Day before Journey

Training grounds of Purana Qila, Delhi, 27th February 1557.

Aditya stood amidst the sprawling training grounds, his gaze scanning the rows of soldiers with a mixture of feelings.

His newly designed general uniform, an elegant fusion of Japanese and German styles on regional attire, shimmered in the morning light, its intricate patterns and flowing blue cape setting him apart from the ranks.

Despite the grandeur of his attire, a shadow of sorrow lingered on Aditya's face, a silent testament to the troubling news he had received from his friend Bheem earlier that day.

5000 soldiers stood before him, arranged in five columns, each column representing a battalion of 1000 soldiers. At the forefront of each column stood stern-faced colonels, their swords gleaming at their hands as they directed their troops to adjust positions, saluting him as Aditya passed through their column.

Clad in modern blue uniforms, the soldiers bore either muskets or repeating crossbows based on their expertise, their weapons poised and ready which gave a formidable display of military might.

As Aditya ended the survey of last battalion, he got distracted by his own worry.

"Raamya... I hope you are alright." He whispered to himself with a heavy sigh as he pressed his temples,.

Colonel Ratnakar approached cautiously, noticing the prince's troubled demeanour.

"Your Highness, Is everything alright?" he asked with concern.

Aditya forced a tight-lipped smile, attempting to mask his inner turmoil.

"Just a minor distraction, Colonel," he replied, gently nodding. "Carry on with the drills."

As the colonel returned to his duties, Aditya's troubled gaze lingered on the horizon, his mind consumed by worries for his beloved.

Amidst this final training session, butler Hari Singh approached him with his grandfather Chandrasekhar and a royal guard clad in armour. Hari Singh's bowed to Aditya as he reported the arrival of the esteemed guests along with him. 

"Your Highness, Prime Minister Chandrasekhar and Commander Ujjwal Singh have arrived to see you off." 

Aditya turned to greet them, though the effort of his smile betrayed his inner turmoil. "Your grace .. Welcome. I'm honored by your presence," he maintained his etiquette, as he looked at the soldier in armour for introduction.

However, Prime Minister Chandrasekhar's warm smile offered a brief respite to Aditya as he continued with his informal tone. "Son, you look quite a dignified leader in this new uniform. It's a change I like a lot," he remarked as his eyes glinted with approval.

Aditya's nodded humbly. "Thank you, Grandfather. I thought a fresh look might inspire the troops," though his voice carried a hint of uncertainty due to his foul mood.

Chandrasekhar's gaze lingered on Aditya for a while as he shared his opinion.

"Indeed. Perhaps we should consider a similar dress code for the imperial army," he mused.

Aditya's agreed with a genuine smile. "If this is your wish , then it shall be done. It would increase the standard of our forces and boost their morale."

Chandrasekhar then turned his attention to Commander Ujjwal Singh, who stood tall and confident beside him. "Let me introduce you to our trusted royal guard. This is Commander Ujjwal Singh, who will accompany you to Rewari," he announced, his voice carrying the gravitas of command.

Commander Ujjwal Singh's gave a respectful bow, while maintaining his unwavering gaze.

"Your Highness, it is an honor. With me and my unit, you need not worry about any trouble," 

Aditya's gaze flickered to the commander as he felt amused by his confidence.

"I trust in your capabilities, Commander," he replied with a light tone, filled with doubt.

Hari Singh's voice broke through the conversation, drawing attention to the task at hand.

"Your highness, the carts with new weapons are ready. The royal guards are stationed outside the fort," he informed as a reminder of the preparations underway.

Aditya nodded in acknowledgment. "Let's inspect them."

As they made their way outside, Bhaskar, approached with a detailed report in hand. With a deep bow, he delivered the information.

"Your Highness, we have prepared 500 carts for the journey," he began, his voice steady. "There are 200 carts of Hwachas artillery, 50 carts for rocket artillery stands, and 100 carts filled with 1000 Mysorean rockets. Additionally, 50 carts carry 2000 lantern shields, and the rest contain 500 repeating crossbows, ammunitions and enough supplies for the two-day journey," he replied with thoroughness of preparation.

Aditya's raised eyebrow in surprise. "That's quite a scale, Bhaskar. Well done."

Prime Minister Chandrasekhar's concern was palpable as he addressed Aditya once more. "Aditya, are you sure this support army is sufficient? The tension in Rewari is growing." 

Aditya's response was swift and informal this time.

"Grandpa, no one would dare challenge the might of our empire. With the royal guard and my personal escort army, we will overcome any hurdle."

Commander Ujjwal Singh's smirk did not escape Aditya's notice, and he turned his gaze to the commander, his curiosity piqued. "Commander, is there something you wish to share?"

Ujjwal Singh's responded with a measured but deliberate words. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I believe this large support army might slow us down. My new recruits are highly trained and can handle five of your soldiers each.

Muskets are ineffective in close quarters or sudden ambushes. I advise taking fewer men," he blurted his inner thoughts all while trying to be respectful. 

Aditya's eyes narrowed as he gave a death stare to commander for wounding his pride. "Are you implying my troops are inferior?"

