** Purana Qila entrance, Delhi capital, 26 Feb 1557. **
As the morning sun bathed the palace entrance in a warm golden glow, a sense of anticipation filled the air. Nobles and ambassadors gathered near the grand gates in their vibrant robes.
Their eyes were drawn to the spectacle unfolding before them. Leading them was Prince Aditya with broad smile along with his assistant Vinayak
The palace gates stood open wide, decorated with intricate carvings and statues of Garuda, a mythical creature quite similar to gryphon. Beyond them lay a marvel of new project of Hindshakti company, a newly constructed road that shimmered like silver in the sunlight.
Aditya spreads his hands wide, invitingly. "Dear esteemed guests, please join us. No need to stare that hard. Take a stroll along the road as well."
The murmurs of curiosity and excitement grew louder as the first ambassador from Gajapathy kingdom stepped forward.
His expression turned to wonder and disbelief, "Oh my lord Jagannath, what sorcery is this?"
Hearing him out other nobles and ambassadors joined in. As there footsteps echoed against the cobblestones, they marvelled at the sight before them. The road, crafted with meticulous care and precision, was unlike anything they had ever seen before. It was smooth and sturdy, yet elegant in its simplicity.
.
Another noble from Bundelkhand exclaimed, "It is unlike anything I have ever seen! How is such a feat possible?"
Their expressions shifted from awe to curiosity, Most of them wondered with questions and theories about its construction.
"Surely, this must be the work of divine intervention. No mortal hand could have crafted such a masterpiece", another noble from bengal kingdom remarked.
Ambassador of Marwar kingdom nodded thoughtfully as his gaze sweeped over the impressive road. "I must say, this road is quite impressive. But what purpose does it serve?"
Noble from malwa kingdom, who was standing nearby, stroked his beard as he pondered.
"Perhaps it is more than just a road," he mused. "Perhaps it is a symbol of our empire's prosperity and progress. We must have this for our kingdoms too."
Aditya felt elated after he listened to the conversations as his plan to impress the nobles began to unfold. With a subtle signal to Vinayak, he watched as his trusted companion sprang into action to execute the next phase of their plan.
'Splash!'
'Tap! Tap! Tap!'
Vinayak hurried to the side and retrieved a water pot and splashed the water onto the open area of the road, causing water to spread over it. Then, without hesitation, he stepped onto the wet surface and began to tap the road with his foot fiercely.
The assembled guests watched in confusion at first as their brows furrowed in curiosity. But as they observed Vinayak's actions, a sense of wonder began to spread through the crowd.
Their eyes widened in amazement as they realized that despite the water, the road remained unchanged. Its surface is still smooth and hard , even though a slight darkening can be spotted where the water had touched.
The noble from Bengal couldn't contain his amazement, "Your Highness, what kind of divine material is this? It's common for newly made roads to crack or break with rain or water, yet its surface remains so smooth" he exclaimed.
In contrast, the noble from Malwa kingdom was more direct with his interest, and stated "Your Highness, initially we came just to see what type of road was being made, but now we want one like this for our kingdom too. How much shall it costs?"
As the conversation unfolded, some nobles remained sceptical about the material used, while others showed keen interest and intrigue in the idea of having such a road for their own kingdoms.
At that moment, Prime Minister Chandrashekhar emerged from the palace, his strong presence captivated everyone and instantly earning their respect.
As he walked onto the road to join the ambassadors, a feeling of anticipation swept through the crowd, indicating that something important was about to occur.
Prime Minister Chandrashekhar greeted Prince Aditya with outstretched arms with amusement.
"It seems my grandson has once again worked his magic," he remarked with gentle yet stern demeanor. "I simply had to step out to witness the spectacle myself."
Aditya respected this man a lot. He cleared his throat and went closer. He bowed down to touch Chandrashekhar's feet, which is a traditional way of showing respect.
But just as he was about to do it, his grandfather hugged him warmly. Aditya was surprised by this sudden show of affection in public as his embrace was a rare occurrence, and Aditya couldn't help but be moved by the warmth it conveyed.
"Thank you, Grandfather," he murmured with surprise and affection.
As they parted, Aditya couldn't resist to pull the leg of the elderly man and spoke with mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Surely it's no surprise that the descendant of the esteemed Daddu (grandpa) would be invested in something ordinary," he teased.
Chandrashekhar's expression softened at the mention of Daddu (grandpa), and felt emotional with nostalgia and pride.
"Indeed, my boy," he replied as he patted his broad shoulders. "Well said, great-grandson of the Bhargav bloodline."
Aditya elaborated on the details of the newly constructed cement road, impressing Chandrashekhar with its innovation and efficiency.
Chandrashekhar announced his desire to use the same good quality of road materials for the capital territories. Aditya, showing his dedication, quickly agreed to do the task. He said he was ready to do anything for his great daddu and gased him up with emotions.
Pleased by Aditya's commitment, Chandrashekhar assured that the empire would bear any necessary costs, aiming to showcase its prosperity to all. Aditya was thankful for the chance.
He suggested the idea of making a university for the company workers.
He requested to have the arrangements to be made, so that they could get free education for their kids and even for themselves under Aditya's way of doings.
The crowd lauded Aditya's generosity, impressed by his concern for others' futures. Chandrashekhar, beaming with pride, pledged to facilitate the necessary permissions for Aditya's plan,
This was actually the little scheme of aditya for generating reliable skilled workers by empowering the company workers with modern education under his guidance. This initiative would not only enhance their skills but also broaden their social status.
