In Persia -
Chaos and uncertainty reigned in Persia upon the death of King Tiridates, and Amatya Martand was quick to make the situation to his advantage. Through clever manipulation he ensured that no new ruler would be chosen by the lords of Persia, thus had he secured all power into his hands. Amatya Martand now awaited for Mahamatya Kartikeya to make good on his promise, and crown him shah of Persia on the back of the might of Magadh.
Persepolis was surrounded by enemies on all sides, the Kushanas were said to be moving South from Herat, the Paratas were in revolt and so were the Kambojas. The roads to Persia were plagued with perils, but an important message was worth many perils. A messenger rode out on one of the fastest horse from the royal stable at Pataliputra, making his way to Persepolis. Two weeks had passed and much and more had changed when the messenger came to his destination.
"Arya Martand, Arya Martand" the messenger called out knocking on his chamber door. "I come from Magadh, I have a message from Mahamatya Kartikey"
'So here he is at last..' Amatya Martand thought, he opened the doors letting the messenger enter "At last, Kartikeya has sent his word. Has he given what was promised ?"
The messenger handed him the scroll he was given, "Mahamatya instructed me, that only you may lay eyes on this message."
Martand was eager to read what was written, he snatched the scroll from the messenger's hands and began reading. As he read on, his expression of excitement and eagerness quickly turned sour and a concerned look emerged on his face. "By krishna.. this changes everything.."
"Arya Martand, I have braved many perils to come here and deliver this message to you. Things are not well on the lands of the Sindhu. Tell me that my journey was not for nothing."
"You did your duty" Amatya martand said curtly, and gave ten gold coins to the messenger, "Rest now, I shall tell you when you may leave."
'if this is true, then I must rethink my plans..' he thought himself.
The message spoke of Senapati Vijayanand making his way from the South with an army of Lankans and the spearmen of Kanchipuram, to Vanga and Magadh. Amatya Martand, whose plans relied on the success of Kartikeya's plans, felt a jolt to his heart. He sank down to his cushion and thought deeply over his plans. He peered over the message sent by Kartikeya once more. At the end, Kartikeya asked for assistance from Persia, such that would ensure the fall of Herat to the Kushan hordes.
'How would I gain from such a move?' he thought to himself, 'The Kushanas are not our friends, should I let them into Herat, Kambojadesa would fall. If Kambojadesa falls, then Persepolis will not be far away. Where then would I flee ? I did not join this conspiracy to become king of ruins.' he brought the message over the oil lamp burning on the side of his table. The scrolls caught fire and burnt slowly till they turned to a crisp. "Sorry Amatya Kartikeya, but there is no honor in defeat."
Amatya Martand rose up and walked to his mirror. 'Vijayanand will arrive at Pataliputra.. soon.' he contemplated, 'Losing Herat would not stop the armies of the exiles from landing in Pataliputra, not when they are so close to their goal. And it is not Vijayanand alone if this message be true, but the Raja of Lanka as well who have joined this alliance against us. The odds are not in our favor.' he looked at himself on the mirror seeing a dark reflection under the dim lighting of the oil lamps in his chamber. He said to himself, "Mirror mirror on the wall, why do anything at all?"
-------
Pataliputra : -
It was with great pomp and splendor that the coronation of the new samrat was celebrated. Though in his early teens, the burden of the empire of Magadh would now fall upon the shoulders of Samrat Mandalaka. The younger son of the dowager empress Lilavati, was more well composed than his elder brother, but untaught in the ways of war. His was the heart of an artist, not that of a warrior. Many worried at the choice of the new samrat, but it was as Vijayanand had intended.
After the celebration would come the days of sorrow for the funeral of the fallen emperor Puttalaka was still to be arranged. It was a time for sorrow, but not because the people loved Puttalaka, indeed many had more cause than most to hate the man who engineered so much of suffering in the realm, but they would weep for the sorrow of a mother who had lost her first child.
