CN SS: ~REVENGE~ part 11 updated at page 31 - Page 13

Originally posted by: -GrilledCheese-

this is such an amazing story... loving it!

Originally posted by: Titli_KK3148

Dear stuti,

Tu engineering ki padhayi karti hai??😕 Dekh sach sach bata de mujhe aj toh.. sach mein technical studies kar rahi hai ya chup chup ke jaati hai literature padhne.?? be honest with me haan.. 🤣

Padhayi karti kaha hu yaar! 😆 Only the name is registered in University records buss!! Fakibaj er hoddo to! [LOL] 😆

Ok just kidding.. actually I dont know how to appreciate this young talent.. teri umar kya 100 saal hai??😆 What a matured way of writing man!! brilliant brilliant brilliant👏👏👏 who will say that you are so young by reading such terribly good piece of writing??

No darling I'm not any immortal buddhi! 🤣 I am of your age only. 😆

Thank you for all complements! 😃

Part 4:

Chandra-helena scene on the sword fight practise ground was interesting.. that should be the relation between a married couple even though the man is not in love with the woman but there should be a comfortable exchange of thoughts and casual talks between the two.. The one thing in the show of which i am still not irritated is Chandra-helena bonding.. Now that helena has turned negative from every aspect, I am still liking her scenes with the hero..

Oh you're not still irritated with Chandra Helena? Amar matha theke paa obdhi jwole oder dekhle! 😡😆 Chandu becomes double bhondu in front of her. 😆

Jokes apart, I feel the show could not do justice to their not-in-love chemistry... Trying to develop their relationship methodically here.

And the scene which you have pictured was nice as well.. Well done..

Another example of your wonderful story thinking ability is chandni's convo.. None is lagging behind the other when it comes to argument.. Both are ready with their own set of excuses and logics, not ready to get defeated by the other's words in any way😆 Mia Biwi ke riste mein yeh toh hona hi hai😆

Ekdum! 😆

What a fantastic piece of describing the sword fight behind the lead couple..!!

Thanks. 😳

Chandra suddenly giving up on his sword and accepting defeat and Nandni unable to hold back her sword at the right moment resulted in hurting chandra but he saw the gentleness and the genuineness in her as a warrior..

Hope these small events will contribute to a great extent in making the two realize that the other person is not an evil at least.. 😆

Actually both of them knows in heart that the other person is actually not evil. Nandini has confessed this to herself many times, and Chandra though has seen her cruelest form in their first night, is sensible enough to understand that she is not exactly what evils are. 😳

You are fabulous yaar.. very very well written.. Loved it to the core..

The unknown doubt in Helena's mind seeing her sandracottus observing Rajnandni's retracing back made me smile.. he is to fall in love with the girl.. kya kiya jaa sakta hai ab??😆 Did Helena's sixth sense give her the slightest warning that the man who very proudly announces to have no heart in his chest and unaware of any emotion connected to heart is getting ready to fall in the dip pit called Love and that too not with her but the girl who is considered to be a tiniest enemy creature forcefully made to be a part of her family??

Helena has done PHD in love. 😆 She can feel it. 😉

A very interesting and gripping storyline.. Giving me a feeling that love will definitely find its way amidst the attraction and repulsion, hatred yet an unavoidable passionate attraction between Chandni..

All I can say is that You are fantastic Stuti..

Aab baas bhi karo!☺️

Hmm.. so Dhurdhara has a different nature in her here.. besides being used as a comic relief, she has mush sense in her and tries to discuss matters with her husband like any normal couple.. Loved Chand-Dhur scene too..

Or kya kahu! Nowadays Durdhara's silly antics irritates me. 😡 Here Durdhara will be a softhearted, fun-loving and a very common sensible girl...😳

Oh so nand is all set to indulge the apple of his eyes in the cheapest game of avenging his defeat.. Great father, undoubtedly...!!

Yes, he is using her sentiments for his own benefits...

Stuti you are so good in portraying such scenes required for developing an upcoming incident during the hatred track.. Then I am wondering how brilliantly are you going to make Chandni fall in love..

Let's see how they fall in love. A long way to go. 😉

Abhi SS khatam karne ke bare mein sochna bhi maat..

likti jao likhti jao.. isse ek long story banado.. not a short story..

please please please..

It's going to be a long story only. 😆

dont want it to end before you quench our thirst of getting a memorable love story..

Ok byee for now..

will be back soon after I finish reading the fifth update..

Best wishes and hug for you🤗

🤗🤗🤗🤗

Originally posted by: Titli_KK3148

Part 5

daroon daroon hoyeche, fatafati..👏

☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️ ☺️

you never fail to amaze me.. what a great update, full of nice light scenes..

The first scene between the two sautans nandni and dhur was so heart warming.. Your sensible kind hearted, caring dhurdhara is really really adorable.. Nandni could not resist her heart from developing a great respect for her.. Dhur was right.. Nand putri needs to open her eyes and face the bitter reality.. A father, no matter how wrong he is, always manages to win his children's hearts and become an ideal person, an idol for them.. every daughter is always ready to love her parents unconditionally throughout her life.. and a father lover his daughter, nothing new in it.. Parents love and care for their children without expecting anything in return, thats the universal rule..

So padmanand's being too caring and protective as a father does not make him a good ruler too.. and nandni needs to understand this..

But again from the poor girl's POV, its really difficult to believe that any such ruthless harkat could ever be done by her respected daddy..