Recognizing the need for privacy to discuss further, Chandrashekhar signaled for a private conversation, prompting murmurs and speculation among the onlookers.
Taking the hint from Aditya, Vinayak addressed the guests, assuring them of a upcoming meeting to discuss the road construction contract. With promises of future notifications, Vinayak escorted the guests back into the palace, leaving behind the royal guards.
Meanwhile, Aditya and Chandrashekhar, grandson and grandfather, opted for a leisurely stroll along the newly laid road.
Amidst the quiet and peaceful surroundings, they engaged in light-hearted conversation, relishing the opportunity for some quality time together.
Chandrashekhar looked at Aditya, addressing his taller stature with a heavy heart, "Son, by looking at you, I feel glad that you have grown so well, but sometimes I regret that I missed the chance to see you grow up."
He gazed up at the sky for a moment before returning his gaze to Aditya. "Tell me, Aditya, how was your mother?"
Aditya felt sweat pouring down his forehead at the mention of his supposed-to-be-late mother. He glanced downward, contemplating whether to fabricate a story or escape by any means.
His mind raced with possibilities of being interrogated to verify his identity. This was the only weak spot in his current life where he felt always vulnerable and the person asking this time is no way easy to avoid.
His eyes trembled as he stammered out his pre planned statement for such occasions, "Ma-my mother was very kind-hearted, and there are times when I really miss her..."
Despite his efforts , he felt it hard to hide his expressions of panic.
Fortunately, Chandrashekhar observed Aditya's behavior with a sense of concern. He interpreted his grandson's shaken demeanor as a result of past trauma, causing his confident, smiling demeanor to transform into that of an unknown stranger all of a sudden.
He felt pity for the lad who has to go through the loss of mother at an early age and gently patted his shoulder.
"It's okay, son. There's no need to converse on a topic that makes you uncomfortable," he reassured.
Turning back, he continued, "I understand losing your mother at such a young age might have caused some complications for you. But in case you ever feel too lonely, you can always come to this old man to share your worries."
Aditya breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though he had narrowly avoided a critical bullet through seer luck.
He was dangerously close to being exposed for his facade as the emperor's illegitimate son, a secret known only to him and the emperor as part of a deal to maintain peace in the empire.
Aditya wiped the sweat from his forehead, his heart pounding as he reluctantly followed Chandrashekhar. But his relief was short-lived as his great Daddu brought up another topic, increasing his misery.
"Aditya, what do you think of Raamya?" Chandrashekhar's question hit Aditya like a thunderbolt, stirring up a whirlwind of conflicting emotions within him.
Memories flooded back for their secret encounters of intimate sessions in cornered places and confined areas, heedless of the emperor's warnings to maintain distance.
Despite their best efforts to keep their affair hidden, the possibility of being noticed couldn't be ignored.
Feeling the weight of honesty pressing down on him, Aditya knew he had to say something.
With a sigh of exhaustion, he blurted out the truth, "I like her. No, I actually love her deeply. I don't care about her age. She is a capable person and worthy of being my soulmate."
This time, Chandrashekhar was shocked by Aditya's revelation as he randomly changed the topic, urging Aditya to discuss kingdom defenses. Little did he know he would stumble upon his grandson's blossoming love affair.
Laughing heartily, Chandrashekhar's amusement puzzled Aditya.
'Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!'
"Poor lad! I didn't mean it that way when I talked about Raamya." Chandrashekhar chuckled, "but I'm not opposed to the pairing. So, tell me, when can I hope to welcome a bride into our family?"
Aditya felt a jolt of panic as he realized his slip-up. He got embarrassed and felt why this misery is not ending.
He gathered some courage and replied with a sour face, "I'm grateful for your blessing, Grandfather, but I don't want to marry this early. I have responsibilities I need to take care of."
Hearing this, Chandrashekhar faced Aditya with understanding in his eyes. "Aditya, my boy, I know that the prospect of marriage can be hard to decide. But you must trust in the strength of your convictions and the wisdom of your heart. I wont force you on this."
As Chandrashekar was about to broach another topic, Aditya's lucky stars finally shone as the Intelligence Minister, Jaydev Patil, galloped his horse urgently to meet with them.
Both turned to the minister as Jaydev dismounted and approached them with a grave expression.
"Forgive the intrusion, Prime Minister, Prince Aditya," Jaydev began, with rugged breath as if he himself has ran many times instead of horse.
"But I bring urgent news from the western part of the empire."
Aditya's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the empire's western borders, his anxiety mounted as he is already expecting trouble due to recent chain of event in that area.
Chandrashekar's demeanor shifted instantly from a carefree grandpa to a stern and strict minister as he focused his attention on the spy master. He knew from the face of his spymaster that the matter would not be a little concern.
"What news do you bring, Jaydev?" Chandrashekar asked.
Jaydev patil replied, "There has been a sharp decline in news from kingdom of Agra and now in kingdom of Rewari too."
Aditya was quick to add his querry, "What about the watchers?"
Jaydev's expression turned serious as he replied, "They haven't contacted us yet, Your Highness."
A grim silence fell upon the trio, the once happy situation now transformed into a matter of grave seriousness.
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Author notes:
Thank you WolfHunter5292 for 3 GT tickets and Tingnu_arnold for 5 GT tickets again and again and again. It's a pity it got refreshed but it didn't go unnoticed from my eyes. I felt so touched for both of your support when I simply asked for power stones but you guys stepped a bit more. Thank you very much!
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