"When Shishupal was born to Bua Shrutashrav, he was abnormal for having 4 arms and 3 eyes. Considered to be a monster, his parents immediately decided to abandon him but...." Kanha stopped narrating as he smiled over at Dhriti's hands playing with the ends of his Angawastra.

"Why did you stop? What happened next?" She said as she continued twirling the Angawastra.

"Just checking if you were already asleep." Kanha laughed as he saw her innocently playing with the end of his red piece of cloth with delicate golden designs.

"But, an Akashavani stopped them from doing so. It said, that Shishupal's destiny has something diffrent in store for him. All his extra body parts will vanish once the right person will take him in his hands, and thereafter that person would be the reason for Shishupal's death." Kanha continued.

"Now, I can't challenge Brahma dev and what he had in store for Shishupal. When Shishupal and Bua came to visit Dwarka, the unexpected happened. After placing Shishupal in my hands, his extra body parts disappeared." Kanha narrated.

"Priyaaaa...." He called out.

"I'm listening Kanha. I shouldn't have told you about my habit of sleeping." She giggled, her hands continuing the fidgeting.

"Ha then, Bua took me in a corner and told me the truth about Shishupal's peculiarity and how I am going to be the reason for his death.
As a mother she was heartbroken. And as the older cousin, I felt guilty for unknowingly being the end of his fate. Then, coming on terms, she made me promise that I would forgive Shishupal's 100 sins before ending him. And that's the reason I didn't come to save you, because if I would have seen the sight of Shishupal torturing you, I would've never kept my promise. Instead I would have ended him then and there. " Kanha finished as he thought Dhriti might be asleep by now. But to his surprise, she was all awake, contently listening to what her Kanha was speaking.

"100 wrong deeds? That's too much." Dhriti shot up.

"I know, but I had to understand a mother's heart that time. Anyways, I'm hungry and the dasis and cooks don't even let me enter the rasoighar. " Kanha sighed as it was now Dhriti's turn to laugh.

"Makhanchor, stay here, I'll do something." She lightly touched his cheek as she moved out towards the kitchen.

Dhriti enters the kitchen as she saw a number of Dasis standing outside.

" Why are all of you still awake? Aren't you all tired. You should take some rest." She said smiling genuinely.

"No Rajkumari, Maharani Kunti has asked us to keep a watch and not let Rajkumar Bheem and Devkinandan Krishn to enter inside." The dasi said.

"Now that's something new" Dhriti laughed as she entered inside.

*At the same time.*

Bheem constantly shook a sleeping Nakul as his numerous tries of having a sound sleep failed.

"I am not going to come on a kitchen-hunt adventure with you Bhrata Bheem." Nakul said without opening his eyes.

"Dhriti would have come up with some idea by now." Bheem sighed as he started walking towards the kitchen all alone.

"Wait Rajkumar! Maharani Kunti has forbidden you and Kumar Vasudev from entering the Rasoighar. " The dasi stopped Bheem from entering as Dhriti controlled her laughs listening to their conversation.

"What? But why?" Bheem asked in irritation.

"You should ask Maharani about that Kumar." She replied as Bheem turned back.

"How will this human sleep without eating? Do something saviour." Dhriti said as she picked up a Thali of fruits along with the jar of Makhan for Kanha.

She kept following Bheem for a while making sure both of them were out of the Dasis' sight.

"How will you sleep without eating Bhratashree?" She cheekily smiled holing the two utensils in her hands.

"Dhriti? That too with fruits and what's this?" He beamed as he moved towards her.

"Shhhhh. Someone will hear us. And that jar is for Kanha, this is for you." She whispered handing over the thali to him.

"Dhriti. Are you still angry on us?" Bheem asked sadly.

"Oh Bhratashree, then why would I give these fruits to you? " Both of them smiled as she turned back.

"Oh and what is special for Vasudev in that jar?" Bheem chuckled.

"His favourite Makhan." She whispered as they departed towards their respective rooms.

"What took you so long Priya?" Kanha smiled looking at the jar of Makhan in front of him.

"Helped Bhrata Bheem to steal some fruits as Mata has forbidden both of you to enter the rasoighar." Dhriti laughed.

"Now I'm going to eat Makhan after so many days, you don't know Priya." Kanha said as Dhriti laughed at his childishness.

"What are you waiting for? Take it. Its all yours." She said giving him the jar.

"Yes, but this hunger won't fill my hunger unless....." He smirked.

"Unless??" Dhriti raised her eyebrows.

"Unless you won't feed this to me Priya." He completed as he folded his legs and sat in front of  Dhriti making her smile.

"Is it going to taste diffrent when I feed it Kanha?" She said feeding him the fresh Makhan as he smiled.

"Yes ofcourse. Love tastes diffrent." He said licking every bit of it.

"Priya.... Don't you feel temped looking at this Makhan?" Kanha said licking another handful of Makhan from her little hand.

"I'm loving looking at you like this." She smiled.

"Just like I love Makhan too much, what's your favourite dish Priya?" Kanha wiggled his eyebrows.

"If I told you, would you cook it for me?" Dhriti joked.

"I will...... If you make Bua Kunti lift our prohibition from entering the kitchen ." Kanha laughed.

"Its Coconut Laddoos." She said beaming.

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

Dhriti sat beside the lake along with Draupadi, where draupadi had earlier seen so many lotuses.

"These lotuses have been floating here since a few days" Draupadi said holding her hand.

"Really Bhabi? You know I love lotuses so much." Dhriti said picking one in her hand as the similar shine surrounded the flower.

