about. And this must be your squad of heroes.”

  Who was this bear? Kautilya thought.

  “Come,” she said getting off the boulder, “let me guide you through the temple. Do you have any offerings to the Ape God?”

  Ādi pulled out four red bundles from his sack, one for each of the squad members.

  The bear sniffed. “Honey, lemon, sandalwood, turmeric and pomegranate.” She purred in pleasure. “The Ape God will be pleased. Carry the bundle on your head as you walk to the temple.”

  As Kautilya stepped into the stream, the cold water gave her great relief. It seemed as if all exhaustion had been sucked out of her and replaced with energy.

  She put the bundle with the sandalwood on her head.

  “Who is she?” Saira whispered to Kautilya.

  “I don’t know,” Kautilya said.

  The bear led them up the steps and into the main chamber.

  Here everyone paused to ring a bell that was hanging at the entrance.

  A giant gold idol of the Ape God stood in the centre of the main chamber. Kautilya realised that the humans did not know of this location or that statue would have been stolen away years ago.

  The hall was silent except for the chanting of the ape priests who sat at the foot of the idol and the ringing of the temple bell as worshippers walked in.

  “Place your offerings at the foot of the Ape God’s idol, pray to Him and then receive what the priests offer you,” the bear whispered to them.

  One by one the squad members wen
t and made their offerings. In return, their foreheads were smeared with ash and they were given a clay bowl of mashed bananas.

  Finally, Kautilya walked up to the idol. She placed the bundle at the foot of the idol. She bowed her head to the Ape God’s feet and offered her prayer.

  O Ape God, give me the strength to defeat my brothers, Kautilya prayed. She felt a surge of energy course through her. Her heart beat faster. She knew the Ape God must have heard her prayers.

  She looked up and the ape priest smeared her forehead with ash and then put a bowl of mashed bananas in her hands. Kautilya thanked him.

  “How do you feel?” the bear asked Kautilya when she walked out of the temple.

  “Like some magical energy has empowered me,” Kautilya replied.

  “That is good,” the bear said. “Your people have caused a lot of pain to the Ape God’s devotees. Yet he listens to your prayers. Everyone is welcome in the Ape God’s presence.”

  As she said that a couple of tiny yellow flycatchers flew around Kautilya and Ādi. The bear began tweeting to them.

  “What happened?” Kautilya asked.

  “They think you are a couple,” she said. “They want both of you to play with them.”

  Ādi choked on the mashed bananas he was eating.

  “They are the couple,” Kautilya said. She pointed to Saira.

  “Don’t worry,” the bear said, “they are just foolish little birds.”

  “Thanks for guiding us,” Kautilya said and touched her paws again.

  “Thanks for letting me guide you,” the bear said. “My blessings go along with the Ape God’s.”

  After taking the bear’s blessings the squad began to descend the mountain.

  “A talking bear,” Nina said. “I never thought I would see any of those.”

  “Bears live in Dandaka too,” Kautilya said. “They’re not as numerous as the apes but they are an important nation. I have seen several slaves...” Kautilya immediately regretted starting the sentence.

  “How come they’re not part of the rebellion?” Nina asked.

  Kautilya wondered the same. The bears had suffered equally under human rule. But she hadn’t seen any in Rishyamukh.