Surapadman led them to the centre of the court where ceremonial chairs had been placed in a circle. Gopal noticed there was no official from the royal Magadhan court except for Andhak. Rumours suggesting that Andhak would soon be taking over the command of the Magadhan army were perhaps true. It could also be deduced that the rest of the Magadhan court was not really aligned with the Neelkanth. Considering Magadh’s traditional rivalry with Ayodhya, one would have imagined that they would choose to align with the Neelkanth. But Ugrasen’s murder seemed to have effectively queered the pitch.

‘What can I do for you, My Lord?’ asked Surapadman.

‘I will come straight to the point, Prince Surapadman,’ said Shiva. ‘Your elite intelligence officials would have already briefed you that a war is likely.’

Surapadman nodded silently.

‘Perhaps you would also be aware that Ayodhya has not chosen wisely,’ said Gopal.

‘Yes, I’m aware of that,’ said Surapadman, allowing himself a hint of a smile. ‘But given Ayodhya’s penchant for indecision and confusion, few can be sure about which side they will eventually find themselves on!’

Sati smiled. ‘And what do you intend to do, brave Prince?’

‘My Lady,’ said Surapadman, ‘I am a believer in the legend of the Neelkanth. And the Lord has shown that he is a worthy inheritor of the title of the Mahadev.’

Shiva shifted in his seat awkwardly, still not comfortable with being compared to the great Lord Rudra.

‘Furthermore, Ayodhya is a terrible overlord,’ continued Surapadman. ‘It needs to be challenged in the interests of Swadweep. And only Magadh has the ability to do that.’

‘I can see that only mighty Magadh has the strength to confront Ayodhya,’ said Sati.

‘There you have it,’ said Surapadman, ‘I have given you two good reasons why I should choose to stand with the army of the Neelkanth.’

Shiva, Gopal and Sati remained silent, waiting for the inevitable ‘but’.

‘And yet,’ said Surapadman, ‘circumstances have made my situation a little more complex.’

Turning towards Shiva, Surapadman continued, ‘My Lord, you must already be aware of my dilemma. My brother, Ugrasen, was killed in a Naga terrorist attack and my father is hell-bent on seeking vengeance.’

Keeping the sensitivity of the issue in mind, Shiva spoke softly, ‘Surapadman, I think the incident...’

‘My Lord,’ said Surapadman, ‘please forgive me for interrupting you, but I know the truth.’

‘I’m not sure you do, Prince Surapadman. Or else your reaction would have been different.’

Surapadman smiled, looked briefly at Andhak and continued. ‘My Lord, Andhak and I have investigated the case personally. We’ve visited the spot where my brother and his men were killed. We’re aware of the incident.’

Sati couldn’t help inquiring, ‘Then why...’