The Epic of Kautilya : Born To Be King

by Deepak Thomas

  Kautilya had her arrow in position and her aim was true. She couldn’t hope to win a one-on-one battle with Dhanush. She could only delay him. Dhanush would take Vivila if the apes did not overcome the humans by the time Kautilya had been defeated ... or killed.

  Kautilya let loose the arrow. Dhanush merely dodged it.

  “You did not greet me yet, Dhanush,” Kautilya said. “Do you have no manners?”

  Dhanush was annoyed. He sent Varun off to lead the army.

  “You’ve become quite talkative, haven’t you?” Dhanush said. “You did really well, I will admit. But joining the apes was not a very good idea, Sister. They are the weakest of all the races.”

  Kautilya stared back at Dhanush. “It is better to side with the weak than with the unjust.”

  Dhanush clenched his teeth. “There are no just or unjust,” he said. “There are people and there are actions. Every action has its reasons and consequences.”

  “What was your reason to kill Father?” Kautilya asked.

  “To prevent a civil war,” Dhanush said.

  “Why did you kill Father?” Kautilya persisted.

  Dhanush was perturbed. “Are you trying to say something?”

  “Jay told me everything,” Kautilya said, “about how you planned for him to enter the swayamvar and how you knew I wouldn’t let him die. And of course, you knew Father would never let harm befall me.”

  Dhanush smirked. “Well, what does it matter? It was a shot in the dark but it worked beautifully. I had my doubts but then I was underestimating your rashness and Chandra’s foolishness.”

  “But why?” Kautilya said. “You would have become king in time.”

  Dhanush spread his arms wide. “Kautilya, I should not have to become king. I was born king. I watched as Chandra made one blunder after the other. The death of his wife had changed him in a way that was not in the best interest of the people. Every day, my subjects looked to me for leadership and guidance but I was not able to convince him on our nation’s best interests.”

  “Do you realise the pressure of that, Kautilya?” Dhanush asked. “I could not look anyone in the eye due to the guilt that I was allowing a fool to run the country into the ground. It is the inaction of the wise that lets fools rule. I had to take action. For the sake of Bharat, I had to take the crown from him.”

  Kautilya shook her head. “You think you were born to be king. But no one is born a king, Dhanush. Kings are made.” She pointed an arrow at Dhanush. “This I will prove to you once and for all.”

  Dhanush nodded. “Yes, Kautilya. I did not want to but you left me no choice. Trust me when I say it hurts me to have to do this to you. You were the brightest among us. You would have made a great advisor. But I guess we will have to further our ambitions without you by our side. Agnyastra!”

  The tip of the arrow burst into flame.

  Kautilya breathed in and then she too chanted, “Agnyastra!”

  Both of them let loose their arrows, which collided in a giant explosion. That was it … she had run out of Agnyastras for the day.

  “Your astras have become strong, Kautilya,” Dhanush said, “but not strong enough.”

  He immediately took his bow and arrow and began chanting again, “Kadgāstra.”

  Kautilya also readied a Kadgāstra.

  Both let them loose.

  Their astras collided – but Dhanush’s cut through Kautilya’s.

  She closed her eyes and curled in to block Dhanush’s arrow, bracing herself for the pain. There was the noise of wood splintering and then a string twanging. Kautilya opened her eyes. Dhanush’s arrow had missed her and cut through her bow.

  “Now what, Kautilya?” Dhanush asked. “You have no bow. What will you do? You thought I would use that arrow to kill you? No, I will not. I will make you kneel again before your end.”

  A soldier leapt at Kautilya with his sword out. Suddenly, an arrow went through his chest and he fell dead.

  “No one touches Kautilya but me,” Dhanush said, “We have too many personal matters to resolve.”

  Kautilya shook her head. “How can you be so cruel, Dhanush? Have you gone insane?”

  “Not cruel,” Dhanush said, “I am strong. Like a king is supposed to be.”

