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The Bewildered Tale


Raman started speaking "It was the time when the Gupta empire was being ruled by Chandragupta II, no one had any complain. But in every good somewhere an evil is always hidden. 

Chandragupta II had many highly qualified people in his kingdom. But always education cannot teach the basic behavioral manners. If a person is corrupt from heart, then changing that humans brain is a difficult job. 

Ramprasad was a small peasant, but he was happy with it. His family consisted of him and his son. His wife died because of an epidemic. Bhola, the son of Ramprasad resembled the characters of his name. Though no one took unwanted advantage of Bhola but his father was a bit scared, that someday he might fall in a big trouble.

On the other hand, in the palace of the Gupta empires, a beautiful, smart, talented girl resided. She was the adopted child of the king's head servant Rajesh, her biological parents left her and migrated to some other place. Ambika, was a quite decent girl, as she was attaining the age of marriage, so her father went to the king to take valuable advice. As Ambika's upbringing was done in the palace, so the king had a special attraction with her, the king even thought Ambika as his own daughter. When Ambika's father reached the residence of king and expressed hus thoughts, Chandragupta II replied "I do not want you to get her married now, I think she must get more education, I support woman - man equality, I know you have took care of Ambika in the best way you can, you are in all terms a real father of Ambika but don't I have any right to take decision about her, she is so good in Mathematics that even she can out power many scholar's of our kingdom, I strongly believe that we must support her for further education." Rajesh was shocked after hearing king's word, he said "Other than queen no other woman in your whole kingdom is educated, will it not give rise to partiality?" King smiled and replied "She will be first and rest will follow her." Rajesh again asked "But funding, and who will take care of her in a different place." King thought for a while and then in a calm voice said "Do not think of funding, it will be provided from palace and about safety and security." He called his another servant and asked to call Ramprasad.

 Ramprasad without wasting a single moment reached king's residence. King said "Ramprasad, I heard that your son is brave, strong and child by heart but he is unemployed." Ramprasad nodded his head as a gesture of replying as yes. King continued "So I have a job for him, will he like to work as a security boy for Ambika, he will be given five gold coins at the end of every month." Ramprasad's happiness had no limit, he agreed and went back home. Ambika was also happy to know king's decision, thoughts about her.

Chandragupta II was a far seeing person, so he prepared for future, he knew that if a girl is educated then a whole society will be educated. As a far visualising person he even created many changes and reforms which were similar to modern India. Such a change was that he created a group of people who were responsible for maintaining peace and justice, similar to that of police and court of today's world. They had powers to summon and ask questions if someone registers a complain, and the head of that department was Supratik. But more than them the king trusted Bhola as he knew a person might be very pure but powers makes a person corrupt easily. So he thought rather than sending Ambika with Supratik, Bhola would be a better option.

The next day in the early morning Bhola arrived in the king's palace with a horse, they were going from Ujjain to Nalanda. Ambika from the window of her room looked at Bhola and at first sight she fell in love with him. Bhola was six feet tall, muscular body and was kind from heart. She came down and after taking the blessings from king and her parents she started the journey with Bhola. Looking at Ambika's beauty and talent he had no reaction, he behaved in a manner such that he is just a normal servant of Ambika. Even the king had warned him that if any problem occurs with Ambika he will be responsible and one mistake of him in taking proper care of Ambika will lead to his death.

Bhola walked as Ambika sat over the horse, Ambika was constantly staring at Bhola, but Bhola other than security guard had no other intentions.

As they were moving they crossed many rivers, jungles, historical monuments and finally they were about to enter the most dangerous jungles of the Gupta age, it was the jungle which was believed to have many dacoits and even some people believed that one who enters that jungle hardly survives, hence to avoid that jungle, king had constructed an underground tunnel. But it was around midnight when Ambika and Bhola reached that place and as Ambika was scared of depth so he insisted Bhola to go through the jungle. Bhola disagreed but later as Ambika ordered him to go from inside the jungle he had no options and was bound to listen to his mistress.

