Sakshi's head was swimming. She had spent three-fourths of her life hobnobbing with the rich and famous. But this was a whole new level of social exclusivity. She had not met any royal personages till today morning. And now she was sitting in a palace and interacting with the nobility.

The palace was phenomenally beautiful. It was incredible that this breath-taking, ancient structure was simply home for a group of people. And to think that Priyamvada was one of them...

It was mindboggling, and yet, absolutely believable when she thought about the strange woman.

Now she was feeling embarrassed about the doubts that had surfaced after Priyamvada's departure from the exhibition. However, those fears had gradually become so persistent that she'd left her assistants in charge of the stall and had journeyed alone to an unfamiliar place in a fancy car sent by an unknown family. But it was plain as day now that she'd not made a mistake by following her instincts.

Her sole regret was that she had not thought of bringing Vanaja along. It would have been nice to have a friend in this alien atmosphere.

The elderly man named Uday Singh, who was apparently Prithvi's great-uncle and was seated on the opposite sofa, was befuddled and ill at ease. He had enquired courteously about her travel to the palace and had encouraged her to consume the tea and snacks arranged on the centre table. He had not seemed inclined to discuss anything else.

The man who had sent the car for her, Sumer Singh, was standing silently beside Uday Singh. On the way to the hall, they had conversed about the scheduled visit of a doctor, and he had unwillingly taken heed of her forewarnings. They had not interacted later.

"Prithvi, you're here," Uday Singh said enthusiastically.

Sakshi looked at the door and heaved a sigh of relief as Prithvi strode into the room. Both of the older men too were reassured by his arrival. Uday Singh smiled more sincerely and Sumer Singh's posture relaxed a bit.

As soon as Prithvi had taken a seat near Uday Singh, Sakshi apologetically said, "I have to leave soon. I can return later if you wish. I dropped by this time only because I wanted to confirm that Priyamvada -"

"Has indeed returned to her family," Prithvi said mildly. "She's sleeping right now but you can see her if you wish."

"Oh that's not necessary," Sakshi muttered.

Prithvi glanced at Sumer Singh. "Baba, is a doctor on the way?"

"She had called from the clinic to say she's leaving but then Ms. Sakshi said..." Sumer Singh stopped and looked at Sakshi.

Sakshi prided herself on her confidence, but she broke out in sweat suddenly as Prithvi turned a coldly inquiring gaze on her. She hadn't thought of the ways in which her words could be misconstrued but they zoomed through her head rapidly now.

"I asked him to postpone the doctor's visit," she said contritely. "But that was only because Priyamvada hates doctors. If she's not conscious while being examined, it is fine. If she's awake and alert...it could cause problems."

The antagonism on Prithvi's features reduced a touch. "She woke up once and then went back to sleep," he divulged pensively.

"Oh alright. Her sleep will break 1-2 times more before the effect of the drug wears off fully," Sakshi predicted. "You can show her to any number of doctors, but based on my experience, it would be best to take her permission for those visits. Or she could react quite...badly."

She halted on seeing a troubled look on Prithvi's face. He had exuded such a harsh aura moments ago that it was twice as shocking, and oddly upsetting, to see him appear so distressed.

With a motherly air, Sakshi reassuringly added, "You don't have to be worried about Priyamvada's physical health. She doesn't eat well, so she's underweight and weak. But it is her emotional state that actually needs attention."

Prithvi hesitantly said, "I know you need to leave soon...but could you tell me more about her?"

Moved by the apprehension in his gaze, Sakshi nodded and said, "I'll tell you everything I know. There may be some gaps because I came in touch with your mother a while after she'd arrived at the ashram. See...the institution I run was founded by my mother-in-law. It provides shelter to women who are impoverished, homeless or have suffered domestic abuse. We give them a place to stay, food to eat, and help them become financially independent. Some years ago, an acquaintance called up my mother-in-law and asked for a favour. She was working with another ashram that was closing down. She wanted to know if we would be willing to accommodate Priyamvada. My mother-in-law agreed and that's how your mother came to our ashram."

Sakshi paused to choose her words and then continued, "From what I've heard and understood, Priyamvada had been in a terrible state when she'd first arrived at the other ashram...not talking or moving or eating. They hired good psychiatrists for her, and helped her recover to a huge extent. She could have become normal soon, but at some point, she refused to see the doctors anymore. When the ashram tried to convince her to continue with the treatments, she ran away a few times. So they were forced to stop her treatment. When she came to our institution, she suffered from horrible nightmares and hated to see children, even babies. And she would break down every now and then for no apparent reason. But the intensity of those episodes has reduced over time."

"But she suffers from some other issues?" Prithvi asked incisively, cloaking the anguish and commotion inside him. It was tougher than he'd expected to hear about his mother's condition during the years they had been apart. But he wanted to hear the unvarnished truth...

"Just one mainly. Your mother tends to - your mother sees hallucinations of her dead husband...your father," Sakshi revealed haltingly. "His name was Aditya, wasn't it?"

*************************

The hysteria that had left Priyamvada jumped into Nandini's heart. She stammered, "I-I'm – I – just – I'm a family friend's daughter."

As Priyamvada's eyes narrowed slightly, Nandini's face turned red with embarrassment. She felt as though the older woman could look into her brain. Concurrently, it struck her for the first time that she was speaking with Prithvi's mother. She had a terrifying urge to laugh manically.

The answer was obviously untrue, Priyamvada mulled with distaste. The girl was singularly beautiful and there was a marked air of natural grace about her, but the clothes and jewellery were atrociously cheap. She could not possibly be related to friends of either hers or Aditya's family. Still, the lie would have been acceptable if it had been served with finesse. But the girl was an inept liar, Priyamvada thought irately. Lies were useful and good liars deserved respect. Bad liars, on the other hand, were detestable.

"What's your name?" Priyamvada asked brusquely.

Nandini mumbled it.

"Nandini," Priyamvada repeated pensively. The impulse to interrogate the girl about her family was strong, and she would do it soon. But at present, she just wanted to see her son again.

