‘But I do!’ said Sati. ‘Your existence was hidden from me for ninety years.’

‘But those were the rules, Maa,’ said Ganesh.

‘No, the rules are that a Naga child cannot live in Meluha. Hiding the truth from the mother is not part of the rules. Had I known, I would have left Meluha with you.’

‘Even if the rule was broken, it’s in the past. Please Maa, forget it.’

‘I will not. I cannot. I want to know how much he knew. And if he did know, why did he lie? To protect his name? So that no one can accuse him of being the progenitor of Nagas? So that he can continue to rule?’

‘Maa, nothing will come of this,’ said Ganesh.

Kali started laughing. Ganesh turned to her in irritation.

‘When you were scouring all of India to confront Sati, I had told you this very thing,’ said Kali. ‘And what had you said? You wanted answers. That you would not be at peace till you knew the truth about your relationship with your mother. That it would complete you. Then why can’t your mother want or expect the same from her father?’

‘But this is not completion, Mausi,’ said Ganesh. ‘This is only confrontation and pain.’

‘Completion is completion, my child,’ said Kali. ‘Sometimes completion causes happiness and sometimes pain. Your mother has a right to do this.’ Saying so, Kali turned to Sati. ‘Are you sure you want to do this, didi?’

‘I want answers,’ said Sati.

Veerbhadra gulped. ‘My Lady, Shiva only asked for Queen Kali and Lord Ganesh. Not you.’

‘I’m coming, Bhadra,’ said Sati. ‘And you know very well that I must.’

Veerbhadra looked down. Sati was right. She had the right to be there.

‘Maa...’ whispered Ganesh.

‘Ganesh, I am going,’ said Sati firmly. ‘You can either come along or not. That is your choice. But you cannot stop me.’

The Lord of the People took a deep breath, pulled his angvastram on his shoulder and said, ‘Lead us on, brave Veerbhadra.’

‘What a pleasant surprise to see you, Your Highness,’ said Athithigva, bowing to the Emperor of India.

Daksha nodded as he entered the antechamber of the court. ‘It is my empire, Athithigva. I think I can throw in a surprise or two!’

Athithigva smiled. Daksha had his wife Veerini in tow. She in turn was trailed by the famed Arishtanemi warriors, Mayashrenik and Vidyunmali. With Parvateshwar’s absence from Swadweep, Mayashrenik had been appointed provisional General of Meluha’s armed forces.

Daksha was surprised when he entered the main throne room, as the usual courtly nobles and officials were absent. Only Shiva and Nandi were present. Nandi immediately brought his fist up to his chest and bowed low to his Emperor. Daksha smiled at Nandi genially.

Shiva remained seated, joining his hands in a namaste. ‘Welcome to Kashi, Your Highness.’

Daksha’s smile disappeared. He was the Emperor of all of India. He deserved respect. Even if Shiva was the Neelkanth, protocol demanded that he stand up for the Emperor. In the past, Shiva had always done so. This was an insult.

‘How are you, my son-in-law?’ said Daksha, trying to keep his anger in check.

‘I am well, Your Highness. Why don’t you sit next to me?’

Daksha sat. So did Veerini and Athithigva.

Turning to Athithigva, Daksha said, ‘For such a noisy city, you seem to run a very quiet court, Athithigva.’

Athithigva smiled. ‘No My Lord, it’s just that...’

‘My apologies for interrupting, Your Highness,’ said Shiva to Athithigva, before turning to Daksha. ‘I thought it would be a good idea for you to meet your children in private.’

Veerini perked up immediately. ‘Where are they, Lord Neelkanth?’

Just then Veerbhadra walked in. Followed by Sati.

‘My child!’ said a smiling Daksha, forgetting the slight from Shiva. ‘Why didn’t you bring my grandson along?’

‘I have,’ said Sati.

Ganesh entered the room. Behind him was Kali.

Shiva was staring hard at Daksha’s face. The Meluhan Emperor’s eyes sprung wide open in recognition. His jaw dropped in shock.

He knows!

Then Daksha swallowed hard, straightening up.

He’s afraid. He’s hiding something.

Shiva also noticed Veerini’s expression. Profound sadness. Eyebrows joined together, but her lips curled up slightly in a smile struggling to break through. Her eyes moist.

She knows too. And she loves them.

Daksha turned to Athithigva and blustered. ‘How dare you consort with terrorists, King of Kashi?’

‘They aren’t terrorists,’ said Sati. ‘Terrorists kill innocents. Kali and Ganesh have never done that.’

‘Does Sati speak for the King of Kashi now?’

‘Don’t speak to him, father,’ said Sati. ‘Speak to me.’

‘What for?’ asked Daksha, pointing at Ganesh and Kali. ‘What do you have to do with them?’

‘Everything! Their place is with me. Should have always been with me.’

‘What? Vile Nagas have only one place. South of the Narmada! They are not allowed into the Sapt Sindhu!’

‘My sister and son are not vile. They are my blood! Your blood!’

Daksha stood, stepping up to Sati. ‘Sister! Son! What nonsense? Don’t believe the rubbish these scum tell you. Of course, they hate me. They will say anything to malign me. I am their sworn enemy. I am the ruler of Meluha! Under oath to destroy them!’

Kali reached for her sword. ‘I am in the mood to challenge you to an Agnipariksha right now, you repulsive goat!’

‘Don’t you have any shame?’ Daksha shouted at Kali. ‘Do penance for your past life sins quietly instead of creating bad blood between a loving father and his daughter! What lies have you told her about me?’

‘They haven’t said a word, father,’ said Sati. ‘But their existence says a lot about you.’

‘It’s not me. They exist because of your mother. Her past life sins have led to this. We never had Nagas in our family before her.’

Sati’s jaw fell. She was seeing the levels to which her father could stoop to for the first time.

Veerini was staring at Daksha, silent anger smouldering in her eyes.

‘This is not about past lives, father,’ said Sati. ‘It is about this life. You knew. Yet you didn’t tell me.’

‘I am your father. I have loved you all my life. I have fought the world for you. Will you trust me or some deformed animals?’

‘They are not deformed animals! They are my family!’

‘You want to make these people your family? People who lie to you? Who turn you against your own father?’

‘They never lied to me!’ shouted Sati. ‘You did.’

‘No, I did not!’

‘You said my son was still born.’

Daksha took a deep breath, looked up at the ceiling as though struggling to regain control and then glared at Sati. ‘Why don’t you understand? I lied for your own good! Do you know what your life would have been like if you had been declared a Naga’s mother?’

‘I would be with my son!’

‘What rubbish. What would you have done? Lived in Panchavati?’