"Such a waste! And you think you can become an archer continuing like this?"

Guru Prana said in a distasteful tone. Agamya's face fell at his reprimand as he lowered his bow.

"I apologize, Gurudev."

"Apologies are useless. Unless you actually acknowledge your misstep and learn from it."

Guru Prana said harshly. He was really angry at him this time.

"I told you, you're not prepared to start this stage of archery practice. But you had to be stubborn."

At his words, Agamya felt frustrated. He couldn't understand when Abhayam was prepared, then why he wasn't. Abhayam started practicing to hit flying objects five days ago. But whenever Agamya asked about it, Gurudev said, he wasn't prepared. Every time guru Pranacharya found this excuse or that to delay him. And those felt to him just that.

Excuses!

Excuses so he could never match Abhayam. So, Gurudev could fulfill the promise of making Abhayam the best archer of this world.

This day on his insistence Guru Prana agreed to teach him further. But his sour stiff posture and half explained tactics made Agamya nervous. And just after a few failed attempts, guru Prana was angry and already leaving dooming him.

"Do you think I am not good enough?"

Agamya suddenly asked to guru Pranacharya's retreating back. He stopped, but took time in facing the teenage boy. There was a stoic critical expression on his face. With a calm expression, guru Prana patiently told him this time,

"You're good. But you need more time to develop those skills. Impatience will lead you nowhere."

And it was the truth too. Why did he think he had to be better than Abhayam? He should be focused on developing himself rarher than comparing to someone else's talents.

Abhayam was gifted. The son of mighty ruler of heaven, Indra himself! Of course, he was talented when it came to archery and as his guru, it was his responsibility to bring forth the best version of him. What's so wrong in accepting that? What was wrong in giving more attention to the one who actually deserved it?

After watching Agamya leaving with lowered eyes, guru Prana turned to leave too. But just as he crossed a few steps, he felt one arrow passing him. He stilled before turning to find one single arrow had pierced all the five hanging objects in a row. He narrowed his eyes at the arrow and went nearer to examine it.

"This is not our arrow. Its making is different and there's tribal markings on it."

He wondered aloud. Then looking at the surrounding area asked loudly,

"Who is it? Who has thrown this arrow? Show yourself!"

"It was me Gurudev."

A boy came to stand in front of him. He kneeled down on the ground before the learned Brahman and showed him utmost respect with a smile on face.

"Who are you?"

"I am the son of Nishada clan's chief, Ekagrya."

***

On the other side, Agamya had long ago left the place in anger. He sat on a smooth stone by the riverbank, his fists clenched as he gazed into the flowing waters. His frustration bubbled inside him, threatening to spill over. The stillness of the evening only made his emotions feel louder.

"Adhe-Dev (half god)!"

He snorted in disgust. Why Abhayam received more attention than him? What made him worthy of it? The fact that he was a prince or that his father was a God?

From a distance, Pranali saw him sitting there alone. She tentatively approached, her steps light as though the earth itself cushioned her feet. Her doe-like eyes watched him with concern, a silent question lingering in them. She carried a small basket of wildflowers she had been gathering.

Noticing her presence, Agamya sighed heavily, turning away.

"What do you want, Pranali?"

He muttered, his voice sharper than intended.

Pranali paused, unfazed by his tone. She sat a little distance from him. Setting her basket aside with delicate fingers, she began arranging the flowers into a small garland. Her movements remained calm and deliberate.

Agamya stole a glance at her. Watched her movements for a while. Before words stumbled out of his mouth. He bitterly said,

"You wouldn’t understand! You don’t know what it’s like to feel this... this helpless. To want something so badly and have it out of reach."

Pranali looked up, her gentle eyes meeting his. Without a word, she pointed to the river and then to the garland she was weaving. Slowly, she mimed tying the flowers together. Then she gestured towards the river's steady flow again.

Agamya frowned before asking,

"What are you trying to say? That life flows on, no matter what?"

Pranali tilted her head and smiled faintly, nodding. She then took some pebbles and threw them at the water of the river. Then tapped her chest and gestured a sweeping motion, as if to say, And we must flow with it overcoming the obstacles.

Her silent wisdom struck a chord within him. He exhaled deeply, his anger and frustration easing just a little.

"You always do this, don’t you?"
He said making a sulking face.
"Make me feel like a fool with your quiet gestures."

Pranali grinned, her eyes sparkling. She offered him the half-completed garland, as if inviting him to help.

Agamya hesitated before taking it. His hands worked clumsily alongside hers, weaving the flowers together. For the first time that day, a small, genuine smile tugged at his lips.

"Thank you,"

He murmured after a while, his voice quieter, softer.
"I needed this... even if I didn’t realize it."

Pranali simply bowed her head, her silence louder than words. Together, they sat by the riverbank, letting the flow of time and nature soothe their troubled hearts.

***

"How is he?"

