Katappa stared straight into Adway's eyes. He didn't though. He rather scratched the handle of the chair.

Katappa spoke in a soft voice..

" Bhallaldeva once tried his very best to assure that Amarendra and Devasena's child died.
Today, he tried his very best to assure that Amarendra and Devasena's child lived. "

Adway didn't look at him. But spoke for the first time in a deep voice.
" I'm not Bhallaldeva. "

" I knew that, but I believe that completely only now. The best thing is....everyone has moved on. We have often seen in movies or read in books, that people return in their next lives only to complete a revenge they were left undone with in their last lives. It's great that no one is upto anything of that sorts in this case. "

" No one is upto anything of that sorts. But definitely someone was upto, but she stopped being, and I kept on misjudging. "

" Everything happens for a reason. That you misjudged someone else, made you judge yourself correctly at the end. Otherwise you would have spent your life thinking that jealousy is the last bit you hold for both of them. " , Katappa smirked.

" I know right! Life is so satisfying when you can make someone smile, specially that someone whom you had hurt, be it in your last life even. "

*****

Avanthika sat beside Devasena. Silent.

The baby slept beside them, and time and again Avanthika looked at her, only to shift her glances immediately. What if Devasena thought she was eyeing her daughter with the world's worst intentions??

Adway had cleared up everything, so had she. They had not hidden a single conversation, a single turn of events. To their surprise, AmarSena had behaved as if they knew every emotion they could hold for them, from revenge, to jealousy, to hatred, to regret, to love....

Avanthika couldn't blame Devasena for anything she did at the police station two days ago. Maybe that was the only reason she could even sit beside her today, the very day she was leaving for Texas again. Adway too would leave for Paris today.
And she was hating him the most in world now. How could he even believe that she would kill a baby??

Just because of his stupid mind, the ugliness of human nature was out today before everyone. Though he was equally responsible for igniting conspiracy in these two years, he had become a hero today, and she remained just a changed for good antagonist.

Avanthika could feel a drop of tear tickle down her eye, just when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

" Deva... I... "

" Avanti, I want you to suggest a name for her. "

Avanthika stared blankly at Devasena's face.

Devasena held her hands,
" Forgive me Avanthika, I had no reason to believe you would harm my child. You had stayed completely away from me for two long years, nor had done anything that could directly or indirectly harm me or anyone I loved. Even after that if I distrusted you, the fault lies in me.... "

" I would have blamed you, only if your fear was baseless Devasena! I am utterly ashamed but have no choice than to confess that I was burning in the fire of losing my husband, and more that, I didn't even get him back like you did......  "

Devasena looked into her eyes, her own eyes watering.

" And do you still believe I killed your husband, my son, Avanthika?? "

" If I had believed that Deva, I swear, my heart isn't gold..... "

Devasena softly thumped her sleeping child.

" You know what Avanthika? Human life is nothing but a collision of different forces that overpower each other at times. When negativity becomes vital, we overlook even the most prominent good vibes and go with a flow, making us commit sins we would never have done if in sense. So is with positivity, which when takes the upper hand, bestows virtues like calm, peace, forgiveness. Negativity gives us momentary illusive happiness. But joy through positivity is everlasting.

Amarendra Baahubali was never forgotten, even when he supposedly ended in death. Bhallaldeva got momentary pleasure murdering him, murdering my youth. But what did he gain in the long run? Twenty five years of something he considered happiness?"

" And what did Avanthika Baahubali gain in murdering her mother-in-law, just because she suspected her to have killed her husband? Being burnt to death in the same way within months? "
Avanthika grabbed the bedsheet, as if battling some inner turmoil, closing her eyes tight.

Devasena asked, " What exactly led to that fire Avanthika? "

Avanthika nodded sideways.
" I don't know. I don't know Deva. All I knew when I could see my door blocked by burning curtains, pillars falling, the fire spreading like mayhem, that everything had gone wrong. I confess not being guilty of any sins I committed even till the last breath. But I knew that very moment, every sin was punished, even if they were committed in return of another sin.

I couldn't get out of the room, the smoke choked me to death, and I lost consciousness. I only prayed to mahadev, to keep my son alive, to make him a worthy king of Maahishmathi.

But it didn't happen. I knew in this life, my whole life had gone to a waste.

No one will ever know how the fire caught, but we will forever know, why the fire caught. And now I repent everything. "

Avanthika broke down.

" I can't even ask for forgiveness. You can't ask for forgiveness from the one you murdered. It's my gracious luck, that we returned, I believe only so that I can hold your feet and cry my heart out. Forgive me, my friend!!! "

Devasena instantly hugged Avanthika tight in her arms. And the two sobbed, while the sun set into the deepest of the oceans, like a wall of misunderstanding slowly demolishing.

Amarendra stood at the doorway, thanking his stars, and the little two days old life, that shined on the bed, with a small smile lighting a corner of her lips....