"I won't talk toyou." "You will also leave me." "Grandfather too is leaving." "When you grow wings, you too will fly away." "Emperor Chandragupta Mauya has embracedJainism... forwhich he is abdicating, giving up his throne... his kingdom and his people." "Grandfather, Asoka has taken your sword." "He says it is his." "You are leaving me, but the sword is mine." "Asoka, my son, this is notjust a sword." "It's a demon." "When drawn, it hungers blood." "It doesn't see friend or foe." "It sees only blood.Just blood." "Before it can do more harm, Iet us get rid ofit." ""This is notjust a sword." "It's a demon." "It doesn't see friend or foe." "It sees only blood.Just blood."" "The Takshila army is mightier than ours." "Halfour army has not reached." "General Shivrath, hasn't reached... or my brother Susima has not let it reach?" "We will not lose." "For even if wars are fought on battlefields... they are won by the mind." "Takshila army, keep moving." "Prince, Takshila army is advancing." "Stop them, General, by force or by deceit." "Their army has been halved." "Now theywant to surrender." "The enemy deserves a chance." "Don'tyou agree, General?" "Takshila's flags are down." "We want to surrender, Prince." "Our army has laid down theirweapons." "Takshila kneels before Magadha." "Surrender to me." "The weapon is with me." "That is no weapon." "This is a weapon." "The head that won't bow to us will be cut off." "What areyou taking with you?" "Nothing." "All that and you say it's nothing?" "Give us some ofit." "Should I?" "That's too much." "Want more?" "No, we'll share it." "You better smarten up." "Prince Asoka is arriving, victorious from Takshila." "The stars never lie." "Damn your stars." "Susima's mother is King Bindusara's favored queen." "With her around no one will dare eye the throne." "And what ofAsoka's mother, Queen Dharma?" "She is less ofa Queen and more ofa slave." "Only Prince Susima can claim the throne." "Where is Susima?" "General Shivrath." "The great General Shivrath." "It is you who suggested that Asoka be sent to Takshila." "You said he would lose, didn'tyou?" ""Send him with halfthe army and he won't return alive."" "You said so, right?" "Then what is this?" "What do we do with you now?" "You have failed." "What is the fate ofa defeated soldier?" "Let me be sentenced to death." "Defeat hasn't crushed the warrior's ego." "He still holds his head high." "I want him to lower his head." "These arms and medals belong to Magadha's proud army." "Doyou thinkyou deserve all this?" "No." "Take them off." "Strip him naked." "Here, brother." "The General is now ready forwar." "He has lowered his head." "Nowyou can kill him." "You don't know Asoka. I have tried to kill him all ofeleven times." "Don't wory." "Asoka will die for sure." "You knowyourjob well." "I adviseyou to attack him while he is bathing in the river... when he is most vulnerable... emerging out ofthe water, then..." "All I want is to know who sentyou." "Long live King Susima." "You missed." "Again." "See, there isn't a scratch on me." "I wantyou to leave Magadha." "Why should I?" "The coming six moonless nights are not auspicious foryou." "My good or bad luck rests with my sword." "is thatyourwish?" "I run away?" "I'm no coward." "I'm not afraid ofanyone, Mother." "But I'm afraid." "How can you know a mother's pain?" "9 months I nurtured you in mywomb." "I am your son, Mother." "I will understand your pain." "Even ifl have to caryyou around for nine months." "Let me knowyour pain, Mother." "You are right, Mother." "Nine moments maybe... but for nine months, you're too heavy." "Don't change the subject, will you leave or not?" "I heard you. I promise, Mother." "Asoka." "l promise, Mother." "I promise, pundit-ji." "How areyou?" "We've not met sinceyour return." "I heard that someone tried to kill you." "Someone did ty to kill me, yet again." "Who would want that, Asoka?" "A fool that misses each time." "Beware, Asoka." "One shouldn't underestimate the enemy." "He who faces me with a sword is my enemy." "Not someone who lunges from behind." "Eitherway, the one who survives ascends the throne." "No, Susima." "The throne belongs to the one... who has the courage to sit on it." "That's a childhood trait ofyours." "What I want, what I like... is your desire too." "You even took Grandfather's sword." "Get offthe throne, Asoka." "Make me do so, Sugatra." "Not like this, Sugatra." "Ifyou must have the throne then fight for it." "In front ofeveyone." "Meet me tomorrow morning and I'll fightyou, before eveyone." "Tomorrow morning... in front ofeveyone." "Sleep well, Asoka." "Tonight is your last night." "You are finished." "I will fight him." "Go ahead...fight him." "He dared to sit on the throne today." "Tomorrow, he may raise the sword On me." "Your Majesty, it is my beliefthat we analyze the situation..." "Prime Minister, my beliefis thatyou stay silent." "It's you who has encouraged him." "Why blame the Prime Minister?" "Asoka is under Dharma's control." "Stop him, Dharma." "Ifsomething should happen tomorrow... the blame will be entirelyyours." "What's happening here?" "Mother is taking a vow ofsilence." "That will not happen here." "Eveyone, leave." "What childishness is this?" "A vow ofsilence, for life?" "You won't talk to me ever again." "Why, Mother?" "She won't speak to anyone." "Mother says why speak when her own child turns a deafear?" "Motherwants you to leave Magadha and strive to live an ordinay life..." "Give heryourword that no one will come to knowyou're Prince Asoka." "I must go?" "Leave?" "So that others can laugh at me for running away scared?" "You don't wantyour son to sit on the throne?" "But I wanted it foryou." "Here. I