Empire of India: Rise of the Ruthless Prince

A great upheaval just finished in the Gajapathi kingdom, and the nobles that supported prime minister Harichandan were executed; each one of them was made into an example in the region they ruled.

They were stripped naked and whipped in the public plaza and executed. Their heads hung on the city plaza as the remainder for the others. It was a testament to the consequences of betraying the Gajapathi kingdom for momentary gains.

Lokendra hunted each noble like prey and killed all of them. He didn't even leave a loose end in his plan. He didn't want the past to haunt him again. So he made sure not to give an ounce of mercy to any of these treacherous scum.

The former king's, Pratapendra Deva's, funeral just ended a few days ago. Ironically, the delegation from the Empire was present. Lokendra thought no delegation would be sent to the Gajapathi by the Emperor due to their bad blood. It seems his prediction was wrong.

Lokendra knew that Harsha was likely just fulfilling his political obligations. He knew that Harsha didn't even have a tinge of affection left for the Gajapathis.

After the clearing of the mess and getting the kingdom affairs under track, Lokendra could finally breathe a sigh of relief. He was exhausted with all the work in the kingdom. Taking small steps to get better at management as he was inexperienced in the field.

He sat in the study room, slouched on the desk after finishing all the reports and papers. His mind was still racing with thoughts of the coronation ceremony. He was still a prince, as he had to be coronated officially tomorrow.

Lokendra didn't waste time and quickly decided the coronation, as the kingdom would be unstable without a proper king. He needed to step up for the citizens. The royal authority of the king was needed to show the citizens and local nobles that the kingdom was stable and will be in the future.

It was a symbol of hope for the citizens of Gajapathi.

'Ah so much to prepare.'

He thought.

'I never thought doing a coronation ceremony was such a tedious job.'

"The delegations are slowly arriving in the capital."

He sent out the invites for the coronation ceremony and the delegations were slowly reaching the capital of Cuttack. It was a vibrant city, known for silver filigree.

The delegation of the Empire was the first to reach the kingdom; following it was the delegation from the Yadavas and the Ahoms. The last two delegations arrived today that were from the Kasim Sultanate and the Varna Kingdom.

The coronation ceremony should be done properly to show the power of the king to their neighbors. Harsha's coronation was the prime example of the display of power. Every delegation was shuddering under his cold gaze like insects ready to be squished with a flick of his wrist.

'It was something unforgettable. How could an 18-year-old have such a cold gaze? Sister, is that really your son?' He thought.

The next day, the coronation ceremony began. It was usual with abhishekam and praying in the temple after every pooja and aarti was done. The official exchange of power would be done in the presence of the head priest of the Jagannath temple.

Since Lokendra didn't have his father to transfer power to him. The head priest would be the one to crown him, as well as hand him the specter of the royal family, granting him the power to rule the realm of the Gajapathis.

All the delegations were present in the royal court and looked at the ongoing coronation with their usual fake smiles. The delegations were always a formality to ensure the political obligations of the neighbors were fulfilled.

The head priest finally put on the crown on Lokendra's head and blessed him with the grace of Lord Jagannath, a form of Lord Vishnu. With the patron deity blessing. Lokendra was going to start his rule of the kingdom with a determined look.

He took his oath in front of the delegates and minister selected by him for the kingdom. He ensured that a situation like Harichandan wouldn't happen again; he took measures to prevent that.

Lokendra then went to address the citizens gathered for his very first speech as the king. He was dressed elegantly for the occasion; his figure exuded authority and gave off an air of opulence.

He promised change for the citizens, like all the previous kings, that their reign would bring the most prosperous times for the nation. It was a typical political speech to garner support from the citizens. The Royal family's support largely stems from the fact that they can move large amounts of people at their command.

The people of the kingdom were a relevant source of power. A king with the support of his own citizens cannot fall to rebellions and coups.

'

These are my people and I have the responsibility to protect them.'

He waved at them with a smile. He enjoyed watching the satisfied faces of the citizens. The celebratory began after the speech. There were other charity events organized by the kingdom for it's citizens.

The coronation ceremony had an age-old tradition of charity and giving away food for the needy during these occasions.

Celebrations of the coronation lasted long into the night as the delegates and other ministers enjoyed their time, drinking and eating lavishly.

The next day was filled with busy schedules for Lokendra as he was meeting with each delegate from the different neighbouring kingdom. He chose the order of meeting depending on the time they arrived.

After a long day of discussions of various trade deals and the favours requested by his neighbors, he was perplexed and decided to take some time to cool off his head.

Ironically, the Empire hadn't proposed or either asked them for a deal. The delegates quickly left after a brief message with him.

'I guess the relationship will stay sour for a long time due to father's stupid decisions.'

He sighed deeply

He leaned into his chair after a long day and looked outside towards the vast lands he had to rule from now on.

Lokendra finally understood the responsibility of a king.

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