It was what he had hoped she would say, but it surprised him nevertheless. ‘Don’t you? You know you want to teach those high-nosed women a thing or two with insults their tiny minds cannot comprehend.’

She threw him an amused, knowing look. ‘Sure, I do. But I have decided to stop handing them that kind of power. I don’t have a fucking thing to prove. Let them do what they do best; I will do me. I will say whatever I want. People may call me rude, but I call myself the Teller of Unfortunate Truths. I may not be a woman the Vedans are used to, but you know what, that’s their problem.’

‘Your father would be proud.’ Krishna stood up, facing Satyabhama. She was five fingers taller than him. ‘The world will never control you.’

She leaned down and kissed his lips. In each heart was solemn gratitude to the Gods for giving them the courage to live as they wished to do.

‘You are one hell of a woman,’ Krishna said when they drew apart. ‘I will miss you, Satya.’

‘Liar.’ Satyabhama turned to climb down the Wall steps, saying over her shoulder, ‘So you’re really going to mind-wash that poor Draupadi into doing your bidding? Must you always play your games?’

‘You have your sword, I have my mind. And a mind can be sharper than any Assyrian blade. We play with the gifts the Gods bestow upon us. And who are they to us? Either carpets to our thrones or casualties on the way.’

‘We seem to be rather clever with our words today. Have you chosen who she is to marry?’

‘I have some ideas,’ Krishna said with a twinkle in his eyes that arsonists might have when lighting a torch near a fireworks shop.

‘I know that look. Trouble…trouble. Where to now?’

‘The griffin stable. It’s time I reclaimed my ride.’

III

The first thing Krishna saw on entering the enormous stable was Vial, one of Satyabhama’s Silver Wolves, stretched on Garud’s back, her hands slowly massaging the enormous white wings of the griffin.

‘So, I see Garud has found a new friend,’ Krishna remarked, startling Vial. ‘A friend who is quite eager to skip the drills perhaps.’

Vial looked positively aghast till Garud brought his blue eyes protectively in front of her and moved one of his enormous foot-long talons towards his Krishna.

‘But I’m not one to rat her out,’ Krishna said quickly, hands upraised. Garud grunted, and went back to his repast.

‘Has he let you ride him yet?’ Krishna asked suspiciously.

‘Not yet, My Lord,’ Vial replied sheepishly. ‘But I do not wish to ride him,’ she added nervously. ‘He is just…so wonderful. Majestic…’ she added dreamily as she snuggled further into the thick golden coat.