“I was sitting on that!” Sushem said, without turning.
“Well, you can sit on me now!” Maharani Divija said, rather sheepishly. Sushem felt irritation tug at his veins, but he tried to ignore that. “Why are you even here?” He asked.
“There is quite some commotion downstairs, my dear husband.” She said with a grin. “It appears that the Senapati is looking for you.”
“What?” Sushem wondered as he gazed at the dark silhouette of the academy building far away. He had seen the Senapati not more than an hour ago when he had broken away from the regular council meeting of the day. What did the Senapati want now?
“Why don’t you ask him?” Maharani Divija said, still grinning. Sushem wasn’t looking at her. He was gazing at the academy building. Isn’t it disheartening? He wondered. Rulers come and go, yet the academy building never changes. The great academy of Taxila had been there for centuries.
The Senapati walked in at that moment to disturb his chain of thought.
“Maharaja!” He whimpered. Sushem turned, and was surprised to see the Senapati panting.
“What happened?” He asked. Why had the Senapati come running?
“A disaster……Maharaja!” The Senapati said, his panting interrupting his words.
Sushem felt his heart start to beat fast. What in the Gods’ name could have happened? “What is it?” He asked.
“It’s……about the…..Ashwamedha …..horse.” The Senapati said.
What! Sushem held the Senapati with both hands. “Take a deep breath, and tell me all in one go.” He ordered.
The Senapati nodded as he bent a little to catch his breath. Then he rose up again. “The stallion was last heard of some miles from Vidishanagri.” He said. “The stallion and the entourage were marching to Ranchi. When they did not turn up at Ranchi the next morning, The Raja of Ranchi sent soldiers to find them.” The Senapati stopped again to catch his breath again, but Sushem shook him. “What then?” He asked.
The Senapati looked away from his gaze and stared at the floor. “What they found was a bloodbath!” He whispered. “They found the stallion dead, along with all the noble warrior with it. Their camp was burnt. Not a living soul was left within miles of that site.”
Sushem’s eyes grew double in size as he pushed the Senapati away and walked back to the balcony. The Senapati and Maharani Divija watched as he banged the wooden railings of the balcony with his fists. Then he turned.
Anger was etched in the lines of his face. “Who did this?” He asked, with his teeth clenched.
“Frankly I don’t know, Maharaja. No witness was left to tell the….”
Sushem had clutched the Senapati by his collar. “Who did this?” He yelled in his face. The Senapati felt drops of spit land on his face as the Maharaja shouted, “Who did this?”
“I’ll find out, Maharaja.” He somehow managed to say. Sushem let him go, and the Senapati walked away from the balcony in horror. Sushem was about to follow him when he heard a sly voice from behind his back.
“I did this.”
Sushem turned to look, though he already knew who was talking. Maharani Divija lay on the armchair by the railing. “I did this.” She repeated.
Sushem walked up to her. “What?” He said with confusion. “Why?” He asked. There were too many shocks coming for him just then.
“Because of this wretched Yadnya!” The Maharani stood up to face him. Her eyes glared at him, “because of the rituals that were to follow!”
“What rituals?” Sushem burst out. He felt his head go round in circles. He composed himself by holding to the railing for support.
“Did you take me for a wretched savage?” She spit at him. “Did you really think that I would copulate with a horse for your sake? Did you take me for some whore?”
Sushem slapped her, and she fell back upon the railing. Sushem held her there, half of her body dangling over the edge. “What did you do?” He asked.
The Maharani cowered with fear as her hands clutched at his clothing, but Sushem pushed her even further over the railing. “Answer me!” He screamed.
“I sent a letter,” she said, “to your brother. I told him kill the horse for me.”
Sushem held her head and pushed her until she was almost upside down. “Which one?” He screamed.
“ASOKA.” She said.
Sushem pulled her back and let her fall to the floor of the balcony with a bang. The floorboards rattled as Sushem crouched by her side. “You fool!” He swore. “What did you write to him?”