You wrote it beautifully!. 😳

I hope she will slowly and gradually come to terms with the soft caring nature of CGM's family members one by one.. not everyone in the palace is an evil..😆

Actually she needs a little time to cope up. She understands that Chandra is a magnificent personality; she was amazed by Mura's royal attitude in 3rd part... she actually feels they are not evil, but since they have hurt extremely, she needs revenge to pacify herself... once the fire cools down, she will understand how much lucky she is to get such a family. 😳

Did we ever get any proper scene between the siblings in the show??

All chandra has to do is carry books for nandini like a librarian or roam around in the corridor out side her chamber only to hear her sobs and then storms in to the room to argue with her regarding malayketu issues..

I was always eager for a proper siblings scene in the show. The relation between elder sister and younger brother is the most loveliest relation of the world and the show had a big opportunity to explore another side of Chandra via this which they didn't even touch! Chhaya and Chandra hardly have any bond here. 😔

You know, I had imagined a full-fledged track pre-war and pre-marriage,where Chhaya will be a key element in the war against Nand. As she had access in Nand's palace, cvs could easily go for a tactful track with she being a member of Chandra's team, and could be an important part to reveal Chandra's identity! Phew!! I imagined so many things! 😔

Good to read Chandra's bonds with each one in the family..

loved the chandra-chanakya scene too..

😳😳

ab yeh spy kaun hai?/ off course malayketu.. hai nah??😆

and there chaya is all flying in air, dreaming about her love for someone else..

are you too going to make chaya malay a pair??

happy to get a slight touch of the original serial in your fiction..

It will not be as dumb as the show I hope. 😆

Continue with your interesting story..

eager to see the blooming love between Chandni,,

will be anxiously waiting for the next update

⭐️⭐️⭐️

You know what, you've spoilt me with your reviews. I will poke you now and then after next update. 😉

And stuti, thank you so much for alerting me about your updates.. thanks for your PMs.

😳😳😳.

Love, hugs and good wishes for you my talented mate...🤗

🤗🤗🤗🤗

Originally posted by: jayaks02

I re-read some portions of your 1st and 2nd Chapters. You are an incredible story teller and your characters have spunk, spark and originality.

I wish you can release a new chapter every Sunday. 😉

Originally posted by: Shinning_Stuti

PART 5:

Nandini was sitting in front of the mirror. The whole incident of morning was floating in front of her eyes. She was unable to forget Chandragupta's cold and apparent indifferent smile even for a moment. She was yet to grasp the fact that Chandragupta defeated her so badly. She would not mind losing swordfight in front of a professional warrior maybe and will consider it as her lesson, but Chandragupta has defeated her in the competition of mind and self-control. How strategically he tempted Nandini, made her wild in anger and played with her mind... just to test her abilities! He has again proved how much inferior she is in front of her opponent, who is becoming more strange, more magnificent in front of her eyes after their each confrontation. When she thinks about him, she can feel that how much impossible it is for her to take revenge from him! He makes her believe in his every smile that she is defeated from every aspect. He has defeated her from every aspect. Right now she has no individual entity other than being a political pawn in her enemy's hand! She felt her reflection in the mirror is mocking at her. All the furniture of the room is mocking at her. You are a loser Nandini! You have to spend your whole life on the mercy of your father's murderer... You have to live your whole life in this prison, like a prisoner in life-imprisonment! You have nowhere to go, you have no place to escape. You have to live in this hell with weaving the impossible dream of avenging your father and brother's death... You have lost!

Nandini closed her eyes. In her heart she wanted to scream loudly but she knew that not a single sound will come out from her throat. The source of tears has been dried up long ago! She had become a flame of revenge from her heart while the marriage; now the circumstances are trying to extinguish the fire with the vapour of despair and frustration... How will Nandini live without tears?

"May I come in, please?"

A soft and very energetic tone of a woman's voice rang behind. Nandini looked back. The young queen was standing near the door. With the touch of surprise in eyes Nandini stood up in hurry. "Yes please come. You need not to ask!" She told.

"Thank you... Actually I was getting bored all alone so thought to come to chat with you." With a very charming smile queen Durdhara entered and sat on the bed without asking for permission. "Why are you standing, Sit!" She pulled Nandini to sit beside her and started talking... "You know, I actually wanted to come to you much before. Lot of days has passed since your wedding and till I did not introduce myself to you! Well, I am Durdhara, Chandra's... I mean- His Majesty's second queen." She chuckled. "Though I am like your elder sister, you may call me by my name. I will feel much comfortable."

With a pleasant surprise Nandini was staring at Durdhara's face. She will not be much elder than her in age. She is tall, slim and pretty, but the lack of royalty in her appearance is very much visible. Her beauty has a touch of rural soil, her smile lacks the queenly arrogance, and her eyes do not know to hide the words of heart. Maybe for this she does not look much comfortable in her queenly attires. It can be said in one glance that Durdhara is very common girl with a very light personality, but she has something in her personality that anyone will feel comfortable with her; she has the greatest ability to make everyone happy around her by spreading own happiness.

"What are you watching in my face? I am not that beautiful!" Durdhara laughed pleasantly moving her palm in front of her eyes. "Actually to be frank, I look like a ghost in front of you. Really Nandini, very beautiful you are! Look at your skin, so milky and buttery." Durdhara started caressing her hand with a friendly comfort in her eyes. "What do you apply on your skin? Dudh-Malai or Haldi-chandan?"

Nandini kept on staring at her with wonder, unable to say anything.