  Kautilya began to run. An arrow hit her on her shoulder. The impact knocked her to the ground.

  “Running?” Dhanush said across the battlefield, “And I thought you had finally become the steel-hearted warrior I had always wanted you to be.”

  Kautilya turned up to see that Dhanush had ridden his horse next to her. He pulled out the Purogata. “It’s time to pay your obeisance to your king.”

  “You are not my king,” Kautilya said, “you are a pretender to the throne.”

  “The Purogata does not think so,” Dhanush said, “who are you to question its judgement?”

  Kautilya staggered back onto her feet.

  He placed the tip of the Purogata on her shoulder. “You know what to do,” Dhanush said. “Or do you need me to remind you?”

  She sighed. Without a word, she dropped to her knees.

  “That was easier than expected,” Dhanush said, “did you give up again…”

  “Kadgāstra!” Kautilya said and flung the broken bow in her hand at the horse. The bow turned to a steel blade and ripped through the saddle’s belt. The horse reared up and Dhanush slid off its back and onto the ground.

  Kautilya leapt at Dhanush with the blade in her hand. But Dhanush intercepted her with a kick. She collapsed onto the ground next to Dhanush. He picked up the Purogata and struck at Kautilya. She rolled away in time and got onto her feet and began to run.

  The loss of blood had begun to drain her of energy. She slowed down.

  When she turned to look, Dhanush was slowly getting back to his feet. His face was contorted in rage.

  Dhanush raised his bow. “There is no god greater than the king of gods, the Storm God… Meghastra!” He let loose a single arrow into the sky.

  Kautilya remembered what that astra did. It made a single arrow explode into hundreds, which arced down towards a battlefield.

  It was going to rain astras.

  Kautilya had to think. She needed a shield. But there wasn’t enough time.

  CHAPTER 58

  Angad’s Battle

  Angad watched from a distance as Vani led the charge. The apes engaged in head-to-head battle with the humans just as they had done the last time.

  Vani looked like the goddess of war. She took down soldier after soldier, fighting in crazed bloodlust. But the other apes did not fare as well. If the battle continued as it was going, they would be routed.

  “Angad!” A tiny ape called out to him. “What do we do?”

  Angad regarded her. Then the hundreds of old and young apes looking to him for guidance. Vani was supposed to take care of them.

  He looked around. There was no Kautilya to guide him. He had to use his own understanding and logic.

  An idea dawned on him.

  “The bath-house,” Angad said. He called across to two ape soldiers. “Lead them down the pipes we use to bring water to the bath-house.”

  The ape soldiers nodded and Angad beckoned the ape cubs to follow him. Soon they were putting one ape cub after the other down the pipes.

  Finally, Angad prepared to escape with a tiny ape in his arms.

  “Mother,” the tiny ape said. “What about my mother?”

  “She will join us there,” Angad said.

  “Do you promise?” the tiny ape asked.

  Angad looked into her innocent brown eyes.

  “Please promise Mother will be safe,” the tiny ape said again.

  Her pleading broke his heart. He knew what it was like to lose a mother.

  He handed over the tiny ape to one of the adolescents. “Hold her.
” He then turned to the ape soldiers. “There will be an exit at the river. Take them safely to the hills of Rishyamukh and wait for us there.”

  “Where are you going?” one of the elders asked.

  “I cannot promise these little ones that their mothers will join them,” Angad said. “But I can promise I will try my hardest to make it happen.” He raised his fist. “Minds without fear...”

  All the tiny apes screamed, “Heads held high!”

  Angad then turned and charged onto the battlefield. He armed himself with his spear. A leader has to fight for what is right, sometimes, against his own people.

  When he arrived the apes were already on the back foot. Vani had split off from the rest.

  “Apes!” Angad screamed. “Shield wall.”

  The apes looked at Angad in blessed relief. Hearing the familiar command they instinctively closed their shields together and blocked the attacking humans.

