Far from the Kashyapa Clan, a man was resting in his royal chamber. This royal chamber was living up to its name. It was a huge spacious room, the white marble walls were filled with fine patterns, all of those patterns are outlined with gold, even the ceiling of the room was filled with some exquisite patterns giving the room a magnificent look.
At both sides of the door stood two alive looking white statues of celestial fairies. The statues show the human limits of their imagination and craftsmanship. The whole room was filled with a sweet fragrance of Gulchadi.
The very fine brocade decor of gold and silver on a crimson background is complemented by the paintings. In the centre of the room was a huge chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Just below the chandelier was a small circular pond filled with water.
The boundary of the pond was covered by the small earthen lamps. The pond's surface was covered in red and purple flower petals. In the middle of the pond, a little big earthen lamp was floating. All of the earthen lamps were filled with some fragmented oil and lightened. There was almost no light in the room except the lights coming from those earthen lamps.
A little away from that small circular pond there was a platform on which was a large round bed, covered in huge red velvet bedsheet that was almost touching the surface of the platform. The absence of light was because of the person who was resting with his eyes closed on the bed in the centre of the room.
Past few months were rough for him, first, he was already worried about the Addi Clan and their Crown Prince's conquest of the small kingdoms and territories around their kingdom. He was told by his intelligence that this crown prince had got some god's favour so was growing stronger and stronger day by day.
It should not be an alarming situation for him considering the huge distance between their kingdoms but he got a letter a few weeks ago from the Great Clan adjacent to the Addi Clan. The Great Clan had told them that they were being pressurized by the crown prince for surrender or coming under his banner.
And a few weeks ago he got huge shocking news, the news was of Crown Prince of Kashyapa Clan. According to the news, even their crown prince had started a conquest of small kingdoms and territories around its clan. He became anxious and worried when he heard that the two ancient clan's crown prince had started conquest almost at the same time.
But the news he heard a week ago almost terrified him, the news was of Crown Prince of Kashyapa Clan taking his army towards Shakya Clan. He and Shakya Clan was not friends but not enemies too, under normal circumstances they would not even talk to each other.
But after hearing that news he felt some kind of brotherhood for the Shakya Clan. Maybe this was the cause, both of them are Great Clan or maybe cause of some other reason like fear of an ancient clan attacking his kingdom next.
So these days he was not having some good rest, he always tries to rest or sleep but even the slightest sound made him wide awake. This room that was used to be filled with beauties previously and the bed filled with beauties draped in thin clothes previously was empty.
He was trying his best to get some sleep when he heard some footsteps coming towards him.
A man entered in the room. He saw another man lying on the bed with eyes closed.
"Your Majesty."
Kneeling in front of the bed he said.
Now concentration shattered, the man opened his eyes filled with anger. He was trying his best for more than an hour now for getting some sleep and finally when he felt he was about to fall into sleep, he was woken up by someone.
He glared and almost shouted at him.
"What's so important for you to disturb me when I'm resting?"
The man was in a very bad state of mind. If it were someone else kneeling before him right now, he would have already thrown him in the prison if not outright kill him in his anger. But the man before him was one of his most trusted intelligence officers.
The man on his knees was already aware of the situation his king was going through, even he himself was not having a good time. If nothing important he would not have dared to disturb his king knowing his temper. But the information he had just received was of utmost importance and not something he could hold and wait till his king to be awake by himself.
"Your Majesty, Prince Shantanu has attacked the Shakya Clan."
"WHAT?"
He was shocked, no he looked like he was struck by a thunderbolt, eyes almost popping out of the socket and mouth look like shouting something but voice not coming out of it. He sat there like he was frozen there.
Some footsteps were heard outside and the door of the room was forced open.
"Your Majesty are you alright?"
Someone shouted and immediately an old man leading ten or some men entered in the view running towards the man kneeling on the marble floor. All of these men were wearing golden armour from neck to waist and golden antariya down the waist. Some of them were carrying a golden spear in their hands while a sword hung on their waists and the others were carrying a sword in their hand and a golden spear on their back.
They were the kings most trusted guards called as Kanchana Guards and the old man leading them was the second strongest person of the kingdom and said to be the most loyalist person of the royal family. He was a legend for many in the kingdom. It was even said that to protect this king from his appointed guardian, the previous king, he sacrificed his own son by replacing him.
Seeing their king frozen like a statue and one of the highest-ranking intelligence officer kneeling on the floor with a dead serious face, they understood that the situation is not good but they still stood there for their king's order while making some guesses of the situation.
