The Impregnable: A CAS FF (The Chakra Vyuh, Pg 6 NEW)

CONTENTS

Chapter One: Page 1

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Chapter Two: History is but Another Story: Page 1

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Chapter Three: In the Inner Recesses of the Mind: Page 2

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Chapter Four: Two Queens and One Emperor: Page 3

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Chapter Five: Glimpses from the Past: Page 3

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Chapter Six: Great Expectations: Page 4

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Chapter Seven: The Mystery Deepens: Page 5

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Chapter Eight: The Revelation and Internal Dissensions: Page 6

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Chapter Nine: The Chakra Vyuh: Page 6

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Chapter One

A terrible war had been fought and won, a war whose magnitude was unforeseen in the recent history. Would it be possible to pick up the broken pieces and move on as if nothing had really happened? Empress Asandhimitra had just arrived in the land of Kalinga. It was not as if she could not figure out the deep hatred in the eyes of the defeated. Behind the mask of fear they wore, raged a terrible flame of revenge enough to consume her and her whole race.

She came to seek answers to many questions that racked her mind and soul. She came to penetrate the impregnable fortress her childhood friend had built around himself. A world where he alone existed. He was her Samrat and the Samrat of the whole of Bharath. He was living a dream dreamt by his mentor for him; a dream that had cost him his everything: a mentor who was assassinated for trying to dream the best for his protegee, a father who died of slow poisoning and back-stabbing by his very own kith and kin, a mother who had renounced the world not ready to face any more of its ruthlessness, and a young and innocent teenager who was thrust into the harsh realities of the world and its power politics and lost his own soul in the process of retaliating against the injustice done to him.

She had waited all these years for him to change. This was the very last opportunity for her. If this could not change him, she could as well throw up her hands and accept defeat. But defeat was not something that came easily to her too. After all she too was once upon a time the Princess of Ujjain, Ahankara before she assumed the identity of Asandhimitra after her marriage to her childhood friend, Ashok.

They had been with each other through thick and thin. They had seen each other both in their best and at their worst. They knew each other so well that they did not need words to convey what they felt. They had been comrades and they had never judged each other's actions whatever the situation. What bound them with each other was not the notion of love but that of empathy.

Others like Devi came into their life. But even that did not change things. Each had their own space. It was as if they all were living in their own individual islands with no connect between each other. She sought an individual audience with the Samrat before the Court would be in session. How would she find words to describe all the things she wanted to say to him, and all the unasked questions in these long years of marriage she hardly knew.

Ashok: Samragni, your arrival was unannounced and pretty unexpected. Is anything the matter?

Asandhi: How are you Samrat? Are you fine?

Ashok: You ask the wrong question to an emperor who has just captured the last bit of territory that stood between him and the dream of Akhand Bharath dreamt for me by the greatest guru who ever walked on this earth, Acharya Chanakya. Acharya, you would have been proud to see me today, wouldn't you?

Asandhi: Are you so sure that Acharya would have felt the same after seeing everything that I saw today?

Ashok: Alas! Samragni you ask the wrong question to the wrong person. I can't give Acharya's answers for you. Much as I wish to change it, one has to accept the fact that a person cannot come back from the dead even though we have persistent and pertinent questions lined up for them

Asandhi: In that case, Samrat let me hear your answers then. I hardly ever hear you even though I strain myself to the utmost. Either you or I must be at fault for this impenetrability.

Ashok: I'm surprised! I felt that after all these years of marriage; we must have done every topic to death. Our collective dream, mine, yours, Acharya's is fulfilled. What more can I ask on earth?

Asandhi: Are we living a dream or a nightmare, Asho...I mean Samrat?

Ashok: (After a long silence) The conquest is over Samragni and I'm tired. If you will please excuse me, I would like to rest. We have the rest of our lives for all these discussions.

Asandhi: But Ash...I mean Samrat I know that the conquest is over, but does it make you happy or give you peace? If it does, then I'm happy for you! If it doesn't, then is it at all worth fulfilling this dream at such a huge cost. Is it right losing your humanity and soul over an ineffable ideal? Ponder over it in silence. I will trouble you no more. I will wait for you in the court Samrat!

The Court was in session. Asandhimitra was curious to know what impact her prior audience with the Samrat would have on his decisions in the Court today as she sat behind the screens watching avidly.

The minister read out the agenda, "Let Princess Karuwaki of Kaling be presented before the Samrat!"