  “Spears,” Angad said. Immediately apes bearing spears aligned behind the shields.

  The humans had not expected a change in ape tactics.

  “Charge as one,” Angad said. They took down the horsemen.

  Angad looked around. Vani was still in the humans’ midst.

  “Vani, fall back,” Angad said. “Run to the shields.”

  “This is pathetic,” Vani said and lunged at the ape shield wall. The apes parted, taking in Vani so that she was safe in their midst.

  Angad saw that she was drenched in blood and sweat. Cuts and bruises covered her sides. “Are you all right?” he asked.

  Vani merely stepped away. “Hey, pretty thing,” she said. “You never had to fight for anything with your mother suckling you, did you? This is what war looks like.”

  Angad turned to face the humans. “It’s all right, I will take command.”

  “What?” Vani said.

  “You are a fighter, Vani,” Angad said. “You are not a ruler.”

  Vani screamed. She leapt at Angad with her teeth bared and her claws out.

  “You entitled filth,” Vani said. “You think anyone here will accept you as a commander? I spilled blood for our apes, I killed hundreds of humans, I am the greatest warrior the apes have ever seen. What has come over you that you stand against me?”

  Angad looked Vani straight in the eyes. “You are not a good enough commander.”

  Vani screamed and pulled him up. She butted her head against Angad’s nose. Blood spilled across his fur.

  She screamed. “Do you feel like you are in command?”

  Angad coughed out blood and said, “You are a good fighter, Vani. You will be the sword that takes down the humans.”

  Vani looked around triumphantly. A lot of the apes groaned.

  “You will be the sword,” Angad said, “but I will be the hand that wields you.”

  Angad could almost see flames burst in Vani’s irises. Her hand began to tremble. She raised her hand.

  “No.”

  “You?” Vani said.

  Bama had grabbed hold of Vani’s arm.

  “I will fight by his side,” Bama said.

  Vani squinted darkly at Bama. She let Angad go. He managed to maintain his balance.

  “Who do you want as commander? Him or me?” Vani asked.

  “You are crazy, Vani. You are stupid,” Bama said. “You think you’re a great commander but you’re not. Every time there’s a battle you run off to find glory for yourself. The apes always have to fend for ourselves. In Angad, we found someone who cares for all the apes.”

  “Well, I can take care of the both of you.” Vani plunged her claws into Bama’s stomach.

  Bama screamed.

  “Stop!” A black-haired ape grabbed Vani’s arm. “I will fight beside Angad.”

  Vani looked at the ape. “Do you think Angad would make a better commander? He’s a coward.”

  The ape stared back at Vani. “Well, he has proven today that he’s not.”

  Vani screamed and swiped at the ape. But she was caught mid-attack by Angad.

  “You want to rule, Vani,” Angad said. “You do not want to lead. You want the apes to fear you and bow before you. That’s what all this is about for you. But we don’t bow before anyone because … minds without fear...”

  “Heads held high,” a group of apes cheered.

  “Minds without fear...” Angad said.

  “Heads held high!” the number of apes chanting grew.

  “Minds without fear...” Angad said.

  “Heads held high!” All the apes screamed in joy. “Long live the Lord Chief Angad!”

  Suddenly a rain of arrows flew into their midst. Several apes were struck down.

  “Concentrate, you stupid monkeys,” Nina screamed from the ramparts.

  Angad turned to see that more human infantry had arrived. One of the Raptors was at their head. He had the helmet of a seahawk.

  “I will have my revenge this time, apes,” the Seahawk said. The humans began to clash with the apes. Angad knew that their wooden shields would not last long against metal swords.

  “Centre,” Angad said, “open shields.”

  The apes obeyed without question. Suddenly a group of human soldiers burst among them, grinning fiercely at having penetrated the shield wall.

  “Centre,” Angad said, “close shields.”

  The humans were stunned when they realised they had been cut off from the rest of their army. The apes on this side of the shield wall picked them off one by one.

