Chapter 13 - Preparing for Change

A week later, Patliputra

‘You must return’, the note said.

Atri had just decoded the contents of the note that the secret service agent had handed him. He had expected the summons. Ever since he had sent word about King PriamRaja’s plans to Sumedh, the die had been cast. The to and fro communication between Patliputra and Gangapur would normally have taken at least two weeks, but the agents had accomplished it within a week because Atri had red flagged the message.

A red flagged message meant that it was either a matter of life and death, or had enough impact to bring down the monarchy. The agent’s eyes had widened when he caught the red flag on the note Atri had handed him a week ago. The secret service must have exhausted several agents and horses for this one message, Atri realised. He placed the note in the box beside him.

Chandra watched his master, Purohita Atri, pick up the box and leave the room. Atriji entered his private chamber and closed the door behind him. In the beginning, such secrecy on his master’s part had hurt Chandra’s pride. But now, he understood. Purohitji trusts me with his life, but where there are other lives at stake, he himself must take responsibility. This realization had come to Chandra some time back.

Once inside his chamber, Atri lit the sacred fire and placed the box next to it. For the last one week, he had been gathering important war maps that Magadha’s defense ministry might use to plan the next attack on Vatsa. One by one, he took each artefact and threw it into the sacred fire. With extreme care, he ensured that all the artefacts were destroyed and beyond recognition.

‘No clues must remain’, he murmured.

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Prince Prajanya paced back and forth within his private chamber. His attendants were busy packing his belongings. Little did they know that he was going to be a prisoner and not a royal guest. Prajanya would be lucky if he were allowed to carry a pair of slippers with him.

‘When do you leave , your highness?’

‘Tomorrow, at dawn.’

‘I will instruct the royal kitchen to pack some refreshments. Will there be anything else, your highness?’

‘No, ummm… Satyaki…’

Satyaki, Prajanya’s attendant, looked up expectantly.

‘Take care of my mother in my absence.’, Prajanya said in a soft voice.

‘Will you be away for long, your highness?’, Satyaki asked, missing the undercurrent in Prince Prajanya’s voice.

‘ It could be a while…’, Prajanya replied in an offhand manner.

‘I wish you a pleasant journey, your highness’, Satyaki bowed and left the room.

Once everyone had left, Prajanya sat down on his bed. He looked around. His favorite books stood in a corner, but they failed to offer their usual comfort. He was too restless and needed something to divert his mind. Suddenly, he sprang up from his bed, discarded his princely robes and put on the disguise of a humble student.

Prajanya left the palace from the back side and headed toward the central square.He decided to take a walk through the streets of Patliputra. It could very well be his last walk through these streets, he mused. The hustle and bustle of the city brought in a sense of normalcy and his nerves began to calm down. As he turned into a lane, he came across a barber shop. Who knows when my next haircut will be!, he thought and entered the shop to accomplish this mundane and yet, essential task.

‘Welcome, young man’, a friendly voice greeted him.

Prince Prajanya looked up to see a middle-aged man with a gentle, but keen gaze. They seemed to be the eyes of a man who had seen a lot in life. The barber pointed to a seat in the front and Prajanya sat down.

‘Well, how short should I cut them?’, the barber enquired.

‘As short as possible.’

‘Oh.. okay.. ummm.. are you leaving the city for long?’

‘Maybe’, Prajanya’s voice was tense.

‘Ahh… I suppose you will miss your old friends and haunts.’

Prajanya was silent for a while.

‘I suppose so , it's natural’, he finally said.

‘Youth is the time to chase your dreams, young man. I may be a barber, but I know a thing or two about dreams. The friendships of youth are heady, but they don’t always last long.’, the barber said as he finished the haircut.

Prajanya lifted his gaze and raised an eyebrow in enquiry.

