After hearing the maids speak of Rajkumar Hamsa's infancy and early childhood—the years Mahadevi Bhadra herself had been unable to witness due to mounting duties and political unrest—she sat in silence, lost in thought.
A maid approached and stopped a short distance away.
"Mahadevi Bhadra," she said softly, waiting.
At the Mahadevi's signal, the maid continued.
"I bring word from the temple. Acharya Ram is prepared to meet you at your leisure."
She bowed and withdrew, returning to her station.
Mahadevi Bhadra rose from her seat.
"Lata," she said, "Send word to Mahamantri Vasu that we shall speak later today—or tomorrow, if needed. Also, make preparations for us to go to the temple."
"Yes, my lady," Lata replied.
With that, the maid bowed and departed to carry out her orders.
I must speak with Acharya Ram about Hamsa.
His mana is excessive—far beyond what a child his age should possess. Even after stabilizing, its intensity has not lessened. That excess is what caused his illness.
I remember Savitri saying she was much the same as a child. Yet even then, her first overload came only at ten years of age—five years after her mana had stabilized. Even that was considered early.
As for myself, I could not even sense mana until I was fifteen, let alone suffer an overload.
Hamsa's condition is far too early. Far too severe.
And that troubles me more than I wish to admit.
As she remained lost in thought, Lata returned and waited patiently. When Mahadevi Bhadra finally moved, she turned and left her chambers, exiting the palace and heading toward the temple.
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Temple District — Acharya Ram's Residence
Mahadevi Bhadra entered the residence and was greeted by Durga, the wife of Acharya Ram.
Much as she was by Indra, Durga was held in deep respect and admiration by both of Indra's wives. Along with the late Mahadevi Savitri, she had been one of the few allies Bhadra possessed when she first entered the court as King Raj Valangar's second wife.
"Greetings, Matha Durga," Bhadra said. "It is a pleasure to see you. I hope you are all well."
She bowed and bent to touch Durga's feet.
"May Lord Vishnu's grace always be upon you, my child," Durga said, blessing her.
She stepped aside and gestured inward.
"Come. The Acharya is waiting."
Durga led Mahadevi Bhadra to Acharya Ram's chamber. When they reached the door, she excused herself and stepped away. Bhadra entered alone, her security detail remaining outside. Only her maid, Lata, followed her in.
"Welcome, Mahadevi Bhadra," Acharya Ram said calmly. "It is rare for you to seek an audience with me. Usually, it is the other way around."
"Acharya," Bhadra replied, "You anticipated my arrival and cleared your schedule beforehand. Did you not?"
The Acharya smiled faintly.
"And what makes you believe that?"
"Acharya," she said evenly, "You have lived for more than one hundred and fifty years. I would neither dare nor presume to understand how you think—or how you come to know the things you do."
The Acharya's smile widened slightly as he gestured for her to sit.
Mahadevi Bhadra bowed in respect before taking her seat. Lata stood quietly behind her.
"I believe you already know why I am here," Bhadra said.
"Indeed," Acharya Ram replied. "It concerns Rajkumar Hamsa. Tell me—what is it you wish to hear from me?"
Bhadra drew a steady breath.
"First," she said, "Why was Hamsa drawing more mana than normal while he was still in Savitri's womb?"
She continued without pause.
"Second, is that same reason responsible for his unusually high mana now—to the point that he has already suffered an overload at the age of five?"
She hesitated.
"And lastly…"Her voice wavered, just slightly."Will he be all right?"
The Acharya did not look surprised.
Instead, he asked a question of his own.
"Why are you so invested in that child?" he said, his tone suddenly cold and precise. "Would it not be to your benefit—and to your family's—if he were to perish?"
The words struck harder than Bhadra expected.
Anger flashed across her face. Mana stirred around her, faint at first, then rising in response to her will.
She spoke in a tense voice.
"Does a mother need any reason to worry about her child?"
Lata stiffened beside her, ready to intervene. But before she could speak, Acharya Ram suddenly laughed.
The sound startled both women.
"I apologize, Mahadevi," the Acharya said, bringing his laughter under control. "I did not mean to offend you."
He took a breath.
"Savitri once told me that you were more intense than even she was when provoked. I wished to see that for myself."He smiled faintly."And it seems she was correct."
"I did not mean to imply that you do not care for the child as your own," he added.
After a moment, the Acharya regained his composure.
"You wish to know why Hamsa's mana is so intense," he said. "And why he drew far more mana than an ordinary child while still in Savitri's womb."
He paused.
"If I am honest, I can only offer an approximate answer. We do not yet fully understand him."
The air around the Acharya grew heavier.
"We believe it has something to do with his soul," he continued slowly. "It is… different. Larger in presence than a normal soul should be."
He hesitated.
"It is almost as if two souls were combined into one."
Bhadra froze.
"Two souls?" she asked quickly. "Does that mean he was meant to be born a twin?"
The Acharya shook his head.
"We found no evidence of such a thing—neither during the pregnancy nor afterward."
He drew a deeper breath.
"What troubles us more is this: Hamsa's soul carries the presence of a grown man, not that of a child."
"This is only a hypothesis," he added carefully, "Drawn from sacred texts. One proposed by a student."
He met her gaze.
"Hamsa may be a reincarnate."
Silence followed.
"As for your final question," the Acharya said, "the child will live. And if he grows older, he will wield mana in ways unseen since before the Great War, a thousand years ago."
Mahadevi Bhadra stood stunned.
Then, slowly, she smiled.
"Then that simply means," she said, "That I have more work to do—as a mother."
She straightened.
"I will guide him so that he becomes a man history remembers with reverence."
The Acharya stared at her, then smiled.
"You are exactly as Savitri said you would be—"
BOOM.
The ground shook.
Moments later, a guard rushed toward them.
"There has been an explosion," he reported. "Rajkumar Hamsa's chamber has partially collapsed. There are no casualties. The prince has been taken to the central palace."
Only one thought filled Bhadra's mind.
Please be alive. Please be well.
Without another word, they rushed toward the palace, now alive with alarms and armed guards.