Dhani began worshipping the Shivling with feelings of love and gratitude. Her heart was filled with joy. 

Vani too sat beside her with closed eyes.  

The worship was nearly complete when Dhani’s gaze fell upon a man standing on the other side of the Shivling. He was bowing his head in reverence to the Lord. 

He was Prince Aatrey. Prince Bali was his younger brother.  

He wore an orange angrakha, a white dhoti, and a white silk utariya. Around his waist was a white kamarpatta, secured with an ornate gold clasp. Upon his head was a golden safa adorned with a white feather and a kalgi set with a sapphire. He was adorned with gold ornaments—kundals, kanthmalas, kadas and more. His facial features were strong and clear. His eyebrows were straight and thick, his nose long, and his forehead bore a tilak. He was thirty-three years old and stood six and a half feet tall. 

Dhani’s eyes remained fixed upon his face. He was handsome. Despite the firmness of his features, there was a gentleness upon his face. For a moment, Dhani saw in him the ideal image of the husband she had carried in her heart for years. She began to feel a deep love for him. Once again, waves of love surged in her heart, just as they had for Bali. Dhani was bewildered by her emotions.  

But before she could understand them, Aatrey opened his eyes. 

Dhani quickly turned her gaze away to avoid his eyes. She folded her hands and closed her eyes in prayer.

After a while, she bowed before the Shivling and opened her eyes again. She looked toward the place once more, but Aatrey had already left.

Dhani placed her hand upon her heart. The waves of love rising within her left her in confusion. She had felt love for two men. Because of this, she began to doubt the signs of love stirring in her heart. When, upon the temple steps, she had seen the lotus flower in Bali’s hand and had received the sign of love for Bali, she had felt certain that her life partner had been revealed to her. But now, when for another man she felt not only the same love but also saw in him the very image of the husband she had long envisioned in her heart, her mind became deeply entangled in dilemmas. 

She bowed once more before the Shivling and, expressing her inner dilemma, whispered in her mind, “Dear Lord, please guide me.”  

After sitting for a while with folded hands, when no voice arose within her mind, she bowed to the Lord in reverence and stood up. Her heart felt heavy.  

Dhani came out of the temple with Vani. Together they moved towards the gateway of the temple courtyard.  

At that moment, Nivid came forward near them.  

“Bali, Bhaiya is calling you,” he shouted.  

Nivid had cried out so close to Vani that she grew irritated. She frowned at him. 

Just then, Bali appeared before them. He was waiting for Dhani. 

As he came closer and his gaze met Dhani’s, he stopped. Dhani too halted upon seeing him.

Once again, feelings of love arose in Bali’s heart, and he began gazing at Dhani. He wished to speak with her, but Vani was by her side. On top of that, Nivid was also standing there, watching him. Because of the two of them, he felt uneasy.

With the lotus in his hand and the sign of love stirring in her heart, Dhani thought of speaking to him. But the confusion and restlessness within held her back.  

Vani looked at Bali with suspicion. His eyes were fixed intently upon Dhani, which she did not like. 

Behind them, Nivid too was watching Bali and Dhani closely, as though observing them.

Bali was about to speak to Dhani, but Vani stepped in front of his gaze.  

“Didi, let’s go,” she said, taking Dhani’s hand and leading her forward. Dhani went along with her. 

Dhani kept her eyes lowered. Bali felt that she was uncomfortable speaking to him in front of her younger sister, a discomfort he himself also felt. He made up his mind that he would speak to Dhani in private.

“Bali, Bhaiya is calling you to atithigrih,” Nivid called out once again.

“Atithigrih?” Vani turned back and looked at Nivid, then at Bali. “Are they guests of Sarpanch ji?” 

Before leaving the courtyard, Dhani glanced once more at Bali, who was still gazing at her with the same affection.  

“Bali,” she murmured his name in her mind.

Bali too watched Dhani as she left the courtyard. His heart was filling with enchantment for Dhani.

“Bali,” Nivid called to him. He folded his hands, raised one eyebrow, and looked at him with a faint smile. 

Bali quietly passed by him and, without looking back, walked toward the rear of the temple, from where the atithigrih was nearby. 

Nivid followed him, smirking.

The two of them reached atithigrih. The atmosphere there was calm. The courtyard was adorned with flowerpots, and in one corner, three horses—one white and two black—were tied to pegs.  

Inside, in one chamber, some simple asanas were placed, blue clothes were spread over them. The room was beautifully decorated. 

Aatrey sat on one asana, waiting for Bali and Nivid.  

Bali and Nivid entered the chamber.  

“You both have arrived,” Aatrey said upon seeing them. His voice was gentle yet authoritative. His personality carried gravity.  

They both sat down on the asanas opposite Aatrey. Bali, gazing at the lotus flower, gently placed it beside him.

“Alright. Now listen to me carefully…” Aatrey began to tell the two of them something. But while speaking, he suddenly stopped.  

His attention had shifted to Bali, who seemed a little lost.  

“Bali?” Aatrey called out to him.  

Startled by Aatrey’s sudden call, Bali looked at him.  

“Yes, Bhaiya?” 

“Where are you lost?” 

“Nothing, Bhaiya… It’s just that I heard some more things from the villagers about Senapati Balraj,” he said. “Balraj has taken most of Hasta's powers under his control.”  

“Here, we have come to know many things,” Aatrey said. Then, after a pause, he continued, “The construction of new storage houses for grain has been completed in the village. The building of permanent houses for the villagers is also nearly finished. The Sarpanch of Veerapalli can now handle the remaining work. We no longer need to stay here. Tomorrow we will depart for home. I have already informed the Sarpanch of Veerapalli.”  

Hearing these words, Bali grew unsettled.  

“Tomorrow?” he lowered his gaze and began to think.  

“Bhaiya, is it necessary to leave tomorrow itself? If we stayed a few more days…” Bali hesitated, then said, “This village is very beautiful, its natural scenery is enchanting. Let us enjoy it for a few more days.”

“It is true, this village is beautiful. But we will only waste our time here,” Aatrey replied.  

Bali was disturbed by this answer. Nivid sensed Bali’s state and smirked faintly.  

“Bhaiya, didn’t Sarpanch Surendra ji feel troubled when you told him we would leave tomorrow?” Nivid asked Aatrey.  

“He did. He requested me to stay a few more days. But I told him that it is necessary for us to return to Naimisharan soon,” Aatrey said.  

“Bhaiya, I will go and inspect the construction of the permanent houses one last time,” Bali said. He was thinking of finding Dhani.

“Alright. Inspect the storage houses as well,” Aatrey replied.  

“Yes, Bhaiya,” Bali said.