They walked towards the palace. No one stopped them, but then who would dare stop their prince?
Akira got a lot of peculiar stares. Some pointed towards her and whispered to each other, clearly unhappy by her intrusion, some were just excited to spot a human in their midst.
"Pay no heed to them Grandma Akira. If anyone dares touch you, they will be answerable to me." Prince Karki said that in an extremely pleasant voice, but he gave an intimidating air that immediate shut those around them up.
Akira smiled. What a reliable young lad!
They walked into the palace and headed straight to the discussion chamber.
Heavily guarded, this was where all confidential matters were discussed.
Akira understood that the people here mostly short term visitors from Pātāla who seldom stayed for more that a few hundred years. But more will be coming to attend the Blood Moon Function at Shambala, if she guessed right.
"Prince Karki, for how many human years can Nagas live on Gaya without getting impacted by the low levels of Mana?"
"Hmm," he thought for sometime,"maybe about 300 years. Even grandpa needs to go to Pātāla atleast once in 300 years to restore his mana levels."
Akira thought for sometime. Then she said, "so you will also go to Pātāla soon?"
Prince Karki looked surprised at the question," As part human, low mana doesn't affect me. I may not live as long as grandpa, but I don't really need to go to Pātāla."
"Oh, so for how many years does a human naga live?"
"About 600 years, some even live for 800 years."
Akira looked sad. Prince Karki looked at her and laughed. "Why grandma, do you want to live longer?"
She shook her head," No, it's just that when I think from your people's perspective, it will be like their own child was taken away before his time."
Prince Karki smiled," Hey grandma, I may not live that long, but I intend to live it to the fullest, don't worry about my death yet. I still have about six hundred years left."
The guard opened the doors. A middle aged man was sitting at the table. He was a naga without doubt. He oozed dignity.
Once the doors closed, Prince Karki ran to the King. "Grandpa! I have brought Grandma Akira and Princess Tara with me."
His grandfather stood up and gracefully slithered towards the ladies.
His eyes fell on Akira's forehead. The dot glowed faintly.
He immediately bowed, taking everyone in the room by surprise.
Prince Karki followed suit without questioning him.
Akira immediate bent down, lower than the king, a mark of respect to humble oneself, showing she still considered herself a lesser being. Though not many higher beings did it, this was considered a noble act.
"Lady Akira, forgive me for my ignorance. I did not know you were marked by Lord Mitra himself."
Prince Karki looked stunned. Grandma Akira had actually met the gods? They weren't babbling about some dream? He had assumed they were important people who had come to rely their dream. There were few elders who had prophetic vision like his grandfather. He had assumed that to be the case with these two as well. To think they had actually seen god!
Crazy!
Akira gracefully bowed. "Lady Tara and I have indeed returned from the realm of the Four.
She went on to tell them about the events that had led to her discovering about the different realms and the task at hand.
Lord Airavan did not hesitate. "You may make use of the white land above ours. Infact, I think it would benefit us as well, to send our children to learn more about human magic, as we teach them about our."
Just then she felt the chain around her neck vibrate. It was the Breath of Lord Hotrā.