"Take me to my son, Nandini," she added abruptly.

"Okay, aunty," Nandini consented hastily, "We can go to him right now."

Priyamvada started to get up from the bed, then halted and looked down at her shabby saree. Her hand rose to touch her unkempt hair. She was sure she resembled a beggar at the moment.

As compassion overtook anxiety, Nandini cautiously said, "I can comb your hair for you. And Prithvi has spoken to – he has made arrangements to get new clothes for you."

A closed look came over Priyamvada's features, and she clenched her hands in her lap. "Prithvi is a child," she said jerkily. "How can he make any such arrangements?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't – he is –" Nandini said clumsily, and then hopelessly fell silent.

Priyamvada looked at the opposite wall. "He's a child, isn't he?"

Nandini stared at her unsurely. At this point, she would have agreed promptly to escape the thorny situation, but Priyamvada's voice had seemed to contain a fervent appeal. Her mind was telling her to indulge the older woman, while her instinct was issuing a different order.

Abandoning her fate to God, Nandini mumbled, "He - he's twenty years old."

Priyamvada shut her eyes tightly. Her lips trembled as they tried to contain a scream. Her child was now a grown man, which meant he had spent the most important years of his life without her care and protection.

Acutely troubled, Nandini said, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset you." Then to her great relief, Priyamvada composed herself. The sphinx-like gaze came back to her face.

Priyamvada meditatively asked, "Are Harshvardhan's wife and children...doing well?"

Nandini tried to tell herself that it was a harmless question motivated by nothing more sinister than curiosity. Splinters of dread had pierced her stomach for no reason. She revealed, "His wife and son died along with him in the accident."

The emotion that had flitted across on Priyamvada's countenance was disbelief, Nandini decided stalwartly.

"And his daughter?" Priyamvada asked

With an unexplained reluctance, Nandini unwillingly said, "She's still at Devgarh"

Priyamvada fell silent for some moments, then she meditatively enquired, "And my eldest brother...Yash?"

Nandini drew a blank, but then a memory jumped to her rescue. "He's no more," she muttered, recalling her conversation with Kadambari.

Priyamvada took the news without any shock. Her oldest brother had been a robust, strapping young man. However, he had not been a match for Aditya and had never recovered from their brutal fight.

As her mind began proceeding on fresh routes, she absently said, "You may comb my hair."

"Okay, I'll get a comb," Nandini said nervously and hurried to the large dressing mirror, praying that the drawers should not be empty. Thankfully, in the central drawer, there were three pristine combs arranged neatly along with packets of hairpins, safety pins and other sundry items.

She chose a grey wide-toothed comb and hastened back to Priyamvada, who didn't show any inclination to move closer to the edge of the bed to make the hair combing easier.

Lacking the courage to ask for a small bit of cooperation, Nandini tried to find a comfortable position. She wavered for a moment, gripped by fear that she would bungle up the simple task. Then she thought about the times she had tied her mother's hair before attending function. The image of her mother helped her calm down. With a silent prayer, she began working on the straggly grey hair as gently as she could.

Meanwhile, Priyamvada's thoughts drifted to her dai maa. Haimavati must have recognised her that day. There was no other way the news of her continued existence could have reached her family recently.

None of this would have happened if she'd not consented to go on the awful trip to the shrine. The split-second glimpse of a wizened face in the crowd had frightened her. She had not wanted to meet a known face at any cost because it could have meant finding out how horribly her child had suffered post her departure. And so she had rushed to the bus without confirming if it was indeed Haimavati. And now, even after knowing that her son had survived, the fear of discovering any cruel truths had not let go of her...

"It's done, aunty," Nandini said uncertainly when she had eventually managed to make a compact knot. She held her breath when Priyamvada touched her hair. But no comment came her way.

There was a tap on the door.

Priyamvada's posture turned rigid and she looked apprehensively at Nandini. "I don't want to see anyone except Prithvi."

"I won't let anyone else come inside the room without your permission," Nandini assured gently. She placed the comb on the bed and left the room.

Feeling worn out, Priyamvada looked out the windows.

Her eyes gazed upon a sprawling green lawn and walls of stone. She was in a palace. It wasn't Devgarh...but it didn't feel unfamiliar...

************************

Kadambari was standing outside along with an elderly woman who was clad in traditional, colourful garments and silver jewellery.

"Is she awake, Nandini? We need to take her measurements for the blouse," Kadambari whispered.

Nandini nodded. "She's awake. But Choti maa, I'll have to ask her if..."

"Of course," Kadambari said anxiously. "We need her permission."

"I'll be right back," Nandini said in a hushed voice and started to turn away.

"You must always close the door fully on these occasions," Kadambari advised.

"Oh...okay," Nandini mumbled but dithered at the thought of shutting the door on the elderly faces.

Kadambari sighed and did the needful herself. Then she inspected her saree to verify that every pleat was in place and patted her hair. She was tensed, excited and happy. It was difficult to decide which emotion had the upper hand, because memories of two different Priyamvadas were fresh in her head. One had been a broken, lifeless woman...but the other...

*****************************

Priyamvada glanced away from the windows on hearing Nandini's approach through the irksome sound of anklets.

Nandini halted at the entrance to the bedroom and tentatively said, "Aunty, they need your measurements for the blouse."

Priyamvada almost refused. She didn't want to be seen by anyone in this state. But if she cooperated, she could venture out of the room eventually. She gave a faint nod and started to get down from the bed.

Assuming she would need help, Nandini walked to her and caught her arm lightly

"Please don't touch me without my permission again," Priyamvada said flatly.

Stung by the rebuke, Nandini released the stiff hand and retreated uncertainly.

Priyamvada kept her feet on the floor and rose. But her legs felt unsteady and she grabbed Nandini's arm for support. Nandini lent her support again and waited warily for another reprimand.

But Priyamvada didn't speak and, maintaining a tight grip on Nandini's hand, she walked rigidly to the large sitting room and headed for the armchair that faced the door. Releasing Nandini's hand, she lowered herself into the chair and sat ramrod straight. Her keen gaze ran over the surroundings and stopped on the trays of food.