"You know what, you look familiar whilst holding that pink lotus." Draupadi said looking closely towards the shine to which Dhriti heartily laughed.

"You haven't even seen the beauty of Panchal yet. Come, I'll take you to the Gauri temple." Draupadi said pulling her.

"There is a Gauri Temple? I would love to see it." Dhriti smiled brightly.

They both ran, with their payals making a periodic chirp, towards the sonorous sounds of bells as everyone made ways for the two rajkumaris.

"This is as beautiful as the temple back at Hastinapur Bhabi." Dhriti spoke as she joined along, singing the arti in Mata Parvati's praise.

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

"When will my Didi be the same she was two days ago?" Sahadev said sitting beside Arjun in their room.

"The day feels incomplete without she asking her favourite question to us." Yudhishthir sighed.

"She said she's not angry on me." Bheem smiled at his little win.

"What? How? When did you talk to her?" Arjun shot up with hope in his eyes.

"Yesterday, when I was on a hunt for food, I realized Mata has forbidden me and Vasudev from entering the kitchen for obvious reasons. So Dhriti secretly gave me a Thali full of fruits." Bheem smiled.

"That's why Nakul, its always better to come with me. But you decided to sleep." Bheem teased him.

"That's great. But what was Dhriti doing in the kitchen when you were in the adventure? She does not have any habit to eat food in the middle of the night." Yudhishthir said.

"Was sneaking with a jar full of Makhan for her Kanha." Bheem said making everyone laugh.

"Oh in all those chaos, I forgot to tell Keshav about her calling him Bhuvansundar." Arjun said as there were fits of laughter among the brothers yet again.

"Was someone talking about me my dear brothers?" Kanha smiled entering the room.

"Yes. How was the Makhan Vasudev Bhaiya?" Nakul teased as Kanha laughed back.

"Where's Dhriti, Keshav?" Arjun asked getting up.

"At the Gauri mandir, Parth." Kanha smiled as they decided to go visit her and make up for the events of yesterday.

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

Dhriti was distributing the prasad to everyone as Draupadi helpef her, when she saw suddenly her 5 brothers slilently standing behind Dhriti.

Draupadi tried opening her mouth to tell Dhriti when Nakul motioned her not to as she smiled and nodded.

"Won't you give some Prasad to us Rajkumari?" Arjun asked after waiting for long , as Dhriti turned around to give some, when she realized it was Arjun.

"Arey Bhratashree, when did all of you arrive?" She smiled handing over the sweets to each of them.

"Just- just right now." Nakul said looking over at Draupadi hoping she won't reveal the truth.

"Ohh got it.... Should I leave?" Dhriti smirked handing over the plate to Draupadi as she notice Nakul's expression towards her Bhabi.

"Yes ofcourse. Kanha must be waiting for you. Arey to help with the arrangements." Bheem smirked completing his sentence.

"Don't tease me bhratashree. Otherwise I'll tell mata that you were sneaking fruits from the kitchen even after she said not to." Dhriti crossed her arms.

"Oh even I'll tell Mata that you were sneaking the jar full of Makhan for her Krishn." Bheem mimicked her.

"You guys stop now." Yudhishthir said making Draupadi giggle.

"We came here to apologize for what happened yesterday." Yudhishthir spoke as Draupadi nodded in agreement.

"No brothers, you all don't need to apologize. I'm not at all angry on you. Kanha made me realize the truth yesterday. Its just that I was angry at the moment." She smiled as the 6 of them hugged each other.

" We are glad every thing is back on track. Now go help everyone. Its our wedding afterall." Arjun laughed.

"Just straight away tell me you want sometime alone." Dhriti grinned pushing Draupadi forwards as this was Draupadi's time to run behind her.

"Ugh Dhriti wait for your marriage you naughty princess." Draupadi said running out.

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

"I haven't touched my weapons for almost a year bhabi. " Dhriti said combing Draupadi's long hair.

"I'm sure the 6 of you will have the armoury to yourself once we reach Hastinapur." Draupadi smiled.

"Haven't you missed your home Dhriti?" Draupadi questioned.

"For me, home is where my family, loved ones are. Not everything is always materialistic. Sometimes it's the feeling that holds an important aspect. My Mata, my brothers, Kanha and now you, as a family has ways been around me. My Pitashree is forever in my heart. And I know he's happy seeing all of us together. So that's what my home is." Dhriti smiled looking elsewhere.

"Accha leave that. Tell me, are you ready for tomorrow?" Dhriti asked.

"Ofcourse I am Dhriti, but will other people really accept this. Accept me?" She asked in return.

"Some will, some might not. The thing is  we can't sit and try to make each and everyone around us happy. That's not how things work. But trust me, we'll make sure Yagyaseni won't be dejected." Dhriti smiled assuring her as Draupadi gained back her excitement.

"Will this look great on this jewelry?" Draupadi asked getting up from the front of her mirror, asking for Dhriti's help.

"Yes Bhabhishree, why do you think so much? You anyways look good in everything." She smiled getting up.

"The question is what should I wear. I've not even given a single thought about it." Dhriti said roaming around.

"Don't worry! I have it all arranged." Shikhandi said entering the room.

"Pranam jiji." Dhriti smiled.

"Pink looks great on you. I'm sure this will too." She said pulling out a lehenga with little golden designs all over it.

"It looks absolutely great jiji. Thankyou." She said touching the dress.

"Now you have a good night's sleep Bhabhishree. I'll come tomorrow to get you ready. The most beautiful bride every." Draupadi smiled at Dhriti's words as she and Shikhandi took her leave.

_________________________________________

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