Why is he getting his rakhi tied here?

And then, a woman stepped forward.

Sati’s breathing stopped in horror.

Naga!

The entire crew on all five ships was crowded on the port and starboard side, watching the operation with awe and wonder. Shiva’s men were completely astounded by the Branga gates. They had seen the platform close in on their ship with frightening force. Then the hooks were secured to the chains. The Brangas, after the go-ahead from the respective ship captains, began towing the fleet.

Shiva was standing aft, looking at the office at the gate entrance.

Every Branga not working on the gate machinery was on his knees, paying obeisance to the Neelkanth. But Shiva was staring at a broken woman curled up against the wall in a foetal position. She was still crying.

Shiva had tears in his eyes. He knew Uma believed that fate had cheated her daughter. She believed that if the Neelkanth had arrived a month earlier, her child would still be alive. But the Neelkanth himself was not so sure.

What could I have done?

He continued to stare at Uma.

Holy Lake, give me strength. I will fight this plague.

The ground staff got the signal. They released the accumulator machines and the pulleys began turning, moving the ship rapidly forward.

Seeing the vision of Uma retreating swiftly, Shiva whispered, ‘I’m sorry.’

Sati was stunned. A Naga woman with the King of Kashi!

The Naga woman was actually two women in one body. The body was one from the chest down. But there were two sets of shoulders, fused to each other at the chest, each with a single arm dangling in either direction. The Naga had two heads.

One body, two arms, four shoulders and two heads. Lord Ram, what evil is this?

Sati realised quickly that each head was fighting for control over their common body. One head seemed docile, wanting to come forward to tie the rakhi on the King’s extended arm. The other head, playful and mischievous, intent on playing pranks on her brother, was pulling back.

‘Maya!’ said Athithigva. ‘Stop playing pranks and tie the rakhi on my wrist.’

The mischievous head laughed and commanded the body to come forward, to fulfil her brother’s wish. Athithigva proudly displayed his rakhi to his wife and son. Then he took some sweets from the plates held by the attendants and gave them to his sister. The attendant then came forward with a sword. Athithigva looked at the mischievous sister and gave the sword to her. ‘Practice well. You are really improving!’

The attendant then gave a Veena, a stringed musical instrument to the King. Athithigva turned to the other sister and gave the instrument to her. ‘I love to hear you play.’

The arms seemed to be in a quandary as to which gift to hold.

‘Now don’t you squabble over the gifts dear sisters. I mean for you to share them sensibly.’

Just then one of the attendants noticed Sati. She screamed out loud.

Sati immediately drew her sword. Maya did as well. But the heads hadn’t come to a consensus. She seemed to be hesitating. Ultimately, the docile head won. She ran behind her brother. Athithigva’s wife and son stood rooted to their spot.

Athithigva however was staring hard at Sati, eyes defiant, arm protectively drawn around his sister.

‘Your Highness,’ said Sati. ‘What is the meaning of this?’

‘I’m only getting a rakhi tied by my sister, My Lady,’ said Athithigva.

‘You are sheltering a Naga. You are hiding this from your people. This is wrong.’

‘She is my sister, My Lady.’

‘But she is a Naga!’

‘I don’t care. All I know is that she is my sister. I am sworn to protect her.’

‘But she should be in the Naga territory.’

‘Why should she be with those monsters?’

‘Lord Rudra would not have allowed this.’

‘Lord Rudra said judge a person by his karma, not his appearance.’

Sati kept quiet, troubled.

Maya suddenly stepped forward. The aggressive personality had come up front. The docile one seemed to be struggling to pull the body back.

‘Let me go!’ screamed the aggressive one.

The docile head capitulated. Maya moved forward and dropped her sword, not wanting to convey any threat.

‘Why do you hate us?’ said the Naga’s aggressive head.

Sati stood dumbfounded. ‘I don’t hate you... I was just talking about the rules to be followed...’

‘Really? So rules made thousands of years back, in a different land, by people who don’t know us or our circumstances, will govern every aspect of our life?’

Sati kept silent.

‘You think that is how Lord Ram would have liked it?’

‘Lord Ram ordered his followers to obey the rules.’

‘He also said rules are not an end in itself. They are made to create a just and stable society. But what if the rules themselves cause injustice? Then how do you follow Lord Ram? By following those rules or breaking them?’

Sati didn’t have an answer.

‘Brother has spoken a lot about the Lord Neelkanth and you,’ said Maya. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be a Vikarma?’

Sati stiffened. ‘I followed those rules as long as they were active.’

‘And why was the Vikarma law changed?’

‘Shiva didn’t change it for me!’

‘Believe what you want. But the change in the law helped you as well, right?’

Sati kept quiet, disturbed.

Maya continued. ‘I have heard many tales about the Neelkanth. I’ll tell you why he changed it. The Vikarma law may have made sense a thousand years back. But in this day and age, it was unfair. It was just a tool to oppress people one doesn’t understand.’

Sati was about to say something, but kept quiet.

‘And who is more misunderstood today than a person with a deformity? Call us Naga. Call us a monster. Throw us to the South of the Narmada, where our presence will not trouble your lily white lives.’

‘So what you are saying is that all Nagas are paragons of virtue?’

‘We don’t know! And we don’t care! Why should we answer for the Nagas? Just because we were born deformed? Will you answer for any Suryavanshi who breaks the law?’

Sati kept silent.

‘Isn’t it punishment enough that we live alone in this god forsaken palace, with only three servants for company? That the only excitement in our lives is the periodic visits of our brother? How much more do you want to punish us? And will you kindly explain what we are being punished for?’

The docile personality suddenly seemed to assert herself and Maya abruptly moved back, hiding behind Athithigva.

Athithigva bent low. ‘Please, Lady Sati. I beg you. Please don’t tell anyone.’

Sati remained quiet.

‘She’s my sister,’ pleaded Athithigva. ‘My father made me swear on his deathbed that I would protect her. I cannot break my pledge.’

Sati looked at Maya and then at Athithigva. For the first time in her life, she was confronted with the viewpoint of a Naga. And she could see the unfairness that they faced.

‘I love her,’ said Athithigva. ‘Please.’

‘I promise to keep quiet.’

‘Will you swear in the name of Lord Ram, My Lady?’

Sati frowned. ‘I am a Suryavanshi, Your Highness. We don’t break our promises. And everything that we do is in the name of Lord Ram.’