The once proud and now broken Princess Karuwaki of Kaling, whose divine beauty was shining through despite all the problems surrounding her just like the moon enveloped by storm clouds, was ushered into the presence of the Chakravartin Samrat, and the present ruler of Kaling and Akhand Bharath. The minister continued reading from the orders drawn up after prior discussion with the Samrat on the fate of Kaling and the erstwhile royal family of whom Karuwaki was the only survivor, "Kaling will come from now on under Mauryan administration and will follow the laws of the Mauryan Government...Princess Karuwaki, in accordance with the tradition, will marry the victorious king, our Samrat, and smoothen the process of Kaling's accession into the Mauryan empire, and thus prevent any further bloodshed that may accrue in the process of acceptance of the new rule and ruler."

The minster stood back after reading, while Karuwaki who had not spoken a single word till now, said, "Is this marriage proposal an order for me or a request? If it is an order, I would like to tell that the Princess Karuwaki of Kaling does not take anyone's orders. If it happens to be a request in your opinion, I think that it is so terribly worded that it does not merit either my consideration or acceptance."

The Samrat spoke for the first time after the court was in session, "It's neither an order nor request. It's just a piece of information given to you. Your consideration and acceptance does not matter at all in the present scenario. You were the Princess, Karuwaki. You are not one now."

Karuwaki suddenly reeled and fell down unconscious under the sheer pressure of the situation. Her whole world had come crashing down. The royal physician who examined her pulse said, "The Princess is expecting!" A loud round of anxious whispers ran round the court after this revelation with several loud exclamations of horror, "Good gracious, the princess was unmarried...and a child...whose guilt is she harbouring in her womb..." and so on did the circles in the curious and outraged court.

The Samrat cooly said in a perfectly composed voice, "Karuwaki is carrying my guilt in her womb for the information of all those who are dying with curiosity. The Princess is not unmarried. She is my wife. We married each other secretly in a Gandharva Vivah. So I hope that explains everything. Prepare to celebrate the arrival of the Chakravartin Samrat's first heir." A stunned silence prevailed after this declaration as poignant and disturbing as the noise which preceded it.

PS: This story uses a few historical facts and characters while the rest of it is imagination. So do not bat me over my head for all the historical atyachars I will be committing. I really do not know what got into me when I began writing this. It may look highly complicated and dense at this point in the story. Are all of you interested to see its unraveling and explore into the depths of the psyche of the characters? This story is going to be pretty dark. Not much mushy stuff. Let me inform that before hand. Your likes and comments will determine whether I continue this story or not.

Originally posted by: AnuMoNaya

Good 1😛

Do continue😊

Chapter Two: History is but Another Story

Asandhimitra was pacing up and down her room while the maids were tucking in the still unconscious Karuwaki who was being examined by the Royal Raj Vaid for any further maladies than a common fainting fit due to undue stress and emotional turmoil during the first trimester of pregnancy. After satisfying all his concerns, he looked up and said, "The Princess...I mean Queen Consort is alright. She will regain consciousness in some time. All she needs now is just rest, some good food, good sleep and a happy and cheerful frame of mind that will be conducive to the growth the future Mauryan heir."

Asandhimitra walked out of the room to pass on the same piece of information to the Samrat who was waiting outside the room.

Asandhi: She is fine. There is nothing more to worry.

Ashok nodded his head but not as though he seemed very convinced by it.

Ashok: You will take care of her, I expect!

Asandhi: Please, don't mention it. Anything that concerns you, concerns me also. But how come you never told me anything before?

Ashok: The time was not right then.

Asandhi: Where was the need for all that farce in the Court forcing Karuwaki to marry you if both of you were already married?

Ashok: Because it was mandatory!

Asandhi: But why was it is what I fail to understand?

Ashok: I truly admire your penchant for posing riddles just as much as you love my answering in riddles. We'll continue this charming game after I return from my inspection of the battle field.

After Ashok's departure, Asandhimitra stood looking out of the window while she spoke to herself, "Ashok, why do you never confide in me though I've supported you in everything till now, the ethical and unethical? I've never judged you till now because I knew that your final goal was right even though the path you chose to achieve it was questionable. But I don't feel the same anymore."

There went another opportunity of penetrating the impenetrable citadel Ashok had built around himself. She returned back to her room and found that Karuwaki was conscious by now. She could sense that she wanted to talk something in private. Asandhimitra clapped her hands and said aloud, "Ekant!"

Asandhi: You can talk now. There is nobody else in this room, Rani Karuwaki.

Karuwaki: You are like what my elder sister would have been if I had one. Can I depend on you?

Asandhi: (After a long pause) Yes! You can confide in me as you would to your elder sister if you feel like it.