Her stomach was racked by hunger pangs and her mouth watered. She felt ravenously hungry, as though she'd been starving for years.

Nandini walked to the door and opened it for the two women. Both the women appeared calm, but on noticing a pallor on Kadambari's face, Nandini smiled at her and nodded reassuringly. Then she moved to a side.

Priyamvada inclined her head to grant permission and stared expressionlessly at the women as they walked into the room with reverently folded hands and bowed heads. A second later, her eyes grew wide with disbelief.

Both the women touched the floor in front of her feet and offered reverential greetings.

Kadambari smiled. "It is my greatest fortune to see you again, your highness," she murmured, and felt exultant and gratified to see a glimmer of recognition in Priyamvada's eyes.

"You were the cook at Devgarh," Priyamvada responded without emotion.

"Yes, your highness," Kadambari said eagerly.

"You've been looking after Prithvi all these years?" Priyamvada asked softly.

Nandini had been standing a little apart from the group, touched by the devout manner of the two ladies. But the query pulled her attention to the seated woman.

Priyamvada's features were devoid of fury or any other alarming emotions. But the blankness was frightening, and a chill seemed to descend upon the room.

Nandini glanced worriedly at Kadambari. The smiling enthusiasm was gone, and now older woman seemed terrified, almost excessively so...

"I'm asking if you've taken care of him ever since I...left," Priyamvada asked with sustained courteousness.

The terror on Kadambari's motherly face jabbed at Nandini heart, and her tension was watered down by a rush of protective anger. She couldn't tell Priyamvada anything about Prithvi's experiences in the years following her disappearance. But she could give an ambiguous yet true answer that would help Kadambari.

"No, aunty. She met Prithvi just a few weeks ago," she replied firmly on Kadambari's behalf.

Priyamvada's piercing stare shifted to Nandini, who immediately felt grateful for the many showdowns she'd had with Prithvi in the past. His penetrating gaze was infinitely more unnerving than that of his mother's. And thanks to the huge inventory of her rough experiences with him, she could unflinchingly meet Priyamvada's intimidating appraisal.

Something in her face seemed to convince Priyamvada, and the latter's expression softened.

"You may take the measurements," Priyamvada told Kadambari tiredly.

The strain in the room lifted and three women breathed more easily. However, Kadambari continued to appear highly stressed. She took a measuring tape from her companion and moved ahead to do the needful without looking at anyone.

Priyamvada remained seated as Kadambari took the measurements with great deference and caution. Then both women took their leave respectfully, and Kadambari took care to shut the door properly on the way out.

Nandini gazed apprehensively at the door, wishing she could follow Kadambari and comfort her somehow.

"Which palace is this, Nandini?" Priyamvada asked quietly.

Nandini looked at Priyamvada and nervously said, "Aadyabhoomi,"

Priyamvada's body convulsed faintly.

"Are you okay?" Nandini asked squeakily.

Controlling her feelings, Priyamvada tonelessly said, "I'm fine. I need to freshen up."

Nandini signalled diffidently to a corner of the bedroom. "That's the bathroom."

"Alright. You can leave the room," Priyamvada ordered. "Wait outside for fifteen minutes and then you can call my son."

Nandini hesitated. Priyamvada had been shaken by the palace's name for some unknown reason, and to leave her alone in this state...

Priyamvada looked at her frigidly. "Are you hard of hearing?"

Flushing, Nandini mumbled, "No," and then left the room silently.

Once she'd heard the door being shut, Priyamvada rose from the chair and walked to the large windows in the bedroom.

The desperation to see her son and talk to him about the past hadn't lessened. But she needed to spend a short time in isolation.

Aadyabhoomi...

She was in Aditya's beloved Aadyabhoomi palace. The mansion that held exquisite, sacred memories for both of them.

Priyamvada's right hand splayed across her abdomen, and she smiled through her tears.

**************************

Hardly conscious of her steps, Nandini strolled absentmindedly along the corridor. She had covered a quarter of the distance to the destination chosen by her gut when realisation struck that she was heading to the hall...to see Prithvi.

Nandini slowed and then stopped. She couldn't meet him until she had gathered herself and concealed her emotions. But she also didn't want to just stand outside the suite.

Nandini looked at the wall to her left. There were two small alcoves in between the room and the hall. One of them could give her sanctuary.

She walked into the nearest niche and leaned against the wall, trying to collect her thoughts and make sense of the disconcerting experience she'd had with his mother.

Priyamvada had not spoken harshly or abusively to anyone. Yet, something about the frail woman had terrified her. Fear, though, was not the most perturbing emotion that Prithvi's mother had evoked in her, Nandini thought wretchedly.

But it would be wrong to foster any negative thoughts, she thought with a sudden determination. Priyamvada had endured grief and shocks that were unthinkable in an ordinary woman's life. The experiences would naturally have left deep scars upon her psyche. Yes...she didn't have any right to judge Priyamvada when she couldn't even imagine a life similar to the one led by her.

Nandini rubbed her cheeks distractedly.

Despite the passionate effort to be empathetic, memories of her first meetings with Indrajit and Rajyavardhan wouldn't stop haunting her. It had been more disquieting somehow with Priyamvada...

The saint's words resounded in her ears, worsening her uneasiness.

*****************************

The old man was waiting in the huge foyer, a shabby blanket wrapped around him and a wooden staff in his hands. The peaceful smile on the wrinkled face banished Nandini's apprehensions instantaneously, and his unanticipated arrival suddenly seemed natural.

Feeling calm and happy, she smiled and hurried down the steps.

Sumer Singh dawdled behind her and halted at the top of the stairs. The brief exchange he'd had with the mendicant was sufficient for him. He was a simple man who believed in God. But he wasn't religious and always gave a wide berth to anything off the trodden path. And this strange man was a good example of the things he avoided diligently.

Nandini folded her hands as she neared the pious visitor.

