"......And how does that make sense, putra?" Devki faced Kanha.

"Devki Maa, I have other responsibilities and by staying back I'm needed to fulfill them. Anyways its not meant of me to be with her." Kanha assured.

"Look Krishn, I don't want to know what's mean to be and what fate has in store for each one of us.
But right now, it seems wrong to stay back when your wife has to go and moderate the fiery situation in Indraprasth." Devki shook him.

"And it seems even more wrong to think that she can't manage it herself.
I trust her, and I know you do too Maa, believe me, she'll alone do the best for everyone before her own self." Kanha smiled, much to his mother's further agitation.

"Vaishnavi is sick." Dhriti spoke, turning her gaze away from her daughter, now sleeping on her lap.

"Dhriti, she's feverish.
Krishn, go call the Raj Vaidya. I hope the fate grants you to do that." Devki called, not looking at him.

"Here put these cold water strips until he comes.
That will give some relief." Revati sat beside her as the latter slowly nodded.

"Maharani, Senapati wishes to see you." A daasi informed as Dhriti responded with a light nod, allowing him to enter.

"Um.... We were informed that–" He looked down as Dau cut his sentence midway.

"Draupadi has forbidden Arjun and Subhadra from entering Indraprasth. They have been stopped on the gates of the Palace itself." Dau completed with a prominent glare.

Dhriti's sudden flinch spilled all the cold water on her lehenga with a worried gasp involuntarily escaping her lips. She gently lifted Vaishnavi's head from her lap and rested it on the soft cushions, straightening her composure as she turned around facing the two men, one glaring at her while the other not wanting to meet her tensed yet noiseless eyes.

"Kritavarma, ask Satyaki to get the chariot ready." He briefly looked up, nodding a yes to her limited words.

"Dhriti, there is no need for your presence at Indraprasth to stabilize the situation. I'll ask Krishn to go instead." Devki insisted as Dhriti looked at Dau, just listening but not responding to what Devki just uttered.

"I'll- I'll go Devki Maa, don't worry. Everything will be fine with Subhadra." She replied, remembering the promise she made to Dau, previously.

"You aren't following the right aisle of motherhood, Dhriti." Rohini sharply spoke.

"I'm ensuring you Mata, I'll be back as soon as possible." She kissed and fondled Vaishu's warm forehead before taking a leave.

"Priya...." Kanha's single call made her hault her trudge.

"You took all the blame on you, isn't it?" He entreated.

"I had no other option left. I couldn't see a possible rift between you two just to stop a catastrophe of Subhadra's marriage with Bhrata Duryodhan." Answered a low voice.

"Be there with Vaishu when she wakes up, okay? And I've told Bhabhishree to feed her something because she slept without having lunch so you better look after it." Her nurturing voice overtook.

"Yeah yeah, I'm her father afterall. Looks like Dwarkadheesh has been bestowed with a huge responsibility." Kanha chuckled, hiding the pain as he entered Vaishnavi's chambers with the Raj Vaidya while Dhriti exited the Palace.

"I've been waiting for you here in this scorching heat since eternity." Satyaki faked his tiredness as Dhriti climbed he chariot.

"Ofcourse! Not everyone has a blooming luck to have a sakha like you." She chuckled.

"I know I know. I'm one of the best in my field." He cracked up, taking he reins in his hands.

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

"Draupadi! How do I make you understand putri, stopping a bride right on the gates of her new home is never auspicious." Kunti touched Draupadi's head, hurtfully hanging low.

"Remember when Pitamah and Jyesth shree disagreed with your marriage, it was Dhriti who saved you all from any further questioning and made you feel the warmth of home. Now you have to the same, putri, Subhadra is new to all of this and its on you to welcome her in the same way." Kunti gave a small smile.

"All that was different Mata. Dhriti has got the strength to think the best even in the worst situations, not me. Here I feel like I've made my life a penance just by trusting Arya putra's fake promises." Panchali wiped her tear stained faces.

"Panchali's words are apt. And Arjun's quandary is as legitimate." Yudhishthir broke the guilt ridden silence, standing at the main gates of the palace.

"We must find a way out of this tangled situation. But what is the solution for this, Jyesth?" Sahadev took a few steps forward.

"I am the solution now, what else! All my life, I've failed to understand the sweet relationship of Kuruvansh and Vivashata." A tiny smile of relief found is way on the brothers' faces as they recognized the familiar voice.