"By the way, this kangan is so beautiful... I like the design so much. The gem-cutters of Pataliputra are really gems. In our Pippalivan we hardly used to get any new designs on ornaments. I am actually not much fond of gold jewelleries though, but I seriously need a good Kangan for my daily wears. You see, mine one is just old fashioned and... " Durdhara did not wait for comments from Nandini, and kept on continuing normal womanly talks. Nandini was mostly amazed, and she could feel that the cloud of gloom in her heart is slowly going away with the pleasant touch of Durdhara's smile, and the burden of her heart in reducing. In the crowd of the resplendent personality of all the people surrounding her, Durdhara is like a pure, refreshing, gentle breeze!

"Look at me!" Durdhara suddenly smiled. "I am blabbering only without giving you any scope to speak. Now you tell something."

"I... What to..." Nandini smiled, could not move the conversation forward.

"You talk very less, isn't it? Chandra too talks very less. And he complains that I talk too much than need." Durdhara chuckled. "He is not wrong either; I really talk too much... You know what had happened once? My father had a... O shit! Again I started talking gibberish!" Durdhara took her tongue out.

"You may talk; I am enjoying." Nandini told with a sweet smile!

"You're enjoying? Thank god! At least there is one in this palace who will enjoy my useless blabbering!" Durdhara laughed out in her own joke.

Nandini smiled silently, but her thoughts again started roaming in the incident of the morning. The swordfight with Helena... followed by the swordfight with Chandragupta... He himself challenged her for a duel, and all of a sudden on the peak of the fight he threw his weapon accepting own defeat? What is this man actually? Is it possible to understand his mind? Strange warrior he is! Strange and magnificent! He can talk though his sword! He can move the sword like his own hand...

"What are you thinking again?" Durdhra nudged her.

"Nothing..." Nandini smiled.

"Well." Perhaps even the talkative Durdhara lost her words. She was looking at Nandini's eyes. This girl is a cold-blooded murderer? This girl had tried to assassinate the king? Durdhara tried hard to find the killer instinct from her eyes. She found nothing. She could only find a broken young girl drowning in a sea of despair. Her silent and gloomy response to her cheered talkativeness made Durdhara to feel sympathy on the young girl. Somehow she felt a pure affection seeing her big cloudy eyes. She recalled her argument with Chandra today morning. That small discussion was not letting her to sit peacefully; so after a lot of hesitation she came to Nandini, only to try to understand her nature. Durdhara had no interest on Nandini even when Chandra decided to marry her. But the thoughts of that girl have overpowered her mind from the very night she attempted to kill Chandra. She was frightened as well as amazed to see Nandini's desperate courage! She has thought from many aspects on this action of Nandini; and from her normal sensibility she has found a strong justification from Nandini's point of view too! And that reason made her to pity the former princess; she did not hesitate to feel bad for her! Was she wrong in judging her? Chandra can't see her other than the reflection of Mahapadmanand's criminal mind... but is she really a shadow of that evil king? Then why her eyes do not contain the feeble shadow of evil? Is it only because Durdhara is too simple and don't know to judge people like Chandra? But... again her heart could not agree with Chandra and she justified her opinion again. She is just a poor helpless girl, now groping aimlessly in dark after losing everything from her known world. She only needs a ray of light to find her path of life again...

Nandini was still looking at her with a warm smile of acceptance, Durdhara touched her hands with a warm smile. "Let's be friends." She proposed in an enthusiastic tone. "Are you ready to take the oath of friendship with me?"

"Oath of friendship?" Nandini repeated with surprise. All her friends were literally appointed by her father to take care of her happiness, she never have made friend spontaneously, she never has any idea that there can be a ritual of friendship too...

"You don't know it?" Durdhara smiled. "This is a common gesture in our village. When someone makes new friend, they has to take oath of friendship in the name of their favourite things, then share that with each other. So..." She gave her palm. "Put your hand on my palm and recite with me..."

Durdhara was reciting a rhyme in pure Magadhi dialect and Nandini was staring at her face with a satisfied amazement. The very simple gesture of friendship had thrilled her. The simplicity touched her heart deeply and somehow soothed her inflaming soul.

"So now..." Durdhara giggled while explaining her... "You have to share your favourite thing with me..."

"I have nothing! He snatched my every happiness from me!" She uttered in a very low, unmindful and gloomy voice.

"Is it so easy to snatch someone's happiness?" Durdhara touched her shoulder. "You have only lost them. Open your eyes, try to find them, they will come back to you..."

Nandini gazed at her assuring eyes for a long time, then held her hands and smiled. "I am sorry for being unmindful. Wait for one minute..." She got up from the bed and opened the nearby chest. It was thoroughly searched by Chandragupta's guards some days back, and still now is in a disorganised condition. She searched from something and a brighter smile came in her lips.

"I don't know if you like books or not, but I have this one only to gift you now." Nandini handed the bound manuscript to her. "I love reading books."

"Well..." Durdhara smiled. "I am not much fond of books and all though, I will read it. Now it's my turn... Open your mouth..."

"What?"

"Do what I say." Durdhara commanded and when she opened her mouth she put something inside. "Mango pickle. My favourite... I hope you like it." She smiled.

"It's delicious!" Nandini had never ever tasted this kind of simple yet tasty thing before.

"I have brought the whole bowl for you..." Durdhara chuckled. "In this palace none is interested in making pickles, can you imagine? In my house, I used to make a lot ofarities of pickles now and often. We all friends used to sit together in the afternoon to tie our hairs together, and our gossip started along with this tasty pickles. Not only pickles, there used to be so many items...Nimki, Peda, homemade sweets; you know, the foods of the palace are much more delicious than then, but where is the touch of heart in the taste of palace's food?" She looked dreamy. "I miss my old days so much! I miss my beautiful village, the sunrise and sunset over the mountain from behind the net of leaves of the forest."

