Rewari Kingdom , Fort of Bawal, 5th March 1557.

  The morning sun cast a somber light over the kingdom as the allied forces, having successfully overthrown the rebel remnants, took control of the nds.

  For the past two days, the rebels had struggled to maintain their hold, but without support, they crumbled under the relentless onsught of the capital's standard army. News of their defeat spread swiftly, leading many pocket rebels to surrender.

  However, the victory was bittersweet. Among the public, there was deep resentment over the lives lost during the rebel war.

  Grief-stricken families mourned their loved ones, their sorrow soon turning to fury as it was revealed that the rebels had deceived them, using lies to garner support. It was the rebels, not the loyalists, who had captured and killed their people to spread misinformation.

  This revetion ignited a firestorm of anger among the popuce. Mass lynchings of the nobility ensued, with surrendered nobles and their families falling victim to the wrath of the mob.

  The standard army, having done its duty, stood by as silent witnesses, allowing the crowd to exact their vengeance without intervention.

  Among the nobility, Rao Pal Kishore's family suffered the most. Not a single child was spared as their mansion was set abze by the agitated masses, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.

  In the midst of the chaos, loyalty and normalcy began to return to the state. The crown prince was rescued from captivity, and the cannon factory, a crucial asset, was recovered. The cannons themselves, damaged from improper use of sand-mixed gunpowder, were also re-captured and were taken back to the factory.

  As the third day dawned after the brutish battle, a new hope emerged for the region.

  Within the inner walls of the fort, Aditya sprinted in his pajamas, sweat pouring from his bare-chested body. Pausing for breath, he stumbled upon an rare sight.

  'Huh! The fuck is he doing?'

  Below the giant tree in the outer courtyard, Bheem sat surrounded by four maids on a patch of smooth grass. He was dressed in his usual kurta and dhoti, while the dies wore sarees. Bheem held one of the maid's hands, appearing to py the role of a fortune teller by reading palms.

  From that distance, Aditya watched, unable to hear their conversation but amused by his freind's antics. He couldn't recall Bheem having any knowledge of astronomy or palmistry before, except for his talent as a skilled bluffmaster.

  True to form, Bheem's prediction seemed to entertain the dies, who giggled and seemed delighted. Seizing the moment, he made a bold move, lightly touching one of the dies on her waist to pull her near by his side. She blushed but didn't protest, clearly enjoying the attention.

  "COMPANY! LINE FORMATION!.."

  For Bheem, it was a thrilling moment of dreams coming true, albeit briefly. His quality time was abruptly interrupted as a young Portuguese captain and his company of 100 soldiers arrived for their daily drill practice. The dies left Bheem alone, to observe their practice.

  "HA! HA! HA! HA! HA!"

  Clearly annoyed by the interruption, Bheem stormed off, much to Aditya's amusement as he chuckled heartily from his vantage point atop the fort's wall.

  Aditya turned his attention from the amusing spectacle with Bheem to the Portuguese company that had arrived for their drill. The soldiers, comprising four or five ptoons by their ranks, marched with precision.

  They wore yellow shirts and blue pants, adorned with breastptes for added protection, and long bck leather boots. Their captain led them, bearing a white fg embzoned with the symbol of the Order of Christ in red.

  The onlookers, including the maids who had moments ago been captivated by Bheem's antics, now turned their attention to the disciplined dispy before them. Even the workers paused in their construction tasks, and the soldiers stationed on the walls commented on the

  Portuguese soldiers practising formations.

  Amidst the admiration, a sudden commotion drew everyone's attention. Bheem, now cd in his royal guard uniform and holding the fg of empire which resembled saffron background with sun at centre, emerged. He was followed by the Aditya's musketeers, led by Colonel Ratnakar.

  General Ratan Singh, spotting Aditya amidst the outer courtyard's security survey, came running with urgent news.

  "Your Highness! We think something inevitable might happen. Please stop them," General Ratan Singh requested in urgency.

  Aditya stayed silent, observing his friend's march ignoring the general's warning. Bheem's intent was clear, and Aditya trusted in his friend's judgement. If not for the fit of rage he might not have seen this.

  Shortly after, a company of 100 soldiers cd in blue uniforms marched in precise columns near the Portuguese ranks.

  Even the Portuguese were startled by the maneuver, but as soon as Bheem turned and positioned his army in parallel formation to the Portuguese, it was evident what was going to happen.