He raised his hand in benediction and then gently said, "I wished to take Prithvi's leave before departing from these hills."

"Oh," she said, coming to a stop. "He wanted to meet you but he – he is actually - "

"I understand. He is worried about his mother and doesn't wish to leave her side at the moment," he said kindly.

Nandini was astonished for a second that he knew about Priyamvada but then realised Sumer Singh must have spoken to him about it.

"Baba, if you could wait for some time..." she requested.

The mystic smiled and murmured, "I don't need to wait. To see you...is to see him."

Nandini hadn't been able to catch the last part of his response. However, she felt reluctant to ask him to repeat his words. Instead, she earnestly said, "Please bless them both."

"They always have my blessings, and so do you."

Nandini walked forward to touch his feet and felt protected when a hand touched her head. She straightened and reverently said, "We will never forget your help in finding his mother. If you hadn't left behind that cloth -"

"I didn't do anything, child," the old man said, shaking his head. "When the heart bears its burdens valiantly...when the mind is tenacious and dedicated... when the spirit faces one misfortune after the other with unshakeable fortitude and refuses to surrender...the gods bow down before such grit and create a path to the goal. This is Prithvi's victory. And yours," he added affectionately.

Overpowered by tears, Nandini bowed her head.

"But the trials have not ended."

Her head jerked back up, and she looked at him fearfully. The beatific smile had disappeared from the wizened face .

Ostensibly unaware of the strong impact of his words, the old man went on serenely. "In a way, they are going to become more painful. And when that happens, I hope you will remember my request," he said humbly, folding his hands. "Compassion and forgiveness are elixirs that benefit both...the giver and receiver. If love triumphs, it is a victory for each participant in the war. If hate and anger win, everyone loses..."

*****************************

Hallucinations, Prithvi thought in shock. Then, in a flash, he recalled the moment at the exhibition when his mother had stared at something near him and staggered towards it. Had she seen his father...

Struggling to focus, he picked up the thread of the conversation and muttered, "His name was Adityaraj. He died shortly after I was born."

Sakshi felt guilty about sharing the disturbing news with him, but he needed to be prepared for the tough situations that awaited him. "It doesn't happen frequently, but it's tough to...to manage her when it does. When the hallucination ends, she often breaks down and, at times, she wanders off in search of him."

She halted to evaluate the faces in front of her. Uday Singh and Sumer Singh looked predictably horrified. Prithvi, however, continued to seem calm and steady as a rock, and it emboldened her to continue.

"There have been some scary instances when she ran out of the ashram premises in a frenzy and we had to search the surrounding areas for hours before finding her. That won't happen today because of the strong medicines we gave her in the morning," she guaranteed. "But from tomorrow, it would be advisable for someone to keep an eye on her at all times. Just make sure it is done discreetly. Your mother hates it when people hover around her without any apparent reason. I've brought her medicines with me, and you can show them to any doctor of your choice before giving them to her. "

Sakshi talked for a few more minutes longer, trying to create a clear picture of the years Priyamvada had spent in the ashram. There really wasn't much to say. Although she had looked after Priyamvada for years, she didn't have any real understanding of the woman. And Priyamvada's behavioural traits weren't the kind that could be discussed with her family.

When she stopped speaking, the silence did not break for a while.

Then Prithvi glanced sharply at the door. The others in the room copied him automatically and attempted in vain to detect any noises that could have attracted his attention.

Prithvi felt sure that he had heard the chiming of anklets, and the sound had suggested that Nandini was heading towards this room. Then the jingling had stopped abruptly.

He looked at Sakshi. "I have to check something. If I don't return in five minutes, you can leave. I'll get in touch with you later today or tomorrow. Share the address of your current and permanent residences with Sumer Baba...and don't leave for home without meeting me again. Please," he added reluctantly as an afterthought.

"Alright," Sakshi agreed. Then on a powerful impulse, she kindly added, "Prithvi, you should know that your mother thought of you every moment of every day. She would spend the whole day embroidering your name on cloth pieces. She made some small shirts too. I think it was her way of...keeping you alive."

Prithvi looked at the floor. He wanted to say a few things but the words were not within reach. So, he limited his response to a faint "Thank you".

He glanced at the older men in the room. They seemed puzzled, but Uday Singh patted his shoulder and said, "Go ahead, Prithvi. I'll ensure that all the details you want are noted down."

Sumer Singh inclined his head supportively.

Prithvi gazed at Sakshi again and gave a polite nod. Then he rose from the sofa and strode out of the room.

In the corridor, he paused and scanned the area. He could see the door to his mother's room, and there was no one in sight. It was likely that Nandini had gone back into the room. But he felt certain that she hadn't.

He looked thoughtfully at the niches between his mother's room and the hall.

*****************************

Alarmed, Nandini pushed away from the wall. She could sense Prithvi approaching her. Some more minutes of privacy would have helped her control her thoughts and prevent them from showing on her face. But he was going to find her in another second.

Nandini smiled vibrantly at the bemused young man who had stopped outside the alcove and started to move out to the corridor. However, he forestalled her by stepped into the niche himself.

"What's wrong?" Prithvi frowned, analysing the clouds of anxiety in her eyes. 

The question almost knocked down her composure but she held on to it for dear life.

"Nothing at all," Nandini assured in a hurry. "Your mother's fine. She asked me about the palace, and I told her its name. Then she asked me to wait outside for fifteen minutes before calling you. I'm not sure...but I think she became emotional on hearing the name of the palace," she said pensively. "And – and she wanted to freshen up. So, I came out of the room and decided to wait here."

He gazed at her astutely. It was interesting that Aadyabhoomi meant something to his mother. For the moment, however, it was the girl in front of him who had his attention. Something had happened when she was with his mother...

"You could have come to the hall," Prithvi remarked, studying her closely

"I didn't want to disturb you," she muttered, distractedly winding one end of her dupatta around her right arm.

"I was not on a date," he rejoined dryly. "I reserve those for sleazy hotels in sleazier localities."