  Angad smiled. The humans kept pushing against the shield. He repeated the tactic.

  The human front line had begun to thin out. Angad saw the opportunity he was looking for.

  “Vani,” Angad said, “I need you.”

  Vani looked at him sullenly.

  “You need to take down their commander,” he said, pointing at Varun. “You’re the only one strong enough to do it.”

  Vani looked at Varun. She smiled mischievously at the opportunity to prove herself. She nodded. “Golden-hairs!” she called to her squad. “With me.” She grabbed her mace, ran off and leapt across the shield wall and onto Varun. Her squad followed her down.

  Varun was not prepared for the sudden attack and Vani and her cohort managed to take him down.

  “Brilliant,” Bama said as the humans panicked and were confused.

  Angad saw his opportunity. “Apes!” he cried. “Charge in.”

  Screaming, the apes set aside their shields and launched an attack on the humans. They began to take the humans down, thinning their ranks.

  Angad began to follow them into the battle but Bama held him back. “You are better with your limbs attached.” Angad shrugged and Bama launched into their midst.

  Angad smiled. They had done it. They’d managed to push back the humans. They could still win.

  “Agnyastra!” suddenly a voice screamed. Angad turned in time to see a whole group of apes explode away. Varun stood there with Vani’s limp body in his hands. The humans cheered and began to beat back the apes with renewed morale.

  Angad gasped.

  He looked up at Nina who was helpless because if she launched arrows, the apes would be injured too.

  The humans quickly took the advantage, with an enraged Varun leading the slaughter.

  The apes were doomed.

  Angad prepared for the impending attack. The taste of leadership had been rejuvenating but it had not lasted long. He sighed as he remembered his mother. At least she would have been proud of his final minutes.

  CHAPTER 59

  Born To Be King

  Kautilya turned to face her brother. There was no beating him now. Now, she could only wait for the shower of arrows to bring about her inevitable end.

  “I gave you the chance,” Dhanush said, “you did not take it. Maybe you wil
l be smarter in your next birth and take my side.”

  “I will not take your side in a hundred births,” Kautilya said. She looked up at the sky. The sky was now dotted with falling arrows. Her head began to spin. She closed her eyes expecting the worst.

  Suddenly she was pushed to the ground.

  Kautilya opened her eyes. As her eyes refocused and she realised who had arrived to protect her.

  “Princess.”

  Ādi was on top of her, shielding her from the rain of arrows.

  He winced as several of them struck him but none of them struck Kautilya.

  “Ādi, you idiot,” Kautilya said. “You’ll get yourself killed.”

  “But nothing bad will happen to you,” Ādi said, “not on my watch.”

  Tears filled Kautilya’s eyes. The rain of arrows stopped.

  Ādi gasped. “Use your astras, princess.”

  “But Ādi,” Kautilya said, “I only have one left. To use it I will need to sacrifice a loved one.”

  “Then do it,” Ādi replied. “Don’t hold back, because your brother won’t.”

  “But how can I kill someone I love?” Kautilya said.

  He got onto his knees. His back was studded with arrows and pouring with blood.

  He looked up, “Do you love me?”

  Kautilya gasped.

  “Do you, princess?” Ādi asked, “Did our kiss mean anything?”

  Kautilya grabbed him an embrace. “Oh yes, I do. I do love you.”

  “Then you know what to do,” Ādi said, “do it.”

  “But,” Kautilya said, “you do not care for the apes. You do not care for what this is about.”

  “I may not care for the apes,” Ādi said, “But I do care for you and what you have built. You have given so much to this battle. Finish this.”

  Kautilya was aghast. “No, I can never…”

  “Do it, Kautilya,” Ādi said. He thrust the steel blade into her hand. “I am dying anyway. Use me as your sacrifice! No matter what the cost. Finish this battle.”

  “You must be joking.” Dhanush’s voice broke into their conversation, “Allying with apes, consorting with demons. What next?”