Third POV
"You guys really are getting along well together for people who were strangers and fighting regarding him becoming your brother. Now what I'm seeing is family together happily talking about things." Goddess Ganga said with a maternal smile on their face.
"Well, he is our brother now, even if by name, at least for now. So, it's given that we will try to get along well. And because we don't want another hurt sibling, who is going from loneliness." Devi Narmada said with a tired smile.
"Don't worry about her, everything's going to be alright. She is already there, Parvati. She will see to it that all old grievances are resolved, and Manasa's anger is sorted out." Goddess Ganga said while looking in the direction of Kailash.
"Yes, So. lets go to YOUR house, Goddess Parvati will bring Manasa there too." Devi Aranyani said while going towards the rock where Rudra was sitting, and looking at the divines talking about their divine problems.
She came near him and sat beside him.
"So, Rudra, shall I guide you to the place of Mahadev and Maa Parvati. Hmm... before that, we have to do something about your naked feet too... hmm, shall I give you sandals too?" Devi Aranyani looked at Rudra, then his feet and pondered with a finger on their chin.
"Wait, Devi Aranyani, didn't you already give him a gift, so let me give him instead."
Karthikeya gently stopped Devi Aranyani, who had been quietly pondering what kind of sandals should be given to Rudra.
Without a word, they raised their Vel and struck its base firmly against the ground.
The moment the Vel touched the earth, the temperature around them shifted. The snow beneath began to melt, turning first into clear, crystal-like water that shimmered softly upon the ground.
Then Karthikeya made a small cut on their finger.
One single drop of their blood fell into the water.
As the drop touched the surface, the water responded instantly. It began to crystallise, transforming into a smooth white solid that carried faint ruby veins within it, as if the essence of fire had been sealed inside frozen light.
Rudra watched in stunned silence.
Moments ago, Karthikeya had melted the snow into water. Now that same water had turned into a living crystal.
Words abandoned him.
But Rudra was not the only one who stood speechless.
Lord Ganesha, Devi Ashok Sundari, Devi Narmada, Devi Jyoti, Goddess Ganga, Devi Aranyani, and even Nandi all fell silent as they witnessed what followed.
They had seen Karthikeya melt the snow. Which was okay, even if it was the snow on the mountain of Kailash, Karthikeya too were son of God who resides in Kailash.
They got shocked when they saw them offer a drop of their source blood.
Yet the miracle was still not complete.
Karthikeya calmly lifted the newly formed crystal and divided it into two equal pieces. With steady hands, they began to shape the glowing material.
Slowly, patiently, the crystal bent to their will.
When they were finished, two perfect sandals rested upon the ground.
They were crystal white, laced with flowing ruby streaks that seemed to move beneath the surface. The sandals looked almost liquid, as though they had been formed from frozen light and living blood rather than solid matter.
It was worthy of being called a gift given by Karthikeya.
"WOW/WOAH/AMAZING", seeing that sandals, every single person present there gave a collective exclamation.
"Here's your sandals, wear them first, then we will go and meet with Father and others," Karthikeya said.
Rudra took the sandals and looked at them with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Amazing, Rudra, you got a perfect gift." Ashok Sundary came near the sandals and examined them closely.
After Rudra wore them and stood up, he could feel it; they were a perfect fit, and it felt as if he was walking barefoot, with no discomfort.
After which Ashok Sundari came and interlocked their arms with Rudra and began following Devi Aranyani, who was already moving forward and said,
"Let's go." Seeing Rudra was ready.
Devi Aranyani proceeded to guide them to the heights of Kailash, where the home of Mahadev and Mata Parvati was situated.
They continued walking, with small conversations happening amongst them.
.....
At the same time, when Rudra and everyone else were conversing with each other at another corner of Kailash.
Goddess Parvati, with a sad face were watching, Manasa crying by herself under the same tree, where they had destroyed their relationship and sent her away.
sobs...
(Devi Manasa Sobbing)
Goddess Parvati moved towards Manasa and sat beside her, and looked at her curled up form with sadness and tears.