The death of Puttalaka had broken the dowager empress from within, but as strong as she was she did well to hide the pain. The month after fall of the old regime led by Kartikeya and Puttalaka had been like the peace which follows a storm. People went about rebuilding the lives that had been destroyed by the upheavals and misrule that came with Puttalaka's reign. Vijayanand was reluctant but Amatya Niyogi had convinced him to stay till the new samrat's reign had been stabilized.
The court of Magadh had been vacant of ministers, there was only the one prime minister, mahamatya Kartikeya who usurped every organ of power into his hands. With his departure, a void was created in the governance of the realm, one which had to be filled. For now, the exiled ministers took their own positions back for a time longer. All except Vijayanand, a month after the coronation and funeral, Vijayanand made good on his promise to himself. He left Pataliputra and shunned the ways of the world to turn to an ascetic life. He journeyed through the Southern road of Dakshinpath till he reached the hills of Kuntala. Here Chandragupt Maurya had chosen asceticism and this is where his own mentor Virappalli fasted to death and this would be the place where Vijayanand would retire.
No sooner had the new emperor seated the lion throne, that Amatya Martand expressed his unwavering loyalty to the new ruler. He pleaded in his message once more much as he had pleaded to Kartikeya, for assistance against the enemies of Persia. It was no secret that his being in Persia was dependent on the support of the samrat of Magadh. The critical situation in Persepolis ensured the loyalty of Amatya Martand with the threat of life and limb.
The dowager empress Lilavati looked on the horizon seeing the meandering ganga river, to the South of Pataliputra. The setting sun cast a brilliant golden light which shone on the surface of the river. Raja Abhaya walked to her, "What is on your mind sister ?"
"The future.." she replied,
"The future is now secured. That vile serpent Kartikeya has gone. Mandalak has seated the lion throne, and soon order will be restored to the realm."
Lilavati bowed her head and shook in denial, "bandits are still at large in the western provinces, the Kushanas still hold Kambojadesa, and a teenage boy sits as the emperor of this troubled realm. I do not feel as reassured brother.."
The truth of Lilavati's words stung Raja Abhaya. In truth, only half the battle was won, for the serpents let loose by Kartikeya were still at large in the realm. In the province of Kuru, bandits have fortified around the incense lands north of the Thar desert, whilst beyond the West to Gandhara, the Kushan marauders remain at large. As an unwanted consequence of the crisis of succession, the territorial borders of the empire of Magadh had shrunk whilst those of its protectorates had enlarged. Soon, Vijayanand's promise to the Tamil people would have to be fulfilled. Before his passing, a band of a thousand Tamil women had come to Pataliputra wishing an audience with none other than Senapati Vijayanand.
An elderly mother spoke for them, with a trembling voice she said, "I have lost my son, for your war. Will I die with regret that his death was for naught ? or will you make good on your promise for which he sacrificed himself. That you will give to our people the sovereignty that was taken from them." what was Vijayanand to do but reiterate his commitment, Amatya Martand was still the minister for protectorates and colonies, but locked in far away Persia, he could do little to influence the affairs of the South. Indeed he cared little for the affairs of the South. Within five years, the province of Chola Nadu shall become the kingdom of Chola Nadu and shall function for a time under the aegis of the kingdom of Lanka, as an autonomous republic.
"Our star is fading my brother. The Satvahan dynasty that has held the reigns of Bharat for two hundred years, that dynasty is losing its strength." Lilavati turned to her brother and held his shoulders, "We need a savior.. soon."
I knew I would but I had to throw all I had to even have a chance. I may not have won, but I didn't make it easy 
I had the losing hand though. While I had the Samrat, he was about as competent as a salt shaker. And DKVM had the army and the important stuff. Also, adhiraj cheated and gave your side a giant ass navy and army and a new city 
. Also, let's not forget Matthias "doing nothing" . All will be cleared in the epilogue I am writing. Probably I'll post it tomorrow. 
. At least for 20 turns I'm not letting you into the ministry.
.
