Samsāra

Chapter Twenty

Book One: Ajiona

Part Two

Manipura: Imbalance

The sun rose again, adding one more dawn to the eleven months Ajiona had been trapped in the past - not that she thought that way anymore-. The sun burned away the last traces of the night, softening the sky and the mountain peaks to a bright colour of oranges and pinks. It continued its path along the sky, illuminating more, the rays becoming brighter and warming.

The gold stylised flames surmounted on the main palace appeared to be afire as the rays of sunlight touched them and moved further up, illuminating the countless statues, the gardens, sparkling upon pond waters; resting on the amalaka and the kasalam before moving onwards and onwards until it touched the training ground where Ajiona went through movements under the watchful gaze of Kattapa. Further on, the two princes practiced archery, one of them - the taller one- glancing back occasionally at the heavily perspiring girl.

Ajiona hadn't changed much in the three months that had passed. Though, under the sheen of sweat that coated her , her skin gleamed a deep golden brown. Her last injury had healed nicely but left a long jagged scar down from her shoulder to her forearm. It gave occasional twinges and throbs and ached when the weather was cold nevertheless it functioned properly.

Although she hadn't changed much physically, her workload had increased significantly over the past months. Rajamata seemed to want to solidify her position in the royal household and had expanded her training from learning the arts of noble women to her first dip into statecraft. Her lessons with Devashuni had increased significantly, they both often forayed out of her apartments and into the various departments where she met with different ministers, interviewed them and learnt some more. There were big dusty statecraft tomes to read, understand and regurgitate to Devashuni who listened, asked questions. Apart from Devashuni, her lessons with Aadarshini had increased and her new martial lessons with Kattapa and the minister of defence and security. Along with her other teachers and their lessons, Ajiona went to bed exhausted and woke barely rested. Her lessons with Kattapa battered her physically and her other lessons exhausted her mentally, she had little time for herself and spent less time at the garden.

A month ago, Rajamata told her it was time to have her household, she would have to select new handmaids, her guards, messenger and maybe spies and a head of the household. Ajiona had promptly appointed Pragya as head of her household.

‘I don't deserve the honour,’ Pragya said.

‘It's not a honour,’ Ajiona said plainly. ‘I am miserable and I want you to be miserable. Use your discretion.’

Pragya had just massaged oil into her head.

Within the next few weeks, Ajiona had a new household. The handmaids, except Mekhala, have been replaced with new ones. She had ten guards and two boys as her messengers. Pragya relayed the state of her finances and her assets when Ajiona was trying to memorise the palm leaf manuscript of nyaya shastra and at the same hand flipping through the arthashastra.

‘Hmmm,’ Ajiona said distractedly, nibbling on her low lip.

‘Your monthly income, three hundred gold Kārshāpaṇas. Your assets amount to - devi, you have to listen to this.’

‘I am, I am, I just have to focus on this.’ She gathered traced the words with her index finger, muttering under her breath. ‘When a raja finds that his enemy has fallen into trouble; that the troubles of his enemy’s subjects can by no means be remedied; that as his enemies subjects…’ her voice trailed off into silence and then she yawned.