give in." "Now speak to me." "Vitasoka, tell Mother to greet an ordinay man." "Mother's likeyou, brother." "She won't speak till you leave." "All right, I'll go." "Even ifyou ask, I won't return." "Speak to me." "Brotherwon't be here." "He has gone, leaving Magadha." "Gone?" "So he's scared." "The brave Prince has fled to save his life." "Idiot." "Changeyour tune." "What's the matterwith you?" "Nothing." "Friends like us have nothing to hide." "Last night, when I went home, mywife was not there." "Where did she go?" "When I asked her in the morning... she said she was with her friend, Kamini." "Silly." "She must have been with Kamini." "You idiot, I was with Kamini." "No, I was with Kamini." "I was there too." "You must have gone after me." "Strange." "Mywife's name is also Kamini." "That dark one?" "Yes." "Haveyou heard?" "Prince Asoka has gone leaving Magadha." "He must have gotten scared of Prince Susima." "WhenJupiter enters its twelfth position... evey great man must go into exile." "Really?" "Like Rama, Pandavas, Princes." "Strange." "You're not from here." "Who areyou?" "An ordinay traveler." "The sun remains the sun even behind clouds." "Your destiny indicates thatyou are in no way ordinay." "What lies in my destiny then?" "That I am a prince?" "One day I will be enthroned?" "Be an emperor?" "Even emperors are ordinay." "Your destiny transcends the throne." "Whose destiny can surpass that ofan emperor's?" "A traveler's... when hisjourney has been completed." "Eat, child." "In Kalinga no one goes to sleep hungy." "You eat too." "Here, Pawan." "It's good food." "Pawan, eat this." "It's tasty." "Why should you eat?" "You too miss Mother's hand feeding you." "No fuss. I'm an ordinay man." "You an ordinay horse." "No royal palace or sumptuous dishes for us." "Now, it's the ground to sleep on... the open sky above... and pretty princesses who now exist only in our dreams." "Go, you searching wind, go away" "Go seek out my beloved" "One good enough for me" "It cannot be... lfthere is..." "Then maybe we can be together" "Go... go..." "The sky is a poet's page" "And I its poem" "Someone like me... lsrare inthisworld" "Touch me not..." "That's a dare... lt would start raging _re" "Go... go... I didn't see a thing." "I wasjust listening." "You swim..." "I mean you sing veywell." "What's your name?" "I don't talk to strangers." "Stranger?" "Doyou not feel that we have met before?" "In some other place, in another time... somewhere?" "Who areyou?" "Pawan (the Wind)." "And you?" "Why areyou following me?" "Yourvoice drew me." "I am warrior blood." "You risk death." "I am dead." "My warrior." "Pawan, this place is unfit for a horse likeyou." "Wait here." "Look, another one in search ofthe same thing." "You won't find..." "Nobodywill." "Who?" "Not who, 'What'." "1 OO shining, clinking gold coins." "Reward for finding Prince Aya and Princess Kaurwaki." "You're vey pretty." "And you're the prettiest, Meghna." "Meghna?" "My name's Urvashi." "Doesn't matter, you're all pretty." "Who is there?" "Will someone dare to take up my challenge?" "Friend, you seem new here." "How aboutyou?" "Come, show us your mettle." "Go...go." "Braveyoungsters these days parade around with twigs." "Give it back." "Sit." "Win it back." "What's your name?" "Pawan (the Wind)." "A horse's name." "His father must be 'Badal' (cloud)." "Look behind..." "There's no one." "You won by cheating." "Eitherway, I won." "You must fight me again." "Let go." "I will not." "No way out." "You'll have to fight." "Where wereyou last night?" "I've been waiting for ages." "Who are all these people?" "Come home now, I'll showyou." "You are the first to defeat Virat." "Come with me." "You've not been drinking, haveyou?" "No." "You take over the bullock cart." "It's dangerous to drink and ride." "He's right, let's go." "Woke up, finally?" "Will youjust sit around?" "Orwill you work?" "What work?" "You must work ifyou want to stay." "Ifnot, you should leave." "I can do any kind ofwork." "This work I cannot do." "Greetings. I'm new to this." "You could face some discomfort." "Even so, please don't move." "And please don't kick." "Your eyes too are beautiful." "You?" "Why areyou following me?" "I am following you?" "Yesterday I was in the forest and you emerged from the waterfalls." "Nowyou're here on the pretext ofgetting milk." "And what wereyou doing in my dream last night?" "At least tell meyour name." "Give me the milk." "Look, over there." "Hey, Warrior." "Stop." "Princess Kaurwaki." "Yes, we found her." "The 1 OO gold coins are ours." "1 OO gold coins for her?" "Back off." "She is ours." "Know how to swim?" "Yes, ofcourse." "And you?" "That's good." "Lets go." "You crazy?" "Ifyou can't swim then whyjump into the water?" "What's wrong?" "Seems all of Kalinga is afteryou..." "Princess Kaurwaki." "You're among them." "Foryou, all I mean is 1 OO gold coins." "I couldn't put a price on you." "The earth doesn't have enough gold for that." "Staywith Aya." "He is alone." "Stop." "Who sentyou?" "Drink up." "When I'm king, there will be food for all." "Don't tell anyone." "Who is this?" "Is he dead?" "lt'sjust an injuy." "Go back inside." "How did he get hurt?" "Bheema hit him." "Go inside." "Did he come to kill me?" "Aya, go inside." "Why did you bring him here?" "You know it's dangerous." "Why did you hit him?" "Aya, go inside." "First tell me, whyyou hit him." "Aya, go inside." "Why did you bring him here?" "He could be anyone, a murderer, an assassin..." "He saved my life, Bheema." "Don'tyou know why?" "He's after the same thing:" "1 OO gold coins." "You may takeyour life lightly but Aya is my responsibility." "Aya is my brother, General." "Let's go then." "I