Ashoka tells Bindu that his question’s answer is hidden in another question. Shall I? Bindu nods. Ashoka asks him what happened to him, the faith that was unshakeable on him even after Drupad’s death. You gave me a chance to explain my stance when no one believed me! Whatever I did before leaving for Takshshila you trusted me all the time. What happened once I came back from there that you doubt my every act? Where did your faith on me disappear? What have I done that I have fallen in your eyes today? Is it my crime that I chose to end Das Tradition? Is it because I made that decision on my own? It is a lie. Truth is my every decision is based on thinking what you and Acharya Chanakya would have done or told me in any particular situation. I agree I got emotional and made an announcement. But I was clear it will be finalised only after your final word. Situation got out of control before that. I took that decision for the sake of citizens.
As far as I know that is of utmost importance to you too. I never imagined that my words will be twisted before you and will make me fall down in your eyes. I understand you being upset with me. But how can you doubt Ma? Do you even know it was mother and I who were by your side all the days when you were unwell? Why do you always believe the lies which people have been telling you instead of what you see? You never discriminated earlier. You always heard both the sides before making a decision. You mistrusted me when Kaurvaki said what was in her heart. You sent me away from you. I can get you 1000 such Kalinga’s but you sent me away not as a warrior but as a bad son so I stay out of your eyes. I still did what I was told to do. The letter is fake yet you believe it not me! You dint even think to find out the truth even once? Is it not unjust? Even an ordinary person is given a chance to explain his point. Why dint you give me a chance then? You don’t trust me at all now which is why you dint let Acharya RG say anything in my favour. I would have never become a Yuvraaj if I knew what it will cost me. I cannot pay back like this.
Even a kid of Magadh understands my love and dedication for my motherland. Everyone understood that it was a sham if I spoke of surrendering! Everyone understood that I came there with a plan. My act was making the enemies believe but you also trusted it. you trusted me so much that you began to punish me before everyone. Answer me. why did you change? Are you so weak? Does it suit a King? How could you not understand it? I ask you. Is such a person right for throne? SUshim intervenes. He (Bindu) is Magadh’s Samrat before your father. Ashoka holds his hand in air to signal him to be quiet. Everyone is taken aback.
Ashoka demands for an explanation from Bindu. What did I do wrong? Don’t you love me anymore or if you also had a change of heart towards me? Did you also begin to think that a Daasi putra should not be made a Yuvraaj? Bindu holds his hand angrily. Enough! Don’t think that you will get my sympathy by saying that. Your thoughts have become so low. They hint at your downfall. You don’t want to see the problem. You have become so arrogant so as not to accept your mistake and fault. Dharma tries to say something but Bindu tells her not to intervene. Magadh’s Samrat is talking to Magadh’s Yuvraaj. He turns to Ashoka. I accept that your intentions, thoughts, dedication have been so high that you will take a stand against things you find wrong. But you react in extreme ways.
You let it stay inside if you are unable to show it. It comes out as a volcano. You break all the limits, rules, etiquettes. You think you are always right. You never question yourself. You never think that your intentions can be right but what can the result of your action bring. Your intention of ending that tradition was good but we had to pay from our treasury. We had to bear lot of problems because of the same. Kaurvaki came to lecture me. I had to be embarrassed before everyone because of your fight with Sushim. Tell me the truth now. did you attack Jagannath? Ashoka agrees. But! Bindu does not let him speak. I don’t need an answer. I know your intention would be right but you don’t have the patience that a Yuvraaj needs to have. I don’t doubt it now. you have such a habit of being right that you lose control when you do something wrong. This hints at the arrogance which does not suit a Yuvraaj. A Nayak should be patient. If your behaviour remains the same then the dream of united India will also break apart. Giving you rights is equal to giving a wrong person a stone. I agree I was angry with you but my decision has no relation to it now.
I have thought to do a favour on you and Magadh by removing you from your position. Sushim, Charu and Mahamatya are happy. Bindu makes a legal announcement of the same. Ashoka is only my son from today onwards and not a Yuvraaj. Not just this, I end this competition of Yuvraaj. I announce that there wont be any Yuvraaj till my death in Patliputra. Neither you nor Sushim! Everyone is taken aback. I will decide it on my death bed as to who to make Samrat after me. Till then I will take all the decisions. It is sad as I have no option. He walks out of the courtroom. Everyone leaves except Ashoka and Sushim. Sushim glares at Ashoka. They both look at the throne.
Shubhrasi comes to Bindu’s room. She requests him to allow her to have a Ramayana paath tomorrow onwards. He agrees. She goes. He prays that everything that is good for Magadh should happen tomorrow.
Sushim is irked with his mother for trusting tantric. He said so much but nothing happened. tantric comes there. I still say the same thing. sushim greets him. no one will be made Yuvraaj now as per father’s orders. Tantric remarks how max people back down when something goes wrong. Did you think you will become a Yuvraaj when you came here for the first time? Sushim denies. Tantric asks about the situation now. Don’t you realise how situation turned against him? Sushim says he never gives up. He comes back as a bigger and better competitor every time. I fear that father might announce Ashoka as his heir (to the throne). Tantric says Ashoka wont be here for long so how will he become the heir. He is only a guest of few days in Patliputra. You will see his downfall soon. Sushim is curious. Tantric says time will tell.
