Suryaratna went to the town and it took little time for him to ferret out the information. He merely had to give a reference to the bevy of the beauties that had gone to Chaitya Vihara. He was back in the camp after only a couple of hours.
He straight away reported to the Prince. His sight brightened up the face of Ashoka. He eagerly asked, ‘‘Did you learn about Vidisha’s parents?’’
Suryaratna revealed, ‘‘I have, O Prince. She is the daughter of a well known merchant who has just crosses her sixteenth year of age. A very well educated and cultured girl she definitely is. The parents are alive.’’
The prince arched his eyebrows and softly asked, ‘‘Is she engaged to someone already?’’
‘‘No, sir. And no alliance is under consideration, I investigated that part particularly.’’ Suryaratna smiled marvelling at his own intelligence.
Prince Ashoka relaxed. He sweetly said, ‘‘Good. Very good, my dear Suryaratna.’’
To the surprise of everyone the Prince known for his ruthlessness was humming a tune. Suryaratna and the lieutenant smiled being in the know of the reason.
After some time Prince Ashoka retrieved himself out of the humming mode and spoke to one of his confidants who also used to act as his political advisor, ‘‘Kartikeya! Go to the town with Suryaratna and speak to Vidisha’s father. Tell him that we wish to meet him tomorrow if he has no objection.’’
‘‘As you wish, Prince,’’ the confidant bowed his head. He and Suryaratna departed at once. They were back in an hour having rode on their horses.
The confidant reported that the merchant father of Vidisha would consider it his hounor to host the prince. The next day, Prince Ashoka and his party went to the town. A rousing reception awaited them. The news had made rounds that the valiant Prince of the Empire was visiting the town. The whole population of the city was agog. The chief of the city had decorated the town overnight although it was made clear that the Prince would be on a private visit.
The Prince party was taken through swept up bazaars decked up with welcome arches to the mansion of the merchant. The merchant received the Prince with great enthusiasm and due hounour.
The guest were led in and beseated in the sitting chamber. After serving sherbet and sweets the merchant asked, ‘‘Prince sir, may I ask the purpose of your regal visit to my humble abode? It can’t be a social courtesy because I am no royalty.’’
‘‘Sir, there is a purpose of course. Otherwise I would not have forced my visit putting you in all this trouble,’’ Prince Ashoka was all humility.
‘‘What service worth can I be of. I wonder?’’
‘‘I wished to talk you about your daughter Vidisha. I met her yesterday while she was going to Chaitya Vihara.’’
‘‘I see! I hope she didn’t offend you manyway.’’
‘‘No. Infact her incredible beauty, graceful manners and cultured demeanour greatly impressed me. I lost my heart to her. If you have no objection I would like to marry her.’’
The overjoyed merchant bowed his head several times to Prince Ashoka before saying, ‘‘Prince, Ashoka, it would be my great privilege and honour to give my daughter Vidisha’s hand to you in marriage. Nothing in this world will please me more. My Vidisha is most fortunate girl of the Empire.’’
The prince peeped through the door into inner chambers hoping to get a glimpse of Vidisha.
The merchant coughed and enquired, ‘‘So Prince! How do you wish me to proceed in this matter of the marriage? Should I go to Patliputra to meet Emperor Bindusara to present the proposal or…?’’
Prince said, ‘‘Sir, no need for such elaborate process. I just want you to arrange the marriage right here as soon as possible. No pomp and show. Simple marriage. Then we will depart for Ujjaini where I am expected to take charge.’’
The merchant felt relieved. He would have dreaded the cumbersome long winding royal procedures of pompous nature. The astrologers were called at once and the marriage was fixed for the day after. Prince Ashoka talked with his companions. One of them went out and returned with a diamond ring. The engagement ceremony was gone through right then at the wish of the prince. It posed no problem for the merchant family. The women folk liked it because it confirmed the alliance although they would have preferred the presence of the women folk of the prince’s side. But that was not possible in the present circumstances. The prince had never had felt so nervous as when he slipped the ring in the slender finger of Vidisha. She kept encouragingly smiling at him shyly. To his surprise Ashoka found that even after engagement he could not take his eyes off Vidisha’s lovely face.
On the third day Prince Ashoka and Vidisha got married in a simple ceremony. The couple stayed at the merchant family’s guest house for a week before proceeding for Ujjaini.
Emperor Bindusara was informed of the marriage. The ministers and courtiers congratulated the Emperor. The royal family celebrated the news according to the tradition and the dynastic custom.
Deep inside Emperor Bindusara felt mild pain of an emotional sting. Prince Ashoka had already begun to rule his own life where all the decisions were being taken by him. Even his Emperor father had no say.
