Virji loved the change of pace of the conversation and wanted to join in. He chimed in by saying, "If only my king could act half as well as yours. His behavior, abandoning us and his wife, was an embarrassment and a disgrace to all."

Arjun saw his nephew was uninformed, and interpreted, "Did you know he was bitten by a snake that was actually the reincarnation of his father? The snake warned him that the next twelve years of his life would be full of difficulties. He left Damayanti to protect her, and she stayed keeping their family and the kingdom safe for his return."

Virji took on the same facial expression as Petros. His mouth dropped and his eyes got wide. He replied, "So he didn't just cruelly abandon her?"

"No, he didn't. His just had to go a separate way and he could not let his years of bad luck affect his family and kingdom as much as he possibly was able. Damayanti also the next day ran into a demon who was actually a god. She faced him with such bravery that he revealed himself and told her she would unite with her husband in twelve years."

Virji decided to stick to his beliefs and make the remark, "She almost came to her senses later and remarried."

"Then her second marriage is not as simple as you claim," Arjun revealed.

Virji tried to fight this point, "Queen Damayanti was moving on as she had every right to. She was giving her children a chance not to be fatherless. I am not claiming that she was making a simple choice. I am saying she was brave. What more could you know about the situation?"

Arjun took a deep breath and decided to search for a way to explain to his his nephew the situation of the past years, which he had many times refused to discuss. "Damayanti knew Nala was working for another King. She and her mother arranged the marriage so she could get closer to him and be reunited. The wedding was never completely planned. She summoned Rituparna but never agreed to anything. We never got wedding invitations, you know. She never gave up on Nala. Instead of the tragically sad story you describe, I see one of a devoted couple working and waiting until they can be reunited."

Virji realized at least his extended family would have gotten a wedding invitation. He remembered Arjun went to school with her brother and was a dear childhood friend. There were truths to Arjun's story, and he had let his hatred about his situation cloud his perception of King Nala and Queen Damayanti's story.

Arjun's words flipped Virji and Petros' views of their worlds. Virji could no longer see his king as harshly and saw him as a more sympathetic character. Petros saw his king now as valid. Both men with new perspectives also saw their kings as devoted, not only their wives. As they ended the conversation, Virji and Petros left changed.

Petros did not want to directly admit anything because he was too proud. But everyone could see the difference in his views about the royal family when he left to go back to his shop and started mumbling about other issues affecting Ithaca. "It is way too hot for this time of year. Who angered Zeus?"

Virji was more direct with how the change affected him. He realized he had a pessimistic view of the past few years, and started asking questions as he and his uncle walked away. "Arjun, in the past ten years why has the economy suffered if the kingdom was not in as much turmoil as I previously believed?"

Arjun and Virji thought they had found kindred spirits to chat with, but their conversation had confronted both of their views, thanks to Arjun.