25 The Wait

The message was sent via pegions to both Magadha and Gandhara empires. Pinaka set up a camp and started to gather more people. All the men and women who had experience in combat started training well under leadership of Pinaka and Samyukta.

Meanwhile Devadatta was informed about what happened in the city center. His soldiers also received the news that he was none other than the lost Prince.. he has returned to claim his throne.. Devadatta also learnt that the people were also preparing to rebel.

He went and spoke to the higher officials of court, no one could tell him what to do.. he was not prepared to give up tahe power just like that.. it took lot of time for him to gain this position, he had an idea to threaten Pinaka with his mother's life, but if he did that he would declare himself as villain openly.

He felt he didn't have any other choice, he went to the chamber of the empress to imprison her. Empress Chandramathi was long prepared for this. She also came to know that her son came back, the baby boy who was taken away from her when he was only days old is back.. she was waiting to see him.. how would he look.. would he resemble his father.. when will her husband return.. is he still alive.. she was thinking about the future..

Devadatta imprisoned empress Chandramathi and put her in jail, her hands were locked with iron shackles.. she was never treated this way.. she was the princess of the Gandhara empire.. the empress of Gupta empire.. but now a mere prisoner.. a mother waiting for her son..

Shiva had informers in the palace, he got to know about the imprisonment of the empress. He cautioned Pinaka.. meanwhile they received a message through the pigeon they sent to the Gandhara empire.. it was from his grandfather Kailash Nanda of the great Nanda Dynasty.. it read that he was coming to Indraprastha.. and asked Pinaka to wait.

There was a message from Emperor Krishna Chandra too, he too asked Pinaka to wait, he too was coming..

This period of waiting lasted for a week, Kailash Nanda arrived first, he came and met Pinaka, seeing his grand child he couldn't control himself, he had tears in his eyes, he said, 'my dear Pinaka, we made multiple attempts to convince your mother Chandramathi to come with us, even Devadatta didn't object, but she was adamant, she said she would wait for you and your father to come..she said she couldn't leave the people of the Gupta empire..she thought if she left,Devadatta wouldn't let anyone live,I couldn't convince her.. now she got imprisoned... my beloved daughter.. hope she is ok.. ' the old man broke down..

Pinaka pacified him, he said, 'her difficulties will come to an end shortly Grand father, peace will prevail again in Gupta empire.. I will make sure of it.. '

Emperor Krishna Chandra too arrived, he met Samyukta and got an update of what was happening.. then he went and met the old emperor Kailash Nanda, the old emperor thanked Krishna Chandra for taking care of his grandson. He was very happy hearing about the marriage proposal of Samyukta and Pinaka.. he highly approved Samyukta.. he even said that empress Chandramathi would be thrilled to have Samyukta as her daughter in law..

Both the emperors decided to send a messenger to inform Devadatta about their arrival,.. and to seek justice to Pinaka and the people of the Gupta empire..

Pinaka was also happy that two mighty emperors stood with him.. he thought it would be easier now to face Devadatta, but Devadatta was a poisonous serpent, he removed the empress from the prison and moved her to another place.. no one knew where he moved her except for his loyals.. Devadatta understood that there were Pinaka's spies in the palace..

This was a major shock to the old emperor Kailash Nanda.. he felt that his coming here has endangered his daughter's life.. he was nervous and tensed, Pinaka and Krishna Chandra pacified him.. the situation was becoming more and more tense..

People got angered listening to the antics of Devadatta.. they were loyal to the emperor Surya Gupta,, hence in his absence they didn't want to rebel or else the empress might be implicated.. but now the situation was becoming worse..

The state of affairs was deteriorating.. the city Council met Pinaka and they declared their loyalty to emperor Surya Gupta.. except for the army of the state and few court officials.. everyone was on Pinaka's side..