Karuwaki: I don't know if I'm doing right trusting you after the deceit I received at the hands of the person who meant the most to me. But I have no option left now except to trust even at the expense of the treachery I might have to face from you. (She cleared her voice and hesitatingly said) I just want to go away from here.

Asandhi: (Greatly astounded) Both you and I know you ask for the impossible. You're the queen consort and the mother of the prospective heir.

Karuwaki: When I married Deva, that is Devanamapriya, I didn't know it was Ashok whom I was actually marrying. The Ashok whom I knew was the only and best friend whom I've ever remembered and cherished since my days in Taxila. And the Ashok whom I saw today is a stranger to me.

Asandhi: (Shocked) Do you mean to say that Ashok married you under a wrong and false identity?

Karuwaki: Yes!

Let's leave both the women with their own dilemmas to tackle in the solitude of their room and move our line of vision across the larger expanse of the battlefield where the Kaling war had been fought and won. The toll on both the sides was huge. The huge heap of carcasses would take days together to clean up. The numbers of those maimed and blighted for life was even more. Despite hundreds of medical practitioners tending day and night to the wounded, they had still nowhere broken into even the tip of the iceberg. Whole villages of civilian population who rose up in rebellion were instantly deported to distant corners of the Mauryan Empire.

A mother stood crying here, a newly-wed wife sat there in another corner breaking her red bangles and lamenting her lost womanhood, a little girl who was not even old enough to understand the harsh reality of death was making preparations for bidding farewell to the father on whose lap she had sat listening to stories and lullabies just a few days back; it was a heart-rending experience to see all this and still remain unmoved.

All of you must be curious to know what must be running through Ashok's mind witnessing all this. But before we can do that, here rises a woman picking the mud beneath her feet and begins throwing it at Ashok saying, "This is what you wanted, isn't it? Take it! Take all of it!" She is ruthlessly dragged away from there by the soldiers surrounding Ashok who stands there unmoved with an inscrutable expression on his face. It is neither one of anger at being insulted like this, nor one of exultation at being the victorious conqueror. It is one of pure exhaustion.

At this moment, Ashok was accosted by a monk in ochre robes.

Monk: How are you feeling?

Ashok: I don't know. I didn't know that this would be the end of what I began.

Monk: All things are meant to end like this. You were only the agent who fastened this process.

Ashok: I was just trying to fulfill my guru's dreams. Am I wrong in doing so?

Monk: No. But perhaps the way you chose to do it was wrong. Would this be the way you would like you, your guru, and your parents to be remembered by history? Wouldn't you like to hold your head and that of your ancestors high up in the annals of history?

Ashok: (Smiling sarcastically) What exactly is history but another story written by the victorious! It's good that I made it a habit of winning continuously. All this bloodshed and gore will be forgotten in a few days...months...or perhaps years. Then what remains in history is all about Ashoka the Great'. If I had lost to my half-brothers and my enemies at the time of my succession, all that remained in history would have been Sushim the Great, Siamuck the Grand, Helena the Compassionate, Charumitra the Loving, or Khalnatak the Wise.

Monk: Winning is a good thing. But all those victories that are won by power get lost somewhere in history. It's only those victories that are won by love that become the stuff of legends like Lord Ram's and Lord Buddha's.

Ashok: I can comment anything on Lord Buddha as I hardly know him but Lord Ram fought a war full of bloodshed. So do you mean to say he was wrong?

Monk: No. He was not wrong because he did not initiate it. He was only defending and retaliating. He knew where to put a full stop to everything once it was over. But yours is a different case. You began this cycle of destruction. Now only you have the power to put a full stop to it. It's not too late even now. History can still remember you as Ashoka the Great' not for the cycle of hatred and trail of destruction you spewed till now, but for the love and compassion that you have the potential and power to propagate at least in the future.

The sun was setting in the west! Was it the end of an era or the beginning of a new one?

Originally posted by: asyasehan

do continue...It is not fanfiction type, you already know that..i see you are trying to tell the tale of emperor ashoka which is the way it was just with a few necessary changes. it has a positive approach but in a way that matches the history and is realistic..that is great. you also have worked on the characters they now have an intensity in them. your way with words and description is amazing..it is the sign of a really good writer..and so i must ask whether you are on wattpad or any other stories online community, judging from your analysis of episodes and fanfictions...i actually reviewed your story. i never do. but judging from your posts..i think you dont have problem if anybody discusses your posts in depth. your take on all characters, on karu..asandhi and ashok..especially ashok is commendable. so i must say..do continue..your story is worth reading for me😊😊

🤗anni

p.s.- are you into fiction books???

