The Approach to Patliputra

Vikram era:-6 Shraavana 1626 (15 JULY 1569), near BIYAPUR

The royal caravan continued its journey, the sun casting long shadows as it began its descent. The queen, Nayana Pala Gupta, smiled as she listened to the conversation between Sonakshi and Vardhaman. Suddenly, she noticed something and beckoned Sonakshi closer, whispering in her ear. Sonakshi nodded in understanding and turned back to Vardhaman, who looked concerned.

"Is everything alright with her majesty?" Vardhaman asked, his brows furrowed. "Is she uncomfortable or in need of something?"

Sonakshi smiled reassuringly. "No, Vardhaman. She just had a small query, nothing to worry about."

Relieved, Vardhaman nodded. "I see. If there's anything she needs, please let me know immediately."

"Of course," Sonakshi replied. "By the way, where are we exactly, and how much longer until we reach our destination?"

Vardhaman glanced at the surrounding landscape. "We've just passed Biyapur village. It's still a 6-7 hour journey to the capital fortress. We'll stop for the night at the Danapur training grounds and fortress on the outskirts of Patliputra. It would be dangerous to travel through the night, so we'll cover the remaining distance in the morning. The queen should reach the fortress by late morning or early afternoon."

Sonakshi nodded, taking in the information. Her eyes then fell on the equipment Vardhaman was carrying. "That's quite an impressive array of weapons you have there, Vardhaman. Can you tell me more about them?"

Vardhaman smiled, ready to explain. "As you know, the royal guards here form a brigade-sized force of 2,000 men. Among them, we have 500 pike and shield men who excel in a tight, protective formation. This formation is highly effective against both firearms and melee attacks. Then there are 500 musketeers equipped with the latest development from our artificers—the flintlock Vajra breech-loading rifle. It's a remarkable weapon, though too expensive for the wider army, so it's been issued primarily to the royal guards."

He paused to let Sonakshi absorb the information before continuing. "We also have 500 melee troops, armed with short spears, maces, and swords. The remaining 250 soldiers handle logistical support, command, and garrison duties. And of course, we have our artillery officers, who man the Sanghuasi rocket carts."

Sonakshi's eyes widened in admiration. "That's quite an impressive and well-organized force. It's reassuring to know her majesty is so well-protected."

Vardhaman nodded. "Indeed. Our primary duty is to ensure her majesty's safety and the security of the empire. We take that responsibility very seriously."

Inside his mother's womb, Siddharth was growing increasingly anxious about the crimson red dots he could see on his minimap. These ominous markers indicated a potential threat, and he knew he had to find a way to warn the outside world. After mulling it over, he realized that he could use his position within his mother's womb to get the message across. An idea formed, accompanied by an intense sense of guilt. He began to kick the walls of the womb in a rhythmic manner, hoping to convey that something was wrong and it wasn't just random movement.

Outside, Vardhaman was deep in conversation with Sonakshi when he noticed the unusual kicking. "Strange," he muttered. "Our scout force hasn't returned from their patrol. They were sent with a message of our arrival a few hours ago." His thoughts were interrupted by slight grunts and moans from the queen's carriage.

Concerned, Vardhaman approached the carriage. "Your Majesty, is everything alright?" he asked, fearing the queen might be going into labor.

Sonakshi peeked out and reassured him, "It's just the little prince being naughty, kicking her majesty."

Relieved, Vardhaman nodded but couldn't shake off a growing sense of unease. Being a religious man, he believed in the old saying that children were divine messengers. He felt something was amiss. Trusting his instincts, he decided to take action and stopped the procession.

He walked briskly to the rear of the convoy, where the commander, Shantaghna, was surrounded by women. Shantaghna was a fair-skinned, brown-haired giant of a man who struggled with horseback riding and traveled in a carriage instead. 

As Vardhaman approached, he saw Shantaghna's true nature on full display. The commander was making lewd comments and crude jokes, his hands constantly roaming over the servant girls around him.

Shantaghna's hand lingered on a young maid's waist as he pulled her closer, whispering something vulgar that made her cheeks flush with embarrassment and fear. He then reached over to another girl, squeezing her and laughing at her discomfort. "What lovely "fruits" you have," he sneered, squeezing her even more painfully. "Meet me tonight in my tent, and I promise you a night you'll never forget."

The women around him laughed nervously, clearly uncomfortable but unable to protest due to his high status. As he enjoyed grapes fed to him by a different girl, Shantaghna continued his lewd remarks. "Ah, last night was quite the adventure," he boasted, his voice loud and boastful. "I had twins yesterday, and they couldn't get enough of me. They were begging for more by the end!"

The women around him giggled and moaned, trying to mask their discomfort with forced laughter. Shantaghna reveled in their unease, enjoying the power he held over them.

"Commander Shantaghna!" Vardhaman called out, interrupting the unpleasant scene.

Shantaghna looked up, irritated. "What is it, Vardhaman?"

"Our scouts haven't returned, and I have a bad feeling about this," Vardhaman explained. "I think we should be cautious."

Shantaghna dismissed him with a wave. "The scouts are probably just delayed. We should make haste to reach our destination."

Vardhaman insisted, "But commander, there's something off. We should at least prepare for any potential threat."

Shantaghna grumbled, "Fine, if it will ease your mind. But we're not stopping."

After a heated discussion, they reached a compromise. Vardhaman was allowed to arrange half of the force from the marching formation into a battle formation. Annoyed but conceding, Shantaghna gave the order.

Vardhaman quickly took command, arranging the mixed battle formation with alternating lines of pike infantry, musketeer infantry, and melee infantry. He also instructed the artillery corps to prepare the Sanghuasi rocket carts in case of an attack. Despite being on a main route near a city, reports of suspicious movements the previous day warranted caution.

As the preparations were underway, Vardhaman spotted a wounded soldier on horseback approaching the caravan. Recognizing him as the leader of the scout group, Vardhaman rushed to catch him as he nearly fell off the horse.

"Quick, get him some aid!" Vardhaman ordered. After some quick first aid, the scout leader gasped out his report. "There's a large force ahead on the road. They have crossbows, heavy ballistas on carts, and they ambushed us. I couldn't gauge their numbers, but they're heavily armed and have horses."

Vardhaman's heart sank. "Did they follow you?"

The scout nodded weakly. "Yes, but they gave up after 15 minutes."

Everyone was shocked. Who would dare launch such an attack deep in imperial territory? However, they had no choice but to proceed. Detours were too long for the stamina and health of the pregnant queen, who could not endure additional stress.

Vardhaman tightened his grip on his sword. "Prepare yourselves. We'll have to move carefully and be ready for anything."

As the caravan resumed its journey with heightened vigilance, Siddharth, still inside his mother's womb, hoped that his desperate kicks had conveyed the urgency of the situation.