The Aryavarta Chronicles Kaurava: Book 2 by Krishna Udayasankar Page A

expertise. Which is why my former master – the Vyasa Dwaipayana – has still left political counsel to my care. And I believe, as he does, that power must have checks and balances. Syoddhan can be the balance. But for that to happen, he must grow and come into his own. There are those, especially at Hastina, who have held power for far too long. They may need a gentle hand to guide them towards letting go. Your influence in this would be most invaluable, and, if I may be so bold as to point out, to your son’s benefit.’
    ‘And who at Hastina is it you speak of as needing guidance? There are two old men here who would fit the description well. One fancies himself king and the other is king. Neither knows what it means to age with grace!’
    Sanjaya did not reply in words, but let his expression show acknowledgement. He knew he had played the move well. Dron prided himself on letting his young students rise to excellence. Often, he drew attention to the fact that when he had won Northern Panchala from King Dhrupad, he had installed Asvattama on the throne of Ahichhattra instead of taking the crown for himself – unlike Bhisma and Dhritarastra, who hung on to the Kuru throne as Regent and king, respectively.
    ‘Well,’ Dron continued, ‘I’ll do what I can to prod the old ones to let go. At the least, I shall support Syoddhan’s ventures. He will prove himself in no time!’
    ‘Thank you, Acharya. I’m most grateful. This isn’t a duty I could have ever hoped to discharge on my own!’
    Laughing, Dron gave Sanjaya a benevolent pat on his shoulder before walking away.
    Sanjaya waited till he was sure Dron was gone, before moving towards the stairway from which Asvattama had earlier emerged. He entered the dungeons, ignoring the sounds and smells, the omnipresence of pain, flesh and blood that came at him from its bowels. He was not a man of violence and he did not regret it in the least. He considered killing a menial function, one of many tasks that could be delegated and seen through successfully if one held true power. True power, he knew, came from the mind. It was this knowledge that had fed his grudge and his dream for all these years. The sense of undeniable superiority where it mattered had led him to aspire to use the Firewrights, to one day lead them despite never having been trained as one. He was determined to take what was rightfully his by sheer force, his kind of force.
    He made his way to one of the smaller cells set in what could be considered the best corner, noting that the air was cleaner here, and it was just that much brighter. He found Devala inside, pacing, rubbing at his manacled wrists. ‘Oh Rudra! Don’t tell me they still haven’t taken that off you! Guard! Guard! Come here at once!’ Devala watched, a little curious, as Sanjaya had him unchained.
    ‘It’s bad enough we have to keep you here for a while longer,’ Sanjaya continued, as soon as the guard was out of earshot. ‘Chains aren’t needed. It’s not like you’re going to do anything I don’t want you to.’
    Devala chuckled at the implied threat, but took no offence. ‘It’s all right,’ he said. ‘It made for a good show in front of that fool who was just here. Treacherous bastard! May he wander the earth an accursed being for a thousand centuries! Men like him deserve to rot alive, the pompous fool! He knows nothing, but pretends he commands us all. You should have seen the hunger in his eyes when I mentioned the Naga-weapon.’
    ‘Hunger? The look in Jayadrath’s eyes when he mentioned you was sheer gluttony! But getting back to Asvattama, don’t underestimate him. You think that you’ve interrogated him? I assure you, he’s the one who’s interrogated you and you didn’t even realize it.’
    ‘His ambition is plain enough, Sanjaya. He wants power. He wants Agniveshya’s weapon even more than any one of those sons-of-whores kings do. The bait has been placed. But I think he knows nothing about this new