can't leave him in this condition." "You'll have to." "We are leaving from here." "General, areyou ordering me?" "No. I'm just tying to makeyou understand." "The rest is up toyou." "Forgive me, Prince." "Please haveyour meal now." "Here, I 'm Prince?" "Insideyou scold me?" "Scold me then after eating." "l don't wish to eat." "I want to go home" "Yes, Prince." "We leave tomorrow." "Not tomorrow, today." "l said tomorrow." "It's always tomorrow." "When I am king eveything will be settled today." "No tomorrows." "Kaurwaki..." "Kaurwaki, give it to me." "Mother, look at Kaurwaki." "Mother." "It's all right." "It was only a nightmare." "I want to go home." "Yes." "We will go." "Where is Prince Aya?" "I assure the senate that Prince Aya will soon be with us... to take the royal place ofhis late father." "I have announced a 1 OO gold coin reward to anyone who finds him." "It's notjust a matter offinding Prince Aya." "The King's assassins roam free." "What's happening in Kalinga?" "Answer me." "There is a conspiracy brewing in Kalinga." "The person involved is here in this senate amongst us." "Who is he?" "You." "Oryou." "It may even beyou." "Me?" "It could be anyone." "Suspecting each other is futile." "It's your responsibility to find the culprit, Prime Minister." "We trustyou." "Kaurwaki..." "Kaurwaki..." "Now Kaurwaki?" "Last night another name was on your lips." "is that so?" "And what wereyou doing so close to me last night?" "Don't go." "It still hurts... lfyou leave, the pain will get worse." "MyWarrior, listen." "l don't want to hear." "But I want to say it." "Fine." "Say it." "Can I come close and say it?" "What areyou doing?" "Nothing?" "l saw him tying to tell you something." "He was telling me a stoy." "l want to hear it too." "But I don't know any stories." "l orderyou." "Tell me a stoy." "Prince, don't get angy." "I will tell you a stoy." "Once, there was a prince." "Like me?" "A little older." "He left his kingdom and roamed thejungle." "Like us?" "Then what?" "One day he heard something..." "Someone was singing." "The voice drew him to a waterfall." "He saw a princess, bathing..." "Her lovely body, head to toe, glistening with water drops." "And the prince fell in love." "At first sight." "l knew it." "Then?" "Said the prince to the princess, "You sing beautifully!"" "The princess got angy, picked up her sword." "Why?" "The prince didn't do anything." "He watched her bathe, you see." "So?" "I too bathe in the open." "You're different." "The Princess had no clothes on her." "Aya, supper's ready." "Come eat." "But I want to hear the stoy." "First eat." "Then the stoy." "How areyou now?" "l'm fine." "I must find the rascal who hit me from behind." "This rascal." "He hits eveybody." "We should leave now." " By the way, where areyou headed?" "Kalinga." "That's where l am going too." "We won't troubleyou." "Let's go." "Tell me the stoy." "Rascal." "What is this?" "Leftyourworkwithout warning?" "Workwhen you please." "Leave when you please." "This won't do." "She went away." "She didn't even look back." "is it done?" "Come, get ready." "Come, get ready." "let's catch the evening boat." "let's get on it." "Come, let's go." "There witt be an anchor, somewhere..." "Somewhere there's a shore ..." "Let's go." "Let's go." "Prepareyourself, then let's leave" "Whether we swim or we sink..." "We have to get across" "The evening will be so pleasant" "The words will be mine." "But the thoughtyours" "The talk will be innocent..." "sweet, diluted with honey" "What is this surge oflove?" "Do I drown to experience it?" "Can'tyou tell what it is?" "Where could it lead?" "The heart will burn, the eyes will _ll" "You fight veywell." "Here, straighten this." "I'll be leaving too." "Wait." "The fight is not over." "l warn you." "I have learnt the art ofbattle from the great texts." "I know 1 8 tactics offighting." "I do too." "All 1 8?" "All 1 8 ofthem." "Come, fight." "Tell me, friend." "Doyou know the 1 9th tactic?" "Which is this 1 9th tactic?" "The 1 9th tactic?" "I n the 1 9th tactic the warrior fights his foe blindfolded." "Like this." "Pawan, Pawan." "Quiet, eveyone." "What's new in that?" "Even I know this tactic." "Prepare yourself." "Haveyou got the blindfold on?" "Yes." "You can't see anything?" "Not a thing." "You hit first." "Ty again." "Keep at it." "Friend, remember... the '1 9th' tactic." "Quiet." "Will he be back?" "Who, Pawan?" "Yes, Pawan. I want to hear the stoy." "Hereyou go, prince." "Eat some fruit." "Bheema, know any stories?" "No." "No for eveything." "Tell us, who areyou?" "What areyou doing here?" "Princess, hide." "Wereyou looking for me?" "Whenyou leftyou did not look back even once." "Take care ofAya." "Don't leave them, Bheema." "He will kill eveyone." "Well, what's this?" "The sun pendant." "It is our Prince Aya, isn't it?" "Look, our Prince got scared." "Don't be afraid, Prince." "We won't do anything to hurtyou." "You fight well." "Where did you learn?" "I'm a soldier in the Magadha army." "You, soldier of Magadha army?" "And I'm the General of Kalinga." "That makes us enemies." "Enemies." "How long?" "How much longerwill it take?" "Do I have to wait for eternity to ascend the throne?" "Find Prince Aya and kill him." "As proof. hand me the sun pendant he wears around his neck." "Go." "Why a sword in such beautiful hands?" "I want to be as skilled as you in wielding the sword." "To fight the evil ones." "Who are they?" "The ones who killed my parents." "I'm with you, Kaurwaki." "I will always be close toyou." "I don't want to depend on others." "Then, hold the sword like this." "Let it be a part ofyour body." "Let it connect toyour soul." "No fear, no hesitation..." "No sense oflife