A week had passed since the incident.
But the memory still haunted King Vikram like a relentless ghost. Every time he closed his eyes, her face — Chandra’s — would flash before him. The woman he had once adored with all his heart had changed beyond recognition. The truth of what she’d become refused to settle in his soul.
The very next day after the incident…
“I believe you deserve an explanation, King Vikram,” a calm voice approached him.
The King sat still, his expression hollow. “Why…” he murmured. His voice was barely audible, worn down by sorrow. He didn’t have the strength to speak louder.
Sage Durva stepped beside him and gently said, 
The King turned his gaze toward him, confused and weary.
As Durva explained everything — Chandra’s descent into obsession, the mirror, and the curse — King Vikram’s face contorted with disbelief. It all felt surreal. But as Durva described his strange behavior around Chandra, something inside Vikram clicked. It was true. He had behaved unlike himself — blind to the growing darkness, swept up in her allure.
He clenched his fists in shame. Not just because of what Chandra had done… but because he had done nothing to stop it.
“I must also apologize,” Durva continued, his voice heavy. “I knew I couldn’t reach you directly. You were already wrapped too tightly in her spell. So… I chose a different path.”
He paused. His eyes dimmed with grief.
“I came to the palace to protect Nila, to stop the suffering. I stayed… because I fell for her. And now that she’s gone… I have no reason to remain.”
The memory of Nila’s laughter flashed in his mind, followed by her final breath. The pain was too much to bear.
Sage Durva placed a gentle hand on the king’s shoulder. “My king… I know you loved Chandra deeply. But you must let go. You must move forward.”
Then, without another word, the sage turned and walked away.
……..
But peace never came.
From that day on, Chandra’s memory tormented King Vikram. At times, his heart refused to believe she was gone. It still craved her — the woman she once was, not the monster she had become.
There were nights when the palace walls shook with his screams. He would lock himself in his chambers, refusing to see anyone.
His behavior deteriorated. He drank heavily — not for pleasure, but to silence his mind long enough to sleep.
The palace, once filled with laughter and light, now echoed only with silence and sorrow.
……..
With King Vikram in such a fragile state and Chandra’s tragic death still fresh, whispers and rumors began to swirl through the palace like smoke. Fear crept into the hearts of the staff. One by one, many servants resigned, unable to bear the heavy, haunted atmosphere.
Only a few remained — among them, Sika, who stayed out of loyalty and deep concern for the King's deteriorating health.
All the medical experts who had been summoned gave the same hopeless response:
“I’m sorry… it seems my knowledge is not enough to treat him.” None of their remedies worked — in fact, they only seemed to make the King worse. His condition grew more alarming with each passing day.
Desperate, Sika turned to the last hope she had: a healer. She sent word across the land, seeking someone who might understand not just the body, but the soul.
Finally, a respected healer named Sena arrived. With calm eyes and quiet grace, he approached the King, placing a gentle hand on his forehead.
“Oh my…” he whispered, a deep sadness in his voice. “What has happened here?”
He studied the King's face, then turned to Sika with a look of deep understanding.
“This man has suffered greatly. He’s not just lost… he’s torn between grief and a body still burning with the remnants of desire. It’s poisoning him from within.”
Sika looked at him, desperate for a solution.
Sena reached into his satchel and pulled out a small jar filled with tiny black beads.
“Mother, listen carefully,” he said, placing the jar in her hands. “These must be given to him every single day, at the same time. No more, no less. They will calm his fire and bring stillness to his mind — but only if used with care.”
Sika nodded, holding the jar close like a lifeline.
……..
“Chandra…?”
King Vikram blinked, heart pounding. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He was already at his breaking point. His mind screamed for her — to hold her, to love her, to lose himself in her again. He wanted to pull her into his arms, to kiss her, to make her moan under his touch…
An hour earlier…
The King sat alone in his chambers, drowning in sorrow. The emptiness inside him deepened with each passing day. He still couldn’t accept the truth — that Chandra was gone.
But then, his sorrow shifted. A strange heat spread through his body. Sweat beaded on his skin. A hunger unlike anything he'd felt before overtook him. His thoughts, once filled with grief, were suddenly consumed by desire.Feverish images of Chandra — her touch, her lips, the nights they’d shared — clouded his mind.
And then, as if summoned by that desire, the door creaked open.
There she was.
Chandra.
She stood at the threshold, holding a tray. Her beauty made his heart skip. She approached slowly, kneeling down beside him.
“My King… are you…” Her voice sounded strange, distant — but reason had no room in his mind now.
The fire had taken over.
With a growl, he lunged at her, pushing her to the floor. His lips crashed against her neck, hands desperate and shaking. She struggled beneath him, her voice rising in fear, screaming for help.
The door burst open.Sika and the guards rushed in.
The guards pulled him back, but he fought wildly, like a beast in heat. His eyes were locked on her, mad with lust. He didn’t even see the others — only her.
Sika spotted the herbal jar lying on the floor near her feet.
“He didn’t take the medicine!” she gasped.
Without hesitation, she took one of the black herbal balls and forced it into his mouth. Moments later, the King began to tremble… then calm. His wild eyes slowly softened. His body stilled. The fog lifted.
Pain surged through his head. He groaned and opened his eyes.
The illusion shattered.
The image of Chandra disappeared… and in her place, trembling in fear on the floor, was not a woman — but a young palace boy. Shaking. Tearful. Confused.
The King froze.What have I done?
The words thundered through his mind.
His knees gave in. He bowed to the floor, forehead pressed against the marble.
“My child… I…” his voice cracked. “There are no words. I am so, so sorry. No excuses can justify this. You don’t have to forgive me. Please… allow me to take responsibility. I’ll ensure your every need is taken care of for life.”
Tears streamed down his cheeks. Shame engulfed him.
Sika, heart aching at the sight of her broken King, gently ushered the guards and staff out of the room. She rested a hand on his shoulder.
“My King… please listen.”
Her voice was calm, but firm.
“This is not your fault. The healer warned us. If you missed even one dose, your body would betray you. Chandra’s poison still lives in your blood — her lust has corrupted your mind. Even if your heart knows she’s gone, your body still craves her. The hallucinations will return. This… will happen again… unless you fight it. And that means taking your medicine. On time. Every day.”
She pressed the small jar into his hand.
He clutched it tightly, nodding without a word, eyes lowered to the floor.
She noticed the puddle of tears beneath him. Her heart broke a little more.
With a soft pat on his shoulder, she quietly left the room, leaving him alone… with his guilt, his memories, and the storm inside.
……..
Since that day, the King never stepped out of his chambers. He refused to see anyone — except Sika.
“My King, you can’t go on like this. You need to come out,” Sika pleaded gently, worry heavy in her voice.
He shook his head from the shadows, his voice hoarse and hollow. “No… Even though I’ve been taking the medicine, her memories still haunt me. They won’t let me rest.”
Sika noticed the change. He’d grown quieter, more withdrawn. After the incident with the palace boy, something inside him had broken. He was terrified — not of ghosts, but of himself. Of what he might do if the hallucinations returned. Of hurting someone else.
There was a long pause before he finally said in a low voice: “Mother Sika… I think I need to see the healer again.”