"Very funny," she said resentfully. "I – I just wasn't sure if I should interrupt your conversation."

The grooves on Prithvi's forehead deepened. "Okay then...tell me exactly what happened?"

"Nothing to worry about," Nandini said uneasily. "Your mother was very upset when she woke up. She thought you'd gone away because you were angry with her for leaving. But I told her that your uncle had lied to you too. That you hadn't known she was alive all these years...and you'd been searching for her for so long. She asked me if her brother...and his family were alive. I told her only Rajeshwari is..." her voice faded as she remembered the simple questions that had frightened her.

He had been gazing at her with growing comprehension until she'd mentioned Rajeshwari. Then the fear and confusion on her pale features had nonplussed him again.

He guardedly asked, "What happened after that?"

A deluge of emotions shoved painfully against Nandini's composure. Alongside, however, surged an equally forceful determination to maintain silence over Priyamvada's behaviour. She could change the subject to the old saint's visit, but she was finding it hard to even think about it without getting more stressed.

The end result was that she woefully burst out saying, "I combed her hair."

Amusement mingled with the bewilderment on Prithvi's features. "And that's the final sign that nuclear apocalypse is upon us?"

The droll question made her giggle, ousting the tension from her face.

"Nandini, what did she tell you?" he asked, regarding her perceptively.

Caught off guard, Nandini shifted her eyes from his face. "Nothing. It was just a little confusing. She was a picture in my head, and now she's here. So, it felt overwhelming to talk to her. That's all," she rambled awkwardly and strived to think of what else she could tell him. "And...yes, Choti maa came to the suite to take her measurements, and your mother asked if she'd looked after you all these years. But I told her you both had met just some time back. And she - she asked me who I was...and I told her I'm a family friend's daughter," she mumbled, then looked up at him in terror and urgently begged, "Don't tell her the truth. Please don't. Promise me you won't tell her anything about our relationship."

Prithvi's brows knit together. So far, he had not had to put a label on their relationship for anyone's benefit. Those who knew him had gauged the truth about his feelings for her without assistance. But he needed to find out the cause of her distress because his instincts were warning him of an abyss ahead. Something was terribly wrong, and if he failed to convince her to speak her mind, he would regret it.

"I won't," he said calmly. "But you have to be honest with me about what happened."

Her eyes scampered away from him. "I have been honest," she insisted.

Prithvi observed the abnormally strong obstinacy in her eyes and the rebellion in the faint pout on her naturally pink lips. She had clammed up and further questioning would not yield any positive results. It was unusual for her to withstand the pressure of his questioning, and he wasn't sure if he ought to be concerned at the display of grit or pleased by it.

But he did know that he couldn't postpone a hateful conversation any longer. Anyway, since his mother expected to see him shortly and Sakshi wished to leave soon, there was no point in going back to the hall.

"I need to speak to you about something," he said soberly.

The bleakness in his words perturbed Nandini, and she quickly asked, "What is it?"

"Not here," he muttered and grasped her left hand absent-mindedly. But she pulled it out of his grip.

He looked at her grimly. Then he stepped out of the alcove and started walking in the opposite direction from the hall. She followed him anxiously.

"Where are we going?" Nandini asked, her voice dropping to a whisper as they neared Priyamvada's suite.

He didn't reply but she felt relieved when they crossed the dreaded door. After a few metres, they took a right and entered a short corridor that branched out into two more passageways.

Prithvi chose the one to the left.

Nandini started to repeat her question, then she saw their destination and forgot her concerns.

A charming garden lay ahead. It was lush with beautiful plants, many of which instantly reminded her of Vrindavan. The best part, though, was a small square in the centre of the yard. It housed a flourishing cluster of tulsi plants and there were old stone benches on all four sides of the exclusively green patch. There were tiny yellow and blue flowers near the legs of the benches.

Despite the passageways and rooms that surrounded the yard, the setting was reminiscent of Vrindavan.

As they walked down two steps to enter the beautiful area, Nandini turned with a smile to look at Prithvi.

He had stopped a few feet behind her and was gazing at her with despondent eyes.

All of a sudden, an awful suspicion dawned in Nandini's mind, and she searched his face intently while anxiously asking, "What did you want to talk about?"

Conflicted to an unusual degree, Prithvi hesitated. He had to ask her to leave. It was the correct and sensible course of action. And this was the right place and time to ask her to go back to Shamli, where he couldn't land up on an impulse to drag her back to the palace.

But the words adamantly refused to be uttered...

The emotional weakness irritated him profoundly. However, he grudgingly granted himself more time to bring up the depressing topic.

"I'll be asking Rajeshwari to leave Devgarh tomorrow morning and come to this palace," he said offhandedly. "She should arrive by late afternoon. So...don't mention Harshvardhan's involvement in everything that happened 13 years ago to anyone. I don't want Rajeshwari to hear anything that could discourage her from coming here."

He was aware that the truth would eventually reach Rajyavardhan Singh's ears one way or the other. And once that happened, Rajeshwari wouldn't be safe in Devgarh...

Nandini blinked in confusion. She'd felt horribly sure that he was going to ask her to leave, so this conversation came as a relief. But only for a second, as shock and uncertainty mushroomed in her chest. Hardly any time had elapsed since his mother's revelations...and now despite knowing what his uncle had done, he was going ahead with the plan to meet his cousin...

"I won't tell anyone. But you're going to – but – are you sure?" she asked weakly. "I mean to say...won't it be a shock to Rajeshwari when she finds out?"

"She didn't get in touch with me for years because she was afraid I'll still be angry about a dumb thing that happened years ago," Prithvi said jadedly. "If she finds out about her father's crimes, she'll probably try to deposit herself in a Swiss bank vault to avoid meeting me. If I can meet her before...she'll know I don't have anything against her," he shrugged.

Nandini's heart welled up with a tender adoration. She liked to believe she was a reasonably humane person, but he was immeasurably ahead of her in terms of pure goodness.

Then she recalled bits of her talk with Priyamvada and her limbs became a little cold.

