Lalita opened her eyes. It was still dark, the light before sunrise only just beginning to fill the sky. The air was filled with excitement. The trees seemed to dance a little more to the tune of the winds, the flowers appeared brighter, and the birds flew higher. She jumped off her bed and ran straight to Baahu's chambers, uncaring of whom she stumbled into.

"Watch where you're going!" Bhalla yelled as he made his way towards the chambers of his father.

"No, I won't!" Lalita giggled without turning around, continuing to run. The early morning inertia in her body was overpowered by her enthusiasm. She pushed open the huge, heavy doors of his room open with ease and leapt onto his bed.

"Baahu! Baahu, wake up!"

He did not even stir.

She shook him by his shoulders. "Baahuuuuuuu...!"

"Hmmmm..."

"Baahu, wake UP!"

He blinked and frowned, turning to his side to look outside his window. "What are you doing at this ungodly hour...?" He yawned before closing his eyes again. "There's still a lot of time before we need to wake up." Baahu was about to drift off into sleep.

"No, no! Wake upppp!" She pulled his forearm, somehow getting him to sit up.

"What is wrong with you?" He rubbed his eyes.

"Happy birthday Baahu!" She enveloped him in a warm hug.

He couldn't help but smile at that. "Oh, thank you, Lali..." he stifled another yawn as he hugged her back. "Wish you the same."

They had always been the first people to wish each other. It was their tradition. "Can you believe it? We're eighteen years old!"

"Wow... that makes us sound really old," he chuckled.

"It does," she agreed. "Okay, freshen up and get ready quickly. We must seek the blessings of Amma, Kattappa Mama, all our Gurus, shikshakas, and other elders."

The birthday celebrations of the twins were extravagant. Every single time, the Rajamata had outdone herself in the arrangements, leaving both her foster children overjoyed, and unbeknownst to her, leaving her biological son a little more jealous each time. She also did not know of the way her husband instigated her son against his cousins, pitting him against them so that one day, when it really matters, he shall not hesitate to usurp the throne. Even if it means that he would need to harm the people he grew up with. Bhallaladeva was also adept at concealing his true intentions, perhaps more than Bijjaladeva. This left everyone unsuspecting of the father-son duo, only wondering what they must be discussing together, away from everyone else, all the time.

"Man, Bhalla, you should've been there when that horse threw Hari down... it was hilarious!" Lalita was referring to the incident that happened right after she was given the epithet Bharati—by the Mahamantri of Maahishmati, who was also her Guru, after Devi Saraswati, the Goddess of speech, knowledge and creativity.

"Since when did you begin to relish others' pain?"

"What...?"

"Perhaps being too involved in medicine at a young age has made you insensitive, Bharati."

"Bhalla, what are you sayi—" Baahubali began, but was interrupted by Lalita.

"Is Hari not alright?" She was genuinely worried.

"Oh, come on, Lali... there was barely a scratch on his body. That was not a bad fall at all," Baahubali immediately attempted to reassure her, knowing that his sister was one to easily feel guilty, even in instances where there was no fault of hers.

"Nevertheless, Baahu, there is no acceptable reason to laugh at someone's pain," Bhalla maintained his argument.

"I-I didn't mean it like that, Bhalla, you know that."

He did not speak.

"You know that, right?"

"Perhaps."

"Bhalla, come on, what's up with you?" Baahu found this very strange. "Is everything alright?"

He sighed. "Yeah." Before he could say anything more, Sethupathi, a companion of Bhalla's with whom he was getting closer and closer with by the day, informed him that he was being summoned by his father.

"Bhalla, you barely spend any time with us these days. Can't you stay a little longer?" Lalita requested.

"Perhaps you are not aware due to the absence of a father figure, Rakumari, but it is one's foremost duty to obey his father's words. Have you not studied the Ramayana?" He left immedately.

She frowned and stayed quiet for a long time before breaking the silence. "What was that?"

"What?"

"He was... he was so strange."

Baahu secretly agreed. But he did not want to fuel the vile cycle of overthinking that seemed to always exist in his sister's mind, hidden and only appearing in times such as this. "No... no, he's always like that, but you know he means no harm."

"I'm not so sure anymore, Baahu. He doesn't spend time with us anymore. All he seems to focus on is..."

"What?"

"I don't know, whatever it is that seems more important to him than us, and Amma."

"Okay, that is a signal for you to shut your brain down. You are clearly tired, and I really wish I could find that devil in your little head which makes you overthink things so much."

Lalita rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Come on, you can smile a little more than that."

She playfully pushed him back.

"Okay, that's more like the Lali I know." He rested his head on her shoulder, his soft wavy locks caressing her cheek slightly. "I'm so tired..." His voice turned much softer almost instantly as they leaned against the large tree in their training grounds, which were calm and dark, very different to what they were used to.

