Akash stared at the beautiful woman blankly. For a moment, his mind was unable to react.
'Unbelievable. The Mauryan fucking Empire!? I am Ashoka The Great? No, wait. Fuck. Ashoka's early life was a full-on disaster.'
Akash lifted his arms and soon, he saw a pair of a powerful biceps and muscled arms. In that instant, he finally came to terms with his present reality. Could it be that… I have truly time travelled to the glorious period of The Mauryan Empire? The age of the warring giants?
The 3rd century BC was a notoriously violent time filled with titanic clashes and amazing personalities.
Alexander's conquests gave way to a period of constant warfare while the rising Roman juggernaut began a series of conquests to unite the Italian Peninsula and fought it's long standing rival paving way for Rome's future dominance.
India during this period was also experiencing revolutionary changes which was culminated in the rise of The Mauryan Empire and the reign of Ashoka The Great. Joy, fear, anxiety and excitement gripped Akash's heart. But more than that, he felt apprehensive.
Apprehensive of the immediate challenge he faced before him. After assimilating with all of Ashoka's memories, he had figured out that he had time travelled to the period in the past where Bindusara, the second Mauryan Emperor had already consolidated his expansions and was focused on putting down rebellions in the Northwest.
Just as Akash was trying to quickly come to terms with his new reality. Subhadrangi held on tight to the edge of the bed, her mind anxiously racing as motherly worry filled her widened eyes as she looked at her injured son, finally awake.
"Son, how do you feel? Are you in pain?"
At the moment, a loud, arrogant voice echoed from the hallway gradually closing into Ashoka's palace bedroom.
"Dear brother, I heard that you were ambushed!"
The voice drew the tone out as if to mockingly be concerned.
A grimace flickered across both the women's faces as they turned towards the source of that arrogant voice. Akash looked beyond the doors and noticed that a well built man dressed in imperial robes had barged through the doors into the palace bedroom.
It was his older brother, Susima, the heir apparent, crown prince and probably also the mastermind behind the ambush on him.
"Susima, what are you doing here at our palace?" Subhadrangi said quite coldly while standing up angrily. Akash felt the intense tension between his "apparent" elder brother and mother.
It was clear that they were not on good terms and things had escalated to open hostility.
"Whatever do you mean, Respected Second Mother? I heard my dear brother Ashoka got injured in an ambush and was beyond myself in worry that I totally forgot about asking for your permission to visit. Why? Is there anything wrong with me coming by to check up on him?"
The Crown Prince casually walked up to the bed and sat right beside Ashoka as he glanced at him. If an by-stander looked at him, his expression would seem as if he was full of worry and empathy for his injured brother. But, Akash was also looking and observing Susima closely and he could see the not so hidden gloating of looking at an injured tiger behind his elder brother's overly fake emotions.
He could feel the hatred, scorn and malice in his eyes; Susima was not actually hiding his feelings even a bit from him.
"Ashoka, looks like you are already recovered and are ready for a campaign. Haha. I wish you the best of luck in putting down the rebellion at Taxila." Susima said as he smiled and got up, turning to leave. But, just before he left the bedroom, he left a few words behind.
"You know the consequences of failing to meet Lord Father's expectations."
Subhadrangi sighed as she watched Susima leave and turned right back to Ashoka with the same motherly worry in her eyes.
"I am fine, mother. My years of practicing martial arts were not in vain, I will recover in no time during the march."
Akash was uncomfortable facing such intense emotions from his "mother" and quickly replied, just as Ashoka would have. With the same tone, confidence and ambition. He could have earned Oscar for his perfect acting back in the future. But, it wasn't really hard for him since he had already assimilated with all of Ashoka's memories.
"Son, I know you better than anyone else. I know you will not give up on this chance to prove your talents. But as a mother, I cannot help but be worried. Even though I am an Imperial Concubine, I do not belong to a powerful family. I cannot provide you powerful warriors or with the resources required to train your own men. How in heaven's name, do you plan to accomplish your father's mission?" Subhadrangi asked agitatedly.
Akash stretched his hand out.
Around his hand, there were faint white ripples. That faint ripples seemed to congregate around his hand instead of dissipating into the surroundings, as though steel. It felt impressive. Even Akash himself was shocked with what his own body could do, but did not show even a bit of his shock and looked at his "mother" with unparalleled confidence.
"Believe me mother, I will return with fame and victory in my hand! Enough to topple the situation in the capital and guard your status."
Akash was speaking everything he knew Ashoka felt about his mother through the knowledge gained from his memories. He wanted to end this conversation as soon as possible so that he could analyze his own situation in peace.
"Loha(Iron) Energy? You have already broken into the ranks of Iron Warriors!?"