"Yesterday me and Nakul saw a ghost." Bheem spoke as all the siblings were fixing their jewelry, getting ready for the pooja.

"I'll never ever speak to you Bhrata Bheem." Dhriti huffed as she combed her hair.

"Really? Who was the ghost?" Yudhisthir said as he came and stood near Dhriti making Arjun giggle.

"Really Jyesht. She was standing at the window with open hair. Very scary." Bheem said dramatically nodding.

"That's not the only thing. She also said something." Nakul smirked at her.

"I did not say anything Nakul." Dhriti said as she actioned him to stay quiet.

"She called Vasudev Bhaiya Bhuvansundar." Nakul said as the room fell quiet for a few seconds before everyone almost touched the ground in fits of laughter.

"Whatever you all. HE. IS." Dhriti said as she flipped her hair. "Now get up and wind up fast." She continued giving a hand to Arjun.

"No wait, I need to laugh for a few more minutes. Even Keshav will laugh after hearing this." Arjun said as he layed down near a pillar, the wax of which rolled down due to the focus of the sun rays from the mirror, but it went unoticed with everyone being busy laughing.

"I hate you all." She said walking out as she heard a 'we hate you too' from her brothers.

"Putri? You look different today. Why haven't you worn any of your favourite flowers in your hair?" Kunti smiled at her.

"Mata, I didn't find any flowers in the front garden. " She pouted as Kunti got up.

"Then go look at the back side of the Palace, I'm sure you'll find some flowers there." Kunti patted her as she took a leave.

Dhriti kept walking through the palace as she came across the sculpted drawing she deformed yesterday. She observed her surrounding as it struck her.

"There isn't a back door? And the kitchen? The- the kitchen is in front of the Palace. All the workers along with Purochan are living in front of the Palace. The skillfully sculpted walls are being deformed with so little strength of mine." Dhriti gulped.

"Enough! I have to tell this to Bhratashrees. Whether they want to believe it or not." Dhriti turned back as she ran towards their room.

"Bhratashree! Bhratashree!" She entered the room.

"You're looking beautiful don't worry." Yudhisthir spoke without looking at her.

"Thankyou but I'm not here to ask that." She spoke.

"Yuvraj ki jai ho. Yuvraj, Maharani Kunti has called you all to the temple as fast as possible. She's waiting." The sipahi says as she takes a leave.

"Bhratashree you have to listen to me first." Dhriti stopped their way.

"Dhriti what's this behavior of yours?
Mata will be upset if we won't reach the temple soon." Bheem said as they all walked out.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"Bhrata, you should have not scolded her." Arjun whispered to Bheem as they all stood behind Kunti and Dhriti, who were praying to Lord Shiva.

"Bhrata Arjun is right. She hasn't spoke a single word to any of us since the morning." Sahadev looked towards his sister who had joined her hands as she closed her eyes in front of the Shivling.

"Yuvraj ki jai ho. Maharani Kunti ki jai ho. A messenger from Hastinapur wants to meet you. He's been sent by Maha mantri Vidur." The sipahi spoke as Dhriti quickly opened her eyes.

"What? Kakashree sent a messenger?" Dhriti walked towards him as all her brothers stood confused.

"Yes Rajkumari. He has sent this bag of rice for you all." The spy, disguised as messenger said as he motioned his eyes towards the bottom of the bag. Dhriti understood his signal as she slightly nodded. Arjun and Nakul came forward looking blankly at the bag.

"What could be inside this?" Arjun said as he raised his eyebrow. He quickly untangled the rope to open the bag, only to find out a mouse which jumped into Nakul's hands.

The other brothers gave out a light chuckle while Dhriti was more curious to see what's under the layer of rice.

"Oh see. Bhrata Bheem, your Kheer is impure even before making it." Sahadev laughed as Bheem nodded in disappointment.

"No Sahadev, an innocent animal never makes anything impure. Its us humans who make it that way." Nakul corrected as he gently caressed the little mouse.

"Is there any other message, which Kakashree wanted to convey?" Dhriti asked him.

"Yes Rajkumari, he said, if a single grain is embedded in the soil, it gives rise to 100 other grains." The sipahi said as he took a leave.

"Sevak, take this bag of grain into our room." Dhriti ordered as the two sevaks moved the bag.

"Dhriti, Putri?" Kunti questioned her. Dhriti looked around as she saw Purochan and his men observing them.

"Don't worry Mata, Kakashree has sent this in the form of gift because your son won't get any rice to make Kheer for himself." Dhriti said as she walked inside the Palace.

"There is something you all must have said or done to her. My Dhriti never gets so upset." Kunti said worringly.

"We'll convince her mata, don't you worry." Yudhisthir assured her as they proceeded towards the room where Dhriti was finding what was kept under the layers of rice.

