Empire of India: Rise of the Ruthless Prince

Royal Palace, Vijayanagara Empire.

Nakul brought out the board for Chaturanga. The pieces were lined up neatly, and Harsha looked at the board with quite an intrigued look. It looked similar to the pieces in modern chess but less refined. The pieces were made of wood along with the board.

The board wasn't checkered like the one in modern chess. He was pretty excited for the game. He liked a challenge always, and this was precisely one of those challenges.

Lakshmi looked at him, adjusting the pieces.

"You can have the first move, Brother!" She said.

"Are you sure? Don't complain when you lose to me!" Harsha responded with a smile.

"Yes!"

Harsha moved his pawn forward, taking an offensive approach.

"So what did you want to talk about, sister?"

In exchange, Lakshmi moved another pawn from the other end forward, looking to open up the defense of Harsha.

"I kept having some thoughts after meeting you at the garden. You have changed a lot in the past year! What's the reason for the change?" She said, flashing a grin.

Harsha scanned the board and brought out his horse to take a buildup on his offense.

"Maybe God gave me enlightenment after the injury, Sister."

Responding to his offense, Lakshmi moved her horse out as well to counter his approach.

"You jest, Harsha! You really don't feel like Harsha anymore!"

"Oh, is that so? Then who do I feel like, Dear Sister?" He said it with a sarcastic expression as he moved another pawn forward.

"You changed! Almost like another person took over my real brother!"

Lakshmi moved her elephant forward from the side she had moved her pawn.

Harsha folded his arms and thought for a while and responded with his chariot moving forward, planning to push forward into the defense.

"Is this really your first time, little brother? It seems like you play really well."

She unleashes her minister into the fray to counter his chariot.

"I just learned the rules right in front of you! Hahaha"

He pushes a pawn to contain her elephant.

"So do you have any questions for me?"

She uses the opening to enter his territory using her horse.

"Why didn't you kill me when you could have?"

The question hung heavy in the air as he put a pawn as a sacrifice for her horse.

"It was for my own amusement. I felt like you would be a challenge compared to the other fools."

Her words were true even to Harsha. She would have been the sole victor had she gone and eliminated him, and the civil war would have ended with all the princes dying and her ending up with the throne.

Lakshmi took the pawn with her horse and gave herself an edge.

"Now you lost the battle! Do you think I would spare you?"

Harsha unleashed his elephant, threatening the horse.

"Of course not!"

She retreats her charging horse back to the center of the board, away from the elephant.

"Are you not scared of death?"

"Not really! My whole life, I have known that this path would lead to my death in some case or another."

"Is that so? But I do have to acknowledge you for your achievements!"

"Achievements?"

"I don't like cowardice like your brother Chandra has shown on the battlefield. You deciding to take on the battle is brave!"

The battle on the board grew fiercer with each move. It was no longer a simple game but a war of minds, a silent duel in which one false step could lead to ruin.

Harsha's fingers hovered over the pieces, his mind racing ahead to calculate every possible outcome, every possible trap.

His opponent was relentless, attacking with precision, his moves ruthless and calculated. Yet he felt calm.

Harsha no longer saw his opponent's face, only the expanse of the board, which stretched out like a battlefield.

Both Harsha and Lakshmi fell into a trance. They moved the pieces around with precision, countering each move while thinking steps ahead.

It was like they were facing each other on the battlefield, with their lives on the line.

They were fighting silently. He could feel the pressure for the first time since he had reincarnated in this world.

"Just like I thought. No one other than you could pull this off." He muttered aloud.

The final stages of the battle were underway. The majority of the pieces of both of them were captured.

Harsha moves a pawn and captures the Horse of Lakshmi. She captures the pawn using her minister.

He moves his horse to directly threaten the king. Lakshmi tries to counter by a sacrificial exchange with her minister. The horse takes the minister, and the pawn takes the minister.

Harsha puts his chariot forward, threatening the king again. This time Lakshmi wasn't left with any option but to flee with the king.

But it wasn't enough. Harsha used his chariot and captured the king, finally ending the long battle.

"I won," He said with a smirk.

Lakshmi stayed silent. It was evident that Harsha had outmatched her. She was not wrong about Harsha being the worthy opponent.

"That ends the little chat!" He got up, unsheathing his sword, and pointed at Lakshmi.

"HAHAHA! You deserve to take the throne! Harsha." She declared, stretching her arms out and looking up with a crazed look.

"I acknowledge your ability. You have been the first person to actually give me a faint feeling of defeat."

Lakshmi looked surprised by the sudden declaration. Lakshmi felt acknowledged for the first time.

Nakul suddenly got in between both of them.

"Prince Harsha, please let the princess live, and you can take my life as the price!" He pleaded.

"Hmm!! No, you should have known the risks while you have gotten into such a situation."

Harsha pushed the tip of the sword into Nakul's chest, drawing blood, but Nakul stood strong.

"I can't stand back! Prince."

This situation reminded him of the story of the princess and the commoner. In the end, both were destined to die a miserable death, just like Nakul and Lakshmi.

"Very well then. Let's end this!"

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