Nivedita opened her tired eyes as she felt another presence in the room. Her daughters, Jayitra, Jagruti and Jayantika had just left after meeting their little sister. In this whole palace, only they seemed to be excited at the arrival of the little girl. The rest were just annoyed at best. Maharani Mridulata had shown her displeasure openly while Rajmata Vilasvati didn't even bother to show up to bless the girl.

Who was she to complain? Even a single tear had fallen from her own eyes when she heard she had birthed another girl and not a son. This time she had both hoped and prayed for a son. Even the dhatri (midwife) had told her that it was a boy this time. But she had been wrong and Nivedita's hope was shattered.

As her eyes opened, she was surprised to find her husband there. He stood with the little princess nestled in his strong arms. The sight somewhat warmed her frozen heart. She had not expected him to be there. Not after birthing a girl again. Jagadeesan was not the type of husband who would wait anxiously outside the door while his wife went into labor. Nor was he the type of father who would rush to meet his newborn leaving everything. He had not been there at the time of Jagruti and Jayantika's birth, fighting some war in the south. Even though he had been here after Jayitra, their firstborn's birth, he had finished all his duties before coming to meet her. At that time, Nivedita had believed it was due to the fact that it was a girl child. She had softly whispered an apology to him when he had come to meet.

Jagadeesan however, had frowned slightly at her before telling her never to apologize for risking her life and bringing a new one into this world. His simple admission had helped her to understand that he didn't care about the gender of the baby and his indifference had nothing to do with it. It was just the way he was.

"What is the name?" Jagadeesan asked, breaking her disarrayed thoughts.
It took Nivedita a few moments to understand what he was asking. She had been the one to name their first three daughters. But this time as she had thought it would be a boy, no appropriate name for the girl was coming to her mind.

"She doesn't have one yet." Nivedita replied softly.

"Why don't you name her this time?" She asked after a while. Jagadeesan turned his eyes to meet Nivedita's. She lowered hers nervously thinking if she had said something wrong. But Jagadeesan looked at the little cute babygirl again and handed her to her mother silently.

"Nilasi."

He declared and left the chamber without saying anything else. Nivedita stared at his retreating back in surprise as she realized that he had really just named their baby girl.

***

On the open large balcony of the west wing of the palace of Amvasthapuram, sat Rajkumar Jayaditya, Rajkumar Somesh and Rajkumar Durdharsh together. The three were chatting among themselves lightly. Their mood was sour as the absence of Rajkumar Kashyap was felt by all of them. To lessen the distaste, his absence left, Rajkumar Somesh and Durdharsh too joined Rajkumar Jayaditya in drinking sura (alcohol).

"Did bhrata Jagadeesan know about Kashyap beforehand?" Rajkumar Somesh wondered loudly.

"He must have. What escapes his eyes?" Durdharsh commented.

"Selfish! He should have stopped him!" Jayaditya said harshly.

"Why would he? He only gets pleasure in seeing us suffering!" Durdharsh added sulking. Jayaditya on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at Durdharsh immediately.

"What suffering had he put you through that you dare badmouthing your elder brother?" He asked angrily.

"Did you not badmouth him just now?" Durdharsh asked with mouth agape.

"He is younger to me. I'm allowed." Jayaditya replied moodily. Durdharsh stared at him helplessly as Somesh gave a snort.

Just then he noticed Jagadeesan coming towards them. Though a little bit intoxicated, he still had enough sense to call it a night instead of getting a hard time from his second eldest brother.

"Aap dono ki to hai nehi. Parantu meri patni pratiksha kar rahi hogi mera. Shubhratri.
(You two don't have any. But my wife must be waiting for me. Goodnight.)"

Somesh said and got up to leave. Durdharsh waved at him smiling like an idiot and Jayaditya only frowned at his chalice. Durdharsh again took another sip of the intoxicating beverage before noticing a pair of feet. He followed the pair of feet from down to upwards with his eyes only to find the stern face of Jagadeesan frowning at him. He kept staring at his brother idiotically before Jagadeesan snapped at him.