Nandini was listening to her with deep attention. Perhaps she was able to see the whole scenario in Durdhara's eager eyes. "Your village must be very beautiful, isn't it?"

"Undoubtedly!" Durdhara told with excitement. "Though my house was almost at the edge of the main township of Pipplivan, my friends were from the nearest village only... Chandra used to live in the same village... Okay, I will tell that story another day..."

"You're so lucky... I wish I could also live there!" Nandini uttered dreamily. "I never got to see a real village!"

"What? You never saw a village?" Durdhara exclaimed.

"No... Actually I hardly got out of the boundary of palace." Nandini said in a lower tone. "My Pita Maharaj was a very protective father; he brought all happiness for me inside the boundary of the palace but we could not go out of the palace without special security force... He was so protective and worried about me that he did not even use to allow the blazing Sun rays and dust of the roads to harm his dear daughter any way..." She smiled remembering the old thoughts and simultaneously her eyes flooded with tears... Pita Maharaj, where are you? Your dear daughter, whom you did never let to face any kind of mere difficulties in her life covering her with coat of all possible happiness, is now standing alone in the camp of the enemies, with your greatest enemy ruling over her existence in excuse of the bond of marriage!

"You miss your father very much, isn't it?" Durdhara asked.

"Yes... He was the best father a daughter can get!" Nandini's voice eventually broke while saying this. Her eyes were reflecting the scene of her father's death again which she had forgotten for a moment while talking with her. Her lips started trembling and she became silent...

"Best father! But never a good king! Isn't it funny that a king like Mahapadmanand can also be a best father to his daughter??" Durdhara's tone suddenly bent in sarcasm as she was talking to her own, and which was not at all matched with her personality. Nandini looked at her. "What did you tell?" She asked with a strong disbelief and despair mixed with good amount of anger in her voice.

"Nothing!" Durdhara smiled but again it was full of sarcasm. "You know, you really need to open your eyes! You really need to know, feel and understand how bitter the reality is!"

Nandini kept staring the same way, with a pinch of confusion added in her glare. But slowly it was cleared that she is not willing to hear these discussions anymore! Durdhara understood that very clearly even before Nandini, and she stood up.

"Okay Nandini, I am going... "

"Nice to meet you, Durdhara!" Nandini smiled out of courtesy...

"I have a proposal for you. We are going for a Puja tomorrow. Will you like to join us?" Suddenly Durdhara proposed.

"I..." Nandini looked confused. "Maybe His Majesty will not permit me to..."

"I will talk with him. You just get ready in morning." Durdhara smiled broadly. "You need to know the roads and houses and peoples of Magadh... And then, I will try if I can take you to my paternal house. What say?"

Nandini was standing amazed. She is treating her really as her own sister after a little meeting only?

And that too despite knowing she had tried to kill her husband!

"Durdhara..."

Durdhara turned back. "Yes, say..."

Nandini came towards her. She was a bit hesitating. "If you don't feel bad, may I ask you something?"

"Of course..."

"How!" Nandini exclaimed. "How you make me friend so easily? I mean..." She was in hurry to complete the sentence. "I tried to kill His Majesty. I tried to murder your husband... and still you have no grudge on me!"

"He is your husband too Nandini!" Durdhara smiled sweet yet deeply. "And I respect that fact. I respect your relation with him; and so I respect my relationship with you too. I always believe relations are made to maintain, not to break... So, when there is a respectable relationship between you and me, I will maintain the honour of that with all of my efforts." She touched her hands. "And don't forget, we are friends now... Friendship has more power than enmity and revenge!"

"But Durdhara..." Nandini uttered, but could not say anything more. She only stared at Durdhara's smiling face. And she could discover one thing. Maybe Durdhara does not have a great queenly aura like Queen Mother Mura; or blazing personality of Helena; but she is not dull in front of them. Rather she is as graceful as they are with her own grace. The other queens are like gleaming Sun, she is as soothing and pacifying as peaceful moonlight...

"I want to know what are you and your whole team actually doing Purushdutt! Almost 1 month has passed and still we have no trace of Nand. You were known as the most efficient gumshoe of my team, where is your skills now when those are needed the most?" Chandragupta was trying to control his voice as much possible, but his frowns clearly indicated his irritation and worry. The person before him kept on standing lowering head while rubbing the palms together. "We are trying our best, your majesty!" He told after a moment understanding that Chandragupta was expecting an answer from him.

"You're trying! Very good! But you should understand that trial makes no sense unless it has any fruitful result." Channdra sat on the throne hopelessly. "Nand is alive, Purushdutt; unless we eliminate him completely we cannot move forward to our real mission. He will be a headache for us. Try to understand the gravity of the situation."

"I know Majesty... Believe me, we are doing our level best. But God knows where he has disappeared suddenly! Where is he, from where he is getting the resources to be alive, if anyone helping him or not... all are in smog!" Purushdutt, the chief of the special spy-network of Chandragupta sighed.

"You have to clear that smog! In my knowledge, there is hardly any dweller of Magadh who will want to help Mahapadmanand; and also my instinct says that he is not very far from Magadh. He is very close to us, and in a helpless condition... he has to be caught soonest..." Chandra sighed. "However, any news of Dhananand or Amatya Rakkhsas?"

"Kumar Dhananand was found in a small village near Pataliputra, but before our troops could catch him, he fled." Purushdutt murmured in a hesitating tone!