or death." "Focus only on your target." "Not like this." "Eye to eye..." "Never shiftyour eyes from your enemy." "I just touched mywarrior and she took offense." "Just imagine, she pushed me." "You men." "You could not have said or heard anything." "Probably grabbed the girl's hand." "l did." "So?" "You need to be gentle with girls." "Some love, some flowers... say some words oflove." "Saywhat?" "Love speaks for itself." "Areyou afraid ofexpressing love?" "l'm not afraid ofanything." "Nonsense." "Tell me, how does one go about this love talk?" "Here." "Hold these flowers." "Take it all." "Go tell her..." "I loveyou...you alone." "I can't think ofanything butyou." "After meeting you myworld has changed." "I have changed." "I can't understand anything." "Ifl keep silent, I'll go mad." "All that?" "I can't do it." "Hold this?" "You have to say it." "I'm In love with you" "Right." "Onlyyou." "Perfect." "Keep at it and I'll get some more flowers." "Ever since I have metyou, eveything's changed." "I have changed, you seem changed." "I can't think ofanything or anyone else butyou..." "You." "Your love stoy brings tears to my eyes." "Nowyour tears will flow." "My friend, not today." "Somebody is waiting." "They'll have to wait a lifetime." "Virat, my friend..." "Nothing will work today." "No blindfold, no 1 9th tactic." "Today nothing will work." "What ifl say there's someone behind you?" "I won't look back." "There's someone behind you." "l know there's no one." "Virat, somebody is there." "You're cheating again." "Telling me lies?" "I'm leaving, my friend." "So?" "You promised you'll be with me forever." "After that day, I seeyou today." "I won't speak to him ever, didn't even tell me before he left." "Areyou cying?" "First, you fight with Pawan." "Then you sit here and cy?" "Why should I cy?" "What have I to do with him?" "Look, Pawan's horse." "You glass doll..." "Sealed in your lips is the lilt of love" "Butyou won't speak" "Or utter it lt lingers onyour eyelashes" "And lurks on lowered eyes" "Come, listen." "Sweeter than sugar are _our veited e_etids" "You don't open _our e_es or reveal what theysay" "Ifyou wish to cross the hills I'll move mountains foryou lfyou seek shelter in the clouds I'll ward offthe monsoon rains" "Abird in theskywill guide you to the hill where thesun rises" "Please introduce yourself, beautiful Your smile is sweetness" "You are a foreigner, will forget me easily." "Give meyour promise" "So I can wear it like ajewel" "The prime minister of Magadha has sent a message." "Please continue with the stoy." "The stoy... where were we?" "The Princess's clothes..." "She wore them, walked away, and the prince followed her" "Why?" "Lovely princess, alone in a dark forest..." "What ofwild animals?" "Anywild animal seeing a lovely princess would follow." "Then what happened?" "The princess turned around and said, "l am a princess... lfyou follow meyou will get a tight slap"." "The prince left then?" "No, he was shameless." "is this your stoy or mine?" "You tell it then." "No, you tell it." "Whywould our prince who braved death bother over a slap?" "He kept following the princess." "Suddenly, three monsters appeared." "Where was the prince from?" "The prince had no kingdom." "It was stolen from him." "Just like us." "Someone stole our land as well." "Someone stole our Kalinga." "So what?" "The sun is yours, the moon too." "All the stars up there areyours." "No one can take that away from you." "Really?" "Yes." "What's more, no man can takeyour land away from you." "I'm there with you." "I'll getyour land back foryou." "Hey, warrior." "I ..." "listen to me." "I have not told anyone this before." "Kaurwaki..." "listen." "Please listen." "Tell me." "Kaurwaki, I loveyou, onlyyou." "I can't think ofanything or anyone butyou." "Ever since I have met you eveything has changed." "I have changed." "I don't know what to do." "lfl didn't tell you, I would lose my mind." "I loveyou, onlyyou." "I can't think ofanything or anyone else butyou." "Ever since I have metyou eveything has changed." "I have changed." "I'm glad you told me." "Ifyou didn't, I would lose my mind." "That's exactlywhat I said." "Butyou should say it like this." "Where wereyou?" "With Pawan." "What wereyou doing?" "is this the way to behave?" "That too with an ordinay soldier?" "Bheema, don't forget who it is you are talking to." "That's why I am speaking out." "It is not right foryou to associate with Pawan." "Careful, Bheema. I love Pawan." "You love Pawan?" "Who is Pawan?" "Where does he come from?" "He says four nice words toyou and you think it's love?" "How doyou see it?" "You think I don't know what love is?" "You don't." "You don't know the difference between love and a commoner's lust." "Don't forget thatyou arejust a General... and I'm a princess." "You are my servant." "A slave to my royal family." "Yes, I'm a servant." "But who areyou?" "You thinkyou are a princess?" "The familyyou are so proud of..." "What did you say?" "What about my family?" "Tell me, Bheema." "You were found by a fisherman." "Your origin is unknown." "No one knows your lineage..." "The king adopted you." "Who am I then?" "Nobody knows." "Mywarrior, why areyou here alone?" "I know whatyou are thinking." "Me, a princess." "He, a mere soldier." "Arriving with his heart, horse and sword." "Warrior." "What happened?" "What's wrong?" "I am no warrior, Pawan." "Those who I thought were my parents... I am not oftheir blood." "They found me, Pawan." "They raised me as an orphan." "I have no identity, Pawan." "What difference is there... between the blood ofa warrior and that ofan ordinay man?" "Nothing's changed. I loveyou." "Who doyou love?" "Who am I?" "You