‘Nothing important, My Lord. I’m just happy that you are willing to discuss peace.’

‘You have your work cut out,’ said Daksha. ‘An entire peace conference has to be organised at short notice. We will name it, in keeping with tradition, after our Prime Minister: the yagna of Kanakhala.’

An embarrassed Kanakhala smiled. ‘You’re most kind, My Lord. But the name doesn’t matter. What matters is peace.’

‘Yes, peace is paramount. That is why you must take my instruction of secrecy seriously. Under no circumstances should the news of the peace conference reach Karachapa.’

Karachapa was where Lord Bhrigu had stationed himself, along with King Dilipa of Ayodhya and General Parvateshwar.

‘Yes, My Lord,’ said Kanakhala.

A happy Kanakhala rushed to her office to get down to immediate work.

Daksha waited for the door of his private office to shut before turning to Vidyunmali. ‘I hope Swuth and his people will not fail me.’

‘They will not, My Lord,’ said Vidyunmali. ‘Have faith in me. This will be the end of that barbarian from Tibet. Everyone will blame the Nagas. They are perceived as bloodthirsty, irrational killers in any case. No reasonable citizen here has been able to swallow that fraud Neelkanth’s championing of the Nagas; just like they didn’t accept the freeing of the Vikarmas, regardless of the greatness of Drapaku. The people will readily believe that the Nagas killed him.’

‘And my daughter will return to me,’ said Daksha. ‘She’ll have no choice. We will be a family again.’

Delusions create the most compelling of beliefs.

Shiva, Gopal and Tara stood on the foredeck of their merchant ship. The Parihans had helped in loading their precious merchandise onto the vessel. With everyone having said their goodbyes, the Neelkanth had just ordered his ship to set sail on the Jam Sea.

‘Scheherazade,’ said Gopal, ‘how long...’

‘Tara, please,’ she interrupted the Chief Vasudev.

‘Sorry?’

‘My name is Tara now, great Vasudev,’ said Tara. ‘Scheherazade was left behind in Pariha.’

Gopal smiled. ‘Of course. My apologies. Tara it is.’

‘What was your question?’

‘I was wondering how long you’d lived in Pariha.’

‘Too long,’ said Tara. ‘Initially, I had gone on an assignment that Lord Bhrigu had given me. I had thought that it would be a short stay. He had assigned me to work on the daivi astras with the Vayuputras and said I could return only when he gave his permission. But after I heard of Brahaspati’s death, I saw no reason to return.’

‘Well, Brahaspati is not too far off now,’ said Gopal kindly. ‘Just a couple of weeks more on the Jam Sea and then we will be sailing east on the Western Sea to Lothal and to Brahaspati.’

Tara smiled happily.