After a long silence, that was just a minute long but felt like an eternity, the king came back to his senses. Previously he had made some calculations that someday ancient clans will attack the great clans seeing great clans rapidly increasing in power but even by his calculations it was too early. Ancient Clans attacking and wanting to extinguish the Great Clans was an inevitable event for future considering the dominating nature of ancient clans as well as human nature. But it was still too soon for a crown prince to attack a great clan.
"Tell me the full details."
With a seen urgency in his voice he asked.
"And what about the Addi Clan? Any news about them?"
"No Your Majesty, according to our sources there, their crown prince has left the clan for a while now and had not returned. No one knows his whereabouts as of now."
"Hmm? That's strange. Tell the birds to search for him everywhere secretly. Maybe he is planning something.
Now, what were you saying about that Kashyapa Crown Prince? Tell me everything without leaving a single detail."
"Your Majesty," he said while looking the men surrounding him with an askance in his voice.
"Hmm. Grandpa Kairata" the king spoke while looking at the old man with the eyes pleading 'please give us some moment'. There was no exasperation or haughtiness in his voice instead it was filled with gentleness.
"Your Majesty, today morning a bird came with a letter from our sources in the Shakya Clan. According to that, Prince Shantanu was very angry and asked for the Shakya Princess but they refused and then the furious prince attacked the Shakya Clan with his boy band.
And a few moments ago, another bird came with a letter, according to it Forefather Devarat is leading a faction of Kashyapa Army towards the Shakya Clan."
"What? How could this be? Did Forefather Devarat break his oath already? No.. no…."
The beautiful face was pale now, the eyes widen and upper lids rise but the brows draw together. The lips stretch horizontally back to the ears. He remembered a scene from his childhood, a white breaded man training some soldiers. The aura he was radiating and the sword in his hand slicing the air in two.
After thinking a while he ordered.
"Prepare a small group of elites we are going to aid Shakya Clan and say the First to go to the Magadha Kingdom, I'm sure Magadha King must have also got this news, ask First to suggest him to send his father, their previous king to Shakya Clan, if Kashyapa Forefather had already broken the oath then he is the only one who can halt him."
"Your Majesty, but that old man is no match for the Kashyapa Forefather."
I'm sure forefather will never attack the father of the woman he kidnapped, tarnished her honour, her dignity and forced her to suicide just cause of a misunderstanding on his side. I'm sure a man like a forefather still regret and remember the mistake he made.
Ask First to stay there for some time, I'm sure after this event Magadha King will soon announce the Grand Meeting. We need to be prepared for it."
"But Your Majesty if forefather had already broken his oath, then I don't think he'll mind attacking anyone, even that old man. I'm sure he must have already get over of his regrets and think nothing of that now."
"Third then I think you don't know Kashyapa Forefather this well, I'm already doubting this news of him breaking oath. I'm taking those elites just to avoid any unfortunate event.
Even if Forefather Devarat is from Kashyapa Clan you can ask anyone even the people of grand clans, you will find no one saying anything bad about him. In fact, he is the most trusted and reliable person on the whole mortal plane."
After receiving some other orders, the intelligence officer called 'Third' bowed and left the room. The room falls into silence once again. After a while, a sigh was heard from the room and then,
"What are these ancient clans are planning?"
"Is it already time for that?"
"No, according to that great sage there is still some time before this era ends.
And as for the planer war for that also there must still have at least a generation to come."
"Then what is this all about?
Is this all preparation for that great war? It must be that. According to that sage 'the one who started this era will end it', the ancient clans huh."
"But who will be leading it? Addi Clan or Kashyapa Clan? They must know about it already and now solidifying their strength for it."
"I must have to preserve myself at every cost. Should I tell the Great Clans about it?"
"No, maybe not. What if they don't believe me? This is a possibility.
But what if they believe me and like ancient clans, they also start solidifying their strength and attacking each other?"
"O Great Sage, please tell me what should I do?"
"...…"
Only silence greeted him, there was no answer, with head full of these questions he closed his eyes seemed lost in many thoughts.
Sigh...…
He stood up from his bed, called some maids and servants. Now he was sure that he was not going to get any rest after hearing all of that news. Even if he wanted to but after hearing everything today and thinking of the planer war, he would not be able to take a rest, his brain and body will not allow it.
At least not until this recent crisis between the Shakya Clan and Kashyapa Clan can be resolved. But even that would be not a long rest cause after that he has to ensure his kingdom's survival or if not kingdom then at least survival of himself.