"Dhriti, tell us, what did Kakashree meant by his message and this huge bag of rice." Yudhisthir asked as all of them sat around her.

"Why? To call me septical and sooner or later call me an overthinker just to defend that cousin of ours. " Dhriti hissed still not looking at them.

"What do you mean? We believe you. And I'll tickle you if you won't let everything out now." Arjun said keeping his hands on her shoulder as Dhriti started speaking.

"I feel like this is a trap made by Mama Shakuni. You see how this house is way to far from the main town of Varnavat, how this palace has no back door and all the workers live in the kitchen which is outside the Palace. Also, Kakashree has sent these costumes of Vanvasis. There are 7 of them. Clearly for 7 of us." Dhriti explained as everyone else's mouth hung open.

"Yes, and wasn't it peculiar for Jyesht Pitashree to send us to Varnavat by making an overnight descion, that to on 8th day of Phalgun. Kul Guru knew this day is not too auspicious to start a journey, yet Pitashree ultimately sent us here." Sahadev explained further.

"And what about the message the sipahi conveyed?" Arjun asked.

"By mentioning 100 new grains, he meant 100 gandharinandan." Dhriti explained.

"But what exactly is cooking in Shakuni's mind? How do we figure out?" Nakul asked.

"We'll figure that out after dinner my dear siblings. I can't think straight on an empty stomach." Bheem said getting up making everyone chuckle.

"You keep proceeding Bhrata. Anyways you take one whole prahar to finish your meal." Nakul said as he played with his little mouse.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"I have recieved a letter from Gandhar Naresh. After receiving this unexpected gift from Maha mantri, he has asked us to pour poison in this kheer today itself and put the palace on fire." Purochan said as his wife brought a vessel full of poison and poured all of it into the kheer.

"Purochan! Purochan serve all the food in the hall immediately. I'm hungry." Bheem entered the kitchen as a worried Purochan, steadily stirred the poison in the Kheer.

"Yes. Yes Rajkumar. We'll bring all the items in the hall. You all kindly wait there." Purochan awkwardly smiled, letting out a sigh as Bheem turned around yet again.

"Ha, just give some Kheer in this bowl for Nakul's mouse. If he brought it in the hall, mata won't eat the food." Bheem said offering a wide bowl as Purochan's wife filled it with kheer.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"But Didi, why did Kakashree send this little mouse along with the rice?" Nakul asked as Bheem entered.

"Look Nakul, I have brought this kheer for the little mouse. Feed him and let's go have our meal." Bheem said offering the bowl. "Me and Mata are waiting in the hall, so better be quick." Saying so, he left.

"Strangely, the mouse isn't eating this kheer." Nakul spoke as all of them stopped dead in their tracks.

"Nakul, leave the mouse free. It definitely has some message for us." Arjun suggested as Nakul let go of his grip from the little creature.

The little mouse quickly made its way towards the pillar where a pool of melted wax was forming. Arjun followed the mouse as he went down to touch the melted liquid.

"Dhriti!!!!" Arjun exclaimed as she ran towards him followed by other brothers.

Arjun kept following the movements of the mouse as Dhriti bent down to touch the liquid to smell it.

"Bhratashrees, this smells like lacquer and wax." She said looking at them in worry.

"The whole palace is made up of Lacquer, wax, dired grasses and cotton instead of stones. " Arjun stated.

'Just remember, house with no diyas just fuels the evil in a dark heart.'
"Kanha told us. He did. He was taking about this very house.
This is the house without diyas.
Fuels the evil, means this place will instantly catch fire and everything will turn into ashes within 2 hours.
In a dark heart. As in dark heart and intentions of Mama Shakuni." Dhriti shot up, finally able to join the dots and track down the whole plan.

"Are mama Shakuni and Bhrata Duryodhan insane? Just one Varunastra from Didi or Bhrata Arjun's bow can suppress the fire of a large forest, let alone this Palace. They failed at making a good plot. " Nakul laughed.

"No Nakul. Duryodhan can fail to consider things, but mamashree won't. He has considered every single detail." Yudhisthir said pointing towards the spilled kheer and the dead mouse.

"The-the kheer has been poisoned." Sahadev stuttered as he walked towards the mouse.

"Poisoned! Mata and Bhrata Bheem!" Dhriti exclaimed as she ran towards the hall. Her eyes filled with worry were now replaced with tears brimming near them.

She kept running until she came to a stop seeing Bheem and Kunti sitting in the hall surrounded by Purochan and his men. Suddenly she raised her little voice seeing Bheem who was about to feed Kunti some Kheer.

"Mata! Bhratashree! Wait!" She exclaimed gaining the attention of Kunti, Bheem, Purochan, his wife and their five helpers.

"Um-I-I mean wait Bhratashree, Yuv- Bharta Yudhisthir is coming. How-how can you start without him. And mata, you know right that Mata dosent eat her food without all 6 of us together? " Dhriti covered up, so Purochan does not have the slightest doubt.