  Aditya, witnessing the spectacle from the wall, replied to the general, "Just wait for now. They won't be doing anything foolish in our territory."

  The arrival of Bheem with the mercenary army was a direct challenge to the Portuguese. The captain leading them nodded with an air of superiority and pnted their fg, marking their area. He ordered his men to form a line, to which Bheem responded by pnting his fg and instructing Ratnakar.

  Ratnakar ordered his soldiers to split into four columns, with two fnks simuting a skirmish attack while the two front columns stayed in formation, rotating their footsteps to simute a charge.

  It was an effective counter-signal. The column formation would charge and face the brunt of the attack while the scattered skirmishers would take cover, fnk, and encircle, disrupting the formation.

  Tension eased as everyone realized it was just a mock battle of formations. Soon, everyone present began cheering for their favourites.

  Workers and soldiers alike could be seen pcing bets from the wall, where stakes were set on who would perform better in the drill.

  General Ratan Singh, surprised by the outcome, inquired, "Forgive me, Your excellence, if I misspoke, but who is that royal guard, and how does he know such formations?"

  Aditya chuckled, "At ease general! That is my friend and bodyguard, Bheem. During training, he happened to be by my side, but I never thought he would catch on so smoothly."

  General Ratan Singh replied after a moment of thought, "It's indeed impressive, Prince. But do you think he can respond to every counter?"

  Aditya pondered for a moment before replying, "He seems to be in a fit of rage, so your analysis is almost pusible. But we cannot be certain when the match has just started."

  Seeing the counter, the Portuguese ordered their men to spread into a hollow square formation, a defensive stance. The message was clear: if the opponents dared to encircle them, they would opt for an impenetrable square formation.

  In response, Bheem snorted and instructed Ratnakar, who soon ordered their team into a wedge formation, resembling a 'V' shape, and began rotating their footsteps in formation.

  Curiously, General Ratan Singh, unable to hear clearly from the wall, asked, "Your Highness, is that formation a counter?"

  Aditya replied, "It's actually better than what I taught. Normally, a column formation would get near to break it up and then spread out to tackle with half of the losses, but with the wedge formation, our soldiers are prepared to engage at a distance before closing in and countering effectively."

  Ratan Singh was shocked to hear the prince compliment someone as being even better than him.

  The Portuguese captain, visibly shocked, ordered his men to switch to a staggered formation. Soldiers lined up in an alternating pattern, creating a jagged, uneven front. This formation was meant to disrupt the opposing force's cohesion and make it difficult for them to target a single line. It also allowed for more flexibility in movement and made it harder for the enemy to predict their actions.

  Bheem paused, analyzing the new formation. The staggered lines posed a challenge, but Bheem's mind worked quickly. After a moment's contemption, he signaled Ratnakar to change their formation. The Blue army shifted into an oblique order, a snted line that advanced diagonally.

  Aditya, watching from the wall, couldn't help but ugh. "He's using the oblique formation! I showed that to my colonels just once, and he remembered it!"

  The oblique formation had several advantages. By advancing at an angle, it allowed Bheem's forces to concentrate their attack on one fnk of the Portuguese, overwhelming it before the rest of their line could react. It also reduced the effectiveness of the staggered formation, as the Portuguese could no longer exploit their jagged line to create chaos.

  On the battlefield, Bheem's forces pressed forward, their diagonal formation halting just in face of the Portuguese lines, simuting as of slicing through their ranks.

  The mock battle, once teetering in favor of the Portuguese, was now clearly being won by Bheem's clever tactics. The onlookers cheered louder, and the Portuguese captain, recognizing his defeat, raised his hand to signal the end of the drill.

  General Ratan Singh, impressed by the mock battle, commended Bheem on his performance. "Your friend has shown not only bravery but also remarkable skill. He has proven himself a patriot by putting the arrogant Portuguese in their pce. Truly remarkable."

  Aditya, however, remained focused on the unfolding spectacle, anticipation in his gaze.

  Soon, the maids who had earlier departed returned to congratute Bheem on his victory. Bheem blushed under their praise, clearly fttered by their attention. Sensing his job done, Ratnakar gently patted Bheem on the shoulder and departed with his company.

  Observing the intimate exchange, General Ratan Singh's demeanor hardened. "Was all of this, for the attention of women?"

  Aditya turned to the general with a satisfied smile. "Indeed, women's attention is scary!"

  Seeing the general visibly riled up, he reassured him. "Don't worry, I'll ensure they are disciplined for deploying my army without authorization."