"Arya? You're cheating again!" Raani Yamini whined in displeasure. "I will not play with you anymore."

Saying so, she got up from her seat leaving the game of dice in mid. Rajkumar Somesh pressed his lips tightly so he didn't end up laughing at her cute pout. He too stood up to follow her outside the tent. They had camped near the Malaapi mountain. After years of their marriage, finally Rajkumar Somesh had gotten some alone time with his wife as they came here for hunting. After his Anuj (younger brother), Kashyap left and, with bhrata Jayaditya busy in searching his son, the majority of the responsibilities had fallen on Somesh. He had been too busy those past months and couldn't spend any time with Yamini. So, he had brought her with him for this trip.

"Yamini! Listen to me!" Rajkumar Somesh called her from behind as he saw her going towards the denser part of the forest. But Raani Yamini didn't listen and started running instead. He had troubled her much. Now it was her turn. She ran aimlessly giggling at her success of outrunning her husband. She came to a stop near a large waterfall. She looked at her surrounding in awe. The place felt magical as water cascaded down from the high mountain top and the water droplets caught the sunlight and glowed like pearls.

"Yamini? What are you doing? I was calling you not to come so far from the camp." Somesh said catching up to her finally.

"Arya, look! This place is so beautiful." Yamini said with a broad smile.

"Whatever. We need to get back. This place is not safe." Somesh said instead. They were far away from the camp into unknown territory.

"No. I want to stay here for sometime." Yamini said stubbornly. Somesh looked around undecided, but then nodded being unable to say no to her. Yamini literally jumped in joy and sat on the verge of a slab near the pond created by the constant flow of the waterfall.

"Arya, look at this!" Yamini exclaimed suddenly. Somesh turned his eyes to her to find a blue colored flower on her hand that was glowing softly.

"Where did you find that?" Somesh asked frowning at it.

"It was floating on the water. I think it fell from the top of the waterfall." Yamini replied pointing at the high mountain.

"It's unique. I have never seen such a flower before." Somesh commented taking it on his hand.

"I want more flowers like this." Yamini demanded.

"Where will I find such flowers?" Rajkumar Somesh asked looking at her blankly.

"Why don't you go up there and search?" Yamini suggested gesturing at the top of the mountain from where the waterfall had started.

"No. Thank you." Somesh replied with a forced smile and returned her the flower.

"Won't you fulfill such a small wish of mine?!" Yamini asked, frowning in displeasure.

"Small? This is high!" Somesh said pointing at the height of the mountain.

"So? You can easily climb up. I know." Yamini said with confidence.

"Thanks for having so much confidence in me, but No!" Somesh denied.

"Arya!" Yamini whined before saying,
"Fine. Then I will go there myself."

"What?" Somesh narrowed his eyes at her. He knew her well enough and once Yamini set her eyes on something, she didn't stop.

"Yes. I will go there and search for the flower myself." Yamini said with determination and started to go to complete her mission.

"Wait! Yamini!" Rajkumar Somesh tried to stop her unsuccessfully, but at last accepted his defeat in front of her stubbornness.

"Fine. I will go!"

***

Maharaj Vriddhakshatra's health deteriorated day by day. He rarely talked to anyone anymore and remained confined in his room most days. Raj vaiyd (royal doctor) had not said much and told only to pray while he was trying his best. The atmosphere remained gloomy and depressed. It was never easy to watch the solid foundation of our life shaking and withering with age. Jagadeesan's heart dropped with despair the day though when he asked to be taken to Maharishi Atharvan's ashram. No one needed to clearify to him that in the guise of meeting the learned Rishi, his father was actually wanting to see Kashyap for the last time.

"Prarnipat, Maharaj. I am sorry, but Rishivar is not here at this moment. He will return after a few weeks though." A disciple of Rishi Atharvan informed. Maharaj Vriddhakshatra nodded and said it was okay.

"Pitashree? Should we leave?" Jagadeesan asked even though knowing his father didn't want to.

"No. I want to remain in this pious atmosphere for sometime." As expected he started to walk around the ashram lazily leaving their companions behind.

"Your mother is worried." He said to Jagadeesan as he matched his father's steps and walked beside him. "She wants an heir of yours."

"And you?" Jagadeesan asked nonchalantly.

"I want to see you all happy." He replied after pausing for awhile.

They remained quiet as they turned a corner near a house and stood beside a large tree. There at a far side a man was cutting a large tree bark with an axe. The burning heat of the sun was scorching the man. A woman came outside from the hut behind him and handed him a small water vessel. The man took it gratefully and drank some of the cooling liquid to wet his dried throat.

