" Sit here. "
Amarendra made Devasena sit on the bed.

" I'm looking so odd! Jeans, short top doesn't really go with these kangans, mangalsutra and sindur! Even the pundit ji was taken aback! "
Amarendra laughed at a sulking Devasena.

" it's alright. Devasena was never mainstream. "

Devasena smiled at this.
" I don't believe I'm your wife."

" Fine. Just believe that I'm your husband. "

Amarendra sat beside a giggling Devasena.

" So, are you still, confused and mad at me? " , he slowly uttered.

" For? "

" That I was waiting for a Devasena of some other life! "

" Yeah, I'm still mad that way. Just because I regained my past, you married me right Mr Amarendra? "

" Of course, there's no real doubt about that. "

" You're a liar. You say past doesn't hold emotions. While your own heart lies in the past. "

Amarendra placed his hand on Devasena's.

" I cannot explain. I knew I couldn't marry anyone apart from you, but your face, your voice, your stare, everything reminded me of Maharani Devasena! Anyone can fall for you Devasena Sehgal, and they won't need your past for that. But I couldn't help but need... "

" Do you mean that my past was better than me? "

" I don't know, because I need time to know this you more. Maybe you are much better. "

" And if I'm not? According to you? "

" Neither am I. You shouldn't be even. "

Devasena smiled to this, again.

" May I ask you something Amarendra? "

" Do you need my permission? "

" Fine. Do you regret anything from your past? "

" Of course I do. I at times forgot that I was a human. Not a demigod. "

" And? "

" And that's how I left palace, that's how I gave up my last duty in the territory, just because I was good enough. "

" And? "

" What do you want to hear actually? " ,Amarendra blinked.

" Marrying me maybe? "

" I know you regret marrying Amarendra Baahubali. I know you do Devasena. Had you not married me, your life would have been much better, I mean much much better! "

" I asked, and you answered on my behalf, that too, pathetically wrong. "

" Really? " , Amarendra smiled.

" Had I regretted, I would have run away today as well. "

" But you weren't ready either. "

" Look into my eyes, do you really think that? "

" I'm an oncologist, not an eye-specialist. "

Devasena sulked, " You ruined everything! "

" So were you preparing for another kiss? "

Devasena blushed and smacked him, and went downstairs. Amarendra kept laughing.

*****

Devasena licked her fingers.

" Damn! You're such a good cook! I hate Chinese but you made me love that even! Like really! "

" Do you remember what happened one night in the cottage? "

" I do. I was trying to prepare payasam for you for the first time in my life, and the milk got curded. I cried so much! You scolded me first for exerting myself, but then consoled me. You made a superb paneer ball dish out of the curded milk. And I knew that day how brilliant a cook you were as well! "

Amarendra stared at her in disbelief.
" You remember everything!! And how did you know I was talking of exactly this? "

" Just like you knew so many things I didn't ever say! "

****

After dinner Amarendra and Devasena strolled in the garden.

" Why isn't Adway picking up the phone? "
Amarendra cut the call after a third time.

Devasena said, " I have to bring things from my PG as well. I don't even know how. The key is with Avanthika and I cannot go when she's not home even! "

" That's why I needed to know her present status from Adway. But neither should we run from her. Maybe we should face her together tomorrow! "

" I don't know either how she's going to react to our marriage. "

" React? Why should she? "

" You know what Amarendra? Mahendra had come to free me from Bhallaldeva's grab on Avanthika's words. When he was approaching me to break my chains, he didn't know who I was. But I knew who he was. For a moment my heart paused, I thought, your spirit returned to free me. But when he called me ma, I knew, my wait for twenty five years was finally over...  "

Amarendra stared at Devasena deeply, who was now lost somewhere else.

" Mahendra looked so much like Amarendra, that Avanthika must be seeing her husband in you. And it's not easy....  "
Devasena choked.
" ....specially when she believes, I murdered my own son. "

Amarendra held Devasena's shoulders. She sobbed. 
" Devasena, why are you crying? We are here, with a new purpose in life. We cannot undo our past, but our future can never hurt us as such! "

Devasena looked upto him.
" It would have been so better, if we met again, but not in surroundings as these. "

" Royalty lies not in finding convenience, but in making the unfavourable, convenient. "

Devasena nodded to this.
" Amarendra, is Adway really a friend? "

Amarendra squeezed his brows.
" Is Avanthika really a foe? Come on Devasena! Why make simple things complicated? Even if he's acting, I'm no longer a demigod. "
Amarendra smirked.

Devasena kept staring.

" Amarendra, you still didn't ask about my life without you. "

" Just as I said. I'm not running away from you!
By the way, I have tomorrow's plan etched out. We'll meet Avanthika early tomorrow. It may take time. In the evening, we will go to Lucknow, and stay there for the night.
You've got a passport? "

" I do. "
Devasena pursed her lips, controlling a smile.

" Awesome. We're going to London earliest by Sunday. After you meet my family, you may return to finish your graduations. "

Devasena smiled ear to ear.

" Now sit here. "
Amarendra made her sit on a bench in the garden.

" Tell me one thing. Why do you sob each time you talk about Avanthika's regards about you? Because she thinks you murdered your son? Or because your son was murdered anyway? "

Devasena stared at him, teary eyed.
" What do you think? "

" I think it's the later. But why do you think even that he was murdered? No one ever said that? "

" I don't believe. I know. "

Amarendra nodded.

" But you could do nothing about it. "

" Who even said that? " , Devasena hissed.

Amarendra looked into her eyes intently.
" Don't tell me that Raghav Bhavani and Vushan Bhavani were murdered by you.... "

" I didn't murder Raghav, but I would forever be happy believing that I murdered Vushan Bhavani...  "
Devasena's eyes glowed.

But the very next moment she realised something else.

Staring at Amarendra, she distinctly uttered..
" Wait a minute... How do you know that...... "

Devasena stopped speaking, and kept staring at a smiling Amarendra in disbelief.