Nakul is lying in bed with his head covered in bandages. Aditya is applying ointment on his body while Nakul groans. Laxman and Sheila are stood nearby.

"How did this happen? You seem lucky to be alive." Laxman said

"I am. But I am more about my father in the jail" Nakul said

"We also heard about it, This is the second time emperor's caravan is robbed, wasn't it." Aditya said applying ointment

"Yes, and again under my father's command." Nakul said "You see, the caravan was carrying gold, silver and ivory for the new viharas that are to be built. There were also sacks of rice and wheat for the workers and silver and copper coins to pay them. My father was especially careful this time. He didn't breathe a word about his plans to anyone. But somehow the robbers caught scent of the whole thing. Our army was no match for them, for they caught us unawares. The robbers lay in wait for us and attacked suddenly."

"You will make a great soldier, Nakul. You fought them and didn'tran away." Aditya said praising him and pauses a little and then continues "Did you catch a glimpse of the culprits?"

Nakul shook his head and said "No, it was too dark"

"Think of the night and remember the poem" Aditya suggested

"When the full moon is in Ashara" Sheila recited

"Last night was the full moon of Ashara" Laxman exclaimed

"Follow the river of men to the riverbank"

"The caravan was like a river of carts and men and we camped on the riverbank" Nakul explained

"From the city of Ashoka to the vihara, As over the horizon the moon sank"

"It matches! Patliputra is the city of Ashoka and you were going to the viharas" Laxman said

"And we were attacked at dawn when the moon set" Nakul said

"Aditya, if the first stanza gives us the secret plan of robbers, maybe the second tells us where they are hiding the loot" Laxman said to Aditya

"Bringing the treasures home again, Fast as a deer, with a leopard's guile. The house of the lion will then reign. As the twelve pillars of gloty smile" Sheila recites as she continued "The first two lines don't seem to be a clue. They just describe the treasure being bought home to Patliputra by clever men. At least we know it is in this city"

"Maybe your father knows something?" Aditya said to Nakul

"I don't think so. All he said that he heard one of the robbers say, 'Bojavarman should be happy'" he said as he remembered "He knows an army commander by that name but he is away travelling to Lanka with Prince Mahendra and Princess Sanghamitra."

"There is a nobleman called Bhoja. My father supplies pots to his kitchen" Laxman said thoughtfully "But why would he rob a caravan? He is very rich."

"What does 'the House of Lion' mean?" Sheila asked

"A house with a lion gate?" Laxman said

"It could also be a family." Aditya told

"Family of the lion" Sheila thought "Ofcourse, Simhavamsi! But that's a royal clan. Then he has to be a nobleman"

"Let's find out about Bhoja, the Nobleman and see if his house has 12 pillars" Laxman said

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