Everyone took shade as the rain paced up, apart from two lone souls who stood face to face, completely drenched. And neither of them shifted their gaze from the other. 

" you don't believe me.... I know.. " , Devasena slowly uttered. 

The rain cut off her soft voice, and Amarendra Kept staring as if he didn't hear. 

" I... I... " 

Amarendra immediately placed his index finger on her lips, shutting them up, and she could sense herself electrified again till he removed his finger. 

***

Amarendra slowly wound her with a shawl he brought out from his luggage, as they somehow got a cab. Both of them were drenched to the core. And Devasena shivered, to which Amarendra did that. Devasena smiled as she wound it around, tighter.

" I am....sorry....  

You had to stay... " , Devasena didn't really know what she was supposed to say now. Because she was almost dangling in mid air. 

Did she really remember  'everything'? 

After Amarendra left, Devasena couldn't contain the turmoil within her at all. She felt utter restless, giddy, light headed. Water, air, tea, nothing helped. She switched off the lights to the room and lay straight on bed, streams flowing down the corner of her eyes as she closed them up. 

And then she had a detailed vision. 

She was supposedly lying inside a hut on a bed, and her body ached like hell. She hadn't felt such a life taking pain ever. The next moment, she found village nurses or dais sitting beside her and trying to pacify her. So.. She was pregnant. 

Suddenly, the door opened, and....and... 

Amarendra got in. The man, in question.  

She felt herself shooting up from the bed when Amarendra sat beside her, his face stern yet composed. In a deep voice he uttered, " I need to go. They've captivated Mama... " 

Devasena felt a gush of emotion rise through her. A feeling of emptiness. Yet she stayed firm. " Bring him back. He had promised to raise my child in his arms. " 

Amarendra smiled in agreement, and placed a small peck on her forehead. 

And......left. The pain of which overcame even labor pain. Throughout the proceedings of the labor, Devasena felt numb. No, she had never feared for her man. Because he was capable of everything. And till mama was with him, no one could even touch him. Devasena knew, yet......  

The cry of a baby brought her back to reality. Everyone in the room was now giggling, as Devasena slowly got up, her face lighting up like never before. 

" Here....take him ma...  " , the dai placed the baby on her lap. 

Motherhood, could something be more beautiful? Devasena had always believed, nothing could be more beautiful than being Amarendra Baahubali's wife. But today she knew, nothing could be more beautiful than being his son's mother. She nudged the baby, pecked his slippery forehead, and then placed him back on the dais arms for cleaning. 

Now all she had to do was to wait for him and mama to return. What would he do on seeing their son!? She couldn't just imagine. Probably he would play shehnai, and drums, and dance all night, and....hug her tight, thank her for everything, and kiss her.  She blushed, turning completely red. 

Just then the door slammed open, and Raghu stood, his eyes almost popping out, and he gasping for breath  

Devasena shouted, horrified, " What's wrong Raghu? " 

After a million efforts, after choking a thousand times, he could utter.... " baba is no more ma.... They killed him...." , and burst to a village rendering wail. 

Devasena's world went blank, forever. 

And Devasena Sehgal's vision ended.

****

Amarendra cupped his face, while Devasena kept staring. All she now knew was, she could remember everything, like everything. But she needed Amarendra by her side. He couldn't just leave. 

Amarendra raised his head. " I...am....just too glad today Devasena. You have finally stepped into my shoes. I too didn't remember everything at a go. That's not possible. This...  " 

" Who is mama? "

They sat at Shreebhumi now, the rains still pouring hard and the thunder splitting the sky apart. 

Amarendra rested his back on the sofa and stared at the immensely tall ceiling. " Mama... Katappa mama... You will yourself know. Just give yourself some time. " 

Katappa? That's a name? Devasena wondered but kept mum. 

" He left Devasena when she needed him the most. " , she said after sometime. 

Amarendra looked at her, and got up to take seat just beside her. She looked into him too.  

The man in her vision felt completely like the man beside her, comfortable, calm, serene. She had no doubt that the Devasena was she and the Amarendra was he. She could now happily hug him and cry. But maybe both of them needed some more time. Maybe she herself. To know Amarendra Baahubali completely. And the amount of joy she should feel being Devasena, with his return from the dead. 

" Did you feel her turmoil?" 

Devasena nodded slowly. " I did." 

Amarendra kept staring. His eyes seemed to be looking for something else. More desperation maybe. Yes, Devasena was desperate, but more in the absence of him beside her. Now she felt more at peace. 

" Amarendra, I am desperate to know everything. But you want me to feel myself. I'll wait, since having visions is not my wish. I need to feel every inch of Amarendra Baahubali , to be desperate about him. " 

Amarendra now looked straight for a long time, and then smiled. And the smile meant so much!  

" I can wait. " 

" You remember everything. Are you desperate? " , Devasena counter questioned. 

Amarendra answered after sometime. " I died without feeling my son. Could it be worse? " 

Devasena went silent. 

******

They now stood before Amarendra's painting in a room that looked the eeriest to Devasena the very first day, but now with all the lights, it looked so pure and fine. Amarendra brought down the painting from the wall. " Sometimes semi darkness and a creepy feeling makes you see the subconscious. I had only wanted that, the very first day. " , Amarendra's voice sounded guilty, but Devasena could only smile. She herself felt sorry for talking harsh to him that day, and she couldn't even say that to him now. 

" You are one hell with oils. " , her instincts led her across the portrait, and she used her painter veil to run fingers across the forehead and the cheeks, the beard and hair of Amarendra Baahubali of the picture, if not the man beside him. 

" Not more than you. " ,Amarendra uttered and Devasena lifted her fingers away. It wasn't time to go overboard with her emotions. 

She very well knew, Amarendra waited for his Devasena, and she was still in the process of making. She couldn't let emotions take the upper hand. 

Devasena slowly left the room leaving behind a surprised Amarendra.

*****

A figure entered the prayer room of the temple, a secluded place for Rajmata Devasena's daily meditation for an hour. The room was guarded on the outsides, and no one got in or out while she prayed. 

But a figure entered the room that day, breaking Devasena's meditation. She kept staring at the figure while she spread oil throughout the room before her eyes. She judged things and got up, " Have you gone insane? " , she uttered. And before she could further say anything, a matchstick flared up before her eyes. Terrified, Devasena ran towards the only entrance where the figure stood now, and pushed her back with a monstrous force. Devasena fell on the fire, while the figure left, locking the only entrance from outside. 

With an immense wail, Devasena sat up on the bed. Her eyes falling out of the sockets. 

She had seen the figure clearly enough. 

Avanthika. 

Avanthika.......Mohan!