His voice blended with hers to say, ‘And most importantly, we never ask for any reward. For it is the only thing that gives us the right to stand before Yama on Judgment Day and have the fucking right to complain!’

Satyabhama nodded. ‘You remember?’

‘I wrote it down, and memorized it over two days.’

Satya shook her head. ‘Krishna, you imposter!’ She looked at him sideways. ‘So, you think I should come with you to the swayamvar? Even if those women get under my skin?’

Krishna was on the whole not the most truthful person. And there were times when the waters did not neatly part in the middle into ‘false’ and ‘true’, but ‘truths one needed to hear at that moment’ and ‘truths that one did not need to hear at the moment’. He looked at her and said, ‘I think you should do whatever the hell you want.’

‘You know, when I first took a drag of this, I saw my life branching out before me like an apple tree. From the tip of every branch hung a magic apple. On one apple I saw a wondrous future with a happy home, children, and silken apparel instead of swords, friends instead of subordinates, admirers instead of rivals. In another apple I saw a brilliant war-leader, drenched in blood and sweat, and another led to a library of scrolls, to infinite knowledge. Yet another showed an Empress, and another a cook, churning the most delicious food. When I craned upwards, I saw an apple with a famous poet, another had the first female Acharya, and another the first female Imperial Contest winner. Above and beyond, there were many other apples I couldn’t quite see.’

‘What were you doing there?’

‘Just starving to death at the roots of the tree, trying to make up my mind which apple to choose. I naturally wanted them all.’

‘Classic. But choosing one would deprive you of the others.’

She nodded.

‘So, what did you do?’

‘Nothing till now.’ She blew out a final circle of smoke. ‘Now, I burn the goddamn tree.’

Krishna smiled.

She stretched down her legs and closed her eyes, turning her face to the sun. ‘My father always said: Never whine about wishes daughter, grow a spine instead.’

‘Wise man, your father.’

‘That he was. So, aye, fuck it! My life may be an assortment of anguish, but it is my life, lived my way, and it is dear to me.’

He could see it coming back to her – Satyabhama the warrior, who knew exactly who she was and how she wanted things to be. Her way. She stubbed out the malodorous weed on the wall and tossed the stub away.

‘I will not go, Krishna, for I do not wish to.’ ‘We are late if we are to leave for Panchal. Mind-washing princesses takes time, you know.’