“I told him that you sent assassins after him.” She moaned with pain. “I told him to kill the horse as revenge!”
“You dumb woman!” Sushem got back to his feet.
“At least I won!” She scowled back at him. “Now I won’t have to do those ungodly rituals.”
“You fool!” Sushem screamed. “Somebody has fooled you. Did you really think that I would have my wife copulate with a horse? The rituals are not ungodly. You just have to mimic it, it’s all symbolic! But telling you all this is of no use now!” Then he turned to walk away from the balcony, but paused in his tracks and stared back at her.
“Tell me, who put all this stuff in your head?” He said. “Tell me who told you about these rituals.”
She told him and Sushem clenched his fists as his cheeks become red with anger. “RADHAGUPTA!” He swore. “I’m coming for you, you bastard!”
The Maharani watched as Sushem walked away, the taps that his boots made upon the floor rang in her ears.
What had she done?
Asoka
Vidishanagri, 270 BC
“Brother after brother’s throat,” Hardeo said sadly, as they sat in the guild house in the main chamber. The oil lamps lit in all corners of the room cast a wonderful shadow in the center. Asoka gazed at it nonchalantly, as Kanakdatta served water to everyone. They had been sitting there for almost the whole day, discussing things that were to come. It was dark now, and faint chirping of crickets could be heard. The last rays of sunlight had already stopped trickling in through the windows.
“A brother would never go after his own brother amongst us,” Hardeo continued, “such things would never happen amongst us Buddhists because nonviolence is the way of our creed.”
Asoka smiled. “And were you nonviolent in your private chat with Raja Utamacharya, Guildmaster?” He asked.
Kanaka laughed loudly and coughed as he choked on the water he was drinking. “An interesting question, Guildmaster!” He said.
“Of course, I was completely composed and under control.” Hardeo winked. “You shall find the Raja just as you saw him except for a little redness due to a slap on his cheek.”
“That counts as violence too,” Asoka said slyly.
“Yes, it does!” Kanaka joined in too.
“Well then I shall have to repent tonight.” Hardeo winked again. “But your own brother tried to have you killed, Prince. You must feel horrible.”
“I am not feeling much of anything,” Asoka said, playing with the goblet of water in his hands. “There is no love lost amongst us that’s for sure.”
“But still, you hadn’t expected this from him, had you?” Hardeo said.
“No.” Asoka agreed. “But I think I should have. I trusted him too much. I told myself that even though we hated each other so much, something like this could never happen between us.”
“But it did, and that’s the tragic thing,” Hardeo said.
“Well, let it be now,” Kanaka said patting Asoka on the back. “You are going to have a crushing revenge against him, aren’t you?”
“Half the revenge has already been completed,” Hardeo said seriously. “The Ashwamedha stallion is dead. Maharaja Sushem’s Yadnya has ended in failure.”
“Killing the stallion is nothing,” Asoka said. “I want to make sure that Sushem comes nowhere near the holy throne of Patliputra. I want to kill him and look him in the eye when I do that and tell him that none of this would have happened if not for his a
ssassins. That I would never have even looked at the throne longingly if not for this!”
“What you’ve done means immediate war,” Hardeo said seriously.
“No.” Asoka said. “Not for a while. It will require time for the news to get to Maharaja Sushem. Also, it will require finding out who killed his horse. And where his Prime Minister is.”
“And in this important time,” Kanka said, “we get things done.”
“I shall ride out for Patliputra at once,” Asoka said. “There are powers in the city that can help me.” He said, looking at the ring in his finger,” you shall meanwhile raise your army. And I mean really raise it this time, not like the last time.”
Hardeo smiled. “It shall be done.” He said.
“Should I stop the supply of weapons to the north?” Kanaka asked.
“You should do nothing of that sort,” Asoka said, then he turned to Hardeo. “And you shall assure Maharaja Sushem that you still stay faithful to him.”
Hardeo leaned back in his chair. “Your offer to me has been very tempting, Prince.” He said. “It is true that if Sushem becomes Samrat, my power in this city comes to an end. I know he is biased towards us Buddhists. Plus his minister tried to have me killed too, so I am in the same boat as you.”
