" Should I be afraid of her now?"

" I don't see a reason. She's your friend, and....and she may resemble someone, even have her name but...who knows maybe that's just a coincidence... "

" .... I am so confused, my life is going down the gutter with each passing day Amarendra! "

" ...listen Devasena, you cannot run away from anything. Neither your past, nor your present. You yourself can feel now, you are remembering things more often. And a day will come when you will know the entire story of your life... And no one knows it more than you. Amarendra Baahubali met Devasena when she was twenty three, and left him when she was twenty four. Do you expect him to help you etch a story of your life? "

" hmm...... (sigh)... I understand. But what I dreamt of, paused my heart for a long time..
Avanthika is such a home to me, such a confidence... I  cannot imagine her to be.... "

" ..don't cry Devasena, your tears seem to be judging your friendship. She may be absolutely harmless! "

" ..maybe? She is harmless Amarendra! She has saved me from harms till date!!!! "

" Exactly so Devasena! You know what? Let us even consider for a second that she's our daughter-in-law Avanthika who murdered the former Devasena. But for god's sake, please don't expect the soul that transmitted to carry along with it, the 'mayas'! The soul is the purest, and is free of all confinements. Love, hatred, happiness, sorrow, lust, desire...the soul is free of everything...
Do you get what I mean? "

" I do. But I don't know one thing now, if the soul is bereft of love, shall Devasena ever get back her Amarendra as a possession of her last life? Or does he need to fall in love with her, all over again? "

Amarendra fell silent, and the corner of Devasena's eyes sparkled.

**

" Please excuse us Vibhu. " , Adway directed this to his personal assistant mostly, who stood stuck to them like a leech until now, and that disgusted Avanthika. She heaved a sigh of relief.

The hotel Avanthika was in for her conference, Vijay Park, housed two halls, and while she attended the seminar on Iconology and Symbology, the seminar on sculpting next door flagged Adway Mathur as the chief orator.
And Avanthika couldn't let this go. She had taken effort to meet him before either of the seminars began and had managed to gather a meet up slot.

As she sat before him and hesitated to begin a discussion, Adway assured her some comfort by ensuring it was only two of them now.

He was a gentleman.

Avanthika cleared her throat.
" I actually.... I don't really know how I should begin.. 
Just as I said, I am Devasena's roommate, and you know her... " ,she paused.

Adway was slowly nodding, and then reciprocated, " yes... I do know her, she's my dad's most favorite student to be precise. " ,he smiled.

" ...that's all? I mean...do you know her only as your father's student? "

Adway kept smiling, but his brows came slightly together. " Sorry? "

Avanthika backed off, and took a deep breath. This was difficult. How should she start? 

" I heard from Devasena that your dad calls you by a cute nickname. May I know what it is? "

Adway now looked really confused. He stirred on his chair. They sat in a private cubicle at the restaurant of the hotel. " Madam, I am really not sure what we are discussing. "

Avanthika pursed her lips. She had to directly jump on the point now, and mostly this Adway would disappoint her. Or rather, relieve her maybe?

" Bhallaldeva. Do you know any such name? "

" Bhallaldeva? Not exactly. My dad calls me Bhalla though, that's just cause when I was a baby, I used to giggle so much when a cartoon played on the television, 'Bhallaraam' that he began calling me that, and I reciprocated. Anyways, what's the issue? " , he sipped a coffee that just arrived.

Avanthika stared at him for sometime, not smiling at all. And then very coldly replied, " So you remember nothing of your past life? "

Adway stopped stirring his coffee and kept staring back, slowly falling back on the chair.  While neither of them broke the eyelock, Adway read Avanthika from head to toe, and uttered finally, " Who are you? "

" Avanthika."

" I heard that. And not a name I ask for. What do you have to do with my past life? "

" Fine. I don't want you to remember that. And most importantly, I don't want you to find a way to my friend, if at all you remember anything. Is that clear?"

Adway grew sterner than ever. Not that it frightened Avanthika, but she now knew, he might not disappoint her, or yes maybe?

" You sound no one I should follow commands of. If at all you have something to offer, that can only be your identity. "

Avanthika took another deep breath.
" I will only reveal my identity if you reveal to me, that you remember even an ounce of your life as a king! "

" Oh god will you please stop testing me? I end this discussion here itself. Vibh.... "

" Amarendra Baahubali and Devasena's daughter-in-law, Mahendra's wife, Avanthika. That used to be my identity. "

Adway Mathur began calming down. And that was evident. All the muscles of his face that had contracted had now began relaxing back, his eyes grew soft and something else gained place in them.

Guilt? Avanthika couldn't judge.

" Ma...hendra's wife..... " , Adway began murmuring, looking away. Avanthika knew, finally she had found someone equally restless about a rebirth unlike , Amarendra.

Peace, Avanthika. She calmed herself.

" Why are you here? To punish me for my deeds? "

Avanthika pursed her lips. And said, " you received capital punishment. What more? "

Adway stared questioningly.

Avanthika talked again, " Why should I punish you? You devastated someone else's life more than mine. And if she doesn't remember anything about punishing you and sorts, who am I? "

" but you remember....right? "

" are you still guilty? "

Adway began scratching the table. " throughout my life I have never wanted to face my past. But since I saw Devasena, I couldn't contain my desire to sink before her and ask for forgiveness. Death happened without redemption in a life I committed only sins. But she remembers nothing. "

" thankfully. " , Avanthika settled more comfortably. Adway seemed really confused with her words now.

" What if I tell you that the Devasena you knew was not an epitome of justice and kindness? What if I say she murdered her son and compelled her daughter-in-law to do the same to her? "

Adway's eyes widened.
" What? "

Avanthika bent forward a little, resting her hands on the table.

" I tell you a story tonight Adway. Not because I hate Devasena, but because I love her. And I don't want you to be a reason to arouse any emotion against her again, in this life. She's my asset, my bestest possession.

And one more thing, if at all you need to be forgiven, ask it from Amarendra Baahubali, yes, he's back. "

Leaving behind almost a ghoststruck Adway, Avanthika began narrating a story of a life, for the second time.