Kaurvaki is unable to sleep. She dreams of Ashoka in some problem (getting whipped by someone like in reality). She wakes up screaming. Her Daasi Bela comes there. Kaurvaki is worried for Ashoka. His life is in danger. Something is about to go wrong. Bela says it was dream. Don’t take his name or Maharaj will punish you. Kaurvaki is helpless. He is before my eyes when I close them. I look for him as soon as I open them. I am not with him but I am living for him only. I have to meet him to make sure he is fine. I have to get out of here somehow. Bela calls it impossible. Kaurvaki says I have decided it already. I only have to put it in practise.
The Ramayana paath starts in Patliputra. Sushim keeps thinking of Tantric’s words. How will Ashoka get out of my life? Shubhrasi reads Ramayana aloud for everyone. Whoever follows dharma does not care for fame or name. Those who plot against good people are fools. Good people who take wrong decisions under wrong influence will soon realise the right and wrong. Evil people cannot survive for long even after gaining everything. Charu and Sushim look at each other. Shubhrasi continues. People have to pay for their sins soon. Acharya RG looks at Mir and Nicator’s dead body. Acharya Chanakya was right that Khurasani and Unani cannot be anyone’s friends ever. His soul must be in peace today. A soldier hands him a small piece of paper.
Acharya RG shows the paper to Ashoka. We found it from Mir’s clothes. Someone sent Mir a map of our new secret tunnel. Ashoka deduces that some insider is involved. Only two people here know Unani language – Rajmata Helena and Siamak.
Siamak meets Helena in jail. Siamak is angry that both Mir and Nicator were killed. God saved you and spared me from becoming an orphan. She talks of the irony. My enemy forgave me. Siamak wonders how Ashoka backed down. Helena says he pitied me. My own father told Ashoka he can kill me. It dint take him even a second to say so. Ashoka could kill me then. He knows everything that I have done against him till date yet he forgave me. His own mother’s life was in danger back then who is his world. I couldn’t understand it but that one moment (when Ashoka called Helena his Rajmata and how Mata’s are respected in India and not hurt) made me realise that it is the strength of these Indians which we thought to be their weakness. Relations, upbringing, traditions are only a words for us but it is their life. This palace accepts everyone as its own if you accept it properly. I tell you to accept your place here with this family. Become their family member.
Acharya RG knows the particular way in which Helena writes. Ashoka recognizes the handwriting to be Siamak’s. I saw him writing.
Siamak asks Helena if she has gone mad. You speak in Ashoka’s favour today just because he saved you once. I cannot do it! You will have to find another option. She says I have given up. There is no option or plan now. I cannot think even as I am tired of it all. We will have to end it here only. He refuses to do so. My parents were killed. How can I forget it? She suggests him to go to Macadonia in case he cannot forget it. He calls her coward like Maurya’s. There is Khurasani and Unani blood in my veins. I will seek revenge. No one will be able to stop me now, not even you. Helena tries to stop him but he walks out. Ashoka hears them from outside. Helena says it isn’t your fault Siamak. You have Unani blood in your veins after all! You have Justin’s blood. Ashoka is stunned.
Ashoka blocks Siamak’s way. He show the paper to Siamak who recognizes it. what do you know about it? Siamak says it seems to be some royal paper. He begins to walk away but Ashoka follows him angrily. He pushes Siamak towards the wall. Why were you running away and from whom? Do you know something that you want to hide? What do you know about the paper? Siamak acts innocent. Ashoka speaks of the handwriting. Siamak says it might be mine but I dint tell anyone about the secret tunnel. Ashoka points out that he dint say it was about the secret tunnel. Why were you supporting our enemies in that war? Sushim and I were trying out best to save father. where were you? You were with our enemies even after knowing all that they have done against us. How can you support them for your greed for throne?
I understand Sushim’s eagerness for the throne as he is the elder son but you? You are a very big stain in the name of Maurya’s. He begins to slap Siamak continuously. Siamak pushes him away. I can never be a stain on Maurya’s name as I am not from there. I was involved in Bindu’s death plan but he is actually the killer of my father Justin. Ashoka is stunned. Siamak says I had no other option. Till when will I bear this injustice? My mother could not get love from Bindu because of your mother. She was disrespected because of your mother. You would have set the world on fire if it had happened with your mother. I only took revenge. Ashoka says you could have done it openly. You have backstabbed everyone. You plotted against us. It isn’t your fault but the fault of the blood in your veins. You lied to everyone till now but I will bring your truth out. We have already made a mistake once of feeding our milk to snakes but not again. He hits Ashoka on his head and runs calling for Bindu. Ashoka chases him.
Shubhrasi ends the first chapter. Siamak comes to Bindu to request him to save him from Ashoka. He wants to kill me.
Shubhrasi resumes reading.
Bindu questions Ashoka. It is become your habit to be a hindrance in every good deed. Ashoka says you don’t trust me but you do trust Sushim. An insider informed Khurasani’s about the secret tunnel. He was right. Ashoka shows him the paper. It was found in Mir’s clothes. Bindu says it is written in Unani language. Ashoka says it is written by Siamak. He asks Siamak to tell truth to everyone now. Siamak accepts writing it. Everyone is shocked.