"Come down from the camel ride Bhadra, you're no more a damsel in distress." She got down from her chariot before Satyaki even payed any heed to stop the horses as they both chuckled at her stumbling in her heavy apparel.

"Careful!" Arjun exclaimed as the hue of ferociously red flames once again showed up, much to Dhriti's surprise.

"Fine!" She took a deep breath, still standing inches near the flames.

"Go inform Bhabhishree that I am here." She ordered the soldiers as her gaze finally shifted towards her brothers who started back in utter confusion.

"Maharani Dhriti, maharani Draupadi said she won't let any outsider cross this blazing streak ,nexcept Rajmata Kunti." The same soldier informed, disheartening the other one.

"Come on Shri, these elements, all this is a part of you." With those words of self reassurance, she lifted her foot.

"Didi! What are you up to? The fire will harm you!" Nakul frantically jerked.

"Fire does not hurt the paragons of purity." She answered, placing her feet right on the flames as they instantly ceased.

"What is she? A goddess?" Sahadev nudged Nakul.

"I hope she's still the same little sister of ours." Bheem lightly chuckled.

"Bring the arti thali." She gave a reserved smile.

"Restraining a bride on the doors of her new home is considered an insult to the culture and dignity of the family.
Every new bride is the Lakshmi of her own house, thus I cannot bear her insult." Dhriti said, welcoming the wedded pair by completing their arti.

"Stay here for a while, take some rest. I'll go talk to Bhabhishree." Dhriti assuringly squeezed Subhadra's hand as the latter beamed in return, finally finding herself in a comfortable warmth.

"Bhbahishree–" Dhriti informally entered her chambers, loosening the tightly pinned dupatta resting on her head.

"Who gave you the rights to welcome the new bride, against Maharani's wishes?" Shouted  the  older  one,  not at all astonishing Dhriti.

"I didn't enter the chambers of the Queen of Indraprasth, did I?
I've came here as Dhriti, just to meet her Bhabhishree.
Oh and yes, I just did their arti and welcomed Subhadra inside the palace just to get away with people's reactionary bad mouthing about your behavior.
Welcoming her in your heart's frame and doing her grihapravesh is solely your descision." She replied, feeling unwelcomed in her own house.

Draupadi felt staggered at Dhriti's words, making her immediately turn around only to see the other one standing right in the middle of the chamber,  with her slender painted hands obediently locked with each other.
Draupadi didn't bother to blink her eyelids, not allowing the welled up tears to flow down as she quietly looked at the one she had always sweared by. A part of her heart wanting to sob in Dhriti's heartfelt embrace while the other side being too obstinate to let go and give her mind a larger perspective.

"Pranam Mata." Meanwhile, Dhriti greeted without turning around, hoping that Kunti might have forgiven her daughter, but she didn't.
That's what her silence portrayed.

"You know what Dhriti? I can't even blame you anymore.
Because you will never understand the pain I'm going through right now. You would never get the feeling of being a co-wife and that's the reason you find it practical to tell me that I have to let go of certain things. You have everything the way you wish " Draupadi yelled, making the brothers, standing outside earlier, enter the chambers with the sudden blast of words.

"Look Bhabhishree, I'm here to settle these things ahead of our– oh I mean, your kingdom's Raj Suya Yagya. I don't want to discuss about how I have everything the way I wish because it's nothing like that.
You all are absolutely ignorant to the fact that humans are imperfect and so are their lives. It just depends upon each individual to show or to hide their pain from the rest of the world.
I have my own problems, I have huge responsibilities to fulfil.
Being a Queen doesn't mean I have surrounded myself with the luxuries." Dhriti's voice slowly rose to a higher pitch.

"That's where the truth lies. You won't understand. Not even if you try to!
Oh and how will you? You've got the promise of being the only wife, haven't you?" Draupadi shifted her gaze elsewhere as Dhriti flinched at her words.

"Even Bhratashrees promised you that no other wife would would settle where you do. You would be their chief queen. Now Kanha and his promise should not be questioned if your husband failed to keep up with his.
The suggestion of elopement was mine, going against your promise wasn't." Dhriti's sharp gale wandered, to meet Panchali's.

"She suggested you to elope?" Nakul peeped at Arjun, mystified.