Chapter Three : In the Inner Recesses of the Mind

Ashok sat down in front of the sumptuous royal dinner served for him by the maids under the observation of the ever scrutinizing eyes of his Empress Asandhimitra. He was deeply lost in thought and did not even notice that the serving had been completed. He was brought back to the present by the touch of her hand on his shoulder. It was oozing with care and concern for him. Today he was not in a position to shrug it off as he would usually have done in the past. He let it stay where it was savoring every bit of the beauty of this simple human emotion. After sitting like this for some more time, he rose up without telling a single word.

Asandhimitra was about to mildly rebuke him for not even taking a single bite out of the sumptuous repast whose preparation she had personally supervised, tasted and also tested because in the present troublesome times, there was no telling from which corner the enemy would attack. It would not take too much time or effort to practice a bit of caution for the next few more days or months. Then everything would be lost in the oblivion of time! But looking at his facial expression and gauging his frame of mind, she held herself back.

Ashok was standing outside Karuwaki's room watching her from afar. She was sleeping peacefully now and he did not want to disturb that by his presence. He could still make out the trail left by the dried up tears on her face even now. He had not observed Asandhimitra's arrival in his preoccupation.

Asandhi: Samrat, why don't you come in and meet her?

Ashok: No! I just came to ensure that everything was alright.

Asandhi: Do you love her a lot?

Ashok: Not exactly! She belongs to me now whether she is ready to accept it or not. Her present situation is very delicate. Much as I have the ability to be cold, clinical, ruthless and manipulative with the other people, she is not the person with whom I would like to be so if I can help it. Moreover, she has given me so much happiness by being the prospective mother of my first heir. There is not so much at the present moment for me to feel very happy about except being the most hated man for the majority of the people around me. So...

Asandhi: So...

Ashok: I must wish you good night, Samragni!

Asandhi: Good night, Samrat!

That midnight, in the shadows of the night outside the royal palace of Kaling;

Asandhi: I don't know if I'm doing the right thing or not. I just wish Ashok would forgive me for whatever I'm doing.

Karuwaki: Thank you for understanding my situation and helping me. I will always remember your help.

Asandhi: You must promise me that you will take good care of yourself...and this baby!

Karuwaki: (After a long pause) Yes! My issues and grievances are with Ashok...not this innocent baby. I will take good care of myself and the baby. You will not reveal where I am to Ashok?

Asandhi: No!

Karuwaki: Not at any cost?

Asandhi: (With vehemence) Not at any cost!

Karuwaki hugged her and said in between her tears, "You really do not know what this means to me. I would have gone mad or killed myself in frustration if I continued living in the same space with him any longer. I would have hated myself for loving and living with the person who had destroyed my entire family and my people. I would have broken down under the sheer weight of the guilt I was feeling for betraying my Kaling!"

Asandhi: I know that! That's why I'm helping you. God, please forgive me for breaking my Ashok's trust. I'm doing what I feel is the best for us all in the present scenario...Please send me regular updates about yourself and ...the baby...wherever you are.

Karuwaki: Good bye! I will always remember you for the angel that you have been to me.

Asandhi: Good bye. Go soon from here before anyone else comes.

Ashok's Flashback

Ashok began pondering over the past to his time at Taxila. Keechak was no more and the Yunani and Khorasani sena which had tried to breach the Hindukush frontier had been driven back and he had practically done this with no help from the Magadh Sena. The people of Taxila were literally going crazy over him.

Acharya Radhagupt was beaming in pride as they carried him all around Taxila in a Vijay Yatra on their own shoulders. He made a last minute entry in Taxila but had played a pivotal role in driving the final nail in Keechak's coffin. They had been unfortunate in losing Acharya Devrath in the final battle. This dampened their spirits to some extent.

But the younger ones in the group were too exhilarated by the spectacular victory they had won that they were unwilling to ponder on what all they had lost in their quest to celebrate what all they had won. Karuwaki was leading a big group of cheerleading children and ladies who were shouting themselves hoarse with cries of "Ashok ki Jai" and "Hamara Ashok Mahan".

Karuwaki and Maharaj Jagannath were soon leaving from Taxila for their homeland, Kaling. In this short span of time Ashok and Karuwaki had become good friends and comrades. They had fought Keechak together and succeeded in their respective goals. Now was the time to bid good bye.

Karuwaki: Good bye, Ashok. I'll miss you a lot.

Ashok: Me too. We fought together as friends and comrades in freeing Taxila and your father from Keechak's captivity and won it. Now we part because each of us has different priorities and responsibilities. But let's hope that we meet sometime in future.