She falteringly asked, "Prithvi, I don't mean to say...but don't you think you should wait to find out how your mother feels about...meeting Rajeshwari?"

Prithvi looked at her with renewed intensity. He had thought about the issue, and had decided to keep his cousin away from his mother till matters were sorted to some extent. But it was interesting that the pumpkin had thought of the problem, since she usually tended to assume everyone's mind was stuffed with rainbows until they did something to break that belief. And her way of expressing reservations was no less illuminating.

"Don't worry about it," he told her thoughtfully.

Tension dissolved from Nandini's face, and she smiled.

Prithvi turned away his face guilty. He was unworthy of the admiration glowing on her face. And he could perhaps have been able to talk about it some hours back. But with his mother's return, some doors he had nailed shut had reopened stormily, bringing a rush of putrid memories. Scabs had been ripped off barely healed wounds, leaving them raw and bleeding again.

He strolled to one of the stone benches and sat down on one end of it, staring at his interlinked fingers.

Assailed by misgivings at his silence and downcast air, she asked, "Is something wrong?"

"I want you to go back to Mrs Bhargava's house today," Prithvi said quietly. "Sumer baba will drop you."

His voice sounded insufferably loud to Nandini. She'd dreaded this conversation, but the words had still stunned her.

She stared at him for a few moments, and then incredulously asked, "What? Why? Why should I -"

"I don't know what's going to happen in the next few days," Prithvi said wearily. "And I think it'll be best if you leave before everything...settles down."

Nandini couldn't wrap her head around the demand. But she did realise why he had chosen to have this conversation in a spot that was guaranteed to remind her of home.

"I'm not going anywhere," she responded fiercely. "I don't know how you could even think I would leave at a time like this."

"You'll be leaving for Shamli anyway after a week," he muttered without looking at her. "I'm just asking you to do it sooner. This whole situation is...confusing and unpredictable, and it could become more complicated as days pass. It would be best if you leave before getting too involved in it."

She struggled to come up with a retort that would demolish his logic. But there was a sound core of wisdom in his explanation that couldn't be swept aside. Yet, the prospect of leaving him alone at this juncture was unthinkable. And it was also painful and terrifying. Maybe because of the old saint's stark warning. Or because of Priyamvada's behaviour. But the future had become hopelessly dark without warning, and the voice of reason was buried by nameless, burning fears.

"That's a great excuse," she said with unanticipated vehemence, alarming him into looking up at her quickly. "Now tell me the real reason."

Prithvi warily said, "It's not an excuse. You'll see I'm right if you think about it calmly."

"I don't want to think about it calmly," Nandini snapped. "And have you forgotten? You brought me back to the palace against my wishes. And now you want me to go away because you think it's the right thing to do. You cannot keep choosing when I should and shouldn't be with you. I will stay here till – till I want to," she snapped.

As colossal relief lifted his heart, Prithvi quickly said, "Okay."

He had made an effort, albeit a perfunctory one, to convince her, and she had refused to listen to him. The rational part of his mind had done its duty, and he could silence it for now...

Nonplussed by the tame rejoinder, she looked at him doubtingly. "That's all you have to say?"

"Oh...I'm..errr...very upset with you but you're right. I shouldn't force you to leave," Prithvi said unconvincingly

Nandini's suspicions doubled but she was too relieved to prolong the discussion. "Yes, you shouldn't. I'll let you know when I'm ready to leave and I don't want any more discussions about it until then," she said stoutly.

"We should head back now," he murmured, glancing down. They would be having this argument again soon, and he could not afford to fail next time.

A frighteningly clear image of Priyamvada materialised before Nandini's eyes. "Your mother had asked to be left alone for fifteen minutes," she said frantically, drawing back his attention. "There's some time left."

The watchful look reappeared on Prithvi's features. "Fine, we can sit here for a few more minutes," he said thoughtfully. When she turned towards the tulsi plants to evade his scrutiny, he idly plucked some of the flowers near the bench.

Nandini went close to the tulsi cluster. She inhaled the sweet fragrance and touched the leaves with affectionate reverence.

"Did Maa eat anything when you were in the room with her?" he asked casually

Nandini risked a fleeting glance at him and mumbled, "No. She just drank a little water."

She felt nervous at the possibility of being asked more questions about Priyamvada. To lessen the chances of the same, she tried to look tranquil and walked past him to the other side of the yard. Now his back was to her, and she no longer felt his eyes boring into her, seeking explanations.

Nandini strolled dolefully along bunches of lovely rose and jasmine plants. Her old friends could not cheer her up this afternoon. She had started to feel at ease in the palace, but now...

"I'm heading back."

She swung around tensely. Prithvi was walking towards her, hands linked behind his back.

"You can stay back for a while longer if you like," he offered considerately.

Nandini bit her lower lip, and then said, "Yes, I'd like to spend more time here."

"You have a pen?"

"No, but why do you need one?" she asked blankly.

"I thought I could draw a map on your palm so you can find the way back," Prithvi answered seriously.

"Hey! I'm not an idiot," she protested hotly.

"Yeah, you just know how to turn me into one," he said resignedly under his breath.

"What did you say?" she asked suspiciously.

"Do you remember the day when I was the one who did something dumb for a change? And you promised to pretend that it had never happened?" he asked unexpectedly.

Nandini stared at him blankly and then started laughing. "The day you – what?"

He closed the distance between them and brought forward the object he had been concealing behind his back.

She glimpsed a circle of yellow and purple before he placed the item on her head.

She had hardly felt its delicate weight when he caught her face and kissed her tenderly. The soft passion of the kiss tugged hard at strings deep inside her. By the time she gathered herself, he had left.

Nandini touched the soft article on her head and removed it carefully.

In her hands was an enchanting head-wreath of tiny yellow and blue flowers. She gazed at it for a long time, and then carefully placed the floral crown back on her head.

She tilted her head to gaze at the sky and smiled beautifully at the scorching sun.

*****************************

As Prithvi walked to his mother's suite, he typed a message to Sumer Singh. He clicked on the send button just as he reached the door.