"Baahu, if you're going to fall asleep, let's go back inside."

"No..." he clearly stifled a yawn.

"Why must you be so irritating all the time?" she whined, annoyed that he would fall asleep in the middle of their conversations all the time.

"Why must you be so overwhelmingly smart all the time?"

"What? How is that even linked?"

"Do not even ask..." he couldn't hold back the yawn this time. "Let's just sit like this... for tonight."

"You like it here?"

"Mhm."

"Okay. Consider it my birthday gift for you."

"How very gracious of you... I gifted you a new set of jewellery that I personally designed... and you..."

Lalita laughed. "Deal with it."

"Hmph," Baahu was too tired to argue.

"Baahu? Are you still awake?"

He did not respond.

"Baahuuuuuuu."

"Hmmmm..."

"Baahu, we'll always be together, right?"

"I am afraid so... it is unfortunately extremely difficult to get rid of a sibling... more so a twin. Nearly impossible."

"Really?"

"Hmm..."

"Please don't change like Bhalla did, Baahu... I would be so lonely without you."

Baahu squinted his eyes open. "In the name of Parameswara, you think and worry way too much!"

"Please, Baahu, promise me."

"Lali—" "Please, humour me. Say that you promise."

"Okay, fine! I promise."

"Thank you."

"Lali, I mean, it... if you speak like this again..."

"What are you going to do?"

"I won't let you be my Mahamantri."

"Really?"

"And I'll throw you out of the palace."

"Fine, who even cares. I can still serve the people as a commoner, you know. You might be the better warrior, but I am no less than you in terms of intellect."

"So much for making me promise that we'll always stick together..."

"You see, I am so unbothered by your comments because that would never ever happen."

"A little too confident, are you not?"

"Well, my confidence is placed in Amma. She would never let you send me away like that," she smirked, knowing Baahu could not argue with that. "And even if it did happen, she would send you to bring me back right away. Not to mention that you would already be feeling so guilty, that you would practically beg me to come back."

"You think too highly of yourself."

"Sure, Baahu," she patted his head. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Lalita's excitement about her and Baahu turning eighteen had dissipated completely one week later. Growing older just brought more responsibilities but they haven't been given the freedom of being an adult yet. When she subtly tried to hint at the same, the Rajamata told her off, saying that they were still not grown-ups yet, and that it would be a long time before they completely matured into 'real adults'.

"Hmph! What does that even mean, real adults?" she was angrily ranting.

Baahu found this situation too amusing for Lalita's liking. "Whatever it is, just listen to her. Don't do anything stupid. Whatever Amma says, it's for our good."

"Always the perfect Mamma's boy," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes. Bhallaladeva smirked. This was perhaps the only thing they ever agreed on.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You heard me."

"No, I didn't."

"Then you don't have to hear it now, either," she snapped, peering ahead, hoping to spot Kattappa. "What's taking Mama this long anyway?" They'd moved on from the stage of taking lessons—they were practicing with Kattappa and his men now. It had been half an hour since their session was supposed to start, and yet, he did not arrive. It was very unusual for Kattappa to be this late; in fact, it never happened before.

Anila, a young soldier who was soon going to join the special forces trained by Kattappa, arrived. "Yuvaraja Bhallaladeva, Yuvaraja Baahubali, Rakumari Lalita," he bowed. Baahu and Lalita immediately stood up, due to the respect they had for him, but Bhallaladeva continued to sit.

"Anila, I hope everything is alright?" Baahubali smiled warmly at him.

"Yes, Yuvaraja. Kattappa sent me here to inform you that he will not be coming today. He said that there is a guest, of great importance, who is going to arrive soon, perhaps in a few hours. So the lessons for today stand cancelled."

Lalita sighed. "Alright, I shall go to the medical wing, then. I have a lesson there in a short while," she untied the string on her bow and handed it over to Baahubali. "Thank you for letting us know, Anila." She smiled politely at him and was about to turn around to leave.

"Uh, no—apologies, Rakumari. But I meant to say that all of your lessons stand cancelled. Rajamata has asked for the three of you to be there, and she specifically told me to mention that she..." he cleared his throat. "She wanted you to be on your best appearance and behaviour."

"Oh... that's good news," Lalita was relieved. She had been hoping, and praying, for a leave somehow in the middle of the week. She internally thanked Rama, and Anila (externally), before leaving for her chambers to get ready. Whoever this new guest was, she did not care. But to disobey Amma and invite her wrath? No, thank you very much.

"This must be a really special guest," Lalita muttered. The royal court of Maahishmati was abuzz with whispers and curiosity.

