The Vishakanya's Choice

The Vishakanya's Choice is a historical, fantasy fiction standalone novel written by author Roshani Chokshi.

The book follows the story of a vishakanya, Sudha, in her first great mission, who meets a conqueror and a weapon and creates an unforgettable legend.

## Overview

Who would you be if you had a choice? What would you do?

Early in her life, Sudha's fate was divined to be a lonely, fruitless future of young widowhood. So, it was considered a blessing when she was brought to the Hastinapur harem to become a vishakanya--a weapon, an assassin, a poison maiden whose very touch is toxic.

Sudha has never had a choice, has never known anything except the cold beauty of the harem's stone walls.

After years of living in isolation with her vishakanya sisters, Sudha is given her first mission: to end the life of a great man. Someone who, unlike her, leads a life full of glittering Choices fit for an emperor.

In their fateful encounter, a vishakanya meets a conqueror and a weapon creates a legend.

## Plot

The story is told solely through the viewpoint of Sudha, a Vishakanya poison-maiden. Vishankanyas were women who were poisonous to touch and often assassins who could kill with a touch. In this story, we meet Sudha, who is forced to enter the kinship of the Vishakanyas as her horoscope details an early widowhood. Never doubting the horoscope’s predictions, it’s implied that her family gave her away to become a Vishakanya. Sudha has always dreamed of getting a choice, but so far all of her life has been denied one.
When she gets her first assassination target, she’ s forced to re-examine her life as her target, a famed Macedonian emperor begs her for a choice and gives her in return.

As Sudha stepped outside the harem and trotted into the jungle, she boarded the talking Makara to make way to her assignment. She stepped into the city which was celebrating the victory of a man, who would soon be dead.
When she entered the tent, she noticed that Alexander was neither handsome nor healthy. He was pale and looked like he was a mere inch close to death. Intruding her thoughts, the emperor announced that he would choose one of the people standing there to spend the night on the occasion of his victory.
Alexander asked everyone what was his worth. The first person answered "All the good in the world", to which he replied "Boring". The second person answered that the emperor was worth his weight in salt, to which, came the same reply. When he turned to Sudha, she hesitated for a second and then replied "Legends. You’re worth your weight in legends." The Emperor considered this, and dismissed everyone in the room.

He revealed that he knew she was a Vishakanya. Sudha was shocked. He confessed to her that he would leave this mortal form by dawn, which explains his appearance. Sudha then tells him that she's not needed, to which he says that she would make a difference. When asked how, he tells her that he wanted to die right now, when his body is not very weak. He claims that he can give her all that she wanted. Sudha considered this, and asked for a Choice. He gladly accepted and kissed her. As soon as she touched his lips, he died. Sudha quickly left the room, to a new beginning.