‘Has father returned to your quarters, Maa?’

Sati looked back from the medicine cabinet. ‘Now you don’t worry about these things.’

‘Has he started speaking to you at least?’

‘You needn’t worry about this,’ said Sati as she walked back to Ganesh.

The Naga was staring at the ceiling, guilt gnawing at his heart. He narrowed his eyes. ‘Did he...’

‘Yes he did,’ replied Sati. ‘Shiva came to check on you every day. But I don’t think he’ll be coming from today.’

Ganesh smiled sadly and bit his lip.

Sati patted him on the head. ‘Everything will become all right when it is meant to become all right.’

‘I wish I could explain what happened at Mount Mandar. I wish I could explain why it happened. I don’t know if he would forgive me. But at least he would understand.’

‘Kali has told me a little bit. I understand somewhat. But Brahaspati ji? He was a great man. The world lost something when he died. Even I cannot understand completely. And Shiva loved him like a brother. How can we expect him to understand?’

Ganesh looked at Sati with sad eyes.

‘But you saved Kartik’s life,’ said Sati. ‘You saved me. I know that’s worth a lot to Shiva. Give him time. He will come around.’

Ganesh remained silent, clearly sceptical.

The next day, with Ayurvati’s permission, Ganesh left his ayuralay room to take a short walk in the garden next door to Athithigva’s grand palace. Ganesh walked slowly, leaning on Kali’s shoulder, with a walking stick taking the bulk of his weight. He had wanted to walk alone, but Kali would hear none of it. As they reached the garden, they heard the loud sounds of clashing steel.

Ganesh narrowed his eyes. ‘Someone’s practicing. Practicing hard!’

Kali smiled. She knew Ganesh liked nothing better than seeing warriors practice. ‘Let’s go.’

The Naga Queen helped Ganesh to the central area of the garden. Ganesh was, meanwhile, commenting on the quality of the practise, based on the sounds he heard. ‘Quick moves. These are steel swords, not meant for practice. Accomplished warriors duel over there.’

Kali simply helped Ganesh through the fence gate.

As they entered, Ganesh recoiled. Kali strengthened her hold on him. ‘Relax. He is not in danger.’

At a distance, Kartik was engaged in a furious duel with Parvateshwar. He was moving at a speed that shocked Ganesh. The three-year-old may have been the size of a seven-year-old, but he was still significantly smaller than the gargantuan Parvateshwar. The Meluhan General was swinging hard with his sword. But Kartik was using his size to devastating effect. He bent low, forcing Parvateshwar to sweep lower with his sword, an action that most skilled swordsmen were not good at. Nobody trained to battle midgets. Kartik also had the ability to jab and swing with shattering speed and accuracy, swinging up at Parvateshwar at an angle that any grown man would have found impossible to defend. In just a few minutes, Kartik had already stopped short of three deathly blows at the Meluhan General, all in the lower torso area.

Ganesh stood gaping.

‘He’s been practicing every day since you were injured,’ said Kali.

Ganesh was even more amazed by something he had seen only a handful of warriors do. ‘Kartik uses two swords simultaneously.’

‘Yes,’ smiled Kali. ‘He doesn’t use a shield. He strikes with his left hand also. The boy says that offence is better than defence!’

Ganesh heard Sati’s voice speak out loudly. ‘Stop!’

He turned to see his mother rise from a ledge at the corner.

‘Sorry to disturb you, Pitratulya,’ said Sati to Parvateshwar, the man she respected like a father. ‘But perhaps Kartik may want to meet his dada.’

Parvateshwar looked up at Ganesh. The Meluhan General did not acknowledge Sati’s older son, not even a curt nod. He simply stepped back.

Kartik smiled at seeing Ganesh ambling slowly towards him. Ganesh was shocked at the change in Kartik. His eyes didn’t have the innocent look of a little boy anymore. They had steel in them. Pure, unadulterated steel.

‘You fight very well, brother,’ said Ganesh. ‘I didn’t know.’

Kartik hugged his brother, holding him tight. The embrace hurt Ganesh’s wounds, but he didn’t flinch or pull back.

The boy stepped back. ‘You will never again fight alone, dada. Never.’

Ganesh smiled and embraced his little brother once again, his eyes moist.

The Naga noticed that Sati and Kali were silent. He looked up to see Parvateshwar turning towards the gate. Parvateshwar banged his right fist on his chest and bowed low, executing the Meluhan military salute. Ganesh turned in the direction Parvateshwar was facing.

At the gate stood Shiva. Arms crossed across his chest. Expression blank. His hair windswept and clothes fluttering in the breeze. Staring at Ganesh.

Ganesh, with Kartik still in his embrace, bowed low in respect to the Neelkanth. When he straightened up, Shiva was gone.

‘He may not be such a bad man, Shiva,’ said Veerbhadra, exhaling the marijuana fumes softly.

Shiva looked up with a deadpan expression. Nandi looked at Veerbhadra in alarm.

But Veerbhadra was adamant. ‘We don’t know everything about him, Shiva. I spoke to Parshuram. It was Ganesh who assisted him, the one who helped him fight against the injustices he faced. Apparently, Parshuram had been grievously injured when the Brangas first attacked him. Ganesh found the wounded Brahmin on the banks of the Madhumati and rescued him. On hearing Parshuram’s terrible story, he also swore to support him in any way that he could.’

Shiva simply took the chillum from Veerbhadra and took a deep drag, not saying a word.

‘You know what Krittika said. Ganesh fought like a man possessed to save Kartik, nearly sacrificing his own life in the process. Krittika is a good judge of character. She says that Ganesh has a heart of gold.’

Shiva kept quiet, exhaling smoke.

‘I heard from Queen Kali,’ continued Veerbhadra, ‘that it was Ganesh who arranged for the Naga medicine which saved Kartik’s life during his birth.’

Shiva looked up, surprised. He narrowed his eyes. ‘He is a strange man. I don’t know what to make of him. He has saved my son’s life. Twice, if I am to believe you. He saved my wife’s life in Icchawar. For all this I must love him. But when I look at him, I hear Brahaspati’s desperate cry for help ring in my ears. And then, I want nothing more than to cut off his head.’

Veerbhadra looked down, unhappy.

The Neelkanth shook his head. ‘But I know of a man that I definitely want answers from.’

Veerbhadra looked up at him, suspecting his friend’s train of thought. ‘His Highness?’

‘Yes,’ said Shiva. ‘Kali and Ganesh could not have been abandoned without his consent.’

Nandi piped up for his Emperor. ‘But My Lord, Emperor Daksha had no choice. That is the law. Naga children cannot live in Meluha.’

‘Well, isn’t it also the law that the Naga’s mother has to leave society? That the mother should be told the truth about her child?’ asked Shiva. ‘Laws cannot be applied selectively.’

Nandi kept quiet.

‘I don’t doubt the love the Emperor has for Sati,’ said Shiva. ‘But didn’t he realise how much he was going to end up hurting Sati by banishing her son?’