On the other side, Adi stopped Pratap and informed him about the biggest thing in their life, "General Pratap, I want you to call Kali, Kaif and Shane to the palace after having breakfast. I have important matters to discuss. It is a matter of life and death."
General Pratap tensed after hearing his King and replied in a serious tone, "They will be here My Lord."
"Good. Now go, have your breakfast first. I will be waiting for you all in the study of my room."
Adi nodded and went to the dining area of the palace. There, he saw his mother already sitting. The breakfast was served but she had not started eating, probably waiting for him to come. He was touched. These small gestures showed much greater care than mere words could describe.
He softly greeted his mother, "Good morning Mother. Did you slept soundly yesterday?"
His mother raised her brows seeing the pleasant change and smilingly called, "Good Morning my child. I had no problem while sleeping, don't worry. Come have your breakfast."
Adi sat with her on the table and started eating. Every now and then he looked at his mother and hesitated to say something. Laxmi noticed her son's action and asked softly,
"What's the matter child? Why are you hesitating so much to say what is on your mind with your mother? Speak, mother is listening."
Adi was embarrassed hearing his mother. He calmed his mind and spoke, "Mother, for the Empire to develop, its people can't be left uneducated or illiterate.
I have decided that all the people would be educated. There will not be a single illiterate person, be it children, adults or elders. And for this goal, I need someone who can lead them and teach them without any bias against their social class.
What I wanted to ask was that, Mother, can you help me in educating everyone?"
Laxmi already had guessed it midway through his speech and it turned out to be right. She looked at the expectant face of his son who was slowly showing qualities of a great leader.
A great leader was not someone who could just lead people to win wars. No, it was being compassionate enough even when possessing great power that makes someone a great leader. Compassionate towards their own people and also towards the innocents.
Laxmi was from a Noble family, which was although not in its heydays, they had some traditions which did not change. One of them was to educate all the family members, male and female included.
While males would concentrate more on weapon mastery and court politics, females were engaged in things like calligraphy, sewing, music and back palace politics. Laxmi had deeply immersed herself in reading all available books and calligraphy. Although she knew basics about everything they taught, she was not much interested in them.
Now, her son was asking her to lead the literacy drive for common people which was never heard of before and never tried before. It was so, as slaves and peasants had no right to study or get education. Only Nobles and Knights enjoyed this privilege.
This would be the first such activity in the world where everyone would have the right to study and get education, ever.
Laxmi could feel a surge of excitement deep in her heart. She was intrigued by this feeling as this had not happened to her ever before. So, she decide that she would do it, for helping her son and also for this new surge of emotions.
For her son, she could even fight the whole world, say less about just teaching people. She had nothing to do, just sitting idly all day in palace, so it would be good to have a responsibility.
She smiled at her son and said, "Okay child. Mother will help you in teaching common masses. Also, it would be exciting to have some new responsibility. You can rely on me for this."
Adi was relieved after her mother consented and somewhat happy too. She would be the perfect person to lead the educational field as it was her old passion. She would be excited as she would get too many things to study. Also, she was the only person whom he can bet his life on.
Adi said happily, "Thank you Mother. I assure you that the job will be to your liking. Also Mother, I need you to come with me in the study after this.
I have already asked Pratap to call the Head farmer Kali, Blacksmith Kaif and Healer Shane. I will announce something that will change everybody's life from now but it needs to remain absolute secret.
I am just reminding you before that there will be something that could blow everyone's mind and you all would also have to swear on your souls to keep it an absolute secret from everybody.
Only after that can I reveal it. Mother, if you have any hesitation or misgivings then don't hesitate in declining it. I will find someone else. I won't force you."
"Silly child, even if you ask for my soul I will give it gladly, what's just an oath. You don't have to think much. Your mother seldom backs away after taking decisions and today will not be that day. Just do what you deem fit" Laxmi said laughing lightly.
This son of her was worrying too much about her. But it also soothed her heart. Parents sacrifice everything for their children to keep them safe and make them happy. In return, they just expect a little love and care from them.
Proudly, she thought, 'I, Laxmi Garg, have raised a good child, a good human and a good King '.
Adi had no expression on his face except concern for his Mother. He had a single line simple logic when her Mother was concerned, 'Whatever she says goes'. He would only relent in front of her.
So he was not relieved after what she said. On the opposite, he was even more worried about her. But as she had already decided he will have to continue with the plans.
After both Mother and son had controlled their emotions, they finished their food. Laxmi then accompanied her son to his study. There was nothing much here, except a table and few chairs. As they had just got here a couple days before, they had not decorated the palace. Just cleaned it up and arranged the basic things around.
Adi asked her Mother to take seat just beside her and they waited for the other people to arrive. After 10 minutes, there was a knock on the door and Pratap's voice came in, "My King, we are here."
Adi replied, "Come in. The door is open."
As they got in, the three elders saw the King sitting behind a table and an elegantly dressed woman beside him. She looked no more than 30 but the look in her eyes were more matured and had seen too much. They stood there blankly as they didn't know what to do next.
Pratap was also surprised to see the King's mother sitting here, but he quickly recovered and bowed, "Greetings Queen Mother".
Previously she was called the Fifth Queen but the marriage has been annulled and now she was the mother of King of Rai.
The elders were shocked as they heard that this lady was their King's Mother. She didn't look like the mother of a 16 years old. They also quickly bowed, "Greetings Your Majesty, Queen Mother"
Laxmi accepted their greetings nodded towards them and said, "Hello everyone. Nice to see you all."
Adi then spoke, "Come sit. Don't just keep bowing there. My Mother doesn't mind such etiquette. Make yourselves comfortable and then we will start.
Pratap, will you please lock the doors of the room and the study too. This matter needs to be an absolute secret. Nobody other than the six of us here should ever know it."
He gestured towards the doors and looked at Pratap. Pratap nodded seriously and locked both the doors. He even checked them twice and put a chair to block both doors so that they could know if anyone's trying to get in or peek in.
Adi nodded inwardly as it showed that Pratap was always meticulous in his jobs and did anything to complete them. Most people would have just closed the door as they were asked to and not think as much as Pratap did.
Meanwhile, all the three elders sat straight in their seats and put on the most serious expression they had. When Pratap had approached them, they thought that maybe an enemy is trying to attack or something like that. But after coming here, they saw that Queen Mother was present too. It meant that issue was too important.
After Pratap took his seat and everyone was ready, Adi took a deep breath and started in a sombre tone "First, you all have to take an oath on your souls and swear that you will not let anyone know about whatever happens here, directly or indirectly, or else your souls be destroyed."
Oaths are very sacred as people believed that those who broke oaths are punished by the world. Everyone was surprised there except Laxmi as she had already been informed by him.
So she was the first one to take oath. Pratap also started almost simultaneously as he did not need to think too much and only follow his King's orders. If he commanded something to do, then that must be done. Period.
The 3 elders looked at each other with some hesitation but Kaif was the first to swear and Kali followed. Kaif was bold and outspoken but smart too. If the King had tried so many things to keep it a secret then there must be something important here. Shane was the opposite. He was too excited to be involved in something like this so he took some time calming down and complete his oath.
After everyone completed their oaths, Adi said with a serious tone "Now, I will tell you something that will blow your mind and change how you see the world."