‘In time, the spontaneity and generosity in friendships of youth give way to the insecurities and inertia that come with age. And the friendships that once shone with purity are buried in selfishness, where each person hopes to have the upperhand i.e to receive more than they give. We begin to weigh friendships on the same scale as the give and take of everyday life, hoping to make a profit at every turn - If he helps me twice, if he comes to me twice, I will make an effort once!

If, indeed, there is one who has been more generous in the relationship, he tires and to protect his dignity, moves on. But who can say who has been the winner and who the loser, in this once tender , and now, wilted relationship’, the barber replied.

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Prajanya grimaced. The barber had painted a rather dismal picture.

‘That sounds rather gloomy Sir’, he said.

‘Aah… I suppose it does. Well, don’t worry, if all you are looking for is a good time - eating , drinking, chatting and all that-, you will certainly find company’, the barber said and patted Prajanya’s back.

‘How much longer?’, a customer waiting at the door, enquired.

Prince Prajanya quickly paid his dues and hurried out.

The barber had spoken about friendships, but Prajanya supposed that it was true of most relationships. The problem was that the strength of a relationship was always hard to fathom, especially among siblings. How much of it was due to true affection and how much was due to a shared parentage, who could say! He just knew that if he didn’t do everything in his power to save his brother, he would regret it.

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‘Is she asleep?’, King PriamRaja stood at the entrance of his Queen, Madhavi’s quarters. She had been depressed ever since their son, Vishvajit, had been captured, and now, when she heard that Prajanya too was leaving the palace for a while, she had become inconsolable.

‘Yes, your highness’, the Queen’s attendant replied.

‘Would you like me to wake her up’, she asked after a pause.

‘No, No, I just wanted to check on her’, he replied with a smile, patting the attendant on her shoulder.

PriamRaja walked away with a feeling of satisfaction. Everyone would think of him as a considerate husband, and he was sure that when the Queen would be informed of his visit, she would be suitably touched. His mind turned to his son Prajanya. A slight doubt came over him - Was he doing the right thing? Was it time to let go of his thirst for power? Before the thoughts could weigh in further, he controlled his mind. He knew that such thoughts were unsettling and distracted him from his purpose. Over the years, he had become more effective at brushing them aside and their power over him had diminished considerably.

Nobody understood the heavy burden on his shoulders. How difficult it was to balance the gift of ambition that he had with the reality of the people around him! Of course, men in power had to be tough, they had to make tough decisions, and yes, there would be mistakes along the way. But this was the only way to move forward. He could be accommodating too. Sure, as long as he enjoyed the upper hand, as long as he came out looking good, and the other person was suitably submissive. Yes, he was a reasonable man, he affirmed to himself. If the other kingdoms didn’t insist on defending themselves, if they submitted willingly to his demand, he would be willing to let them live under his rule.

Satisfied with his own reasoning, PriamRaja headed towards his chamber. Maybe the secret agents had some news on Vatsa’s weakness. The thought filled him with delight and he quickened his footsteps.

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A week later, Gangapur

‘Father, I learnt how to dress a wound today.’

The look of pure delight on his son’s face filled Kailashnath with happiness. At last, his son had found his calling.

‘Did you know that there are different ointments for different kinds of wounds?...’, Bhola began expounding his new found wisdom.

Kailashnath smiled as he listened to his son. He knew that one of the greatest joys in life is to find work that you love. Kailashnath had learnt the hard way that all professions are exacting. The stress that the demands of a profession bring can even lead to a breakdown. At such a time, if there are aspects of our profession that bring us joy, they can be our safe haven. When we do something we love, however small, a peace enters our being. No one can give this peace to us, we must search for it on our own ; finding this love is a solitary journey we must all embark upon. Even the wealthiest or the wisest parent can, at best, provide opportunities.

‘Oh, here comes Sister’, Bhola exclaimed as he spied Maya from a distance. They no longer met each other every day and he missed spending time with her. He rushed forward to greet her.

Kailashnath looked up too. Maya was walking rapidly toward him. His keen gaze immediately caught the tension on Maya’s face.