Prithvi rapped once on the wooden surface and murmured, "Maa?"

She wouldn't be able to hear him through the thick wooden door. But he wanted to say the word out loud whenever possible....until it didn't feel strange anymore...until it felt as though he hadn't actually spent most of his life without his mother.

*****************************

Priyamvada sat up eagerly in the armchair on hearing the knock and shrilly said, "Come in."

Her thin face became joyful as the door opened to reveal her son.

Prithvi noted with intense relief and gladness that his mother seemed calmer. The covered plate of the food on the centre table was also a heartening sight. He strode to her and hunkered down in front of her with a smile.

"Where were you?" she asked anxiously. "I was worried you had -"

Prithvi clasped her hands with reassuring warmth and quietly said, "You don't ever have to worry about that, maa."

Priyamvada tried to smile. Although there was an unshakeable vow in his voice and words, the fear of losing her child again was not going to leave her easily. But she had to deal with those demons on her own.

"How are you feeling?" Prithvi asked caringly.

"Better, but my head is still heavy," Priyamvada replied wearily. She gestured timidly to a covered plate on the short centre table. "I was hungry, so I ate some of the food."

"Good, you saved me the trouble of pestering you to eat," Prithvi said lightly.

Priyamvada's throat clogged up. His response had evoked the sweet memory of a worried little boy holding up a piece of apple and insisting, "Please eat this, maa...for me."

She wanted to rant and rave at the fate that had denied her the opportunity of seeing her child grow up. But she would snatch her share of happiness from life from this moment onwards. For now, though, what she needed was a bridge to span the enormous gulf between her past and present. And while she was terrified of uncovering many things about the past, there were a few truths that she needed to know.

She caught her son's forearm, her misshapen nails digging into his skin, and urged him towards the large sofa that was adjacent to her armchair.

"Sit - sit here," she prompted feverishly. "Is it true that Harsh told everyone I was dead? And you found out only a short time ago that I was alive? And you've been searching for me -"

"Yes," Prithvi muttered as a blanket response to all the questions. It was nauseating to even think about the extent to which Harshvardhan had gone to prove the hoax...and Rajyavardhan Singh's actions and accusations that had been designed purely to ensure he went through hellish pain for the rest of his life. But he would relive the worst day of his existence as many times as necessary to answer questions raised by his mother.

But Priyamvada didn't raise any more questions on the subject and urgently said, "Nandini said Harsh and his son have passed away, and Yashvardhan too. But did Yash get married – or adopt anyone before he died?" she asked unexpectedly.

Prithvi studied his mother with a sudden sharpness and murmured, "No." If he had not been watching her closely, he would have missed the vengeful triumph that flared in her eyes at his response.

Unmindful of the stillness in him, Priyamvada rejoiced internally at the bad luck that had befallen her father and the magnificent destiny that awaited her son. If only she could have shared this moment of victory with Aditya...

Out of the blue, cold water splashed over Priyamvada's happiness as she was abruptly hit by the unbearable thought that her son had grown up hearing horrendous tales about his father.

She leaned ahead and agitatedly said, "Prithvi, I don't know what you've heard about your father. But if it is anything derogatory, it's a lie," she said fiercely. "He didn't do anything wrong! Adi was...was the most wonderful man on earth," she said, voice breaking. "He was loving, brilliant and brave...incomparable in every way. Your father and I were –"

"I know, maa" he said unevenly. "I know everything." It was the first time she had spoken to him about his father...

Priyamvada's body sagged with relief. She shut her eyes and whispered, "You know...thank God...thank God." She didn't care about the source of his knowledge. It was sufficient that he had learned the truth.

They sat in an emotionally wrought silence for a while. Then Priyamvada uncertainly asked, "Do you still play the flute?"

"Sometimes," he lied unthinkingly.

"That's wonderful, you were so good at it," she said eagerly.

Her mind had evidently altered a ghastly memory related to him, Prithvi reflected. Because he had never 'played' the flute when he had lived at Devgarh. He had used it energetically to create high-pitched sounds that could drive people to self-annihilation. Sometimes, the flute had created background music for the enjoyable activities of jumping from one piece of furniture to the other and breaking delicate objects. He vividly remembered maids and guards chasing him to snatch away the flute and end their torture. But in an amusing twist, he had learned to play the instrument eventually...

"Prithvi, I want – after I left – what -" Priyamvada paused. Her mouth opened and closed but she didn't speak.

The blank terror on her visage, however, apprised Prithvi that his mother's aversion to discussing the past was far deeper than his own.

He gently said, "You don't have to be afraid to ask me anything, Maa. I've been safe and fine all these years."

Priyamvada examined him with a mixture of cynical disbelief and cautious hope, and the honesty in his eyes tilted the balance in favour of the latter. "Tell me the truth...father didn't hurt you after I left?"

"No. He was angry but he left me alone," Prithvi said smoothly, treading carefully to ensure that the fiction was realistic. "But the servants took good care of me. And after about a year, an old friend of father...a man named Sumer Singh came to Devgarh in search of me..."

He proceeded to spin a yarn about leaving the palace with Sumer Singh, and then painted a rosy picture of his life in the subsequent years till his meeting with Uday Singh. He mentioned the actual places where he had lived while growing up but omitted Shamli from the list, intuitively concerned that any reference to the town could trigger painful memories for his mother. The parts about the cruel and long-lasting impact of his childhood trauma, the self-imposed loneliness, the self-hate and guilt, the critical injuries inflicted by family and foes, and the ceaseless nightmares were skipped entirely.

With rapt attention, Priyamvada listened to her son narrating the unanticipated twists that had occurred in his life in the past thirteen years.

"From the start, Sumer Singh has taken care of me like I was his own son," Prithvi said truthfully. "When I was a child, he gave me whatever I wanted...put me in the best schools...and spoiled me thoroughly. And he still fusses over me like I'm a 5-year-old," he said dryly.