are mywarrior, my princess." "Come with me." "Look." "Look at the flame." "Areyou going to push me away again?" "Not so quick." "Tell me, what's mywedding gift?" "I've given you my heart." "What more?" "Your horse." "He's yours." "Your sword." "That too." "Your clothes." "Not in front ofthe horse." "What areyou doing?" "MyWarrior...no...no... I'll be right back." "Stand upright, don't bow." "Greetings, Prince Asoka." "Embrace me." "Why areyou here?" "Your motherwants to meetyou." "Tell Mother I will not return." "She is vey ill." "You may go." "What's the matter?" "Mother's unwell." "You should go to her then." "What aboutyou and Aya?" "We'll be fine." "We'll stay here till you get back." "Please go." "You're leaving again?" "I won't letyou go." "Prince Aya, a matter oftwo days." "I'll return soon." "You did not even finish the stoy." "Where were we?" "Yes... the three monsters died." "The prince killed them all." "The Princess's anger turned to love." "The prince asked for her hand in marriage." "She said yes, right?" "Instantly." "Then?" "Then the prince left." "Where to?" "To his motherwho was ill." "This is a sad stoy." "No way." "The prince will return with hundreds ofhorses and elephants to take his princess away." "Tell the prince to return soon." "His princess will be waiting." "The prince will come back with hundreds ofhorses and elephants." "You take care of Kaurwaki." "Greetings, Prince." "Where is Mother?" "Come inside." "You lie to me and then want God's forgiveness?" "Had I not lied howwould I see myson?" "Seen me?" "Now I must leave." "Someone is waiting for me." "Who?" "Someone." "As lovely as a lotus, a heavenly creature." "She is so beautiful." "Anyone who sees her..." "Will become a poet?" "No... a lover." "You forget the white hair." "White hair?" "She is someone else but you'll always be my first love." "Mere words." "Who is she?" "Kaurwaki." "Kaurwaki?" "What ofher family?" "All here." "You, Vitasoka, me." "We are her family." "Mother, I have married her." "Married?" "Why didn'tyou bring her?" "Not like this." "When I do, Magadha will welcome her ceremoniously." "The streets will be lit with lamps, decorated with flowers." "Then I will tell herwho I am." "You've not told heryet?" "I told a lovelywhite-haired lady that I won't tell anyone." "Silly." "Take the blessings ofthe King." "Praise the lord." "General, the rumor all over Kalinga is that Prince Aya has been killed." "The senate has decided to place someone else on the throne." "I know that's why it's important that I go to Kalinga." "It's unsafe forAya to go there now." "Princess, give meyour anklet..." "Aya, your necklace." "No one should know they are hiding here." "Don't wory, General." "I will guard them with my life." "He's served the royal family foryears." "You'll be safe here." "Don't go an_here until my return." "Yes... now I have to listen to the General's orders." "Greetings, Susima." "Greetings." "Where wereyou all these days?" "Just wandering around." "Tomorrow morning, in front ofeveyone." "I wasjust scaring you." "I don't want to fight." "Susima, I don't want the throne or the crown." "I don't want anything." "Haveyou ever loved someone?" "Love?" "No?" "You should." "Brother, he is tying to trick us again." "So, you've returned?" "You remembered Magadha?" "Forgive me, Your Majesty." "I wanted to..." "A rebellion is threatened in Ujjaini." "Go there." "Any problem?" "No, Your Majesty." "Areyou missing Pawan?" "Yes." "He said that should I think ofhim I should call his name out loud." "Then, he'll appear." "Should I call him?" "You call out as well." "Prince... I must go." "His highness has ordered..." "Don't wory." "You go to Ujjaini." "I will meetyou there." "Despite the talk, I was sureyou were all safe." "Who would want to kill Prince Aya?" "At first I suspected you." "And I suspected you." "At times like this friends suspect one another." "Bring Prince Aya here at the earliest." "I cannot contain the senate any longer." "You are right." "Don't go alone, General." "I need no one." "You do." "The enemy is vey cunning." "Where are Prince Aya and Princess Kaurwaki?" "Burn this village, burn eveything... either they'll come out or burn alive." "Where are Prince Aya and Princess Kaurwaki?" "No." "Stop." "Stop, we are here." "Please let them be, I beg you." "Kaurwaki." "Good that I found you." "That woman, she said..." "Where are Kaurwaki and Aya?" "Bheema?" "Where is Kaurwaki?" "What happened, Bheema?" "Where is Kaurwaki?" "Bheema, where is Kaurwaki?" "Bheema..." "I askyou, Where is Kaurwaki?" "Here's your 20th tactic." "What about the 1 9th one?" "Speak up, friend." "Your turn now." "No running offtoday?" "You've lost?" "Get up." "You're not even worth a thrashing." "What's this?" "Lostyour mind?" "Let go ofmy hand." "Let go." "Who areyou people?" "Let me go." "Wait." "But Prince Asoka, he tried to..." "Spare him." "'Prince' Asoka?" "You'll stay here." "Pawan is waiting for me." "His kind never return." "He will, Bheema." "His horse is here." "How is the wound now, friend..." "Prince?" "Prince, my problem is that my fist moves faster than my mind." "Why haven'tyou left?" "How could I?" "You saved my life." "It's my duty to guard you for life." "From now, in war and victoy, Virat will stand byyou." "I want death not victoy." "Was she beautiful, Prince?" "Vey." "Areyou going to Pawan?" "Yes." "I will come too." "You will not." "You will go to Kalinga with Bheema." "lfl don't go, you don't either." "Should I call Bheema?" "Call him." "Come on." "Lets take Pawan's horse with us too." "How much longer?" "l don't know." "Asoka's winning war afterwar." "He seems undaunted by death." "Each victoy is a step closer to the