Ujjwal Singh's replied with a straight face. "I mean no disrespect, Your Highness. These peasants and laborers, are from lower caste best suited to till their lands, even if they are trained for centuries, their lack of brain power will eventually pull down whole army and that might be a disaster. There's a reason our ancestors have barred them from taking part as higher role in army."

Aditya's gave a thoughtful reply as he closed his hands behind his back. "Very well, Commander. Let's have a duel; one of your recruits against one of my soldiers. If you're so confident, let's see whose training prevails," 

A murmur of excitement rippled through the soldiers as they prepared for the impromptu duel, eager to witness the clash of skills and pride. Aditya's command rang out across the open grounds.

"Prepare the ground! Let's see who truly deserves to lead."

The stage was set for a duel that would determine the supremacy of the two units, and with it, the trust in Aditya's command.

In the prepared space of open fields, two warriors faced each other, poised for a duel that would determine their skills and fate. Puneet, a newly recruited soldier but exceptionally well-trained in bayonet melee tactics, stood with his rifle in hand, without the bayonet.

Opposite him was Digvijay, another new recruit from royal guards, who had been hastily chosen for this fight.

He held a spear and a shield, the traditional weapons of a seasoned warrior.

Watching from a shaded tree were Prince Aditya, his grandfather, royal guard commander Ujjwal Singh and colonel Manish .

Aditya's eyes sparkled with anticipation, knowing that while Digvijay was brave and eager, he lacked the comprehensive training that Puneet possessed.

The royal guard commander, however, firmly believed in Digvijay's potential and supported him with unwavering confidence while colonel Manish maintained professional discipline and showed no emotions.

Watching both of their demeanors, Chandrasekhar got a vague idea of how each unit was trained. He couldn't help but feel more excited to see if his grandson's training was really worth it and could be applied to the imperial corps as well.

He cant help but still tilt a bit in favour of Aditya's candidate, but maintained stoic demeanour to support his trusted royal guard 

"Begin!"

As the duel began, Puneet observed Digvijay advancing cautiously, holding his spear aimed at his chest and shield raised protectively. Puneet's calm and focused demeanor contrasted sharply with Digvijay's nervousness.

The spear's long reach and the shield's defensive capability gave Digvijay a theoretical advantage. Puneet, however, held his rifle ready, his continuous training putting him at ease while the royal guard sweated under the watchful eyes.

Digvijay thrust his spear forward, attempting to keep Puneet at bay. Puneet sidestepped the attack with swift agility and made a sudden dash forward, closing the distance faster than Digvijay expected.

Startled, Digvijay tried to bring his shield up and thrust again, but he was already within the range of Puneet's rifle.

Without a second day, Puneet swung his rifle like a club, the buttstock aimed at Digvijay's shield.

'BAM!'

The impact was solid, and though the shield absorbed most of the blow, it forced Digvijay back, disrupting his stance. Puneet used this moment to press his advantage, moving to spear man's side where the spear was less effective.

Digvijay swung his spear in a wide arc, hoping to catch Puneet while struggling to keep his shield up, but Puneet ducked under the swing and delivered a sharp jab with the rifle's barrel to Digvijay's exposed ribs.

'Crack!'

The strike was precise and powerful, causing Digvijay to stagger in pain. Before the poor spear man could recover, Puneet swept his legs out from under him with a quick low kick. The young spearman fell to the ground, his spear and shield clattering beside him.

Puneet quickly positioned the rifle's barrel against Digvijay's throat, signalling the end of the duel.

"YIELD!"

Puneet commanded.

Digvijay, breathing heavily and with no way to counter, nodded. "I yield."

Prince Aditya clapped his hands, a satisfied smile on his face. "Well done, Puneet!"

The outcome was a clear victory for Aditya's chosen candidate, which thrashed the royal guard rookie one-sidedly.

Ujjwal Singh lost his cool and protested, "That's a folly! He won by luck. An experienced guy would have given him a shield bash at close proximity."

At this point, Chandrashekar couldn't contain his laughter as he replied, "My friend, you have provided your services for such a long time, it's the first time I've seen you flustered. So, you wish to go back on your words?"

Ujjwal Singh realized his mistake and apologized to the prince by bowing on one knee and clenching his fist.

"Your Highness, I am ashamed that I tried to judge the book by its cover. I forgot that even a stone rubbed a thousand times becomes sharper than a knife. I will accept any command you see fit for the journey."

Aditya nodded, pleased by this sudden outcome. He then turned to his grandfather and touched his feet in a gesture of final farewell.

"Vijayee bhava!(Be victorious!)

As Aditya parted with his soldiers, Chandra Shekhar watched him until he and his army disappeared from view.

He was reminded of his own son's days of military campaigns. Suddenly, he looked to the sky, trying to control his tears, clutching his heart throbbing in pain.

He felt something ominous and began chanting the Mrityunjaya Mantra, (prayer to God Shiva for longevity) to Lord Rudra, hoping for his grandson's safety.

Now, only time will tell if his prayers actually reached the doors of the esteemed deity.

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