Karuwaki: I'm sorry for Acharya Devrath's death. You must be feeling terrible to lose a mentor like him, isn't it?

Ashok: No! He died fighting for his motherland. It is something to be proud of. Not everyone would get an opportunity to die for their motherland. Even if I had a thousand lives, I could sacrifice it for the sake of my mother and motherland. And this is not the first time I'm losing a mentor. It has happened even earlier.

Karuwaki: You mean Acharya Chanakya, right?

Ashok: Yes! This was one death which has upturned my whole universe. The truth the outside world has been told is completely false. All the people who were responsible for it are still freely roaming around. If it had been either a normal death or a brave death like Acharya Devrath's for the sake of the motherland, I would have deeply mourned it but not felt as outraged and powerless as I feel now. A single day has not passed ever since where I have not condemned myself for not being able to bring the perpetrators of this horrendous crime before the altar of justice.

Karuwaki: Don't lose hope Ashok. All the criminals who evade justice think nobody can catch them. But someday or the other, they have to pay for their actions. I know that it will be difficult to fill the void left by two such mentors like Acharya Chanakya and Acharya Devrath. But I think Acharya Radhagupt will definitely help you in overcoming this to at least some extent.

Ashok: Yes! He was Acharya's best disciple and a better person to be appointed as the Mahamatya of Magadh than Khalnatak. But Acharya Chanakya did not put forth his name before Pithaji because he did not want to see his student geting that position by recommendation but out of his own hard work and merit.

Karuwaki: Going by it, I would assume that Acharya Chanakya did not recommend your name to Maharaj Bindusaar as his next successor because he wanted you to fight for it and secure it by your own effort and not have it served up to you on a platter.

Ashok: Yes! His dying words to me were that I become the Chakravartin Samrat. I just wish he had told something about the people responsible for his death as well at the time of dying.

Karuwaki: Yes! But the very fact that he did not seems to show his implicit confidence that you would find out the truth about his death and punish the guilty. Or does it mean that in the process of your becoming the Chakravartin Samrat you would be able to find out, expose and punish all those people who were responsible for his death? Only Magadh's enemies could have done such a horrendous deed as murdering Acharya Chanakya. By becoming the Chakravartin Samrat, they will become your enemies also.

Ashok: You might be right. I did not think along those lines. Anyways, it's almost time for your departure. Have a nice journey!

Karuwaki: From today onwards, it is not just your Acharya Chanakya alone who wanted you to become the Chakravartin Samrat of Bharath. I also wish the same because I know there is none so deserving as you for this great honor. I will pray to God that this wish of your great guru will become your destiny.

Flashback Ends

Ashok speaking to himself, "My age of innocence ended after that day. The Ashok whom you knew got lost in the recesses of time and power struggles, Karuwaki. Perhaps this child of ours will help me rediscover that Ashok and mend our broken relationship."

Just then Ashok's thoughts were interrupted by a soldier who seemed out of breath and very scared as though he had some very bad news to convey to him, "Samrat, Rani Karuwaki has been missing from the palace for the past several hours. We have sent search parties to find out where she is but none of them have returned with any positive news."

Ashok curtly dismissed the man before he angrily strode to Asandhimitra's chamber. Asandhimitra was trying to pretend as though she had been fast asleep while she was awake all this while and quivering within herself on what would be Ashok's reaction on finding that Karuwaki was missing.

Ashok: Why did you do this Mitra?

Asandhi: (As though she had not understood) What are you saying, Samrat?

Ashok: Don't try to bluff! Karuwaki is missing. She could not have escaped from here without internal help, and nobody else here in this palace except you have the guts to do and walk away with such a deed.

Asandhi: Since the cat is as well out of the bag, I will say that I did it because I felt that you have wronged her. Wife or no wife, you have no right to detain a woman anywhere against her will.

Ashok: Some kind of good sisterhood sentiment building up here. When Devi also comes, all three of you can sit together and fortify it against me.

Asandhi: What does that mean?

Ashok: It means that Karuwaki will have to come back wherever she is whether she wishes it or not. You will tell me all that you know about her.

Asandhi: (Resorting to a half-belligerent and half-pleading tone) I'm not going to do anything of that sort. Please leave her alone wherever she is!

Ashok: It's your call. But it will not change the fact that Karuwaki will come back to this palace of her own freewill within the next twenty four hours.

The tom-toms began sounding everywhere in Kaling the next morning, "The Samrat wishes to inform Rani Karuwaki that all the 10,000 Kaling prisoners of war who are in the Mauryan prisons will be executed tomorrow dawn if she fails to return to the palace! In the event of her unconditional return they will all be pardoned and set free!"