Aryans worship nature in the form of Shatarupa – the one of hundred forms. Their lifestyle is deeply in sync with her myriad moods, as such they did not like to settle. They weren't as nomadic as the desert barbarians who change locations almost every two months, but they weren't strictly settlers either like the people of the drylands. Even if a capital city was base to major powers that rule ten times the territory of Rtadhara, they would still move after a while, leave the city behind. If not every year, then every ten years or fifty years. Aryans didn't believe in permanence and that was evident both in the Vedas they read or their lifestyles they followed.
Only in the dryland nations was it different. There was a sense of permanence here. Perhaps it was because of the oldest ruling tribe that has moved here when Aryans first chose to settle. There was previously no history of settling before the Aryans first moved to the current subcontinent of Aryavrata.
The monuments and palaces here were meant to last. This doesn't happen elsewhere in Aryan lands. Their architecture, though functional and efficient, is simple, almost drab. Even the kings lived in simple dwellings. Perhaps large in size and a lot more secure than normal buildings, but common in style, at least in construction. That there are umpteen displays of opulence on the inside, however, is a different matter. Because of this stark difference in how they chose to construct their cities, the dryland kingdoms with their forts, palaces, towers and monuments appear rich and exotic to the foreign visitors. Even common dwellings here were individualistic and even public squares where the citizens spend their evenings were artistic mazes that open people's minds to possibilities. The architecture and city planning make these places feel highly sophisticated for visitors from the valleys and plains of the Aryan lands. A typical foreigner would be initially of the mind to pity the dryland people because of the harsh conditions here that make living seem almost impossible. But once they spend some time here, they find themselves to be the ones lacking instead, for they have never understood the power of human intelligence until then. From engineering to scientific progress to law making and law abiding, from the various ways in which these people generate wealth and economy so that the common people won't suffer, a foreigner quickly learns that the dryland nations, despite their remoteness are actually advanced self-sufficient civilizations. The reason they do not participate in the conflict of the outside world is because they are more adept at creating solutions for themselves rather than seek help elsewhere. It isn't because they are backwards that they are not on the world's stage. It was because they were actually a step ahead and didn't care to be there.
It was this spirit of independence that Indra Nihapriya wanted to preserve. It wasn't because he didn't see the opportunities the trade coalition could create. By banding together, the dryland kingdoms could explore more trade opportunities from the outside, getting wealthier together. But that would also paint a target on them by those who covet that wealth. The dryland kingdoms wouldn't fear an invasion under normal situations. But the two major alliances within the trade coalition originally did not wish to share the pot and wanted to cut up Abhaya into pieces instead. Abhaya was the easternmost country serving as an impenetrable defense for the western dryland nations. Rtadhara similarly was the frontline defence facing the western deserts. But Abhaya's mountain passes could only be guarded by them! They were generations of mountain warriors who were impossible to win against in their home ground. This is also why the four countries formed a trade coalition instead of a war alliance to directly take over the guarding nation. They planned to suck the country dry first, so that it would automatically fall apart on its own. However, such a situation would bring disaster for the dryland nations if any outside conquering force eyed the dryland nations for their wealth at the same time. With the mountain passes open, any army could raid the dryland countries who had long had a reputation for accumulated wealth.
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"No roses…then diamonds!" Chandra Kush chuckled in anticipation, "Teacher I heard people in arid lands have a lot of gems! Gems gems gems! Taking a bath in them should feel good yes? They have so many diamonds they made pillars and rooms with them!"
"Those are not gems. It's an artificial crystal named as glass…Although how these architects created the glass to refract light to such accurate degree is truly beyond me…"
Hearing his teacher say she actually did not know something made Chandra Kush halt. He released his hands from that cocky pose and became serious. "Teacher, while we are here, should we steal their knowledge? Didn't you say earlier knowledge should be accessible to all? How can some people just keep it…!"
Looking like a fairy who was untouched by sin, Ashangi nodded a couple of times. "That would be for the best. Although…we shouldn't leak this knowledge either. Other people should not keep knowledge to themselves, but we should."
"Right, right," the obnoxious boy nodded. "I was just about to say that…!"
At this time, teacher and student had the same greedy glint in their eyes. Evidently, it wasn't from nowhere that this student's greediness comes from!
Ashangi noticed it too at the moment and changed her expression, but a soft and affectionate feeling came over her. In a rare gesture, she rubbed her pupil's head. "Little Kush, in this world, what you want to take, just take. You don't owe anybody an explanation. If you want wealth, wealth is yours. If you want knowledge, knowledge is yours. Because you were born to be king, this is your right. The first thing a king must learn how to do is to snatch the things that he wants. Immoderately, recklessly and without reserve. Only after he learnt how to always get what he wants is there meaning in practicing in moderation."
"Snatch the things that I want…" the little boy balled up his fists with a determined look. "I will teacher!"
Earlier, when his teacher told him about rules and regimes, about the lives of kings, Kush would only find it distant and unappealing. He didn't have any intention to rule, but he had always liked taking things beyond his reach. At first, just like any child, he was puzzled why his teacher would never reprimand him. Sometimes, he would go to the extent of bullying other children and after he learnt to fight, common people to take their stuff. Ashangi would stand there as motionlessly as ever, wouldn't even bat an eyelid. But now he understood his teacher wanted him to give in to his desires. She wanted him to fall prey to them for some reason…She didn't say she would stop him when he turned to excess, she actually wanted him to pursue the excess! Only when man gives into desires can he rule the desires. Ashangi had many years to teach her pupil that. For now, she just wanted him to give in to them. If one day he becomes greedy enough to say he wanted everything in the world, that would be the day her groundwork would've been truly laid to start this boy on his fated path.
"Teacher…there's this purple gemstone inside the peacock's eye in the Heaven Room that I saw! Should I run back and…"
"That's stealing. That's just crass."
"But teacher…I really liked it…!" the boy whined.
Ashangi was silent for a moment. Walking as though floating, she hummed, "Then we'll scheme for it."
"Scheme how…?!" Excited, Kush ran after her. Even though she barely looked like she moved her feet, every step covered a great distance.
"Depends on what kind of scheme you want to win it through…Gambling, fighting, trading, a creative proposal that will replace the peacock even, or you can make the prince give it you as a reward by impressing him, say through singing…"
"Ugh!"
"Sword dancing then."
"Teacher, don't even remind me…I only did it that one time because you left me in a strange city with no way to feed myself!"
"The prince seems to like stories…He can pass the time more easily while recuperating if he listens to stories."
"Stories…"