The dimly lit room was filled with a tense silence. Diti, her movements agitated, paced back and forth, her mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts. Danu, her face buried in her hands, sat by the window, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The two sisters, their hearts torn by conflicting emotions, were trapped in a web of their own making. The consequences of their actions, the choices they had made, were about to unfold.

"There must be a way to defeat Amarsri." Diti declared, her eyes flashing with a sense of helplessness.

"It's impossible," she replied, her eyes filled with tears. "She is the daughter of Vishnu and Shankar."

Diti's eyes narrowed, her determination unwavering. "We must find a way," she insisted, her voice carrying a note of defiance.

Danu's voice, filled with a mixture of fear and resignation, echoed through the room. "Don't tempt her fury," she pleaded, her eyes filled with desperate hope. "We have lost many sons in our pursuit of ambition. It is time to reconsider our ways."

Diti's eyes, filled with a mixture of determination and pride, met Danu's. "Conquering Swarglok is the birthright of our sons. We cannot let their sacrifice be in vain."

"Is it worth it ?" Danu asked, her voice barely a whisper. "How many more sons and grandsons must we lose ?"

Her eyes, filled with tears, reflected the weight of her anguish. Diti's expression softened, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind. The sacrifices they had made, the losses they had endured, were a heavy burden to bear.

"I think the fault lies with us," Danu confessed, her lingering at Diti. "We wanted to snatch what was not ours, to meddle with divine order. We have paid a heavy price for our arrogance, our greed before also. But we didn't learn from it."

Her words were a plea for peace, a surrender to the inevitable. Diti, her heart heavy with a mixture of grief and resignation, listened in silence.

Danu sighed and lowered her gaze, "In
our ambitions, we were glaring at the sun. It seemed bright and promising, but O sister, it blinded us."

---------

The setting sun cast a golden glow over the royal garden, illuminating the ornate gazebo where Ketunemi, the Rakshasa king, was enjoying a moment of relaxation. Surrounded by a bevy of beautiful Rakshasi maidens, he was indulging in a luxurious evening of pleasure.

Some of the maidens held wine jugs, pouring the amber liquid into goblets that he raised to his lips. Others massaged his body, their touch gentle and soothing. One maiden, particularly favored by the king, was nestled in his arms, her head resting on his chest. All of them had been brought by force. Some, their spirits broken, had accepted their fate, their resignation a shield against the pain they endured. Others, their hearts heavy with sorrow, hid their pain behind forced smiles.

Ketunemi's eyes were closed, a contented smile playing on his lips. The music of the maidens' laughter, the gentle breeze, the intoxicating scent of flowers - it was a perfect evening, a moment of pure indulgence. However it was otherwise for the women, their lives, once filled with freedom and joy, were now confined to the palace walls, their existence reduced to mere objects of pleasure.

Suddenly the sound of footsteps, a gentle intrusion into his moment of indulgence, pulled him from his reverie. Ketunemi's eyes, heavy with the weight of intoxication, fluttered open. As he looked up, his gaze met Anugamini's, and a smile spread across his face.

The sight of her, a vision of ethereal beauty, sent a thrill of excitement through him. His heart pounded with a mixture of desire and anticipation, his senses heightened by the scent of her perfume.

"I didn't know Rakshsas-raj would be here," Anugamini said, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.

"Fate decides who we meet, Maharani." Ketunemi replied, his voice filled with a mixture of admiration and desire, as he got on his feet leaving behind his maidens.

Anugamini smiled, her eyes dropping to the ground. "Perhaps," she replied, her voice a soft murmur.

She was playing along, her heart filled with a mixture of amusement and contempt. Ketunemi stepped closer, his eyes fixed on her, "You're looking as radiant as ever."

"My husband says the same," she replied, her words a subtle reminder of her marital status.

Ketunemi's expression faltered slightly, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. But he quickly masked his emotions, his smile returning to his lips. Anugamini watched him closely. She knew what he wanted, his intentions as clear as day.

"Ajashakti must truly love you," Ketunemi said, his voice carrying a note of bitterness.

"He does," Anugamini said, "I am very happy with him."

"But for how long will it last ? I worry." He said, his voice carrying a note of foreboding. His words were a deliberate attempt to sow seeds of doubt, to undermine her confidence.

A frown appeared on Anugamini's face, "What do you mean ?"

"I think you're unaware of the truth about your husband." Ketunemi continued, his voice laced with a hint of malice, "He is a god. Not just any god, but Shreeshaktiswar."

"What ?" Anugamini's eyes widened.

The king of Rakshasas nodded, a false expression of concern etched on his face, "Once he remembers his true identity, he will leave you, return to his own wife, to Amarsri."

"But he truly loves me." Anugamini said.

Ketunemi chuckled, his eyes filled with a cruel amusement. "Gods are bound by their destiny, not by fleeting emotions. When Srinav remembers his divine purpose, he will abandon you without a second thought."

The Rakshas-raj continued with a wistful smile, "Plus, he dearly loves Amarsri. No one is as dear to him as his wife. His love for her is legendary, a tale that has been passed down through generations. He is completely and hopelessly devoted to her. In front of her, he sees no one and nothing."

Anugamini listened intently, her expression a mask of feigned concern. Her amusement, a silent victory, remained hidden beneath the surface. The irony of Ketunemi's words was not lost on her.

"He only seems to be in love, because he has forgotten her." Ketunemi said, "But the moment he remembers, he won't even look at you. He'll abandon you as if everything between you both was an insignificant dream."

Anugamini looked at Ketunemi, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and resignation. "What will happen to me ?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Ketunemi's eyes, filled with a mixture of desire and lust, lingered on Anugamini. "I will protect you," he said, his voice carrying a note of promise.

He leaned in closer, his voice a seductive whisper. "If you become my queen," he said, his eyes filled with a mixture of desire and promise, "I will protect you with my life. You will live a life of luxury, surrounded by wealth and pleasure."

A long moment passed, a tense silence that hung heavy in the air. Ketunemi could feel his patience wearing thin. Unexpectedly, a smile appeared on her face, a smile that made his heart skip a beat.

"I will think about it," Anugamini replied.

As Ketunemi watched her turn away, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. He believed he had captured her attention, piqued her interest, while in reality he had fallen for her deception, his heart and mind captured by her allure. As Anugamini walked away, a small victorious smile played on her lips. One part of her plan, carefully orchestrated, had succeeded.

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A/N

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