“And if I am Samrat,” Asoka said, “you have my word that I shall make you the new Raja of Vidishanagri. You shall be the first one of your religion to hold the position. And one of the finest, I am sure.”
“I see you have learnt flattery from Kanakdatta here,” Hardeo said. “But let’s not get very ahead of ourselves. You aren’t going to be Samrat immediately. Not without a fight at least.”
“True.” Asoka agreed. “But Sushem is far away in the northwest, in Taxila. While I am here in Vidishanagri. I can reach Patliputra in less than three times the time he will require to reach there.”
“And what happens when you reach Patliputra?” Hardeo asked.
“There are powers inside the city that stand behind me,” Asoka said. “All you have to know is that I shall soon send word to you of what is to come.”
“Your brother Sushem is no fool,” Hardeo said. “He will bring his army to Patliputra and lay siege to it.”
“And then, I shall defeat him,” Asoka said, “like I have defeated countless of my enemies until now.”
“And what if you can’t?” Hardeo asked, leaning forward.
‘I see.” Asoka sighed. “The merchant that you are, Guildmaster, you want to back the winning side.”
“I can cut the same deal I cut with you with Maharaja Sushem,” Hardeo said. “The future times are going to be desperate for him too. If I support him, I am sure he too shall offer to make me Raja of Vidishanagri.”
Asoka looked dejected. “Are you trying to tell me that I can’t count on your support, Guildmaster?” He asked.
“No, nothing of that sort,” Hardeo said, “I am merely trying to tell you that I may be tempted to join him.”
Asoka’s eyes sparkled. He smiled. “I know how to stop that from happening.” He said with a grin.
The night sky was dark and full of stars. The moon was almost full, a yellowish tinge to it. Devi looked beautiful sitting on the edge of the wall of the guild house’s roof, looking at the moon. Her hair, beautifully done up in a long braid, fell to the ground behind her.
Asoka walked up to her and stood at her side. She did not move at all, but kept watching the moon.
“Beautiful weather.” She finally said. “The rains shall begin to fall soon now. The whole of the earth will be drenched and give out a beautiful fragrance.”
“Yes.” Asoka said. “And beautiful flowers will crop up all over the place.”
She looked at him now. Her face seemed even sweeter in the dark as he gently brushed two strands of hair from her forehead.
“I never thanked you,” she said, “for saving my life.”
Asoka laughed. “I guess we are even now.” He said.
“No, we are not even,” Devi said, looking back at the moon. “I merely saved your life, while you put your own into danger for saving mine.”
‘I guess you owe me then!” He joked, as he tried to look at her face. She avoided his gaze.
“I owe you an apology, Prince.” She said. “I misread you. I thought all your advances towards me were for lust’s sake only. Though now I know differently.”
“My Lady,” Asoka said, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. He could feel her shiver as his skin touched her bare neck. “I am here to tell you something, and ask something of you.”
She finally looked at him in the eye. “What do you want to tell me?” She asked.
“I am leaving for Patliputra in the morning.” He said. “I will ride out with my men at the fastest possible speed towards the city.”
“What happened?” She asked.
“The assassins were sent by my elder brother Sushem,” Asoka said. “He sent them to make sure I wouldn’t be alive to stand in his way to the throne. But he has failed, and now I shall make sure that I stand very well between him and the holy seat of Patliputra.”
“You are going to start a war, aren’t you?” She said. There was concern in her voice.
Asoka did not answer. “I want you to come with me.” He merely said.
“Your attacker is dead now. So why do you need me. You are safe!” She joked, looking away.
Asoka tightened his grip upon her shoulder. “Please, listen to me.” He said. “The last days have gone by too fast for me as well as you. The blade of Pushyamitra upon my neck made me think about my life. It made me wonder about what I had, and what I didn’t want to lose.”
“That blade was upon my neck too.” She said. “But what made me think about my life was the fact that you jumped up onto the stage, unarmed, to save me.”