"Ridiculous!!!" In rage Chandra clasped his own palm, and tried hard to control his anger. "I cannot understand how you people are so casual about this? Mahapadmanand is alive, Dhananand is alive, Amatya Mudrarakkas is alive with a good part of army and probably planning against us sitting in a safe place, and here we are..." He left the sentence incomplete and took a long breath! "Why I have appointed you all in this crucial assignment? Can you give me any fair reason??" He asked in an annoyed tone.

"Your Majesty... I... we..."

"He can't, Chandra! So there is actually no reason to appoint him in this very crucial assignment."

A voice full of authoritative gravity echoed in the grand hall. Chandragupta stood up readily and bent his head in front of his guru. Chanakya's right palm rose spontaneously as habitual gesture, and looked curtly at Purushdutt. His glare was neither raged, nor cruel, still it shook him from core.

"You are free from all your responsibilities regarding this assignment from now on, Purushdutt." Staring at his eyes directly, Acharya declared.

"But Acharya..."

"I want to talk to His Majesty, Purushdutt; will you please excuse us?" Chanakya's voice was stern.

"I am sorry, Achrya... Please excuse me, your Majesty!" Purushdutt bowed in front of them before he left sighing hopelessly.

After he left, Acharya turned to Chandragupta. He was standing with his head lowered showing his severe respect to his teacher, but from the very mild shivering of his lips it is cleared to his Acharya that what is going on his mind. Chandra surely has a lot of questions regarding his sudden decision.

"I dismissed Purushdutt as I don't think we need him anymore to search Nand, Chandra." And he answered his question.

"Though I know these searches are of no use basically, but Acharya..." Chandra's voice still had a touch of doubt. "We have no option left other than to find Nand as soon as possible..."

"We do not need to find him Chandra!" Acharya smiled.

"But..."

"Because he himself will come to us..."

"How can you be so sure Acharya?" Chandragupta put his question in front of his teacher. Acharya Chanakya stared at his bright eyes with the shadow of a slight doubt, and smiled. "Because his psychology says this; besides being an arrogant king, he is a very protective father too- he will definitely try to access his daughter to assure her that he is still alive. While neither can he bear to see you sitting on his throne, nor can he accept that his daughter is totally under your control now. You have defeated him completely by marrying his daughter. He is weak now and completely broken from all aspects. He can't do anything to destroy you, but he will keep on trying out of the rage of his hurt ego; and in this process normally he will step on some common mistakes, and we have to cash that opportunity to catch him!"

"So you think Nand will definitely find some means to contact with Nandini?"

"I am quite sure about it Chandra." Acharya smiled.

"So that means we have to keep an eye on Nandini's actions. But will it be enough?"

"Right now we have to act just as Nand and Amatya Rakkshas want us to. They will surely fall in our trap. For some days stop thinking and doing anything , Chandra... Let our enemies to come out from their den. Let them roar, and we will track them easily."

"Alright Acharya. But it is necessary to know the location of the den to hear the sound of roar too." Chandra put his opinion after a little thought.

"You may give me that responsibility. I expect to get the exact information of the possible next step of Nand very soon, maybe within 2-3 days. We will shape our plan according to that." Chanakya smiled mild leaving Chandra in confusion.

"But how Acharya?" Chandra instantly caught the meaning just after putting the question. "Do you have any source which..."

"I have someone who is trying to penetrate inside the scattered army of Mahapadmanand from a long time to fetch all the secret information about Nand's whereabouts. And according to the last update, he is at last successful in doing so. Dhananand is trying to rebuild the scattered force again, and he is successful to win his trust."

"Dhananand is alive still now! He is reconstructing army to attack us, and we are just sitting mum! Acharya..." Chandra groaned in extreme frustration. "Can't we just arrest him by sending a huge force in the location where he is found and just eliminate his existence from the world?"

"No Chandra, what you are telling is completely unrealistic. Just think deeply; you yourself have spent a long time of your life in this phase like Dhanannand is doing now. Just think from that point of view, will you ever let yourself to be caught by huge troop of Nand? Remember how many times you have befooled the troops of Magadh when you were just a revel? Dhananand will do the same; we will not take that risk! This type of operation usually goes in vein and makes enemy cautious." Chanakya touched Chandra's shoulder. "I understand the reason of your impatience my son; but still have patience and think logically. Remember what you were taught as your first listen of winning a war. First let the enemy to think that he is winning... At one point he will gain overconfidence, and from that point his defeat will start."

"As you wish, Acharya..." Chandra bent his head in obedience. "So we will get news from that camp by a spy and depending on that the strategies will be thought?" He asked.

"Yes Chandra..."

"But Acharya... May I know..." Chandra made sure his voice was not conveying any vibe of even a little audacity. "... May I know the name of that spy?"

"No you can't Chandra... This is a very confidential information that I have promised him to keep between him and me only." Chanakya told.

"But Acharya... can't you even tell me?" Chandra asked a bit impatiently.

"I think I am quite efficient and experienced about managing spy system. So you need not to worry about him Chandra, he will work perfectly under my supervision..." Chanakya smiled.

"I didn't mean it Acharya..." Chandra bit his lips mildly with a slight dissatisfaction in his eyes. "I just... Acharya... I mean... perhaps this is the first time in my life you are hiding something from me! Is that man so important Acharya??"

Chanakya smiled broadly looking the childlike demand of his very mature pupil. "I am not hiding from you my child. You can say it's just a deal with him!"

"But Acharya..."

"If I say you that I want not to tell you his name to save you from ethical dilemma, then?"

Chandra gazed at his Acharya's face for a while, then asked with a surprise- "Do I know him?"

