Chapter 11- Showing the Directons

It was three months since both escaped couple came to Karinda river area. But they never stay in one place more than two weeks for safety matters. When they travelled through mountain road they had to find wild vegetables and fruits to get supple. Theros of Mahavihara had given rice, cheese and butter that enough for several days while milk filled with Labu-Kataya and bag full fruits before they get off from the cart they travelled.  But when they took several detours to arrive at a certain mountain path, most of rations were ended up already. So they had to find foods on the way while they were travelling. Sometimes they found mushrooms on the way but they had to wait till animals eat them or not while it proven they not poisonous or not. Also Vasambha made traps near the area that they stopped due to afraid being happening some accident to Poththa if he left her long distance and killed some small animals for their food like rabbits and wild chickens. After they came higher region of the Karinda river area, they found a small village and were told to give some space to live them. As being honest people they give some old house to live them without asking some questions. So, they started to live there and Vasambha went to help farms and paddy fields during this time. With this work, they fulfilled their food and both Vasambha and Poththa started to rekindle their feeling for each other.

After a month or sometime after some villagers suspected of this couple. Especially with the physique of Vasambha, it was really hard to hide their identities no matter what. So they doubted and tried to find their identities. After getting signs of these Vasambha decided to leave the village and went another distance village far away from the previous. With being learning the lesson, he not decide to stay in this village for a long time and decided to work as a helper for a smith worker. After staying here for nearly one or two-week the young couple decided to move to another village that was far away from the previous ones. For safety reasons both of them used different names every time they went to a village and Vasambha decided to let Poththa worn male clothes like being a Jatila when they travelled for preventing identifying both of them accidentally. As well as he decided to make plans for their travelling too. He decided to let Poththa to travel on foot roads they decided to travel while he travel in the jungle some certain distance so that he could protect other timely and scout the way ahead to find conditions of the way. When the village became near, first they change their clothes and made the appearance of poor villagers by wearing very coarse clothes. But all the plans were interrupted by a certain incident. They found out Poththa was pregnant for nearly a month when they stay in their third destination.

So they decided to act as two Jatilas for time being when travelling. After leaving the third village both travelled a slow way due to  afraid of being hurt womb by any accident. So they could only cover near half of the distance they cover on another day on this day.

"Brother Vasambha, Is the village very far?"

"Not far. Are you tired, Poththa?"

"Not tired, brother. Let's go"

"No. It is not good. Let's take some rest under that tree."

"Okay, brother" Poththa said and sit under the shade of a large tree that was located on the way. After seeing the condition of Poththa, Vasambha gave a Labu- Kataya which was filled with water to her and she started to drink it. "Poththa, it is going to dark. Let's find a house near the area. So village being near, there should be house in there nearby. So can you stay here a little time? I surely come here quickly."

"Brother Vasambha, please take care" Poththa. After hearing it Vasambha nodded at her and went to scout to find a house. After some time he came again to that tree and said "Poththa, there is a house in the east in ten or twenty feet safer. I think someone is living here too. So let's go there and get some help from them." 

"Yes brother" Poththa said and both went in the direction of the house. This house was a somewhat old house that showed signs of not being repaired for a long time. But there was shown a sign of someone was residing there. So  couple went there and tucked the door of the house while asking anyone living in there. Sometime after there was heard a weak sound inside the house that replied to them "Whose there? Wait, I am coming."  After that door of the house opened and  couple looked at the man in the house. That man showed the age passing middle age and showed a pleasant smile to the couple outside the house. "Elder, we are poor people. Our village was robbed by some thieves and after looting they burned it. We had lost our family, home and everything. We are travelling to find a place to live safely. But the night is coming. So we want to find some safe place to stay this night. Can you give us space to stay for one night?"

"It's okay. Come inside." Elder said and turned into the house to make way for guests. At that time couple saw this person was contaminated with serious rash. So they both become afraid after seeing this, due to make harm in womb if they stayed. So Vasambha said," Thank you elder for giving space. We have to forgotten get something on the way. We will come here after getting it" and tried to get away from the house. At that moment elder said, "Are you going to run your whole life now?"

"What are you saying?" Vasambha shouted at the elder while trying to take the sword he had hidden in his clothes.

"Don't worry. I am not belonging to any party of those. But I can see many things more deeply than others see. See your look. Whether you change your appearance your ear lobes betray you anyway. They show your identity. The other one …appearance change is good… but if one could look carefully identify that you are a woman. So by looking at the facts that showed by you both anyone can think you are the couple who had adventure from Nagadipa general house to here."

"You are right. We are them. Why are you stopping us from moving?

"I want to ask, are you running for your whole life for being afraid of apprehending? "

"What do you mean by this."

"I want to ask are you running your whole life or fighting back against them." Elder said and the couple exclaimed to hear this. "What?" Vasambha asked.

"Isn't you wanted by them because of some prophecy that claims one named Vasambha kill the king and becoming ruler of the country? Why not let it become true?"

"But…"

"Yes. You think you have nothing to start. So what? Do you know how Chandraguptha Maurya built his empire?"

"Isn't he joined with Chanakya and overthrow Nanda's rule with tactics and army"

"OH! I think you don't know the real story. When start he had nothing. After joining Chanakya he found people who were dissatisfied with Nanda's rule by his wits and following Chanakya's advise. Then he placed some of them under Nanda rule in dark to gather intelligence and make disturbances  in government. Others followed him and he expanded it into a mercenary army. Then he fought several wars and make a good attitude and powerful influence on his followers' minds. At that time Sikandar was dead due to sudden illness and the whole of his colonies and places surrendered to him faced great turmoil with that. By using the situation, he started to take down first Taxila and consolidate his power there. After that, he started to take down small weak states one by one and consolidate his power in each place and went other. At that time, he used his followers who were in dark to make disturbances in the Nanda empire to prevent their eyes move to his rapid growth of power. Then taking down northwestern Indian states and central Indian states he moved to Magadha and he and Chanakya tactically remove Nanda rule by making agreement with Amartya Rakshas. "

"So…"

"So what? What you have? You have4 many things more than Chandraguptha Maurya doesn't. You are a noble man of Lambhakanna family which is most powerful family in court.  You can get help from them. This is Ruhuna. King's influence is week in here. So use your wit and make your man in here and consolidate the power of your in there. Then get the help of common people by helping them, associating with them, and taking care of them. After that takedown village by village and consolidate power in each place strictly. Then make an army and fight against the king. At that time your family surely stand with you. At that time, it is not a problem to get the thrown on your head." Elder said.

"Elder, you are knowledgeable. You showed me the way forward. Thank you a lot" Vasambha tanked to him. Then the elder said "You have to remember whether stay or run away not stop you being hunted. If you retaliate, that time you can stop being prey. So you decide who you be. Are you being prey or are you retaliating against the hunt and fighting back."

After hearing  couple looked at the sunset on the horizon with deep thinking.

Labu-Kataya – A water bottle made by using a water gourd

Jatila – A group of people follow some philosophical ideals and wearing cowls