Priyamvada stared at her son mutely. Although the story was extraordinary, it was plausible. And she did know that Aditya had a servant named Sumer Singh who had been more of a friend than an attendant. She had not met the man but her husband had had only good things to say about him. And then there was Uday Singh. It was a surprise that he was still alive despite having devoted his life to alcohol and drugs. But the creep had doted upon Aditya, and that affection could have been transferred to Prithvi. He would have gotten in touch with Prithvi and brought him to this palace.

The chain of events could easily have unfolded in the manner described by her son. It was perfectly convincing. It really was...

Moreover, she had always been able to easily see through the most intelligently planned and slickly narrated falsehoods. No one could fool her. And she felt certain that her son was not lying. She had heard the unadulterated truth. It had to be the truth...the alternative was not acceptable...

Daring to experience the beginnings of elation and relief, Priyamvada timorously asked, "Father didn't stop you from leaving Devgarh...or hurt that man, Sumer Singh?"

"No, he wasn't in Devgarh when Sumer Singh arrived. And he didn't try any stunts later," Prithvi answered casually, inwardly despising the fact that he was giving Rajyavardhan Singh a clean chit. The whole portion about his departure from Devgarh was ludicrously simple and relied too much on the likelihood that Rajyavardhan had a non-sadistic side. But that part of the story needed to be kept simple so that it could be memorised by the worrisome number of people involved in it. His mother would doubtless have many questions about the year he had spent in Devgarh in her absence, and he was going to lie shamelessly about that imaginary time. He couldn't keep the truth hidden forever, but he would do it for as long as possible.

"But he tried to get in touch with you after Chinmay's death, didn't he?" Priyamvada asked with a burst of bitterness.

"Yes," he said briefly. And then he reluctantly gave a cursory description of his second-last conversation with Rajyavardhan Singh and the subsequent weeks he'd spent searching for her.

"But I didn't know you would be at the exhibition, it was a coincidence," Prithvi said candidly, simultaneously wondering if he would ever feel comfortable with using that word with reference to this day.

"A coincidence?" Priyamvada echoed in a daze.

"I went to the exhibition today only because Nandini wanted to buy something," he muttered. "Then you gave her the cloth, and she showed it to me. I saw the images and colours of your family's crest, and that's why I came looking for the person who had done the embroidery."

Struck dumb, Priyamvada stared at her son. In her youth, she had not believed in God, luck, destiny or anything beyond the realm of the material world. Now, she didn't believe in coincidences. This miraculous day had dawned in her life because of Nandini. The girl had re-united the lost child with her family, and then she had done the same thing for Prithvi. But it wasn't as simple as that. There were some mysterious knots in this tale that needed to be unravelled...

Prithvi saw the disbelief on his mother's face but didn't try to give any more explanations. For one, he himself was confounded by the unbelievable chain of events that had led him to his mother. And if he mentioned the cloth found in the shrine, it would only muddle her up further.

When many minutes had passed, Priyamvada brought her feelings into order and asked, "So, you've really been...okay?"

"More than okay," he said blithely. "If you don't believe me, I'll bring Sumer Singh here, and you can ask him yourself."

"No! I believe you," Priyamvada said hurriedly. "I do want to meet him, but that can wait."

"You can meet him whenever you wish," Prithvi said pacifyingly.

"Yes, I'll...yes," Priyamvada said vaguely.

He tentatively asked, "Maa, could you tell me what happened with you after you -"

Perturbed by the question, Priyamvada jostled with her brain to come up with a credible response. "Oh...there isn't much to tell. After Harsh told me that you were - I don't remember much about the next few months. I remembering staying in some institution. That place shut down after some years, and I was sent to another ashram. I stayed there until – today," she concluded, and then started to get up unsteadily. "I'm feeling uneasy. I think I should rest for some time."

Without saying a word, Prithvi rose swiftly to assist her. He helped her walk to the other room and settle into the bed.

As the coverlet was drawn over her, Priyamvada half rose from the pillows and pleadingly told her son, "Don't go anywhere."

"I won't," he said quietly, sitting by her bedside.

"If you really need to leave for any reason, ask Nandini to stay in this room till you return," Priyamvada said weakly as she laid back down. She wouldn't feel too agitated if Nandini was nearby. The girl would bring Prithvi back to her.

"That won't be necessary, Maa," he said casually with a faint smile. "I'll be here when you wake up."

Priyamvada looked fixedly at her son. Why had the considerate reply had caused her a pinprick of discontent?

"Prithvi, is she from...a family like ours?" she asked impetuously.

"She's not that unlucky," Prithvi answered lightly.

Priyamvada flinched indiscernibly and looked away. It was an offensive remark. However, she had seen a slight, indefinable change in her son's eyes when she'd voiced her question. It had unsettled her, and she felt reluctant to protest. Yet, she couldn't stifle her curiosity about Nandini.

"She said she's a family friend's daughter," Priyamvada said cautiously, staring at the ceiling.

In the anxiety to avoid her son's eyes, she missed the slight reddening of his face.

An unfamiliar bout of self-consciousness took Prithvi by surprise. "She is...and she's my best friend," he mumbled.

The declaration brought Priyamvada's astonished gaze back to him. She had retained every scrap of memory related to her child that had managed to register on her fogged brain. And one of those memories was of a disgruntled six-year-old lad complaining vehemently about a certain population group in the village.

"A girl is your best friend?" she asked in amazement. "But you hated girls. You used to complain that the older ones were always trying to pinch your cheeks and hug you, and the younger ones were stupid and obsessed with dolls," she reminded him wryly.

He grinned at his mother. "My opinions may have changed a bit over time."

The sweet smile squashed her heart agonisingly. It was almost exactly like Aditya's.

She had to tell him that his father had not forsaken them even after death. But if she revealed it now, he would assume she was crazy. She had to wait till he understood that she was perfectly normal and sane...

Prithvi's smiled dimmed as drops of water oozed out of his mother's eyes. Distressed, he brushed them away gently.

With peace filling her heart after two whole decades, Priyamvada closed her eyes and thought about the coming days...

*****************************