"You do. He had been one of the students of Taxila..." Chanakya smiled mysteriously. Chandra frowned involuntarily. "Any prince who used to read in Taxila? But..."

"You need not to bother about this Chandra, spend this time behind something more constructive." Chanakya patted on his back. "You're no more a mere student; neither are you a leader of some revels trying to dethrone the king anymore. You are the king now, and you have to get used to with this situation as soon as possible. I want you to give your maximum time behind the welfare of Magadh. The financial condition was completely broken in hand of Mahapadmanand. You have to reconstruct it. You have to rebuild a new political structure; you have to work on the justice system. There are so many things to ponder over Chandra, you have to know, think, analyse and then to take decisions! Those are more important than Nand right now. Leave that matter on me and do your actual duty towards your kingdom!"

"As you wish, Acharya..." Chandra listened to his words carefully, the trace of dissatisfaction from his eyes were wiped out completely by the shine of respect and dedication... then touched his guru's feet to fetch his blessings...

The west sky had spread the orange scarf over the horizon; the birds were on the way of their nest. In the balcony princess Chhaya, the sister of the king, was drowned inside a lots of scrolls and birch barks and ink, completely detaching herself from the world surrounding her. She was thinking more looking at the sky, and smiling in her own mind while writing one or two letters on the birch paper, as if she is trotting in the smooth way of her dream. The chants of the birds had added an extra charm in the beautiful dusk, Chhaya lost herself while humming a tune along with the birds, her dreamy eyes started searching someone in the melted twilight of the horizon...

But suddenly a great accident compelled her to get back from her dream. With a sudden shock she discovered that all the papers that were opened in front of her has automatically handed in some other's hand, and that man is reading those very minutely standing behind her.

"Chandra!! Give it to me!!" Chhaya jumped up and tried her best to get back her properties. But the stealer was too smart than her. "Not before I read them fully. Sit quiet." Chandra picked his hands up so that Chhaya cannot reach to the birch papers and she kept on jumping to get those. "Give me back. Please...please give me back! Don't read those! Please!!" She was almost going to cry while pleading.

"Uuuhuuhh! No way!" Chandra smiled mischievously to his sister and held her hand to stop her before managing to read those papers properly. "Let me read what secret things you are writing in your journal."

"It's not fair Chandra! You should not snatch anyone's private thing this way!" Chhaya kept on trying to stop him. But he was able to read those write-ups simultaneously while fighting with her in one hand. "I know it's wrong, but what to do! Can't help it! The way you were smiling like a mad while writing that I am dying to read the content..." He told while sitting on the seat saving those papers from his sister's grip. "Let me read properly! Why are you jumping Chhaya??"

"You again called me by my name? I am your elder sister!" Chhaya fumed up in anger. "Hey! I told you not to read! You don't listen to your elders??"

"Of course I do. Only I can't think you as my elder. You know, you are so little and so childish and..." Chandra was giggling. The frequency of the giggle was going louder with his pace of read.

"Why are you laughing!! Give my papers back to me!!" Chhaya shouted in pure anger.

"Ohh!!Hoho!! These are poetries!! Hahahaha!! Aree ruko na!! Let me read the whole!! O my goodness! Each and every line is overflowing with romance!! My God!! Hahaha!!" Chandra kept on laughing like hell while mimicking each line loudly. "Don't read them loudly idiot!!" Chhaya tried to scold him badly and ended up with crying. "Give me back!!"

"Areee tum to rone lagi!!" Chandra held his tongues out and patted on her back. "Ok ok take them. I will not read any more. I will not touch any of your things ever. Promise promise promise... Now cheer up!! Areee!!! Why these girls start weeping in every single reason??"

"They are very bad, aren't they??" Chhaya asked with tearful eyes.

"Lo!! Now are you taking me as a very good and serious critic of poetries? Please don't! I am very bad when it comes to literature! Even I can't understand the difference between tragedy and comedy in literature!" Chandra kept on laughing.

"No I know! They are must be very pathetic so you are laughing like this!" Chhaya told with fuming lips and tearful eyes.

"Well, to be honest, I don't know about wordings and rhymes, but the topic of the poetries are... hmm..." It looked as if Chandra was finding a better and innocent word to fit with it, "... highly immature!"

"Is it?" Chhaya frowned.

"Actually so... Just go through it..." Chandra, like an expert sat very seriously. "Well, the things were going good; description of a beautiful evening; Sun setting on West, birds going back to their nest, the horizon is looking like a gateway of heaven... till this it was such a nice and creative description, then all of a sudden from where did you import the smell of love in between all these? In this beautiful evening the girl is only waiting for her priyatama... Like seriously?? She does not have any other work??"

"Obviously this is a romantic poetry so..." Chhaya was ready with excuse but again cut by Chandra...

"That's the main problem! There are so many things in this world to think about, and you people are only after romance; in a scenario of sunset forcefully you have to pour a lover all of a sudden! What type of torture is this?"

"Who said you its forceful?" Chhaya picked her brow. "When love blossoms in heart, lovers start find their love in each and every eternal element of the world!"

"Really?" Chandra chuckled. "Well, first of all, love does not blossom in heart. Heart is just an organ for blood-circulation, not a plant of producing love. Secondly, the symptom that you referred after falling in love, I think, is a very common temporary mental disorder through which the young people pass through very frequently." While measuring the expression of Chhaya from the corner of the eyes he went on. "Under this disorder, people usually start hallucinating wrong things. They forget that flowers are just a part of a plant-lifecycle, moon is just a heavenly body who gives light at night, and wind flows for some natural reason, not to indicate how much one loves another... This way, as you mentioned, they start find love in every single thing around them- like in morning sun, in West sky after sunset, at moonlight, in daylight, in air, in water, face, nose, eyes, flowers, fruits etc etc etc and in the critical situation, they forget their own stand and identity in the name of love, give away their sense and base of personality and finish themselves!"