The jungle had the rule of Bhanupratap Singh, a cruel, arrogant and mischievous dacoit. Bhola knew that Bhanupratap and his son if finds them will never allow to leave the jungle, so he started walking very fast but as they were few kilometres away from the end of the jungle, someone from far behind shot an arrow which just landed in front of the horse, the horse shouted in panic. Bhola turned back and saw Bhanupratap along with his son and other dacoits were approaching towards them. Bhola hurriedly climbed up in the horse and grabbing Ambika tightly he started moving the horse. On the other way Bhanupratap sent his son along with some other dacoits so that they can block Bhola from going out of the jungle. Bhola's horse suddenly stopped as Bhanupratap's son Ranikya was standing just in front of Bhola. Bhola looked backed he could see nothing but could hear Bhanupratap's horse approaching. Bhola had taken just a small knife with him, as he believed that he can fight more using his hands rather than by using arms and ammunition. Ranikya gave a mischievous smile after looking at the pity condition of Bhola and said "You are being covered from all the sides, now give Ambika to me and you become our slave." Bhola replied in a deep voice "Ambika is not a thing that I will give you and once I have promised the king that I will take her to Nalanda safely, than I will do that by any means, it would be better for you if you leave my way and let us go." Ranikya listening his words got angry and ordered "Kill him." Bhola took the knife out and moving his horse faster he moved towards the end of the jungle and he pushed his knife inside everyone who tried to stop him and in this dreadful fighting Ranikya got injured badly, he cried in pain as he was bleeding profusely, the dacoits listening his voice ran towards him and between all these chase Bhola along with Ambika ran out of the jungle with there horse.

Ambika was shocked as well as impressed by Bhola's bravery but she noticed that Bhola was sad. Ambika said "I am sorry because of me we were in danger." Bhola said "No madam do not be sorry, if we would have moved through the tunnel than also we could fall in danger, as it was too late, so its clearly not your fault." Ambika said "Its not my fault, nether it was your fault and even we are safe, than why are you so sad?" Bhola in a depressed voice replied "I did not want to harm Ranikya, I just wanted to remove him from my way, but unfortunately the knife got pushed more inside him." Ambika said "Bhola, you are exactly like your name, totally innocent, he was trying to capture us and you are sad because you injured him, truly you are very different from others, now listen, it was your duty to save me and you did it, so you just followed your duty, don't be sad." Bhola smiled and they continued moving. But on the other hand due to immense bleeding Ranikya died and Bhanupratap promised to himself that he will give the same amount of pain as he has got due to his son's death to Bhola.

The next day in Ujjain king was informed that murder of someone has occurred and his special formed police team has began the investigation. Supratik, the Chief of Police and Internal Security at Ujjain, walked rapidly up to the riverside, just as the body was being fished out. The officer supervising the operation turned around and saluted his commander immediately. Even the king arrived at the spot and when the body came out it was found that the body was of Ramprasad. Everyone was shocked what can one get by killing a small peasant, rigorous investigation started and the king himself wanted to find out the fact behind such innocent killings, he was sad that his kingdom is regarded as the golden age and murders are occurring here. On the other hand when Bhola reached Nalanda he got the information about his father's murder. He was shocked even Ambika was depressed, Bhola decided to return to Ujjain immediately. When Bhola was about to leave Ambika said "Bhola, remember do not feel pain while killing the murderer of your father, use your brain and be smart and never think you are alone, I am always with you. May luck be with you." Bhola was happy to know that Ambika liked him and was with him in tough times but at the moment he could think nothing else, he was in high spirit to find the murderer. 

It took him eight days to go from Ujjain to Nalanda and the same number of days to return. Upon returning he went to the kingdom directly for justice, he said directly to the king "The man who always supported, who took the pain to give me a good life is no more, I was out from Ujjain just because of your orders now its your duty to give justice to me and hang the murderer." This was the first time when everyone saw Bhola to be so ferocious. The head of the soldiers shouted "Bhola remember you are talking to a king and you cannot speak aggressively in front of the king, its against the code of conduct of the kingdom." Chandragupta II said "Let him speak." Bhola continued "I have no intention of disrespecting you but what I need is the murderer hanged to death." King said "Come and meet me in the palace. Today's meeting ends here." As said by king Bhola goes to his mansion as he reaches the king says "Did you and Ambika reach Nalanda safely?" Bhola replied "Yes, but some dacoits created problems but we solved it and proceeded in our way." The king said "Alright, you did your duty but I could not save your father but I promise you that within a few days the culprit will be hanged to death. You better go to your home and take some rest and if you find anything strange directly inform me." Bhola had no other choice but to go home. Upon returning he missed his father very much, he recalled all the special moments that they had spent together. He regretted that if he would not have been left for Nalanda then today his father would have been alive.

