Preparations for Marriage

Princess Samyukta was strolling in the Royal garden.. she liked the garden area here very much.. some of the plants which were here were not available in Magadha empire.. she loved to clear the weeds, cut and prune the leaves and remove the dead twigs.. the gardener came running.. he said, 'your highness if someone would see you getting your hands dirty.. I will lose my job.. ' Samyukta smiled and said, 'I like this.. don't worry..'

she continued her gardening work..

She remembered her father's words that she had the ability to speak to animals and plants.. that time she spoke to the lion in the forest of Chitrakuta.. she couldn't forget that moment.. she was alone once again and looked at a beautiful blooming rose and said, 'you are beautiful.. ' as she said that a happy thought entered her mind.. she looked at a weed and said, 'you are ugly.. ' a sad thought filled her mind.. she was taken aback, she thought she was losing her mind.. she repeated the same with few flowers and plants.. everytime she spoke there was a thought filling her mind.. no words.. she understood that the plants were communicating with her telepathically.. she felt amazed.. but reserved the thought of revealing this to anyone else..

Preparations for their marriage started, the day was supposed to be on the seventh day of Dusshera.the auspicious day of Saptami (7th day of Indian calendar).. Empress Chandramathi (Pinaka's mother) summoned the Royal gold Smith, she called Samyukta and her mother to choose the Jewels.. Samyukta's choice was very simple.. but both her mother and mother in law were insisting on heavy jewellery since she is of the Royal family..

The same went with clothes.. silk sarees adorned with Gold and Silver threads, embedded with precious stones were brought over.. each saree weighed around 25-30kgs with all that detailed work.. Samyukta was always a lady who had simple choices.. she asked her mother to choose something appropriate for her and left.. both the empresses smiled at each other.. they didn't mind it..

As the auspicious day was approaching, the security tightened across the city.. Pinaka was becoming nervous.. so was Samyukta... the Royal family relatives started arriving.. they were housed in the Royal guest house.. Samyukta had two elder sisters.. one elder sister Radhika was seven months pregnant, so she couldn't travel.. her second sister Chandrika came.. both of them were married into Maurya dynasty (empress Padmini's family before marriage).. the Maurya dynasty established their empire in the southern part of India..

The Nanda Dynasty members (Pinaka's maternal grand father's dynasty)too came to witness Pinaka's marriage.. foster parents of Pinaka arrived.. as soon as he saw them coming, he ran towards them and hugged them.. his foster mother cried.. she said, 'you forgot me.. you didn't come and see us.. ' Pinaka said, 'mother.. please don't cry.. I am your son.. no matter what.. no one can take me away from you.. ' his foster father patted his shoulder..

Emperor Surya Gupta and Empress Chandramathi (birth parents) came to receive Pinaka's foster parents.. both of them folded their hands in Namaste and thanked them for bringing up Pinaka.. their foster parents were taken aback.. empress said, 'I lost my son during early days of birth.. you are the mother he knew from then... thank you for caring for him like your son.. I can't repay your debt.. we will be indebted to both of you forever.. we request you to join our Royal family and stay with us to take care of Pinaka.. you will be our family from now.. ' emperor Surya Gupta said, 'yes.. whatever we do.. it would fall short in front of the care and warmth you gave to Pinaka.. please accept our proposal.. ' Pinaka's foster father said, 'great emperor and empress.. we thank you for the proposal.. but kindly forgive us... we are from the veera dynasty.. we are bound by the words of our ancestor... we must always be the ones protecting the Magadha Royal family... it's our duty.. ' Pinaka said, 'ok.. let's take some time to think about it.. for now let's all retire... I will show you your residence.. ' he said holding the hands of his foster parents.. his birth parents sighed in their heart.. the Pinaka they know is a well matured grown up man.. they missed the phase of his naughty and innocent childhood which his foster parents witnessed..

Meanwhile in the mountain pass of Hindukush mountains.. there was a sudden moment behind Badshah Khan.. someone shot a dagger.. it landed few inches away from Badshah Khan.. a hoarse male voice said, 'stop in your tracks now.. or else the next dagger will land in your neck.. '