After almost a month after battle of Kalinganagar, we were at the Kaling-chedi border which was supposedly going to be bloody in some time but we decided to camp here for a day.
After a day we started to keep moving and came to a village. The village was big enough for us. The village chief told us that Capital city of Tripuri is the only city in kingdom. He said we could stay for a week as our supplies were getting shortened and we could refill it.
The chief invited me to dinner in his house. I meet his family he had a wife they have two children, his brother also have a wife and and a son and his old blind mother.
We eat together, talked and had fun. He told me that he was also a warrior of his young age but retired because he got afraid.
6 days had already gone and we had started to pack and were preparing but then we saw a traditional noble type flag which had sun with red background, the imperial Pratihar flag. I was the only one who was shocked to see Pratihar flag in chedi territory, then village chief told me that Kokall, king of Chedi the great grandson of great warrior Vamaraj was the best friend of Mihir bhoj who fought the war with him. Because of his heroic influence he established kalachuris a old dynasty of Mahishmati into chedi territory which was Disputed kingdom. He made his youngest son Vallek was made vassal king of South part of Chedi with Ratanpur town as capital. He and his middle son Arjun recently passed away and his eldest son Shankargan the second ascended throne.
So seeing a flag of allied Empire is common for this people to see.
Prince Mahendr, the distant nephew of Mihir bhoj and his son-in-law by marriage with Crown princess Yashika and father of Prince Veerendr was here to meet me with his own host. His look was magnificent, and eye catching royal clothes.
He came infront of me and said that, "The king of Ratanpur needs your help".
"For what"?
"For independence, would you sign this contract".
Like a fool I signed the contract on just a word of noble I just met.