The Story of Agyeya

8. War

The next day, the weather was a little cooler as the rainy season was approaching.

The farmers are already in the field, preparing the soil to plant rice as soon as it rains.

By this time Siddharth had also taken a bath and had his breakfast, he was preparing to go out and meet with his Master.

At this moment Mina came out of the house with a basket full of clothes to wash it in the river.

"Brother, let's go together. I have some clothes to wash." Said Mina while hurrying to catch up with her brother.

"What about Aai?" Asked Siddharth.

"She has taken the medicine and fell back asleep." Said Mina.

Aai's condition is deteriorating day by day and there's no cure. She's already 70 years old. No matter how much medicine she takes, it cannot make up for the physical problems she had in her youth. The doctor has also told them to be prepared at any time. Maybe it's because of them that she is holding onto her life. She is so weak now that she can barely even speak.

"Then try to come back soon." Said Siddharth to Mina as they both walked towards the river.

Siddharth and Mina parted ways when they reached the river, Mina went on to wash the clothes while Siddharth went to his Master's house.

Mina looked at the women gathered by the riverside and a little away from them and went down the stone steps to wash the clothes.

"Our state head has been summoned. Do you think this war will be a threat to our Empire?" Spoke with one of the women, she was also a fisherman's wife.

"I heard my husband saying that this war would not have happened if the bandits had not snatched the goods of the neighboring small Kingdom." Replied another woman who was a weaver.

"Then why is it war? Isn't it just a small fight? What are they stretching it for?" Asked the fisherman's wife with some confusion.

The weaver woman wrinkled out the water from her dyed fabric and replied "You don't know, although it's a small Kingdom its resources are abundant. All the fine weapons are transported from there. If you offend the tiger by thinking it's a cat, won't you be bitten to death?"

"Hey, hey is their king so powerful?" She asked back with some confusion. If that king is so powerful wouldn't he have attacked their empire long ago?

"Hey that's not the case, it's not the king that is powerful it's the officials and general who's in power. The king is so lazy he doesn't bother with the state affairs. If it wasn't for the queen mother's protection the king would have been buried 6ft deep into the ground by now." Replied the weaver women and all those present burst into laughter.

"Amba, how did you know all these?" Asked the fisherman's wife to the woman.

"You know that woman who sings, she is quite good and she was telling these yesterday at her show. She sang the folk songs which sing about the lazy king."

"Hey, you went there without us, let's go together sometime. I also heard she sings well."

The topic of their conversation shifted from one to another, Mins listened to them quietly. Although people don't talk to her that doesn't mean she doesn't know anything about current affairs. It's one of the best places to get all the information she wants to get.

Mina soon finished washing the clothes and hurried home, she couldn't afford to leave Grandma alone for too long.

.............

At Shikha's home

Siddharth was sitting on a low bamboo stool; this was woven by their brothers, for their teacher.

"Master, I have a request. I hope you can promise me." Siddharth told Shikha.

"Let me hear it." Said Shikha without lifting his head from the pile of letters on the side bench.

"Master must have known about my past, I was ten years old when I was rescued from the river and about my forgotten past. I never forgot I still remember and now it's time to do what should be done," replied Siddharth.

"I see. So, what's the request?" asked back Shikha still not lifting his head from those scrolls.

"Three boats, ten people from my brothers, and a hundred gold coins of the Trishala kingdom."

"Why should I do that?" asked Shikha finally lifting his head from the scroll.

"Your Guru Dakshina. master, I know what you want and I can give you what you most desire. Revenge. Those people will never fulfill their promise, they are taking advantage of you. "Replied Siddharth.

hearing this Shikha finally stood up, thought for a moment, and laughed out loud.

"As expected of my student. You don't have to name it Guru Dakshina when you don't even consider me as such. We are fine as teachers and students. Well, I promise but you must accomplish it within a year no more than that, I'm running out of time as well."

"Yes, teacher. I'll set off in a month and one more thing, I hope you can look after Mina while I'm gone," said Siddharth.

"Rest assured. Seeing that you are still so clueless about it, of course, I have to look after it."

Siddharth was puzzled about his master's last sentence, What has he not figured out yet?

Looking at his puzzled expression Shikha chose to remain silent and let nature take its course.

Both of them were aware of the great changes that were about to happen in their life but they were prepared for it.

however, the first great changes that happened in their lives came sooner than expected.

‎A/N: Guru Dakshina- sort of a repayment and gesture of thank you for the teacher who has taught throughout your life. It can be anything that the teacher wants from his students. Until it's not given the student can be considered someone who has graduated under his teacher/Guru's guidance