It was the perfect plan. He looked far into the horizon and thought, so far so good. All pawns in this game of chess were in the right place. Now, all that lay between him and victory was the sea. The mighty ocean. Looking into the dark waters, he reflected on his journey so far.
He had always been an ambitious young man. A smart one as well. Meticulous some might say. He had "friends" in the right places. It was through one such friend that he had learned about the King's weakness. It did not take him too long to plan for his adversary. He had seen the King at the event just before his wedding. When he was exchanging vows with his bride, he could see the fire burn bright in the King's eyes. Excellent, he had thought. Now he had something the King needed and the King had something he needed. Needed? Craved would be more apt. He knew the King would be willing to bear any burden to attain what he wanted. And so was he. At any expense. He had proved this to himself when he convinced the Queen to do what she did. Women are easily persuaded, he thought. His new bride came to mind. Certainly, there would be a tantrum raised when his fair maiden found out. But by then, they would be long past anything that could possibly stand in his way. He would talk to her. Convince her. He would shower her with all the riches in the world. She would eventually find her place in his world. Just the way he would find his place in history.
The Queen had done her part in convincing his Father. It was his Father that worried him. He must be kept in the dark. Heavy lies the head that wears the crown, he thought. He would not want his plans to add to the woes of his Father. The day shall come when he shall bring glory to his Father's name. He would make him proud.
When he set his plans in motion, he had subtly let the King know - that which his heart craved for lay unprotected now. The bait was set. All he had to do was pick the right day and lay the trap. He knew that the King would fall. The forest was a maze. A hunt would take a long while. No sane maiden would venture deep into the woods from a safe haven. And he could always rely on his brother to play his part. It had all fallen in place. The king came, seeking what he pined for and took home his treasure. This was all he needed. It was time to plan the attack. It was time to disillusion his men into believing how the King had dishonored them and their Emperor. It was time to unleash his army of savages on the Island. The Island! That one piece of land under the Sun that had not yet bowed to the glory of his clan. It was time to take reins as the Emperor of the world. He would take the King's crown, head home and lay it at his Father's feet.
As he looked out at the sea, he saw lightning strikes on the horizon. His return home would be glorious, he thought. With trumpets and drumrolls. With fireworks. With chants of victory. With the people of his Kingdom toasting their Emperor and the Prince who brought them glory - "All hail the Destroyer of Evil! All hail the Slayer of King Raavan! All hail Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya and the new Lord of Lanka! All hail the Master of the Universe! Jai Shree Rama!"
He had always been an ambitious young man. A smart one as well. Meticulous some might say. He had "friends" in the right places. It was through one such friend that he had learned about the King's weakness. It did not take him too long to plan for his adversary. He had seen the King at the event just before his wedding. When he was exchanging vows with his bride, he could see the fire burn bright in the King's eyes. Excellent, he had thought. Now he had something the King needed and the King had something he needed. Needed? Craved would be more apt. He knew the King would be willing to bear any burden to attain what he wanted. And so was he. At any expense. He had proved this to himself when he convinced the Queen to do what she did. Women are easily persuaded, he thought. His new bride came to mind. Certainly, there would be a tantrum raised when his fair maiden found out. But by then, they would be long past anything that could possibly stand in his way. He would talk to her. Convince her. He would shower her with all the riches in the world. She would eventually find her place in his world. Just the way he would find his place in history.
The Queen had done her part in convincing his Father. It was his Father that worried him. He must be kept in the dark. Heavy lies the head that wears the crown, he thought. He would not want his plans to add to the woes of his Father. The day shall come when he shall bring glory to his Father's name. He would make him proud.
When he set his plans in motion, he had subtly let the King know - that which his heart craved for lay unprotected now. The bait was set. All he had to do was pick the right day and lay the trap. He knew that the King would fall. The forest was a maze. A hunt would take a long while. No sane maiden would venture deep into the woods from a safe haven. And he could always rely on his brother to play his part. It had all fallen in place. The king came, seeking what he pined for and took home his treasure. This was all he needed. It was time to plan the attack. It was time to disillusion his men into believing how the King had dishonored them and their Emperor. It was time to unleash his army of savages on the Island. The Island! That one piece of land under the Sun that had not yet bowed to the glory of his clan. It was time to take reins as the Emperor of the world. He would take the King's crown, head home and lay it at his Father's feet.
As he looked out at the sea, he saw lightning strikes on the horizon. His return home would be glorious, he thought. With trumpets and drumrolls. With fireworks. With chants of victory. With the people of his Kingdom toasting their Emperor and the Prince who brought them glory - "All hail the Destroyer of Evil! All hail the Slayer of King Raavan! All hail Rama, the Prince of Ayodhya and the new Lord of Lanka! All hail the Master of the Universe! Jai Shree Rama!"
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