"I'm sorry, Manasa", Goddess Parvati said with a tender and cracked-up voice.
"Why? Why now? Where were you when I was crying and was kicked out of Kailash? Yes, I remember. It was you who kicked me out. Why? Because I'm not your daughter? Because I don't share your Shakti within me? Was it because I was different from everyone? Was that the reason? Because I'm not your daughter... that you cast me out? Tell me, was that the reason?" Devi Manasa shouted, her voice raw with pain and emotion.
And Goddess Parvati continued to listen to her anger and grief-filled questions.
"Where every other sibling could come and go, to and from Kailash, I was in Siddha Loka or Patal Loka, away from you all, alone. Why am I the only one who was denied your love? Why am I the only one without a mother? Why am I the only one hurting where other smiles, laughs together with Family? Why are you silent? TELL ME!!" Devi Manasa cried tears of blood.
Don't know when, but her third eye had come out,
the same eye that was removed by Goddess Parvati in her anger when she refused to consider her as her daughter.
Seeing the blood flowing from her two eyes and the empty place where the third had once been, Goddess Parvati moved forward and gently wiped the blood away.
As they wiped the blood, Devi Manasa froze in shock and rooted on the spot. Then, suddenly, she recoiled in fear, jumping back and placing seven steps of distance between herself and Goddess Parvati.
They were trembling, frightened like children; they had pale faces, sweat running on their foreheads as if they were reliving their past trauma when Goddess Parvati had torn their eyes from their foreheads.
Seeing her shivering like a frightened child, Goddess Parvati couldn't help but cry too.
and repeat,
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'm so sorry... I'm really, really sorry that I hurt you so deeply."
She stepped closer and continued,
"I will not give excuses, Manasa. I will not say that I was not in control... that I was in my Chandi form and could not recognise my daughter before me. I knew what I was doing, and I am truly sorry for it."
She reached forward and put their hand on Devi Mansa's head and whispered in a gentle motherly tone.
"It had to be done. I know there were selfish reasons in my heart as well... but it was written. It was your destiny. For you to obtain your divine status, you needed recognition. As you were not acknowledged as my child, even if I had accepted you then, the world of mortals would not have."
"That is why you had to walk that path... and for that suffering, I am sorry."
"Your third eye was never complete because of me. Because I refused to acknowledge the destiny that required its destruction, fate intertwined and made my own hand the instrument. For that, I will carry regret forever."
"Can you forgive me... and allow me to restore your eye, Manasa?" Goddess Parvati requested of Devi Manasa
"I don't want that," Devi Manasa replied. "What is destiny before you? You could have prevented all of it. You could have helped me. We could have lived together as a family. But you didn't.
"It is not so simple, child," Goddess Parvati said gently. "Even if I could have stopped it, I would not have done so. Because for you to attain your divine status, this path was necessary. Mahadev himself would have ensured it happened."
"But why me... why me, Mother?" Manasa cried. "I was left alone to wander the mortal world. Why did I need this trial to gain the same status as my siblings who were born into it? And even now... I have still not been fully accepted."
"Do not say that, Manasa," Goddess Parvati replied softly. "You know how much your brothers have suffered as well. Karthikeya was lost to the waters. Ganesha had his head severed by his own father. Your other siblings also carry burdens and duties."
"But it is over now. You have completed your trial. You are recognised as the daughter of Shiva, the Queen of Serpents, the Goddess of fertility and protector against snake venom."
"It is time that you receive what you have waited for so long... your place as my daughter as well."
After saying this, Goddess Parvati touched her own forehead.
From her third eye emerged a radiant energy of immense power, so brilliant that for a moment every corner of Kailash was bathed in its light.
That divine light condensed into a small luminous bud.
Goddess Parvati gently placed it within the space of Devi Manasa's third eye.
A second burst of light formed... this time contained around Manasa alone.
From that light, her third eye was reborn.
But now it carried a part of Parvati's own essence.
With that moment, Devi Manasa was finally complete.
And at last, she became Parvati's daughter in name... and in blood.