Raani Yamini watched her son from afar as he was with his Jyesth Tatshree. A smile of satisfaction came to her lips watching them. Dharmesth needed a father figure in his life and no one could be a better example than Jyesth.

"Yamini?" Maharani Nivedita called her from behind. Her eyes fell on the practice field where a match was going on between wrestlers. At a side, bhrata Jayaditya stood with Dharmesth in his arms. He said something to the kid who laughed happily in turn. Nivedita smiled too watching them.

"I have seen Jyesth smiling after so long." Nivedita commented.

"Losing his son has been hard on him." Yamini said with a sigh. "It's good that Dharmesth is close to him."

"It is." Maharani Nivedita said and then noticed her daughter, Nilasi who had reached the grounds to watch the wrestling among all the men. "This girl!"

She hurriedly went away to call back Nilasi. Yamini only laughed watching the almost five year old girl cheering for the wrestlers. As Maharani Nivedita left, Yamini too decided to leave for her chamber. She rounded a corner and saw a group of girls gathered in the balcony enjoying the wrestling and laughing among themselves. Yamini stopped her maiden who was going to announce her presence. She decided to leave silently and let the girls enjoy the show.

"Rajkumari Nilasi ko dekho! Inka baas chale to swayam hi malyudh ke liye utar jai rangbhumi par.

(Look at Rajkumari Nilasi! If it was up to her, she will enter the field herself for a match.)"

Yamini heard the girls talking.

"Haa! Par Rajkumariya malyudh thodi na karti hai. Woh to Rajkumaro ka karya hai. Baas kuch barsh pratiksha kar lo. Hamare saw rajkumaro mein se bis tees to nikal hi aayenge malyudha. Tab aayega asli aanand malyudh dekhne ka.

(Yeah! But Rajkumaris don't wrestle, it is the sport of Rajkumars only. Just wait for a few years. Among our hundred Princes, we will get 20-30 wrestlers at least. Then it will be real fun to watch wrestling.)"

"Saw nehi, eksaw doo kaho!
(Not a hundred, hundred and two!)"

"Chodo bhi. Unn doono ko kaun ginti mein leta hai! Woh Vajravansh ka rakt thodi na hai.

(Leave it! Who counts those two! They're not really the blood of Vajravansh.)"

Yamini's steps halted as the words reached her ears.

"Yeh kaisi ashub baate kar rahi ho! Kisine sun liya toh mrityudand milega sidha!

(Why are you spouting such inauspicious talks! If anyone hears, you'll be punished by death for sure!)"

"Haa! Aur waise bhi, woh to Devaputra hai. Unke haato rajjya ka kalyan hi hoga.

(Yes! And by the way, they're Devaputra (sons of Gods). They will bring only prosperity to this kingdom.)"

"Kalyan to tabh hoga na, jab unke haato rajjya aayega. Saw Kashyap putron ke samne, yeh doo Devaputra akele kya hi kar lenge bhala!

(They'll bring prosperity if only they get the kingdom. In front of a hundred Kashyap putron (sons of Kashyap), what will the two Devaputra do!)"

"Baas karo aab. Dwand dekho chup chap. (Enough. Watch the match quietly.)"

***

"Should I take the Rajkumars away, Raani?"

Asked the handmaiden of Yamini who watched her two sons sleeping peacefully on her bed.

"No. Let them stay." Yamini replied and dismissed her.

She sat beside her sons while watching them thoughtfully. What she heard today was not heard by her for the first time. In the past one year, she had heard these types of talks a few times. And it made her wonder, was she wrong? Wrong to beget sons from Gods after her husband's death? But how was she wrong?
Like every woman, she also had dreamt of a household of her own, a happy family with husband and kids. She had been happy to marry Rajkumar Somesh though it was a political alliance. She had come to Amvasthapuram with a lot of hopes and dreams for the future. But all those got shattered because she wished for some merry flowers! That too at the hand of her own grandfather.

A royal woman once widowed, spent their lives alone forever. And if she didn't have any children, then her life became nothing but miserable. No one remembered her and she was supposed to stay at a corner, shackled in boundaries, forgotten and lonely.

It was true, she had wanted to provide an heir for this dynasty, for the sake of her husband who died because of her and never got the chance to forward his legacy. But she had also wanted to experience motherhood. The greed of becoming a mother had motivated to use the boon. But now after bringing them into this world, how could she leave them alone in uncertainty?

No! She couldn't. And she wouldn't. As Yamini watched her sleeping sons, she promised them silently that no matter what, she would do whatever was necessary to ensure a secure future for them.

***

"Where is Yamini?" Rajkumar Jayaditya asked as a dasi brought Rajkumar Dharmesth and Prabal to him.

"I don't know, Rajkumar. She left in the morning and has not returned yet. Rajkumar Dharmesth was insisting to see you and so I brought the two of them here." The dasi replied meekly.

