Chapter 16-Waiting

A faint wind flowed through garden and flowers was keep falling on them continuously. Queen watched this happily but Subha was looking at elsewhere with absent mind. After noticing this queen asked "Your majesty is there any problem?"

"Oh! What was my queen asked?" king asked from queen while getting his sense.

"I wanted to ask that if you are in problem, your majesty."

"No. There is no problem." Subha replied to the queen while avoiding the queen's eyes from meeting his eyes.

"I know you are telling lie. You have some problems. Tell me, what is your problem?"

"You know what my problem is."

"Yes, I know "the queen replied and looked at him concerned way. Queen knew the king was facing troubles. She was seen how the king became restless and act in a rash due to these troubles recently. Also, she experienced how he lost his nights of sleep due to these troubles. She knew he came here because this was the only way remained for him to keep his mind calm.

"Your majesty, I have to say something. "the queen told to Subha. After hearing this king said," My queen what you want to say?"

"Your majesty, please think calmly. Early you controlled the country well. But you have changed your way after hearing the prophecy said by that soothsayer. Think if your majesty had not taken this prophecy into account, there may not this kind of displeasure from every side. There will be no rising of gangsters or robbers here and there. After you changed sometimes you act rashly. You have punished people without much concerning facts. As well as you have reduced helping common people and not much carefully treated bhikkus' in country. Not only that your order to kill Vasambha namesake made huge protest in country. I know that everyone is afraid to die. But isn't Lord Buddha said' everything in universe is not constant. All things are changing. So live in good way while knowing   this situation is best victory of person'. So, I think you should not worry about these prophecies anyways"

"Are you saying I am wrong now? Do you know that there is a large gangster group in Ruhuna which has nearly amount of royal army? But we have not found who is their leader, or what they are planning. Are you telling taking action against them is wrong? Also, there are local rulers in several areas who do not obey my rule. Do you say giving a warning to them is wrong? Also, some people make some disturbance here and there. Is giving punishment wrong? Bhikkus in every religious place are not treating me well, because they say I am misusing my power and not governing the country well. You are telling the same now. Isn't it? "Subha asked while venting his anger that trapped in his heart long time.

"Your majesty, I am not telling like that. I want to tell you when you make a judgment calmly investigate things first. If local rulers give some headaches you can give some advantages to people living in these areas, while reducing the popularity of those people. Also in gangster problems, you can use this too. If those group harbour ill intentions, you can deal with them directly. As well as I think your majesty if you cancel the death order you given to kill Vasambha namesake and work in more religious works, then you can get away this displeasure from common people and Bhikkus'."

"What are you saying? You tell me to cancel death order! Then what about my life? Is it not valuable?" Subha said madly.

"Your majesty..."  queen said in wronged manner.

"Stop! Don't say any other thing. I am leaving "Subha said angrily and left queen alone under the tree.

Queen looked at the man who departed just now with concerned manner.

--

A young man sitting on a large stone and watching sky quietly. At that time a person who wearied old clothe set came near to him. But someone looked carefully this clothe set , there could found this cloth set once was a luxurious Persian cloth set. That man said, "Lord, why are you here?"

"Oh! Why are you here?"

"Recently I heard your team is hiding in protective places and not taking any action. It started after when captain Sankha came to Ruhuna. So, many thought you are afraid to meet them. But some time after people got news your influence growth to the middle of the country. So they removed that idea but could not assume the right reason to not meet Captain Sankha. Within these three months, you are not fighting with them only do hide or retreat to safe places. When looking at the situation I thought your lordship may facing some problems. But seeing your lordship very vigorously I think you're waiting for something. So, why are you lordship waiting for? Your army is well trained. A lot of areas in Ruhuna are now under the control of your lordship. So, why are you waiting to meet him? Is there anything to make happen? "

Vasambha looked at this man cautiously but never anything. At that time one man came near to him and told " Chief, county chiefs of Sanaragamuwa, Kothmalaya, Kaluweli Danawwa, Uva , Badulla have sent their letters to us accepting our dominance in their areas. With these, most of Ruhuna now accept our dominance"

"Good. Send this report to others to make some small celebration in the village. Also, send all county chiefs who accepted our dominance about our rules and regulations and mention them to keep law and order well in that areas. And also not make trouble common people unnecessarily "

"Yes, chief. I will do that "

"Anyway, are there any movements on captain Sankas' side?  "

"He still try to catch up some us. But never got remarkable result yet. Also, we made him angry by giving some fake news. So he is really in angry now. So, he is trying to find our people and our places every means. For that reason he had given permission to do his army to do every aristocracy. So, people are met lot of troubles. So people are really dissatisfied with them too."

"OH! It is time to meet him .Send our brothers to make preparations for  our army to meet them at Kantakadhawara. " Vasambha ordered to man.

" Chief, I will do." The man nodded happily and ran away to another direction quickly.

"So your lord decided meet him? Then what about your lordship's identity?Are you going to revel it too "

"Yes. Now waiting time over. Now is time to attack." Vambha replied him with confident manner and looked at mountain area with hopefully.

  Sanaragamuwa, Kothmalaya, Kaluweli Danawwa, Uva , Badulla – These areas were ancient counties that belong to Principality of Ruhunu country.

Kantakadhawara – Ancient village in Sri Lanka.