Ashok reached the cottage of the aged, forgetful lady whom he had once escorted to her daughter's house and who was the only person who knew about his mother. The lady invited Ashok to dine with her, saying that hunger rendered her reminiscing prowess useless and she would recall much more after having something to eat.
In the royal palace of Pataliputra, both Charumitra and Helena were engrossed in an endeavor to convince Bindusara about the nuptials of Sushim and Ahankara. However, Bindusara wasn't prepared to bestow his trust on Niharika just yet and was unsure about the alliance.
Ashok entreated the lady to recall if she knew someone by the name of Dharma and proffered the broken half of the face of Dharma's statue. The lady felt it with her hands and exuberantly exclaimed that she did recall Dharma. She said that Dharma was extremely beautiful and that she was married to a king. Ashok rejoined that it was the emperor of Magadh, Bindusara. However, abruptly the lady became hysterical entreating Ashok to save Dharma as some people were after her life. Ashok began to calm her down.
In the royal palace, Charumitra and Helena persisted in their endeavor to convince Bindusara. They were interrupted by a knock at the door and turned to see Dharma with her face veiled as she informed them about Subhrasi's puja'. Charumitra arrogantly declared that they were well aware of that and dismissed her. Dharma walked while Bindusar felt something as he saw the back of her while she was walking away since both Charumitra and Helena obstructed her from his view as they inquired the reason of her interruption and then dismissed her. Charumitra said that Sushim and Ahankara's wedding was the easiest way to avoid the current predicament and Helena corroborated her view saying that she would not entreat the emperor to do something which would against his welfare. Bindusara said that he trusted Helena but not Niharika. Bindusara said that Sushim, though, used to love Ahankara but after the lacquer house incident he abhorred her. Hence, a union between them could not be feasible. However, Charumitra made excuses by saying that Sushim was short tempered but also sensitive and could even swallow poison for the sake of Magadh. However, the fact that the duo had been in a relationship could not be refuted. After the wedding, cordiality and love would eventually follow. Charumitra asked Bindusara if he had ever forgotten his first love, if not than how could Sushim and Ahankara could forget their first love. Bindusara went into a pensive mood as he mulled over their words. Ultimately, he said that he would only be able to decide on the matter after discussing it in details with acharya Chanakya and strode out of the chamber.
Chanakya and Radhagupta were in Chanakya's room. Radhagupta anxiously asked Chanakya what should be their next course of action as Dharma had refused to budge from the palace and on the other hand Mir KHorasan had alerted his soldiers as well as spies to look for her. Chanakya described the incident of a person walking through a desert with a parched throat who encountered an oasis at a distance amidst the boundless desert bathed with the scorching rays of the sun and when he dashed towards it, he found it non-existent and was ultimately forced to realize that he had seen a mirage. Likewise, they had to confound Mir Khorasan. Khorasan would come across Dharma. Then Chanakya excavated the ring that Bindusara gifted to Dharma and said that this was the key. One of the spies informed Chanakya about the death of the spy whom Chanakya had entrusted the task of protecting Ashoka from any kind of danger and the disappearance of Ashok without a trace. Chanakya commanded the spy to commence the search for Ashok and that his protection was the most important. Chanakya muttered to himself that everything was spinning out of control and if he tried to control one thing then something else was getting out of control. Chanakya heard the roar of the lion and stared at him, then said that for the sake of future, past and present should come together.
Ashok somehow managed to calm the lady down by promising to save Dharma. The lady said that at the time Dharma was pregnant. Some atrocious people tried to kill her and when she scampered into her cottage, they set it aflame. However, Dharma survived the fire and gave birth to a baby boy while encompassed with flames. Ashok was flabbergasted to learn this and his eyes were brimming with unshed tear. He asked the lady who was Dharma's son and where were they at present unaware of the presence of Khorasan's soldier who had been peeking through the window. Before the lady could reveal anything more KHorasan's soldier shot an arrow at her, putting an end to her life. Ashok was distraught to realize that the lady died and that he would not get anymore fact about the past from her. He was about to go in search of the murderer when he heard someone's footsteps and quickly hid. The soldier entred the cottage and after ascertaining the lady's death, searched for the other person who was with the lady and finally concluding that the other person had escaped, he left. Ashok came out and accidentally discovered a coin identical to the one that the lady gave him earlier. He was stunned to realize that it was the coin given to the Magadh soldiers and finally concluded that the foe of both his mother and Dharma were the same.
Everyone had gathered round for the puja initiated by Subhrasi. Kasturi asked Dharma to leave as Drupad had been looking for her. Dharma took Subhrasi's permission and left. As Dharma left, Bindusar entered the hall followed by Khorasan and Akramak. Bindusar went to sit beside Subhrasi. Mir Khorasan revealed his plan to Helene, Seleucus and Noor that he had mixed some chemicals in the fire to be lit for the rituals and as soon as the emperor would offer ghee' to the fire it would burst into flames and hurt the king and that if Dharma was present among the maids of the palace then she would surely scream, unable to see her beloved husband getting burnt and thus would disclose her identity. His partners in crime gave their consent to this.
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