27. House of Moon

"Well, what do you expect me to do, Aurelius? The kid almost disgraced our race in front of those oriental Gods." Midrak caressed his own long white silvery hair as he spoke.

"But my love, he's a son of mine. Can't you let him on his own for once? He would someday take his place in the council. He'd be an Imperial Moroi in a few years' time. Go easy on him for once, Dragul meu!"

"Will he, now? Really? You're kind to him because you're his father, Aurelius. I'm not bound by such emotions. The reason why I am the owner of this royal seat is exactly this — that I'm impartial, that I'm impervious to the fickleness of human nature which many of us l, apparently, carry deep within still. Our race will never thrive if we are to be bound by such despicable lack of standards. We are here precisely to ensure something like that does not happen. I do adore you, Aurelius. More than any other in my entire life. But rules are not to be broken. "

"Midrak. I agree. But only to the extent that rules aren't to be broken; they could be bent. " Aurelius placed a hand on Midrak's chest and gazed deeply into his eyes with emotions one might mistake for the likes of love. Only, Midrak knew better than that.

* * * * * * * * * *

"This is unfair, Sive, and you know it!! Save me!! Don't be like him!" Jerassand pleaded to Sive as he pointed at Krsna.

Krsna wanted to ask Sive to not annihilate, but to simply send him to another world. But Sive wouldn't listen as he had already taken out the book of death and started scribbling down the name and offence. Krsna still moved closer and whispered into his ears.

"Do we really have to do this?"

"He'd never be less lecherous or more humane even if we become kinder to him, Krsna. He needs to be given what he deserves. He got this half-life because you were kind to him once. He didn't deserve even this much. And look what's come of it. Enough said."

Sive drew his lightning sword out. It looked like a crescent moon with a handle. Sive uttered few prayers to which Krsna replied "granted". Sive wielded the sword and it became ablaze with a pearly white fire which resembled moonbeams in the form of flames. Without further ado, Sive struck Jerassand with the sword. The man evaporated into stardust, flowing slowly to the moon.

"There's going to be a commotion in the Moon Palace today. Maybe I should go help mother," Gunny who had quietly walked up to Sive and Krsna said.

"Yes, your mother would appreciate that, son." Sive touched Gunny's head affectionately.

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Mira was quietly listening to the entire conversation. She was half-relieved that she didn't run into Gunny or Pama as they entered the scene after her. But did they see her car? She was too afraid to go to the car. What if they were waiting? She sent a text message to both Kris and Gunny that she went over to Bella's for a sleepover as she was too anxious to be alone. She texted Bells to maintain a perfect alibi.

As she saw Kris, Sive and the rest of them disappear from the ring, she sneaked out from under the benches and walked to her car. She waited for sometime to make sure they had all left. She drove the car to Magnus cliff which used to be one of her favourite hangouts way back when she was a child. She sat in the car, gazing at the moon.

There was a dark cloud which seemed like castles in the far sky. She thought of the conversation she had heard a while back. She wondered what the Palace of moon would be like. She wondered what it is to be an immortal, to be a god. But she couldn't reveal her thoughts to Kris yet. He probably came down looking for a normal life ; that was very much like Kris. In this little time, she has understood that much about him as a person. He was an extraordinary man craving for the ordinary. And she was extremely ordinary as a person, which is the probable reason for his choice —of her, of the home, and everything. She sighed and longed for the ordinary too, because although she was not special, her life has been nothing short of a spectacle.

Mira saw her phone flashing. There were messages from Kris and Gunny. The first one read:

"Okay, but we are back now, and I can come get you if you want me to. Otherwise, rest well, I'll ask Gunny to pick you up for the shop in the morning."

Gunny on the other hand texted:

"Sis, I also want to hang out with Bella sis. Take me with you. T_T

I'm sorry for leaving you alone like that. You must have been very scared. I'll make up for the mistake. I'll treat you with ice-cream tomorrow :D ;) <3"

Mira giggled and texted both of them:

"Don't worry, guys. I brought the car with me. I'll head back when I am bored of Bella. You guys, have fun. How about a boys' night? Figure it out, y'all, 'cause I'm going to sleep. Toodle!"

Mira kept the phone back in the holder and drove to her shop.

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Upon reaching the shop, she parked the car in the underground parking lot and took the stairwell upstairs. Thankfully, she had the keys to her newly acquired apartment above the shop. It was her first time here after the paperwork was done. Bella will probably move in here by the end of this month. It was a small apartment with two rooms, a kitchen-cum-dining room, a living room and a shared bathroom. The interior was modelled by a J architecture-inspired designer, it seemed. The doors were all sliding ones and minimalism was the key. Mira found it comfortable. She took out the phone from her pocket and texted Bella, "Hey! I'm in your new house. It's pretty. Ah, you must have seen it before, right? I'm coming here for the first time after we got this place, actually. *guilty* Hope you're sleeping. See you on the weekend."

Mira slid open the room on the right and someone was waiting for her there.