"Aab rahene bhi do!" Chhaya sighed hopelessly. "As if you never felt anything for anyone!"

"Me??? Love??? Hah!" Chandra started laughing again. "I am not going to suffer from any type of mental disorder, write it!"

"Really?? I don't believe it! You are handsome, young, strong and attractive; there should be a crowd of women behind you!" Chhaya tried to pull her brother's leg. "And such an allergy from love in such a young age? It smells something fishy!"

"If one is handsome, strong, young and attractive then does it imply that he has to be a sufferer of a mental disorder? It's your problem that you are finding something abnormal in the most normal thing!"

"I can't believe! You never fell in love?"

"How can I fall in something which does not exist?"

"What?"

"Yes." Chandra nodded very seriously. "What you people demand as love, is just an instance of weak mental state; and what the books demand as love, is just a hypothetical concept... like a fairy-tale. And I am a practical person; I have no time to nurture with fairy-tales."

"Hmm!!" Chhaya looked disheartened, but did not lose hope. "But I still can't believe that you have never fallen in love! Is there any heart-breaking story behind it??"

"Well..." Chandra laughed out. "There is a story of heartbreak which has a grave importance in my life! Helena's heartbreak!" He whispered.

"I knew it!!" Chhaya chuckled and sat properly folding knees. "I always knew that you and Helena's life has a real romantic angle! Let me guess what happened. Helena used to love someone, but that idiot dumped her, and you became her support, and you both started growing feelings for each other... and..."

"O my dear Chhaya... Ok I mean Didi... you really have some problem of mixing romantic dosage in everything! For your information, our story of marriage is too solid, juiceless and unromantic; you will be severely disappointed!"

"Acchha?"Chhaya pouted! "Well, never mind, then I am very sure that you always had an affair with Durdhara. Am I right?"

"O God!! Me?? Love-affair??? Durdhara??"

"Of-course! You two are childhood friends na? You used to play with each other in childhood! Then after growing up you both started sharing romantic feelings for each other but never admitted... " Chhaya winked. "I know I am correct Chandra, no need to blush!"

"You should check your eyes. I am blushing that too in name of Durdhara!!!" Chandra almost rolled out of laugh while clapping. "She is even crazier than you, and even she also has a problem of finding romance in everything; thank god she has not tried finding her prince of dream in me!! Else I would have lost a very good friend of mine!!"

"Anyone is talking about me??"

"Aa gayi!!" Chandra whispered and looked back smilingly. Durdhara was frowning standing behind them. "Come Durdhara," Chhaya welcomed her. "We were talking about Chandra's love life!" she winked. But Durdhara perhaps could not understand. "Chandra and love! Don't tell this Didi. He is the most useless and unromantic person that I have ever met!" She started talking in her usual enthusiasm.

"One cannot be useless and unromantic at the same time. As usually one person becomes useless once he becomes romantic..." Chandra commented in a mild voice.

"O shut up Chandra!!" Durdhara punched mildly on Chandra's shoulder. "He is absolutely heartless Didi! He does not know the importance of love in life! Just ignore him!"

"Objection! I obviously do have a heart... every creature does have heart." Chandra murmured in middle...

"So you have a heart my brother, but you did not meet the lady of your heart till now... Once you find her, come to me... I will eagerly hear if your concepts on love is changed or not!" Chhaya ruffled Chandra's hairs with sheer affection. "What are you doing Durdhara, help my brother to feel the meaning of love!" She winked at her. Durdhara popped her eyes with a mixture of surprise, fun, rejoice and a little bit of blush in those, but said something else. "Please excuse me from that duty Didi! I am too poor soul to handle your brother..." Her eyes involuntarily became unmindful while changing her gaze at the red sky... all of a sudden...

"You're conspiring against me that too by using Durdhara?" Chandra picked his brows. "No way; Durdhara is in my team; isn't it Durdhara?" He looked at her. In response Durdhara smiled only, did not tell anything...

"I never knew that you are so babyish!" Chhaya giggled. "But you know, I am confident that you are going to find your soul-mate very soon; maybe she is in front of you only, among all your 3 wives, but you can't find her; but one day you surely will; and from that day you will start seeing the world from a new angle..."

"In your dreams!" Chandra yawns... "Well, I think I have to go now. Just remembered some work... See you both in dinner..." He was going to leave but suddenly Durdhara stopped him.

"One minute Chandra... I had to ask something."

"Hmm... Tell fast."

"You know there is a Vishnu Temple just in the border of Pataliputra. Very sacred place that is... Maa wants to hold a Puja in that temple, and all the female members of our family are needed to be present there... So I want your permission!" Durdhara blabbered in one chance.

"Why do you need my permission when Maa herself has arranged it? Go for it... If anything is needed I will arrange that." Chandra smiled.

"No actually the thing is..." Durdhara smiled with a bit difficulty... "I want the permission for Nandini."

"Nandini?" Chandra repeated. Chhaya frowned with bit disgust. By no chance she wanted the daughter of the murderer of her father to become a part of her long-lost happy family, so naturally she does not like when her topic comes in any kind of discussions regarding her family.