"An alliance with Pracakra would be good for Amvasthapuram." Maharaj Vriddhakshatra said suddenly as his eyes remained fixed on his exiled son and daughter-in-law.

Yuvraj Jagadeesan stared at him not understanding what he meant. What alliance was he talking about? There was no princess in Pracakra that he might want an alliance with. Maharaj Vriddhakshatra glanced at him before adding,
"Pracakra has a prince who is away for training. Rajkumar Sattyajit."

Jagadeesan looked away from his father finally figuring out what was going on his mind.

"I will think about it." He said. But Maharaj Vriddhakshatra chuckled at him.

"I know, you will not." Maharaj Vriddhakshatra said humorously. "Just remember that as the father of your daughters, it's both your responsibility and dharma (an aspect of truth and reality) to hand them over to suitable grooms."

Jagadeesan looked at his father and met his eyes. Something passed between them before he gave a slight nod.

"I know you think I am biased towards Jayaditya. But all of my sons hold their special places in my heart. You and Jayaditya are the two stalwarts of Amvasthapuram. As long as you two are together, I don't need to worry.

But as the crown prince, your responsibilities will always be bigger. After me, you will become the head of not only Amvasthapuram, but the royal family too. Finding balance and maintaining it will be important." Maharaj Vriddhakshatra stopped for a moment and sighed before saying something that surprised Jagadeesan.

"I know you will not remarry due to the curse given by Rishi Garga."

His father knew about that! How?!

"Don't look so surprised. Two things can't be hidden by efforts. One is boon and another is curse." Maharaj Vriddhakshatra said smirking in mirth.
"However, that means in future you will need to choose one among your nephews to be your heir." As he said that his eyes went to the very much pregnant Rajkumari Viswa who seemed ready to give birth at any moment.

"Give each and every one of them an equal chance. Keep the wellbeing of the kingdom and welfare of our subjects at first at all times. And never leave your brothers alone."
Maharaj Vriddhakshatra advised and both of them fell silent for sometime.

The sun had started to descend down at west when finally Maharaj Vriddhakshatra left the place with Jagadeesan following him.

***

Rajkumar Kashyap tried hard to control his tears as he stood before the two enflamed pyre. The exiled prince of Amvasthapuram wiped his face again before looking at the two formidable lone figures standing stoically before the two pyres. His eldest brother, Senapati (commander-in-chief) Jayaditya had given fire to their father's pyre while the last rites of Rajkumar Somesh had been performed by Maharaj Jagadeesan.

On the same day, they received the news of Rajkumar Somesh's untimely death, Maharaj Vriddhakshatra had left this earth too.

Rajkumar Somesh had been killed by Gandharva King, Chitrangada. And Maharaj Vriddhakshatra had died a natural death due to his age. Before his death, he had asked for two things.

One was a vow from his eldest, Jayaditya.

"Bachan do, ki tum sadhev aapne anuj ke saath khare rahoge, Amvasthapuram ki singhasan ki raksha tumhara uttardaitto hoga!

(Promise me, you'll always stand with your brother and protect the throne of Amvasthapuram at all costs!)"

Jayaditya who had started to lose hope of getting his son back, intended to leave Amvasthapuram and take Sannyas (vow of complete renunciation from wordly matters). But now the vow given to his deceased father had bound him to the throne of Amvasthapuram forever.

His second wish though had surprised everyone and severally hurt Maharani Mridulata. Maharaj Vriddhakshatra had asked to flow his ashes in the river Tapti. Everyone had been surprised as there was no such a river known. But unknown to everyone in the exact same moment Maharaj Vriddhakshatra took his last breath, Devi Tapti's sorrow had transformed her material body into water too. And Maharani Mridulata had been hurt as she realized all those years of togetherness or her hatred towards Jayaditya had served her no good. Since that time she had enclosed herself inside her chamber.

One more grieving wife hadn't been out of her chamber. That was Raani Yamini. The widow of Rajkumar Somesh held herself responsible for the death of her husband. If she had not been stubborn and did not send him to the garden of Gandharva King, Chitrangada, then he would be alive. In the absence of these two, Maharani Nivedita was handling everything and at the same time tried to console the two of them too. Rajmata Vilasvati seemed to have hardened more after her son's death. Since the time her husband passed away living the young woman as a widow with a small child and a whole kingdom to handle, she had been burdened by responsibilities. In the patriarchal society, she had ruled as the Rajmata of Amvasthapuram by hardening her heart only. But slowly the coldness of her heart had reached her soul too. Maybe that's why she was able to bear the loss of her son and grandson altogether and still stood upright.

However, no one was aware that in this devastated state of the royal family was hidden the foundation which would start a new saga.

***