After five days also no information was found about the murderer. Sad and disheartened Bhola was sitting in his Veranda when someone politely in a soft and whispering voice called Bhola. Bhola could see a girl, calling him from behind the Banyan tree which was just in front of his small hut. The girl, signalled Bhola to come near her, Bhola when came in front of her was surprised to see Ambika there, he asked "What are you doing here." Ambika said "I will tell you everything, but at first you take me inside your house hiding from others." Bhola carefully hiding from everyone's eyes took Ambika inside his hut. After getting inside Bhola closed the door and offered her a glass of water. Relaxing for sometime Ambika started speaking "Listen to me carefully, from the time you left I asked my friend to keep me updated about your father's case. When she informed me that the justice was being delayed I decided myself to get involved in this case so after spending two days in Nalanda I asked permission to take leave and alone I reached here, l am a girl but I am not weak, when my partner needs me I will have to come, I reached here yesterday and while crossing the jungle I heard Supratik's voice he was saying, "Bhola is sad and broken as you wanted and I am trying to close the case as soon as possible." Ambika continued I wanted to hear more but I was not able to do so because it was not safe to remain there for a long time." Bhola became furious after hearing that and he wanted to get out when Ambika stopped him and asked "Where are you going?" He replied "I will report everything to the king." Ambika said "No, not now it is not the right time we do not have any proofs in our hand, I have a plan, listen to me."

From the next day Bhola started working according to the plan, he used to go near the river where his father's body was found and used to spend long hours sitting near the river. Everyone used to think that as he was sad so he kept sitting alone, some talked and showed sympathy while some just passed by. He kept on doing the same thing for one week and after one week he went back to king's palace and requested him to call everyone in the court room. When the king enquired the reason Bhola replied "I want to show something to everyone in the court room."The king agreed and within one hour everyone was present in the court room." After everyone was seated the king announced "This meeting was called because Bhola requested it as he wanted to show something to everyone." Bhola began "Almost three weeks passed by, but nobody could find the murderer, though they were trying the level best, so I decided to help them. Hence I went to the place where my father's body was found and searched for something which could get me closer to the murderer. I searched but found nothing and when I was just about to loose hope I found a sword and also a ring." Everyone was shocked to hear this and when Bhola took the sword out from his bag, all the eminent people sitting in the court room recognised it as it was the sword of dacoit Bhanupratap because he used to stamp the letter B on the handle of each of his swords. The king asked his soldiers to immediately go and catch Bhanupratap, he also asked Bhola to show the ring. Bhola smiled and showed the diamond fitted S shaped ring and all went in shock as the ring belonged to Supratik. Everyone's eyes were towards Supratik and when king enquired about the truth Supratik had no way to escape so he accepted his crime. He disclosed everything what had happened that night, he said "I loved Ambika but when you sent Ambika with Bhola she fell in love with him, so I was very angry with Bhola and moreover when they were passing the jungle in a fight Bhola killed Bhanupratap's son, so Bhanupratap also wanted to take revenge, therefore Bhanupratap planned of killing Bhola's father so that Bhola also suffers the same pain of losing someone close to heart and my advantage would be that Bhola would return from Nalanda so he will not get time to spent with Ambika and gradually Ambika would forget him." After listening everything the king announced "Supratik and Bhanupratap would be hanged to death." Supratik was taken out of the court room by the soldiers. Everyone started clapping for Bhola, the king said "I did not know you are so talented, from now on you would be my new head officer of police." Bhola was happy and when everyone was praising him he said, "I am not the sole owner of all these praises, someone who helped me is here." Ambika entered the court room, Bhola said how she came here and how she gave the idea. Ambika said "I knew that these dacoits always burry their weapons after killing someone so I asked Bhola to search near the river hence he used to spent a lot of time near the river." The king was happy to know about their relation and so he announced "After the completion of Ambika's studies both of them can marry happily."

This is how the story will end Raman stopped speaking. Anish his editor said "Nice story for a modern mixed history concept, but you need to make few changes." Raman said "I will be glad if you direct me. I can have no better person than you to make my story a hit." Both of them together made some changes and when the story was published, it became the best story of the year. But none did anyone know that Raman had a power of retrocognition and he was Bhola in his previous birth. 


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