A young man of perhaps the same age as them, or slightly older, entered the court. His bright blue and grey robes contrasted well with his light skin. Tall and muscular, he looked like a textbook example of what an ideal warrior would look like, but his face emanated a sense of peace and stillness. A smile of wisdom graced his lips. His gait was strong and steady, like that of a lion, commanding respect.

Lalita was smitten.

He walked to the centre of the court, folding his hands and bowing his head in respect to Sivagami and then all other elders. "I, Rudra, son of Vikramaditya and Sugandhini, offer my Pranaamam to the respected Sabha." His voice was deep, and clear like a river that had just melted from its glacier.

For the first time, Lalita experienced what she read in the romantic stories as being struck by Manmatha's arrow. But it wasn't just the attraction for the majestic appearance of this man she felt. There was something else about this man that she did not know yet, which made her feel so intimately connected to him in ways that could not be expressed by words. She tried to explain to herself that the respect for Rudra she had, that almost formed instantly, was understandable as he truly must have been a special man to receive such a grand welcome from Amma. But deep down, she knew this admiration was beyond that.

What she did not realise as her thoughts overwhelmed her was that he was already introduced to everyone by Sivagami, as the son of the late Minister Vikramaditya, who headed espionage and intelligence, and had saved Maahishmati from many perils in the past. It was his father's wish for him to be taught by the Pandita of a famous Saraswati temple in his place of birth, Hemavati. It was a small town in the kingdom of Maahishmati, a few hours away from the city, on an island in the Pranahita river. She also did not notice Baahubali smirking at how she was allured by the man who introduced himself as Rudra.

Sivagami was insistent on Rudra returning to live in the palace and take up the position that was previously his father's. Vikramaditya was a dear friend of the former king, Maharaja Vikramadeva, and a very trustworthy man. She felt Rudra would be very able in carrying his father's legacy. She had heard many things from reliable residents of the island town. Even the bards from there were constantly singing his praises.

Though Rudra was initially hesitant to agree, her persistence and the cheers from the audience in the court made him nod in the affirmative. "As you wish, Rajamata."

Hearing his words made Lalita break out of the trance she fell into upon looking at him. "Hey, Baahu, what did he just say," she whispered discreetly.

"He's going to stay here from now on." Lalita's eyes visibly brightened. "Why does that make you so excited, Rakumari?"

"Wh-what? No... no, I'm not excited or anything. Just..."

"Just...?"

"Shut up, we are in a Sabha. Let us talk about this later."

"As you wish," Baahubali bit his lip, trying desperately to hold back laughter.

"Let me introduce to you my children, Rudra," Sivagami gestured for them to come forward. They began climbing down the flight of stairs, from the corridor they were seated, in the left wing of the hall. "That is Bhallaladeva, Baahubali, and Lalita," she pointed to each one as she spoke their names.

"It brings me great joy to meet the Yuvarajas," Rudra folded his hands into a namaste, "and the Rakumari of Maahishmati."

"Pranamam," the three of them said at the same time.

"It is an honour to meet you too, Arya Rudra," Baahubali added.

Sivagami hoped Baahubali could find a good friend in Rudra as his own father found one in Rudra's. It was important to have such a close ally as a king, especially for someone like Baahu, who could have tendencies of being naive.

"He will be joining you in your discussions and debates." Sivagami was referring to the sessions they had in the subjects of administration and governance, related to the domains of science, economy and culture, supervised by their teachers, other expert scholars, advisors of the kings, and sometimes the current ministers related to those positions as well. The siblings were joined by other students who have chosen to specialise in these subjects, who were also prospects for the future civil servants, administrators and ministers. "Remember to ensure that he is not left behind. Catch him up on whatever you have done previously." Baahubali nudged Lalita, silently asking her to stop staring.

She cleared her throat. "Y-yes, of course, Amma. It would be my—erm, our—pleasure to help him out."

Sivagami nodded. "I am looking forward to seeing you join this Sabha soon, Rudra, with your own seat and position."

"I am honoured, Rajamata. I shall strive to prove myself worthy of the trust you have placed in me."

"My mother never goes wrong, Arya Rudra. I am sure you will do wonders with the power that is going to be bestowed upon you," Lalita said with confidence.

"You are too kind, Rakumari," Rudra smiled.

Lalita felt butterflies in her belly—it felt like they were going to fly all over her body.

"My daughter is never one to praise others just for the sake of it, Rudra. You will see that for yourself soon," Sivagami laughed, and with her, everyone else. She dismissed the gathering and walked over to where Rudra was standing.

"Stick together, all of you," she told the four young people, "and work for the betterment of your motherland."

Only three of them nodded, for the eldest child of Sivagami desired only the power he would get from that empty throne before him: not the responsibility that came with it.

Hope you enjoyed <3

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