"Is this what Guru Vihastachariya teaching you these days?"

Durdharsh fell down from his seat as he jumped at the sharp voice of Jagadeesan. It took him a few moments to straighten.

"Sorry." Durdharsh apologized not really sure why he did so though.

"Meet me at the practice ground tomorrow morning. Now, leave!" Jagadeesan snapped at him again. Durdharsh gulped hearing about meeting his brother at the ground. He knew all too well what that meant. But didn't dare to say anything and left quietly.

Jayaditya kept enjoying his sura not caring about anything else. As Durdharsh left, Jagadeesan turned his frown at Jayaditya. Among the five brothers, Jagadeesan and Kashyap were the only ones who never touched alcohol. Kashyap respected his second eldest brother too much to the point of worshipping him. And in the twist of fate that same brother he worshipped had somehow been the reason of him losing everything.

"Why don't you donate this sura also?" Jagadeesan commented mockingly.
Jayaditya met his eyes angrily at the jab. They stared at each other for sometime before Jayaditya stood up and walked to the railing of the balcony. He stood there stoically staring at the darkness of night. After a moment, Jagadeesan followed after him.

"Maharaj Baladhar se kahiye aapni putri ko samjhakar wapas bhej de. Mil jayega unka putra.
(Tell Maharaj Baladhar to send back his daughter. Her son will be found.)" Jagadeesan said after they stood in silence for some time staring ahead blankly.

"Mila to nehi. Aur jab tak na mila, yoh wapas nehi aayegi.
(He hasn't been found yet. And until he is found, she won't come back.)"
Jayaditya replied solemnly keeping his eyes fixed ahead.

"Pura Amvasthapuram chan liya! Pata nehi kisko de diya! Dene se pehle naam pata toh puch lete.
(Whole Amvasthapuram has been searched! Who knows whom you gave him! Before giving at least, you should have asked for the name and address of that person.)"

"Naam pata puchke daan kaun deta hai?!
(Who asks for an address before giving a donation!?)"

"Toh aapne putra ko bhi daan mein kaun deta hai?!
(Who gives away their son as a donation?!)"

Jayaditya opened his mouth to retort back, but closed it again realising Jagadeesan was right.

"What about Kashyap?" He asked instead losing one argument.

"What about him?" Jagadeesan asked back arching a brow.

"You knew he was having an affair!" Jayaditya accused him. There was no way he could have missed that. How on earth did he agree to marry Rajkumari Viswa was beyond Jayaditya's understanding!

"Am I to be responsible for his actions too?" Jagadeesan asked with a frown.

"You should have stopped him." Jayaditya said angrily.

"Why would I?" Jagadeesan asked crunching his face in distaste.

"Because of you, he got exiled! Who knows where he is roaming with his wife!" Jayaditya gritted out in frustration.

"I am not the one to rush to kidnap someone! And he can roam all he wants and reach Maharishi Atharvan's ashram, I don't care." Jagadeesan retorted back in anger too

Wait! Maharishi Atharvan's ashram (a spiritual hermitage)! Kashyap was there? Was Jagadeesan keeping a tab on their brother in spite of his father's restrictions?
Well. It was Jagadeesan. Stubborn and observant. Sometimes he felt, Jagadeesan was a better fit for the crown than him. But hell would freeze over before he admitted that.

"What would you have done in my place?" Jayaditya asked in curiosity after some moments had passed.

"Who will dare to ask me for my child as daan?" Jagadeesan commented with a snort.

Jayaditya slowly turned his face towards his brother and stared at him for a while before asking,

"You do realize that you have four daughters, right?"

***

Curious about Jagadeesan's reply?

Well, he didn't say anything in return or changed his impassive expression. But the tune given below would be the perfect fit for his situation...