the immortal of maluha

‘I don’t think so,’ said Parvateshwar. ‘This war was triggered by their joint attack on Mandar!
Why would they not be here?’
‘Shiva, I am sure you’ll figure it out,’ said Sati. ‘Don’t trouble yourself.’
‘Dammit Sati!’ yelled Shiva. ‘I can’t figure it out! That’s why I am worried!’
A startled Sati stepped back. His uncharacteristic vehemence stunned her. He wasn’t like
this. Shiva realised what he had done. He immediately reached his bloodied hand out. ‘I’m sorry
Sati. It’s just that I…’
The conversation was interrupted as Daksha, accompanied by an aide, raised the curtain
and swaggered into the room.
‘My Lord!’ cried Daksha as he hugged Shiva tight.
Shiva flinched. His wounds hurt. Daksha immediately stepped back.
‘I’m so sorry, my Lord,’ said Daksha. Turning to his aide he continued, ‘Why is Ayurvati
outside? Bring her in. Let her tend to the Lord’s wounds.’
‘No wait,’ said Shiva to the aide. ‘I had said I didn’t want to be disturbed. There is always
time to address the wounds later.’ Shiva turned towards Daksha. ‘Your Highness, I need to
speak about something…’
‘My Lord, if you will allow me first,’ said Daksha, as enthusiastic as a little boy who had just
been given a long denied sweet. ‘I wanted to thank you for what you have done for me. For
Meluha. We have done what even my father couldn’t! This is an absolute victory!’
Shiva and Parvateshwar looked briefly at each other before Daksha garnered their attention
again.
‘Emperor Dilipa is being brought here even as we speak,’ said Daksha.
‘What?’ asked Parvateshwar taken aback. ‘But we had sent some of our soldiers to their
camp just a little while back. They couldn’t possibly have arrested him so soon.’
‘No Parvateshwar,’ said Daksha. ‘I had sent my personal guards much earlier. We could tell
from the viewing platform that the Chandravanshis had already lost by the time the Lord and
you began the third charge. That is the benefit of the perspective you get from a distance. I
was worried that Dilipa might escape like the coward he is. So I sent off my personal guards to
arrest him.’
‘But, your Highness,’ said Parvateshwar, ‘shouldn’t we discuss the terms of surrender before
we bring him in? What are we going to offer?’
‘Offer?’ asked Daksha, his eyes twinkling with the euphoria of triumph. ‘Frankly, we don’t
really need to offer anything considering how he was routed. He is being brought here as a
common criminal. However, we will show him how kind Meluha can be. We will make him such
an offer that his next seven generations will be singing our praises!’
Before a surprised Shiva could ask what exactly Daksha had in mind, the crier of the Royal
Guard announced the presence of Dilipa outside the tent. Accompanying him was his son,
Crown Prince Bhagirath.
‘Just a minute, Kaustav,’ said Daksha, as he went into a tizzy, organising the room exactly
as he would like it. He sat down on a chair placed in the centre of the room. Daksha requested
Shiva to sit to his right. As Shiva sat, Sati turned to leave the tent. Shiva reached out to hold her
hand. She turned, saw his need and walked behind his seat to sit down on a chair there.
Parvateshwar sat to the Emperor’s left.
Daksha then called out loudly, ‘Let him in.’
Shiva was anxious to see the face of evil. Despite his misgivings about the absence of the