‘What is it, my child?’, he asked.

Maya quietly handed him a note. Kailashnath opened it.

The time for our departure from Gangapur is nearing. The delegation from King PriamRaja should arrive by tomorrow. Please join Acharya Chyavana and me at the ashram to discuss the road ahead. - Sumedh

P.s. Please bring Maya and Bhola with you.

Kailashnath folded the letter and looked at Maya. She averted her gaze. Kailashnath had sensed that Maya had developed a soft spot for Sumedh. How Sumedh felt about Maya was harder to ascertain. Sumedh had perfect control over his emotions. Perhaps, this was expected from the Chief political advisor to a King. But what about the man behind the high profile persona. Was there a softer side to Sumedh?, Kailashnath wondered.

‘We must hurry to the ashram. Sumedhji is waiting for us’, Kailashnath said aloud.

‘You too Bhola. Sumedhji specifically asked for you to come along. Maybe he will give me a report card of your progress.’, Kailashnath teased.

The remark failed to subdue Bhola’s enthusiasm. This was the first time he was allowed to attend a secret meeting and he felt important.

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Sumedh watched Maya coming from a distance. It was painful, it was like having your dreams laid before you, but your hands and feet were tied and you couldn’t chase your dreams. The responsibilities on his shoulders began to weigh heavier. Maybe, he would need to consciously step back from his duties at the palace if Maya and he were to have a chance together. He hoped there would be a time in the future when he could make a choice. But now, there was nothing he could offer her. The road ahead was long and uncertain, and she deserved security. He wondered what impression he had left on her. They had not spoken after their meeting at the temple even though Bhola and Bahu had dropped hints at every opportunity.

Sumedh’s gaze met Maya’s. A tear rolled down his cheek and he brushed it away before she could see it. It was painful to hold back when he knew he had found the one he could cherish. It was almost as though God was asking

Do you love me only for the gifts I give you? If I withhold these favors, will you still love me? Will you still trust me?

Sumedh let out a soft sigh and turned away.

Maya watched him turn away from her and felt hurt at the rebuff. She had thought they could have been friends, or more. Childhood is the most deceptive period of our life, Maya thought wryly. We begin to believe that just our presence is a source of delight to everyone. It comes as a shock later that to be a welcome companion, we must offer more than just a few laughs and clever remarks. And when it comes to a life partner, the expectations are much more.

It sounded cynical even to her own ears, but Maya knew that in marriage what each person brought to the table mattered. Some brought good looks, some wealth, some status and family connections, others brought knowledge or talent, and some others were serviceful. Ultimately, it didn’t matter what, as long as both individuals found each other useful. And this evaluation was done not only before marriage, but at each juncture of life. This was one reason why so many suddenly found their marriage wanting after years of being together. In his current situation, Sumedh probably needed wealth and connections to support his career, and Maya could provide neither. So, it was best for her to keep a distance.

Bhola spotted Sumedh and Bahu and rushed forward to greet them with his usual enthusiasm. Maya held back. She was soon joined by Kailashnath. A short while later, the group was seated inside Acharya Chyavana’s apartment.

‘There are two points of importance that I want to discuss.’, Sumedh began in his direct manner.

‘The first - Acharya Chyavana will return to Vatsa with us. It is no longer safe for him to be here.’

Kailashnath did not make any comment. Though he was disappointed with Acharyaji’s departure, he had known that it was inevitable.

‘And the second -’, Sumedh’s voice was a little softer now.

‘I want Bhola to come with us to Vatsa. He can train under my father.’

Kailashnath’s mind went blank. It took him a few moments to get his bearings. He watched Bhola signal to him - I don’t want to leave Gangapur, Bhola was whispering.

Kailashnath’s mind raced. On one hand, was the prospect of building a worthy career for Bhola. After all, how many people could boast of learning from the royal physician! On the other hand, was the risk that one misstep on Kailashnath’s part, and his son could be held hostage!

How was Kailashnath to decide?