"Yes Bhrata. We told you to go and wait for us. Not to start eating without us." Nakul said as he enters with the other 4 and sat around Mata and Bheem.

"Um, will you bring some more bowls? And you some thalis? These are insufficient. " Dhriti said as she successful dismissed Purochan's wife and her maid.

"What?" Bheem asked.

"You just keep quiet Bheem. Things are messed up and we have a plan." Yudhisthir silenced Bheem.

Dhriti could feel Purochan's gaze on them as she nudged Arjun.
"Dismiss him, so that his men will automatically follow him." Dhriti whispered as she continued serving everything except the kheer.

"Um, Dhriti, why don't you taste this kheer and tell me if it's exactly like how mata makes?" Arjun spoke loud enough for Purochan to hear as he brought his hand near Dhriti's mouth.

Dhriti understood Arjun's blank expression as she pretended to taste the Kheer and immediately started coughing vigorously.

"What is this Purochan. You never seem to obey my orders. Looks like the Kheer is not how we all like. Neither there is any salt in this daal." Bheem scolded him as he saw Arjun and Dhriti inacting.

"Forgive us Rajkumar." Purochan said thinking that Dhriti would collapse soon due to the effect of poison.

"I won't forgive you unless you remake these two items." Bheem ordered as a frightened Purochan took a leave with his men.

Meanwhile, Yudhisthir explained every single detail to his mother and Brother as Kunti stared in shock.

"What do we do now?" Kunti and Bheem asked, tension growing in their faces.

"I got it! Nakul! Go lock the room where Purochan's wife and her maid are so they won't get out." Dhriti ordered.

"Now we have to find a way to get out of this house. Let's get out and catch Purochan red handed. He should be punished in the court of Hastinapur." Bheem said in anger as Arjun nodded.

"No kids! We're not going back to Hastinapur." Kunti said tears steaming down her face.

"But mata, Jyesht is the Yuvraj." Sahadev reasoned.

"The throne is not dear to us. Remember, even your father renounced the throne and lived in the forest. We lived a peaceful life away from the politics I should say. A home is where you are cared and nurtured. Not where my children are constantly threatened and insulted. " Kunti said as all the siblings looked at each other nodding in agreement.

"What now Dhriti?" Yudhisthir asked.

"Now. We have to secretly get out of this palace and set this on fire by ourselves." Dhriti said.

"Set fire by ourselves? We can't do that. His wife and her maid who are locked here will die" Yudhisthir disagreed.

"Yes, they will. And don't tell me they are innocent. All the 7 of them had equal roles in this trap. They were the ones who mixed this poison in the Kheer. And not only the 2 of them are going to be killed, all 7 of them are. When Purochan and his men will come inside with the food, we'll set this on fire." Dhriti said, anger evident in her voice and her eyes.

"What will their death bring Dhriti?" Arjun asked her gently.

"Their death might help making Mama Shakuni understand the price one needs to pay off for lying and committing Adharma.
And as mata said we dont have to go back to Hastinapur, neither do we want anyone to know that we all are alive. So if Purochan, his four men, his wife and her maid dies, everyone would think theses bodies belong to us, in turn making mamashree think that his plan succeeded. Until then, we can live in this nurturing forest and think about some ways." Dhriti explained as steadily everybody started agreeing to her plans.

"But there's a problem. How are we going to escape this without the notice of Purochan? This palace does not have a back door." Sahadev said as Nakul arrived successfully locking the chamber.

"Dhriti? Remember Kanha told us the story of river Saraswati?" Arjun shot up in sudden excitement.

"Huh? No. He didn't tell this story to me. But I know how Vedas mentioned that, when Maa Saraswati's river self was not able to flow on earth, she stared flowing beneath the earth. And today, she's not only a river goddess, but also the goddess of intelligence, wisdom and truthfulness." Dhriti said, quiet surprised with herself as her mind blurred out, getting visions of a beautiful lady, dressed in white, surrounded by peacock and holding a Veena.

Dhriti shook her head, to bring her blurred vision back to consciousness.

"Dhriti, how did you know this if Vasudev didn't tell you. We dont remember Acharya telling us tales from Rig-Veda." Yudhisthir questioned putting Dhriti in a deep thought.

"Isn't it obvious for my Sakhi to know stories about me?" Saraswati said as all Gods in Devlok and Kanha in Dwarka stood patiently to see how the trilok Swamini was about to save her loved ones.

"I don't know Bhrata. I got blurred visions." Dhriti rubbed her head.

"We found a way. I know what Keshav meant! We have to dig a tunnel beneath the ground and escape." Arjun said with his brothers nodding in agreement. But his face changed looking how restless and uncomfortable Dhriti felt as she sat down gulping glasses of water.

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