Jayaditya looked at the two brothers playing on the practice ground. There had been some much needed repairs going on and he was watching over it. He dismissed the dasi and watched his nephews in amusement as they pretended to wrestle. However his attention got diverted as a soldier came to deliver some message to him. On the other hand, as the construction work was going on, large stones were brought in carts. While bringing it, one wheel of a cart broke and a large round stone crashed on the ground and came rotating towards the kids.

"Help!!!" The scream of the worker who was pushing the cart reached Jayaditya's ears and his eyes fell on the quickly moving stone towards his nephews. Just as he was about to rush to them, a shocking sight rendered all of the people present there speechless.

There in the middle of the ground, the one year old kid who couldn't even talk properly, Rajkumar Prabal had stopped the advancing stone with his little hands. A scared Rajkumar Dharmesth stood behind his brother with mouth agape. Rajkumar Prabal frowned at the stone for a few moments before pushing it with all his might. The man who had screamed earlier for help barely escaped as the stone now crashed with the fallen cart and other stones. The loud giggling of Rajkumar Prabal was heard as he watched the stones cracking and scattering in pieces.

A few watched in awe, a few in horror, but shock was evident on every face. Rajkumar Jayaditya closed his mouth which had fallen open in shock too. He rushed to the boys to see if they were alright. As he checked them, he heard Prabal saying in his broken language,

"Don't fear, Jyesth bhrata. Nothing can touch you as long as I am here."

***

"Kalyan ho, Yamini. Iss pavitra mantra shakti ke dwara yeadhi tumne mera aabhahan kiya hai, toh abbassya hi tumhari eccha, Putra prapti ki hogi?

(Bless you, Yamini. Since you have summoned me with this auspicious mantra, then I assume, you want to gain a son from me?)"

The ruler of Swarglok (heaven), the king of Gods, the God of thunder and rain, Devraj Indra asked as he appeared before Raani Yamini. She bowed to him in respect before replying.

"Haa, Bhagwan. Mujhe Putra ki kaamna hai.

(Yes, God. I do want a son.)

Ek aisa Putra, jisme aapka samarth ho! Jaise aap Devo mein sresth hai, woh manabo mein sresth ho! Mujhe ek aise Putra ka daan dijiye Bhagwan, jo aapne bhaiyo ka samarth bane. Jiske pratap ke samne, saw yaudhyaye bhi sheen par jaye. Aise pratapi Putra ki kaamna hai mujhe, Indradev!

(I want such a son who will have your capabilities! The way you are the foremost among all Gods, my son will be foremost among all men! Give me such a son, oh lord, who will become the strength of his brothers. Such a son, in front of whom even a hundred warriors will fade. I wish for such a glorious son, Indradev!)"

"So be it. Your son will be the Indra of this earth. Just like I am the source of strength in heaven, your son will be the source of strength on earth. His muscle power will be immense. Determination optimum. And this whole world will call him Abhayam because of his fearless nature!"

***

"Which God was it this time?" Maharaj Jagadeesan asked nonchalantly, but Maharani Nivedita knew him better.

"Devraj Indra." She replied meekly.

"And she didn't even feel the need to consult with anyone before taking the decision?" He asked again in the same careless manner. Nivedita rubbed her hands nervously not knowing what to answer.

"So, how many more are coming? Is she going to establish an army of Devaputras?" Jagadeesan asked as he put another spoonful of kheer in his mouth. The kheer, made to celebrate the arrival of Rajkumar Abhayam.

"You have no idea, do you?" He asked again impassively as he put aside the now empty bowl of dessert with a thud. Maharani Nivedita stood silently, looking around in nervousness.

"Power cannot be shadowed, Nivedita. You're now the Maharani of Amvasthapuram. And you have failed to maintain order even in the Raani Nivas (the queens quarter)." Jagadeesan commented before drinking water to wash away the sweetness.

"Arya, I--" Nivedita tried to form a good enough response, but failed.

"If there's no order in the household, how can you expect to establish that among the subjects?" He asked calmly, putting away the glass.

"She didn't feel the need to tell anyone and you have permitted her to use the boon if she wishes, years ago. How can I control her?" Nivedita managed to say this time.

And for the first time during the conversation, Jagadeesan turned his eyes directly at her. Nivedita lowered her head not meeting his eyes as a shiver ran through her spine. He wiped his mouth with a cloth staring at her only, before discarding it carelessly and standing up right in front of her.

"You're not new to this. Or have you learned nothing from my mother or grandmother?" He spoke softly lifting her face by placing a finger under her chin.

"She has been grief striken. I don't want to hurt her more unintentionally." She replied inhaling a breath quietly.

"Then do it intentionally." Jagadeesan said it like a matter of fact.
"You don't have any male child Nivedita. And Dharmesth is the eldest as of now. Who do you think, is going to challenge your authority the most?" Nivedita's eyes widened slightly at the implication.
"If you do want to safeguard your place, make her realize her own."

He then smiled at her as he added,

"I don't want any celebratory kheer anymore. Make sure of it."

***