Viresh asked in a small voice as Ranakrit came out of the healer's hut.

"Go and ask your father that! He knows exactly how he was!"

Ranakrit snapped at his friend angrily. Viresh's mouth tightened.

"Watch it Ranakrit! You may be my childhood friend, but he is my father. And I will not tolerate any insult to him."

"Am I insulting him? Am I really?"

"I know you're frustrated. But ---"

"But what? There's no but Viresh. You and I both know what a thumb means to an archer! He literally squashed any chance of Ekagrya being an archer in the future!"

Ranakrit didn't need to point that out. Viresh knew that already. The nishada clan's boy, Ekagrya was a really talented boy. He self-educated himself by only hearing his father's lessons from far. He respected Guru Prana a lot. Made a statue of him with the mud he walked on.

But Guru Prana upon learning about his devotion, got only angry. Accusing him of deceiving and stealing his knowledge. Ekagrya in response said, he had no intention of that and begged forgiveness for it. Guru Prana then asked for Gurudakshina (payment for teaching) from him as it was his knowledge he had gained without permission. And his demand was that Ekagrya gave up his right thumb as Gurudakshina.

Ekagrya though disheartened and horrified, decided he would pay the Gurudakshina and would not disappoint his Guru.

"He had to! He was hired by Maharaj Jagadeesan under the condition that he will only teach the princes of Amvastapuram. How can he teach a boy whose clan serves under the enemy camp of Amvastapuram? That'll be seen as treason by your own family, Ranakrit!"

Viresh said calmly.

"Really? You're going to stand here and tell me that it has nothing to do with Gurudev's favouritism of Abhayam? He really needed to cut Ekagrya's thumb and could not simply reject him just as he did with Rudra?"

Ranakrit asked narrowing his eyes at Viresh who stood steadily. At his stoic expression, Ranakrit shook his head and said again,

"We're not blind or stupid Viresh. We see, what's happening here. Abhayam, the precious son of Lord Indra has fascinated Guru Prana from the first day only. He sees great potential in Abhayam and gives only him his utmost attention."

At his accusations, Viresh snapped finally.

"So what! He is a Guru. He is supposed to bring out the best out of his students. Archery is tricky. Not everyone can master it easily. Abhayam has what it takes to become a great archer. You may not like it, but it's the truth!"

"And my brothers don't possess the skills? Agamya, Ranadhrist, they all are useless? Don't tell me that the boy who sacrificed his thumb today was any less than Abhayam if not better! And Rudradev who was rejected because of his caste? Doesn't he have potential too? If Gurudev is only searching for talents, why were they rejected Viresh?"

At his questions, Viresh felt frustrated.

"Pitashree has his reasons, Ranakrit. He has seen hardships. He has faced humiliation. And it has changed his views somewhat."

He gulped as if shallowing something bitter as memories of past hunted him. If it was anyone who understood Guru Prana, it was his son. Viresh! He saw the errors his father was making, but he also understood his reasons, his anger, his frustrations!

"He wants respect. For himself, for his knowledge, for his teachings. And mostly,"
Viresh paused for a moment before completing his words.
"For me!"

Ranakrit watched him silently. Viresh seemed to struggle with himself as he continued.

"He wants to be the pride and inspiration of his son. He wants me to feel proud of him. Not realizing or accepting that, no matter what he already has it."

Viresh turned away from Ranakrit and stared at the far unreachable sky. Ranakrit thought he wasn't going to say something else. But the silence felt sacred to break. And honestly he didn't even know what to say.

Ranakrit felt helpless. He respected Guru Prana. He really did. Pranacharya was a learned Brahman afterall. But he felt worried for his brothers. Specially Agamya and Ranadhrist. The two of them were potential archers who could one day rise and shine if given the proper care. But Gurudev seemed fixated on making Abhayam the best archer of this world. And that was going to affect his brothers if not guru Prana's teachings. He may feel he was giving the exact amount of attention to his students, but they wouldn't feel the same. Ranakrit could already see the frustration rising in Agamya.

Here, Viresh got lost in the day when his pride, his father was humiliated in front of him for a mere handful of grains. His eyes turned red in restrained rage as the events of that day flashed before his eyes once again.

"Aapke samman mein yeh ek chawal ka dana lekar ja raha hu Maharaj.

Parantu jab aagli bar iss rajya par kadam rakhunga,

toh Aapne Pita ke samman mein, jis bhumi par yeh aanaj uga hai,

Uske har ek kan ko, Unke charno main samarpit kar dunga.

Bachan hai yeh mera!

Bachan hai, Prana putra Viresh ka!

(In your honor, I am taking this single grain of rice, Maharaj.

But the next time, I keep my foot on this kingdom,

That day in my father's honor, the lands where these crops were harvested,

Each and every inch of that land,
I will dedicate to his feet.

This is my vow.

Vow of Prana putra Viresh!)"

***