throne." "You must stop him at Ujjaini itself." "Friend." "Doyou know any Pawan?" "A soldier in the Magadha Army, rides a horse." "No." "Let's go." "It's raining." "Come." "No herb or medicine is helping him." "How does one save the life ofa man who has no desire to live?" "Kaur...waki, Kaur...waki." "'Kaurwaki'?" "Prime Minister, where is Asoka?" "l don't know." "You don't?" "Or areyou hiding something?" "Why all this loyalty to Asoka?" "My loyalty is to the throne of Magadha." "Prince Asoka is getting better, isn't he?" "Physical wounds will heal." "But wounds ofthe heart..." "Haven'tyou seen how he calls out her name even in his sleep?" "Kaurwaki, Kaurwaki, Kaurwaki." "Areyou cying?" "You see, my heart is rather tender." "Kaurwaki was vey lovely?" "Yes." "Butyou are too." "You too." "And you, most ofall." "What kind oflove is this that lives on even after death?" "When you leftyou did not look back even once." "A bright glow pervades" "and _lls" "_our e_eS" "Your eyes warn..." ""Don't touch me"" "Your dreams too... are re_ected i_ your eyes" "I've searched and searched foryou... ln the sweep ofthe skies above hoping to _ndyou encased in a cloud" "I have tooked and tooked for _ou in every nook and corner hoping to spyyou walking on a river bank" "I held on to time" "To ask whereyou are I asked the river and the vast ocean" "I walked the crest ofwaves feeling your caress" "Stop." "What areyou doing?" "I won't letyou kill this harmless bird." "Move away." "Why?" "I t deserves to live as much as I do." "Move !" "Release the arrow." "Devi..." "Where wereyou, Devi?" "The ceremony awaits you." "Come, dear, come here." "She's exquisite." "They make a lovely couple." "I met Prince Asoka today..." "She's so shy." "She's quite spirited though." "He's become so vicious." "Eveyone's scared ofhim but not me." "Whywhisper?" "Tell us too." "What doyou think ofour son?" "Tell me, dear." "Areyou happy?" "Congratulations, she has agreed." "Asoka's in Ujjaini, badlywounded." "Take advantage ofthis, Sugatra." "How?" "He is guarded on all sides." "It's impossible to break through." "Difficult but not impossible." "Here, take this medicine." "With this your feverwill lessen and you'll sleep well." "It's Devi's wedding today." "She won't be here." "Today, you will listen to me instead." "Drink it?" "A little more?" "I forgot to apply the herbal paste on Prince Asoka's wounds." "Grandmother, I'll be back soon." "Make something for me as well." "Halt." "What areyou taking inside?" "Medicine." "Go in." "Pass me some water, please." "Who's there?" "Wait." "What areyou feeding him?" "Let go." "Friend?" "Prince Asoka?" "Here?" "How did this happen?" "Come on let's go." "This wedding cannot be." "Where areyou going?" "Please don't go." "It's no fault ofthis child." "You've no right to ruin her life like this." "I will not letyou leave." "I requestyou to please wait." "Ifthe Prince's request is a command, we will not leave." "Poor Devi." "Who will mary her now?" "You won't push me again, will you?" "Mywarrior." "Did she loveyou as much as you love her?" "I know that only Kaurwaki lives in your heart." "I cannot take her place." "Please forgive me, Devi." "Why?" "There's so much love in your heart." "Maybe my destiny..." "No." "It's not love, only pain." "Love wounds in a way that does not letyou live or die." "lfl had seen herjust one last time." "Kaurwaki is right here with you, in your heart." "But where was I when she needed me?" "I promised her... that while I was there she would come to no harm." "Where was I, Devi?" "Where was I when she was dying?" "Where, when she took Pawan's name in her parting breath?" "The intoxication ofour night together" "Has not left me" "The sensuousness ofyour body is still entwined in my arms I opened my eyes but that didn't disturb my dream" "Yes. I recall" "Yes." "Ido" "The dream whichyour lips gifted me stays with each breath I take" "Even in your absence" "The thought ofyou excites me" "When I turn over in mysleep my dreamjust takes another hue" "When the thought ofyou enters my mind those moments bubble under a sheet of water" "My body is on fire" "Yes. I recall" "Yes. I do..." "The seasons that bind you to me are countless" "They contain promise ofseveral lifetimes" "My sorrows are triviat I wish fora long night and a tongerday I wish fora life endless enough to contain our togetherness" "Yes, I recatt Yes, I do" "The dream your lips have gifted me lingers with each breath I take." "I am looking for Pawan, a soldier in the Magadha Army." "Pawan?" "We don't know." "Ask her, she knows eveything." "I too waited for a long time for him but he never came back." "What kind ofpeople are these?" "Come on, let's go." "As peryourwish, your highness." "We have served food to all." "Eat well, such a feast is rare." "Mother, look. she is Devi, the girl that Prince Asoka has married." "Please serve to those there and those too." "Haveyou heard?" "Prince Asoka is returning to Magadha with Devi." "The stars predict tension in their marriage." "You and your stars." "They're married so what tension could there be?" "Here, eat sweetmeats." "Why areyou distributing sweets?" "His wife gave birth to a son." "Butyou have not been home for more than a year, right?" "We were his emissaries in love." "But..." "No buts... giveyour sweets and go." "Long live Prince Asoka." "You're here to see Prince Asoka as well?" "No, I am looking for Pawan." "Lookwho's coming." "Let's go from here." "Come Aya." "I will not go." "Enough ofthis madness." "You have looked for him enough." "l will not leave without Pawan." "Do as you please." "Look foryour Pawan." "When you're done, return to Kalinga." "Prince Aya." "Let's go." "I