“And what did you think about?” He asked.
“About what I did not want to lose?” She said. A few tears now flowed down her cheeks. Asoka held her with both arms, in a hug. “What happened?” He asked.
“I love you too, Asoka,” She said, holding him back and digging her face into his shoulder. “I am sorry I took so long to realize it.”
They stood like that for a long time, as she emptied her tears on him. Then she looked up. Asoka wiped her face off with his palm.
“I love you too.” He said, holding her tightly. “I want you to come to Patliputra with me and be my wife.”
“If only life was this simple,” she said sadly. “I am a common born Buddhist, Asoka, and you are a Hindu Prince. It shall never work out.”
“I am about to make a play to become the Samrat.” He said. “Anything can work for me. And if the days to come are to be my last days, I want to spend them with you by my side, Devi.”
For the first time, she smiled. “I never thought all of this would happen so quickly.” She said.
“Nor did I.” He smiled. “But we do not have the liberty of time it seems.”
“That means I don’t have any time to think about it.” She said.
“You have until tomorrow morning,” Asoka said.
“I don’t need till tomorrow morning.” She said, looking in his eyes. “I can answer you right now, if you agree to what I have to say.”
“What do you have to say?” he asked.
“I shall not abandon my ways.” She said. “I shall remain an honest follower of the ways shown by the Buddha.”
“I am not asking you to change your ways,” Asoka said, “I am merely asking you to walk on it with me.”
She smiled. “One more thing.” She said. “Marriage is a holy union for us Buddhists. We believe in monogamy. We consider marriage to be not merely the joining of body, but of the soul as well. Unless you promise me that you shall take no wife other than me, I can’t say yes to you.”
‘Look at me,” Asoka said, “I love you. I promise you that you shall be the only one.”
“Then my answer is yes.” She said, hugging him. Asoka hugged her back.
It felt wonderful. When they detached after quite some time, she moved up and her lips gently touched his. He felt his heart skip a beat as they moved over his.
“Quite a day!” She said when they had finally broken apart from the kiss.
“And now,” Asoka winked, “it’s going to be quite a night!”
“So how does it feel to get back in armor?” Asoka joked as Kanaka walked alongside him. The rays of the early morning sun fell upon them and their metallic helmets shone.
“Heavy.” Kanaka laughed, taking slow steps. “I’ll have to get back in shape again to carry this weight with grace.”
“That’ll be good for you.” Asoka laughed with him, punching him playfully on the armor. “I am counting on you, friend.”
“You can always count on me.” Kanaka said. “You’ve saved my life once, after all.”
“And you saved mine yesterday,” Asoka said.
“My heart was beating so fast when I released that arrow,” Kanaka said. “If my aim can be correct in that situation, I am now confident that it can be perfect in any situation.”
Asoka laughed. “I am looking forward to seeing you and Shiva together.” He said. “It’ll be just like the old times.”
“Yes.” Kanaka said. “Just like old times.”
Asoka patted his horse in the stable. It neighed. “The time to go is here.” He said.
“Yes, you go on ahead with full speed.” Kanaka said. “Don’t worry about us, I shall take care of everything here.”
“Tell me one thing, Kanaka,” Asoka said, “are you happy to become a soldier again, or are you doing it just because I have asked you to?”
“I am doing it because you asked me to.” Kanaka winked. “Because I believe you will succeed in becoming Samrat, and I want to be in your good books when that happens.”
“Always the merchant, aren’t you?” Asoka said.
Kanaka laughed. Asoka laughed with him. “I hope we shall meet soon. “ He said, once they had finished laughing.
“Sure we shall.” Kanaka said, and bowed.
Asoka looked at Hardeo and Devi who were at the gates saying goodbye to each other. He walked up to them, and Devi smiled at him and turned away and got up on a horse. Asoka kept looking at her. She was all saddled up now and on a horse. “You sure you don’t want a palanquin?” He asked.
The Prince of Patliputra Page 31