"She is too a part of this family, and also your legal wife. Whatever may happen, if you still consider her as your legal wife in front of the whole world you are bound to give her the opportunity to fulfil her duties too!" Durdhara gulped while saying this as she could not read Chandra's expressions. He becomes completely vacant of expressions when any deep thoughts go on his mind, and that unpredictable man seems too much unknown to her that time.

"You know that Nandini is house-arrested; and she is accused in attempt of regicide?" Chandra uttered in his usual cold voice after she completed her sentence.

"Yes... I don't want you to free her...just... can't you only let her to visit the temple with the guards covering her?" Durdhara tried to pursue him... "She tried to kill you, but you yourself did not let the news to go out of the four walls of the palace or punish the queen properly for her severe crime as you did not want that to tell upon the reputation of Mauryans and also the royalty of Magadh... Then how can you stop her to join any ritual? Will not it look odd in front of the citizens?"

Chandra still stared at her without any change in his facial expressions. But Chhaya looked impatient. "What are you telling Durdhara? She tried to kill my brother! Can you imagine how much vicious she is? By no chance she can be let to go out of her room! What if she conspires with our enemies? I know you are very innocent and can't imagine anyone to be evil, but believe me she is Nand's daughter! She is just as dangerous as her father!"

Perhaps she would continue, but Chandra stopped her. He was smiling. A bent smirk was playing in his lips. His eyes were indicating that he was thinking in some different direction... "I did not know that you love Nandini so much, Durdhara! I heard you had gone to meet her today... such a deep love for own sautan in a meeting of 5 minutes... not an easy task and only Queen Durdhara can do this!" He commented in a lighter tone, but the touch of deep affection was clear in his voice. Durdhara loves everyone for sake of her own happiness, and this quality of her always amazes Chandra... the very common girl, his childhood friend becomes unique in her ability of selfless love in his eyes!

"It's not anything like that. I have no special affinity towards her what you can define as love." Durdhara uttered in a low tone. "I just want things to be normal. I can't take these complications anymore!" She raised her eyes on his face... "Can't you give her a chance to see and understand the world and the life from near? How will someone learn to differentiate between light and darkness unless she gets chance to see light?"

Chandra gazed at her for some moments; then his smile shined brighter. "Okay, I am giving permission... Nandini can go to temple tomorrow."

"But Chandra... If she does something harmful..." Chhaya tried to put his point but Chandra looked at her. "Don't worry Chhaya, she will not do anything. What Durdhara told is right, it's needed to show the enemies that everything is normal with Nandini and us." He told while his lips were touched with a cunning smirk again... According to Acharya's assumption Nand will try to access Nandini now. If he has to catch Nand, first he has to set a trap in form of Nandini...

Originally posted by: sashashyam

My dear Debastuti,

This is a deceptive chapter. At the first reading, I felt that it paled in comparison to your spectacular part 4, which quite entranced me. But a second reading has made me change my mind; your takes on the different relationships between your dramatis personae grew on me. Some of them are downright fascinating.

I need time to comment on it properly, and I was out of sorts today and yesterday too, which is why most of the responses to the comments on my latest thread are still pending. So I will come back here tomorrow and complete this post. Look out for it.

Shyamala Aunty

Originally posted by: sashashyam

My dear Debastuti,

After reading the post above. I am more inclined to try to persuade you to wind up your FFs than to encourage you to go on with them. How on earth can you fit in all these plus your studies and your other normal relaxations into 16 hours a day, presuming that you sleep as well?

😆

My dear girl, you will be wearing yourself out, for if I ever heard of an illustration for burning the candle at both ends, you are it! And to what purpose? Agreed, you write very well, but at this age, you should have your priorities straight, and the first of these should be your studies, and then some fun which does NOT consist of typing away on a laptop for your readers here.

Actually Aunty it's not too much stressful to continue writing for me at least for now, as I write only whenever I feel to write, or whenever I am free to write,not necessarily everyday I sit for writing everyday compromising with my studies or sleep anyway. 😛 I generally write much in the holiday afternoons, and when there is no holiday I seek time to write for 1-2 hours in whole week. I take it as a part of my relaxation only. It often works as stress-reliever as well as booster to me, I feel better and can concentrate more on my works after writing some paras of a story in a hectic day. Often writing something wipes out the boredom and tiredness which comes after solving a lot of maths at a time.Writing and reading is my hobby and don't weary me much, I enjoy these more than to go to shopping or movies with my friends. 😆 I write only as I enjoy writing, not as readers want to read even when I were not in forum I used to write a lot of meaningless stories who never got any single reader apart from me and my grandmother 😆 😛...

Though I too feel sometimes that it's getting hectic now to control all the stories together; and sometimes it becomes an addiction which is not very good for my studies... But I am trying to check it. Nowadays I write only when I feel, as I said... And maybe I will not be able to continue like this for a long time... but I don't want to leave any story unfinished in middle actually. 😆 I want to complete them according to my free time, of course not compromising with my studies and sleep. 😛

I will obviously ponder over your advise and check myself from now on. 😳

Anyway, it is but rarely that youngsters listen to sound advice, and I expect you are no exception to this rule. I am giving my comments below, but try and think seriously about what I have said above. It is for your own good.

🥺 🥺 🥺 😭 😭 😭 🥺 🥺 🥺

Don't say these... I am quiet a good and obedient girl who always listen to elders... 😭

Actually I am so happy that you are so concerned about me... It gives a very comfortable feelings... and you become very own, close to heart... Just like the feelings when mother rebukes for sitting with the laptop whole day without going out of the house, and father scolds for reading at late night and compels to go to bed by hook or crook. 😳

Shyamala Aunty