Rameshwari was leaning on her bed, meanwhile Ulka was sitting on the desk, writing the 'Surajya Samhita', as the princess dictated verses.

"Raj-dharm ka nirvahan karne wale sabhi yeh smaran rakhe ki jo Raja swayam ko alokik aur maha-manav samajhta ho jabki vastav mei woh nashvar hai, aisa Raja apni praja se sirf avmanana hi pata hai." Rameshwari said.

As Ulka wrote it down, Rameshwari gazed at the balcony from where the rays of the setting sun were coming from. Although her mind was clear her eyes looked unfocussed.

"Aage ?" Ulka asked.

"Iss liye Raja swayam ko praja ka swami na samajh ke praja ka sevak samjhe. Praja swayam use apna swami maan legi." Rameshwari said without looking, her gaze were still looking outside.

"Fir ?" Ulka asked.

"Bas. Purn-viraam daal do." Rameshwari said.

"Tatparya ? Aage nahi likhenge ?" Ulka asked with a frown.

"Mere paas Rajniti ka jitna gyaan tha, woh sab ankit ho chuka hai." Rameshwari said and turned her eyes at Ulka.

"Oh. Toh Surajya Samhita sampoorn huya ?" Ulka asked, a sense of relief taking over her as the tedious work of penning down the knowledge of politics of princess was finally over.

"Ha. Ab pustakalay jaa ke inn Pandulipiyo ko bandhwa do." Rameshwari said with a small smile.

"Awashya !" Ulka began gathering the manuscripts. "Antatah ab mai aapke swayamvar ki taiyaariya kar sakungi." She said and left.

The preparations for the swayamvar of Rameshwari had already began, Shri Ram was doing everything as per the instructions of Vasisth. Bharat and Lakshman were also taking care of every minute details.

The grandmothers Kaushalya, Kaikeyi and Sumitra had started to pick gifts while the Urmila and Mandavi had begun choosing garments and jewelleries.

"Jiji ! Jiji !" The voice of her twin brothers fell on her ears as they rushed inside her room.

Rameshwari smiled sitting straight up, as Luv Kush just came and sat on the either side of her lap, like they always did, while she wrapped her arms around their waist.

"Dekhiye humare paas kya hai ?" Luv said showing a highly decorated and ornamented scroll.

"Kya hai ?" Rameshwari asked.

"Nimantran Patra." Kush said taking the scroll from Luv and opening it.

Rameshwari started reading it, her heterochromic eyes widened slightly as it felt like Shri Ram, of holding a swayamvar was holding an open challenge to all bestowed with might.

"Mujhe toh aisa lagta hai Swayamvar keval Manushyo tak seemit nahi rahega." Kush said.

"Jijashree vijay ho jaayenge na ?" Luv asked concerned.

"Awashya ! Bhujaye dekhi hai unki !" Kush said.

They both looked at Rameshwari, her face suddenly got adorned with a smug expression.

"Aapko chinta nahi ho rahi Jiji ?" Luv asked.

"Kis baat ki ?" She asked.

"Jijashree ke vijayi hone ki." Luv said.

"Jo swayam Yudh ke swaroop hai, unse koi kaise yudh kar sakta hai ?" Rameshwari said with a smile.

"Jiji, kabhi kabhi aap jo kehti hai woh hume samajh nahi ata." Kush said.

The smile on face of Rameshwari saddened a little bit, as she caressed the faces of her brothers.

"Samajh jaaoge." She said.

"Mata bhi aisa hi kaha karti thi." Luv said.

"Iss liye toh Luv, Shaashtra mei badi behen ko Mata ke samaan kaha gaya hai." Kush said.

A sigh escaped the lips of Rameshwari as she pulled the twins closer to her, embracing them, they too reciprocated and held her close.

------

"Kis soch mei hai, Pitashree ?" Mrunmaye asked his father who was looking out of the window.

"Yahi, ki kab Akshay tritiya aaye aur hum iss deh ko tyaage." Ratnakar Sagar said.

The jaws of Mrunmaye clenched as he nodded quietly, and continued massaging the feet of his father, who had started to grow weak due to not having any food. Samriddhi devi looked at her son and smiled sadly.

"Mrun, ek baat smaran rakhna." She said.

"Kya Mata ?" Mrunmaye looked at her.

"Hum tumhe praapt karke dhanya huye." She said.

"Iss Janam mei tumhari behen Vaishnavi ko praapt karke fir tumhe praapt karke, humare kayi janmo ke punya fallit huye hai." Ratnakar Sagar said.

Mrunmaye looked silently at them, a sigh left his lips and a sad smile appeared on his face.

Suddenly a Pratihari entered the room.

"Kumar Shaurya-shakti, Rajkumar se milne ke icchuk hai." She said.

Mrunmaye nodded and went outside the room where Shaurya-shakti was standing, he had a smile on his face and a decorative scroll in his hands.

"Kya baat hai ?" Mrunmaye asked.

"Mrun bhaiya, nimatran aya hai. Ayodhya se." Shaurya Shakti said.

"Ayodhya se ?" A wide smile appeared on his face, "Dikhao !" He said taking the scroll from him.

Mrunmaye unrolled it and but reading it the smile on his face vanished, seeing which Shaurya-shakti frowned.

"Sab thik toh hai bade bhaiya ?" He asked.

"Swayamvar Akshay tritiya ke din hai." Mrunmaye said.

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A/N

*Dhoom tanana* 🌝🌝🌝