don't want to go." "Bheema, let go." "He acted as he thought appropriate." "Give him my blessings." "Your Majesty, at least meet him once." "There is no place for a Buddhist girl in this family." "Tell Asoka to return to Ujjaini." "General." "We feared that even you..." "General, I promiseyou..." "Whoever conspired to kill Prince Aya... will be severely punished." "No need ofthat." "Prince Aya and Princess Kaurwaki are alive." "lmpossible." "Aya..." "This is not possible." "You have lost, Prime Minister." "Your conspiracy misfired." "A lie. I have served Kalinga all my life." "I am innocent." "Forgive me, Minister." "They've come to know." "Take him away." "Such a traitor should be sentenced to death." "Take him away." "l am innocent." "Didn't I promiseyou that we will be together in Kalinga?" "Yes, only Pawan is not with us." "How much longerwill you wait for him?" "Till his return." "lfhe doesn't?" "That could be." "But I'll still wait for him." "You knew I would not spareyour life." "Even then, youjoined hands with Susima?" "What's your life worth now?" "Answer me?" "What is it?" "I must tell you something." "Go on." "Calm down first." "What is it?" "What is it?" "What is it?" "A son?" "My son?" "I will teach him eveything." "Eveything." "I will teach him to fight with the sword." "I will teach him to fight like a warrior." "My son." "The first heir to the Mauyan empire." "The Emperor of Magadha." "I will take him in myarms and put him on the throne." "What ifit is a daughter?" "No." "Itwill be a son." "Go and tell Susima, itwill be a son, the emperorofMagadha." "Wasn't ityour dream that I sit on the throne?" "I giveyou myword I will strive to be an able King." "You will be proud ofyour Susima." "Devi is expecting." "Susima, the word is out that an heir is to be born." "Asoka's son will occupy the throne." "The people will never accept him." "Am I right, pundit-ji?" "That's right." "A son born ofa Buddhist mother cannot claim the throne." "The people have no choice, Susima." "And you?" "You're incapable ofproducing an heir." "It's destiny." "You tell me, Pundit-ji." "What fate awaits Asoka's child?" "Think beforeyou answer, pundit-ji." "What fate awaits Asoka's child?" "Asoka's son will not live." "Destiny." "It's all destiny." "Who is there?" "There is someone here." "Soldier." "Eveybody leave." "Friend?" "I said, eveyone leave." "Leave." "Come." "Speak to me, Mother." "Please, Mother." "Talk to me." "I did all thatyou asked me to." "Please, Mother, talk to me once." "Speak to mejust once, forjust one moment." "lfsomething happens toyou, all hell will break loose." "I will destroy eveything." "Eveything." "Vitasoka, tell Mother to talk to me." "Please, speak to me." "Please don't." "Don't stop me today." "Somebody has to stop." "Anger destroys eveything." "Then let it." "I will never letyou touch my child with a killer's hands." "So, you've come to kill your brother?" "Kill me." "Pick up the sword, Susima." "What aboutyour mother's death?" "Takeyour revenge, Asoka." "Why hesitate?" "Go ahead, kill me." "Pick up the sword, Susima." "Your motherwas like my own." "I'd loveyour son as my own." "Only ifyou were not Asoka." "Butyou are Asoka." "It's destiny." "Pick up the sword, Susima." "To helpyou defeat me?" "I won't allowyou that pleasure." "Let histoy note that Asoka did not win the throne... he had to kill to get it." "Pick up the sword, Susima." "No." "I was not a murderer, Asoka." "You left me with no choice." "Moment to moment I lived in fear ofyour snatching the throne from me." "To sit on the throne you must kill your own brother." "You will have to become 'Susima'." "Kill me, Asoka." "Kill me." "You need courage to sit on the throne... and also to kill your brother." "Kill me, Asoka." "I knew thatyou are incapable ofkilling your siblings." "I knowyou cannot." "That's why the throne is mine, not your's." "Destiny..." "What should I do with the brothers?" "Kill them all." "I have killed all my brothers, Susima." "Now can I sit on the throne?" "Long live King Asoka." "What's the matter?" "Why areyou all so quiet?" "There's nothing left to say." "Asoka killed all his brothers." "And no one said a word." "Who can say anything?" "Even King Bindusara is no more." "Entire Magadha is terror-struck." "Strange." "Keep quiet, idiot." "Know what people are saying?" "An evil man now rules over Magadha." "'Evil' Asoka." "You will not go an_here, Devi." "You know I will not letyou go." "I am leaving." "What was I to do?" "They killed Mother." "I should forgive them?" "Yes." "I don't have such a big heart." "I know." "That's why I am leaving." "You are not leaving." "I am going." "You should know." "Where is Sugatra hiding?" "He won't say anything." "He does not know." "Then his life is meaningless." "Friend, please stop." "Enough." "Nothing will stop me now, Virat." "I will be the greatest emperor on earth." "Greater than King Bindusara, stronger than Chandragupta Mauya." "The greatest, ever." "Susima said, "To rule an empire, to be a great Emperor... one needs to kill."" "Please rest, Prince Sugatra." "Give the senate time to think about it." "My death is certain if Kalinga does not grant me asylum." "I plead with the senate of Kalinga to protect my life." "Kalinga has given asylum to Sugatra." "Why?" "Had they not heard my order?" "They say Kalinga owes nothing to a man who killed his brothers." "My relationship with Kalinga is a strange one." "Till today no one has attacked Kalinga." "Kalinga is a democracy." "Your grandfather dreamt ofa united India." "Make that dream come true." "Attack Kalinga." "Kalinga." "We will always win." "Pawan's with the Magadha Army." "Will he too fight us?" "Pawan will never