The Emperor's Journey

33. Katha Shakuntala

Rajkumar Shivdarshan smiled at the young boy. 'Inquisitiveness was his nature, like a second skin. He was so curious to know about the weapons then about geography. And all this, when he had just escaped death.' He admired the Prince greatly and the thought of narrating his favorite tale to the boy excited him. "Aditya, Devi Shakuntala's tale is revered. For it is after her son that the name Bharat came." he said sensing the fact that going by the political way would only make the prince's attention a 100%, after all the prince was indeed greedy for the declaration of the position of Yuvraj.

"Really?" the younger Prince had asked. He wanted to be a king one day that would also make a name so big that people would remember for generations to come. Rajkumar Shivdarshan nodded. So....

"Shakuntalaa was a beautiful young girl. Daughter of a Rishi and Apsara, she had the body of a Apsara and mind calm like a Saint. Brought up in a Ashram, her living was simple. She never was too ambitious. She had all the qualities a man would like to see in a woman he wishes to spend the rest of his life with. But that was not all to it, she had a curvaceous figure, skin smooth like cotton and an innocence that was enviable even by little jasmine flowers, she was nature, the daughter of nature, she used to play with the animals and take care of plants." a sigh escaped his lips and Vikramaditya smirked, he could see the man narrating the tale was smitten.

"But that doesn't end even there, she was a fine and beautiful young girl blossoming into a stunning lady like a rose. She had a passion that could compete to fire and love that could surpass the ocean. On the other hand Maharajah Dushyanth was the brave man, with principles in life. His name was famous in all the eight directions." before he could continue, Vikramaditya sighed, "If you don't mind, please tell me in short." he said in a commanding tone, but he didn't intend it, his normal tone itself was commanding. Rajkumar Shivdarshan shook his head, he had chosen the wrong audience. "Hmm... So they marry in Ghandharva style and then he leaves to attend the duties of his kingdom. Devi Shakuntala becomes pregnant and she goes back to him. But due to a curse she received, he forgets her. But the curse could be retrieved if he sees the ring he presented her with, which she lost. But that's lost, so he rejects her and she lives in heaven, with her mother. Then one day a fisherman comes to the king with the ring, it was in the stomach of fish. And then they reunite and stay happily. This is story in short for you." the older prince said with a smile and Rajkumar had just nodded.

But recollecting it now, it wasn't his brother that he remembered  but the Rajkumar's eyes widened at the similarity of the current case he was told to judge, which had caused his parents to fight, which involved a huge political stake, with this story. And something burned in him, a confusion, he hadn't felt so torn all his life. He sighed as he stood before the court, he had come to early but his mind was racing. He didn't realise, but this was the beginning of something, something he would be known for so judicially.

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And sorry for the hasty part friends... But I don't think our dear Samrat would have had the kind of patience to listen to the story... It would have been out of character.. :)so..

And the coming part is one of the most important turns of his life😍 guess what..??

Thank you!