Alterations and Improvisations

Shivani impatiently paced outside the temple. The evening prayers were going on and Satvik had told her that he will only be able to talk after the prayers conclude. She could not sleep after Ajinkya's naming ceremony. What made Satvik withhold such a big truth. She knew she could never become a mother, but when Manyata became pregnant she had unknowingly developed a bond with the foetus inside her. 

That was her charm. Ajeenkya knew how to hypnotize, Shivani thought. She had known her fate even before she was born and decided not to get involved with the baby. But it was like Ajeenkya had pulled her closer with each day. She had thought that Ajeenkya would not make it to the world alive. Very rarely did a baby survive after being strangled by the spinal cord for four long hours. But Ajeenkya made it. She was like the crawling miracle. Her name was correct. The invincible, the victorious. Yet the oracle had been so cruel to the baby.

"I know what you want to ask." Satvik said quietly as he walked up to Shivani, once the last of the worshipers had left. The news of Eaval's arrival had suddenly awoken their faith on the Supreme Operator, which had resulted in a rush at the Temple of Oracle.

"They want her to be the goat for slaughter, isn't it " Shivani barked at Satvik " all for their darling Vayu"

"Shivani we cannot let anything happen to Vayu, we know he is our only chance" Satvik tried to reason.

" By letting her take his place," Shivani's anguish rose " after all Vayu is the child of Supreme Operator, the messenger of Supreme Operator, isn't it?" Shivani grabbed Satvik's arm and shook it violently "have you become as heartless as him. Do you have no love for Ajeenkya, are you also driven by Vayu's gift"

" You don't know what you are talking about" Satvik replied indignantly "I love the child as much as you do but...but I will not tolerate a word against the Supreme Operator. Whatever he says is meant for the greater good."

"HUH, GREATER GOOD!" Shivani growled. "You wont give her a fighting chance, you know what will happen if she goes with him."

"What am I supposed to do?" asked Satvik

"Tell him the truth, let him decide"

"And let him die?" Satvik asked angrily "I chose you for your balance, and today you have become so driven by your own emotions that you are not worried about the people or your friend. Are you ready to sacrifice your friend Shivani?"

Shivani slowly dropped herself on the floor sobbing profusely. Satvik calmed himself down and sat down infront of Shivani placing a hand on her shoulder.

"We have to let one of them go, and we need Vayu." said Satvik " It is either the father or the daughter, and if Eaval aggravates things then the father can get save us, not the daughter. She is a baby."

"And the father possess the gift." Shivani said quietly. Satvik took a deep breath but decided not to correct her.

"Will you be alright ?" asked Satvik.

"Yes, I need to go home, Parikshit might be back." She rose up and walked towards the stairs. She stopped suddenly on the middle of the staircase and turned around.

"What if they have two daughters?" she asked Satvik.

"What?" Satvik looked bewildered at his fellow orator.

"The oracle said the daughter, but didnot mention which daughter."

"Are you feeling alright Shivani?" Satvik walked towards her, genuinely worried. "They have only one daughter and the oracle said that the daughter of Emperor Vayuvijay and Empress Manyata."

"They have only one daughter now, but if before Vayu leaves they have another daughter?" 

Satvik gasped.

"What do you mean?"

"Delay his voyage by two years and tell him that the oracle has demanded him to have another daughter." Shivani cried hysterically "Do something Satvik, save them both."

"You are disturbed and don't know what you are talking about, go home, you will feel better." He turned around and walked inside the temple shrine and closed the door.

****************************************************************

"But all the arrangements are in order, your holyship how can you ask me to post-pone the trip?" Vayu asked Satvik.

It was two days after Ajeenkya's ceremony. The courtroom was in session when the high priest had walked in with the other priests and informed the Emperor that he needed to post-pone the journey around the five lands.

"That is the command of the oracle, you cannot leave next week." Satvik said. "Danger is looming over the capital and you are required here."

The entire room erupted with protest on hearing his words. The people knew they could not let their emperor leave them in peril.

"SILENCE" Veer-bhadra's voice boomed silencing them all at once.

Vayuvijay nodded at him as he turned his gaze back to the high priest.

"When should I leave then?" he asked the high priest.

"Only after One thousand Eight Hundred and Twenty Five Nights." Replied the high priest.

"Five years?" Vayu exclaimed.

"It is for the welfare of your people." Satvik replied as he bowed and walked out of the courtroom. He knew he had four sets of suspicious eyes on him.