Reclining in an easy chair on the raised private deck, Shiva had been gazing fondly at his children as they sparred with each other, swords at the ready. Sati seated herself and leaned close against him, briefly lost in the moment.

Shiva had rarely seen Sati use make-up. He believed her beauty was so ethereal that it did not need any embellishment.

Sati looked up at Shiva with a shy smile. Her pronounced Suryavanshi personality had been subtly influenced by Chandravanshi women, particularly Anandmayi. She was discovering the pleasures of beauty, especially when experienced through the appreciative eyes of the man she loved. ‘Yes. I thought you hadn’t noticed.’

The kohl accentuated Sati’s large almond-shaped eyes and her bashful smile made her dimples spring to life.

Shiva was mesmerised, as always. ‘Wow... It looks nice...’

Sati laughed softly as she edged up to Shiva’s face, and kissed him lightly.

Ganesh and Kartik were engaged in a furious duel on the fore deck. As had become a tradition with them, they fought with real weapons instead of wooden swords. They believed that the risk of serious injury would focus their minds and improve their practice. They would halt just before a killer strike and demonstrate to the other that an opening had been found.

Converting his smaller size to his advantage, Kartik pressed close to Ganesh, cramping him and making it difficult for his taller opponent to strike freely. Ganesh stepped back and swung his shield down in a seemingly defensive motion, but halted the movement inches from Kartik’s shoulder.

‘Kartik, my shield has a knife,’ said Ganesh, as he pressed a lever to release it. ‘This is a strike on my account. I’ve said this to you before: fighting with two swords is too aggressive. You should use a shield. You ended up leaving an opening for me.’

Kartik smiled. ‘No, dada. The strike is mine. Look down.’

Ganesh’s eyes fell on his chest as he felt a light touch of metal. Kartik was holding his left sword the other way round, with a small blade sticking out of the hilt end. He had managed to turn the sword around, release the knife and bring it in close, all the while giving the feint of an open right flank to Ganesh. Shiva’s elder son had assumed that Kartik had pulled his left sword out of combat.

Ganesh stood with his eyes wide open, seriously impressed with his brother. ‘How in Lady Bhoomidevi’s name did you manage that?’

Shiva, who had seen the entire manoeuvre from his upper deck, was equally impressed with Kartik. He pulled back from Sati and shouted out, ‘Bravo Kartik!’

Sensing angry eyes boring into him, Shiva immediately turned towards Sati. She was glaring at her husband, holding her breath irritably, her lips still puckered.

‘I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,’ said Shiva, trying to draw close and kiss Sati again.