The Blossoming Story of Devi and Ashok [OS] [UPDT:CHAPTER 3 on PAGE 5] - Page 2

CHAPTER 2

Devi lay in her new royal bed, staring at the huge glass ceiling in front of her. It was certainly a change from the small room for servants quarters she had been previously assigned. She didn't mind her previous quarters, after all, she had agreed to play the part of Kaurvaki's servant, but this was all so new. So much had changed in just the few moments after Ashok, Dharma, and Vit departed Ujjain. She sighed and rolled to her side and stared out the open window at the blue sky with soft, fluffy clouds. Her mind wandered to her ancestral home in Ujjain, where hazy moments of young Devi and her Baba would lie down on the roof and just stare at the clouds as they passed by, chatting and giggling for hours.

Her Baba. Tears rolled down her cheeks as memories of her father overflowed her mind. She was now an orphan.

About an hour later, someone knocked the door.

"Coming!" Devi said loudly, as she moved towards the wash basin to freshen her face. She quickly splashed water over her face and patted it dry with a silk cloth. "Just one moment, please," as she rushed to open the door.

"Oh Kaki -- I'm sorry, Rani Dharma," Devi bowed. "To what do I owe this extreme -"

"Deviii." Dharma said amused by the formality of this once quirky girl. "You knew me as Kaki Dharma before, and I'd like you to continue calling me Kaki. And drop all this formality."

Devi smiled and nodded sheepishly. She gestured for Dharma to enter her room and offered her a chair to sit on.

"So Kaki ..." Devi started.

Dharma smiled. "Ashok told me about Dhanisharam. I'm sorry to hear that. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Thank you Kaki, but I'm fine. Ashok has been taking care of everything for me. I owe a lot to him, I am indebted to him."

"So what are your plans now?"

"Ashok asked me to stay behind. I had made plans to go to Ujjain and do the final obligations for my father, but Ashok insisted that now was not the right time. Maybe because of Khondana's threats?"

" Hmm ... perhaps. Did Ashok tell you how Dhani ..."

"No he didn't, but I don't need to know."

Outside, leaning against the wall near the door, Ashok smiled as he recounted what the soldier had told him. Dhanisharam wasn't dead, he was very much alive and living happily in Ujjain. Unknown to Devi, he had sent a crew of carpenters and a trusted soldier to Ujjain to locate Dhanisharam to inform him that Devi was know staying happily in full comfort with the Mauryans, in case he was worrying and to help rebuild the home that Nilankush had burned down.

"So why did you not tell Devi the truth Ashok?" came a deep voice in front of him.

Ashok looked up and saw Acharya Radhagupta leaning on his staff, a firm smile on his expressionless face.

"Acharya." Ashok bowed low. "I don't know myself. A part of me fears for Devi, a part of me wants to see Maa and Vit happier, and another part wants to repay the ten years of struggles and tensions Devi and Dhanisharam had to face because of us." He smiled. "Devi doesn't come from a military background, either..." His voice trailed off.

Inside, Dharma stood up to leave. "I'll let you take some rest now Devi; it's Thursday, and today I'm in charge of making the royal preparations.." She caressed her cheek and smiled lovingly.

"Oh, could I help Kaki?"

Dharma looked at Devi, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Maybe next time. You just got some intense news about your father. I'll go tell Ashok to take you out with him."

"Kaki that's okay. I can always go out by myself."

"It's dangerous right now Devi, and you need some fresh air. Get ready, I'll go tell Ashok." Dharma smiled once more as she moved towards the door.

"Okay Kaki, as you wish." Devi said, watching Dharma leave.

...

Ashok, hearing Dharma's coming, quickly rushed to his room. A few minutes later,

"Ashok. Putra Ashok." came Dharma's voice from the entrance. She entered a few moments later and saw Ashok sitting on the edge of his bed, strapping his sword of Chandragupta Maurya across his back.

"Ashok." Dharma said once more.

Ashok walked over to Dharma, and touched her feet. "Maa."

"Putra, are you going somewhere?"

"I was planning on taking Garud and going for a ride in the plains."

"Could you take Devi with you? The poor girl lost her father and wants to help me cook, instead of calming her mind. I would go with her, myself, but it's Thursday."

"Right, you cook today. Don't worry Maa. I'll take her with me. I actually wanted to discuss some things with her."

"About what?"

"Oh you know, just things." Ashok smiled innocently.

"Okay, go and take her then." Dharma smiled.

"Okay Maa." Ashok touched Dharma's feet again; the latter blessing him by tousling his hair.

...

A few minutes later, Devi heard a knock on the door.

"Just a minute!" she called as she rushed to open the door. There stood Ashok, tall and handsome, leaning against the door frame. The sword of CGM was strapped to his back and he had a devilish smile about him, very similar to his Ujjaini Chand days.

"Ashok!" Devi exclaimed.

"Are you ready? Let's go take a quick horse ride."

"Horse ride?"

"Yeah, I'm planning on doing some investigation around our city borders. It's relatively safe, so I thought you might want to come with me."

"Uhm, yeah sure." Devi blushed slightly, but quickly regained composure, hoping Ashok didn't see her.

And the two walked out towards the horse shed, enjoying the silence of the atmosphere.

Originally posted by: shyam09

Oh wow, thanks for all the comments everyone. Glad you've liked it so far. I started writing the second part the next day after posting this, but got frustrated because I couldn't think of anything.

Anyway, I've just finished Chapter 2, so I hope you enjoy that as well :)

I posted in your thread, but that thread ended with my post 🤣🤣🤣

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