fight us." "That's true." "Order me, Your Majesty. I'll make them stare into the eyes ofdeath." "Fearwill render them useless." "Theywill forget patriotism." "What areyou saying?" "Friend, this is against the rules ofwar." "War has only one rule, Virat." "Victoy." "We'll burn their houses, destroy their _elds." "I told your father." "This village, these homes, these people... all belong to EmperorAsoka." "Which means all belong to me." "You too are mine." "Your father is vey brave." "Such cruelty?" "Is he human or a monster?" "Who is this Asoka?" "Why kill so many innocent people?" "He'll do anything to win the war." "He has not spared his own brothers." "Then he must die." "I can takeyou to Asoka." "Let's go." "Kalinga has attacked!" "Look, there he is." "Sugatra?" "Come, come, Sugatra." "You've missed your brothers so much thatyou came to meet them?" "You want to fight me?" "One more time?" "You won't face me?" "All right then, strike from behind." "Come Sugatra." "Attack me !" "Come, attack me." "You can kill me..." "butyou can never defeat Kalinga." "The Magadha flag will tower over blood-stained Kalinga." "Give my greetings to Susima, my loving brother." "What will become ofus, now." "How will we fight this war?" "This is not mere soil." "It is our ancestral heritage." "Nobody can take it from us." "Should we lose, what will we tell our children?" "Why should we lose?" "Why should we not fight?" "We will fight... together !" "All my sons were killed in the war." "Had I one more, he would fight too." "She is my daughter." "Now she will fight." "Evey man in Kalinga will fight." "Eveywoman in Kalinga will fight." "Yes, we will all fight !" "You don't know him." "He will do anything to defeat Kalinga." "At any cost he wants victoy." "Onlyvictoy." "Mywish is that when my child opens his eyes... he should see only love not death." "The first words he hears should be oflove, not shrieks ofpain." "Eveything will be destroyed." "Eveything." "Where to, friend?" "A war awaits me." "Haveyou forgotten?" "Before thatyou have to fight anotherwar." "Really?" "Who is this new enemy?" "The one who stands in front ofyou." "No." "You are a friend, my only friend." "Then listen toyour friend and stop." "Enough !" "When will you stop killing innocent people?" "How much longerwill you fight?" "Till I win." "Till I win it all." "Then todayyou will not win over me." "One moment..." "You will kill your own friend?" "l will go to any length to stopyou." "Remember, friend, the 1 9th tactic?" "Enough, Virat !" "No !" "Never." "You're alive..." "becauseyou are a friend" "You are nobody's friend." "You areyour own enemy." "That's whyyou are called 'Evil' Asoka !" "'Evil' Asoka !" "Todaywe'll have a feast in Kalinga." "But EmperorAsoka has not come yet." "You don't need elephants to crush ants." "Charge !" "Come on, move back !" "Follow them." "Cowards !" "Running away from the battle field?" "Pawan !" "We have lost the war." "We cannot lose." "I will go and fight." "We cannot lose !" "Please don't go, Prince." "Please stop." "What happened, Vitasoka?" "You wanted to be a poet." "Then why this guise?" "I know whatyou want to say." "The tormentorAsoka !" "Evil Asoka !" "is that whatyou want to tell me?" "I have heard it all before." "I have come to tell you that you have become a father." "My son !" "Mahendra is your son and Sanghamitra is your daughter." "Where is Devi, Vitasoka?" "I am their father, Vitasoka." "You are only an Emperor." "EmperorAsoka." "Donning another garb does not change the truth, Vitasoka." "War is the truth." "Wars happen." "In war, you eitherwin or die." "And I have won, Vitasoka!" "I have won." "Yes, you have." "You have won the tears ofwidows... the cries oforphans and enflamed bodies." "You have won it all." "Vitasoka, I have won." "I have won, Vitasoka." "We've never collected so much wealth in any otherwar, as this." "We've never killed so many people in any otherwar, as this." "The bigger the victoy, the more the wealth !" "You have stumbled on a fortune, such a beautiful and strong horse." "They say it belongs to 'Kaurwaki', the one who inspired... the farmers and women to fight against Magadha's army." "Who cares?" "The horse will fetch a handsome price." "Kaurwaki..." "Water..." "You have not won... I'll never letyou win." "Kaurwaki." "I am alive !" "You have to fight me." "Throw down your sword Kaurwaki, the war is over." "The war is not over." "You have to kill me too." "How can I kill you?" "I am your Pawan." "You are not my Pawan." "You are Asoka..." "Asoka !" "Forgive me." "Why did you not come?" "I waited so long..." "Where did I not look foryou?" "I searched eve_here." "Pawan..." "Aya !" "Where wereyou?" "Asoka took away all my land." "No one can takeyour land from you." "It is your's." "I have come back." "You will not go again?" "No, never again" "Promise me?" "I promise." "See?" "I did not even cy." "Pawan?" "Did the prince return?" "Yes... he did." "With horses and elephants?" "With hundreds ofhorses and elephants." "Then?" "He took the princess on his horse and rode away." "Then?" "They lived together." "Happily?" "Yes, vey happily." "Pawan, it's getting dark." "The sun, moon and stars are fading." "No, Aya... nothing will happen." "Nothing will happen toyou." "The sun, the moon, the stars..." "are all yours." "Pawan... I have become the greatest emperor." "The mightiest ruler." "I have won it all." "I have also destroyed it all." "What did I win?" "What can Emperors win?" "Only wealth, land and kingdoms." "My destiny transcends an Emperor's." "My destiny will be that ofa traveler's... who completes hisjourney." "And today I start myjourney." "Ajourney of tove, peace and nonviolence."