"She suggested Subhadra to abduct Arjun so that no one would blame him and Subhadra won't be questioned either because she has a right to choose her own husband." Yudhishthir gave a proud explanation, briefly interrupting Dhriti and Draupadi's heated argument.

Panchali's brows furiously furrowed, infuriatedly taking glances at her sister-in-law and the Maharaj of Indraprasth.

Kunti, on the other hand, couldn't believe the sight in front of her eyes. She may show her dismay by not talking with her daughter, but deep down what kept disappointing her more was the way her five sons didn't feel the need to defend their sister. Not even Arjun, for whom she did all this.

"You knew about this before hand?" Draupadi's  frightening, low
voice  tensed up the environment.

"Yes." Dhriti nodded, her head suddenly feeling heavier.

"And Arya Yudhishthir?" She opposingly pursed her lips together.

"I wrote a letter informing him the same. That's what Mata has taught us over the years. If Jyesth says no, its a no. Had he disapproved this, I would've simply said a no to Bhrata Arjun and Subhadra asking for my help." Dhriti's surprisingly calm replies, added up to the tension.

"Who is Arya Arjun's wife? Me or your jyesth Bhrata?" Panchali walked inches close to Dhriti, with    eyes  showing  her evidently burning soul.

"I had to take the permission from the eldest one here." Dhriti said, meeting her eyes with the familiar hollowness.

"You've broken my trust, Dhriti.
I never imagined your betrayal would cross my path like this." Draupadi finally blinked her tears.

"Betrayal? Sure.
I've got nothing more to say. I'll take a leave. Its completely your descision whether to welcome Subhadra or not. Quickly decide so that I can take her back to Dwarka.
No more insults and no betrayal."Dhriti  braced herself.

"Wait!" Draupadi exclaimed, not long before Dhriti was already facing her back towards the fire born.

"No." Dhriti shook her head, bending down to touch Kunti's feet.

"You can't leave without facing the consequences for this sell out of my credence in you, Maharani." Draupadi held her hand, stopping her from taking Kunti's blessings as Dhriti's eyes finally shot up in anger, something Panchali had never seen.

"Hey Prabhu!" Kunti muttered to herself, tensing up at Dhriti's eeire quietness. Her observance senses as she noticed the expressions on Dhriti's face. Something she had never seen on the countenance of her dear child. Not even her mother's heart was able distinguish between Dhriti's unbearable anger and some unknown worry.

"Vaishnavi....." Dhriti's inflamed eyes were quenched and smothered by the strikingly warm aura her soul had suddenly engulfed her into, as she slowly lost the touch of reality.

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

The entire Palace of Dwarka had already fallen silent as the setting sun once again rounds back its horizon, mixing its orange hues with those mild blue tints of the ocean.

"Not finding it usual for Vaishu to sleep for soo long, jiji." Devki, like a caring mother she was, looked at Rohini, helping her with arranginig Vasudev's chambers.

"I thought the same, but she's unwell today. Maybe this rest will make her feel better." Rohini assured.

"Mata Rohini! Devki Maa!" Revati sprinted in the chambers without any prior notice as the two ladies looked at her in partial amusement.

"Vaishnavi! Her temperature is rising. I-I can't even touch her body anymore. Come with me Mata." Revati sniveled.

"Can't touch her?" Devki bellowed, as Revati dashed the other two in Vaishnavi's chambers only to find Kanha sitting at a distance from her.

"Vaishu, wake up dear. Can you hear me?" Devki yelled, walking towards her little body as Kanha stopped her.

"You won't be able to touch her Maa...." Kanha dolefully nodded her way.

"Narayan! Narayan! Prabhu, putri Vaishnavi's worsening condition wasn't something Dev Lok was expecting." Munivar woed.

"A lot of things Dev Lok would never expect, are about to happen Devarshi." Kanha sighed.

Munivar stayed silent for a while. Contemplating Narayan's wise words as he nodded, up with another question.

"Prabhu, even you aren't able to touch her. What's the cure for this, Prabhu? This tapa would aggravate her condition, leaving no escapes." He reminded.

"No Vaidya across the Aryavart. Neither Nakul and Sahadev, nor the Ashwin Kumaras themselves would be able to bring Vaishnavi back to her senses." Kanha revealed.

"Then who will?"

"Chanchala...... She won't let a storm squall dishevel her daughter's single stand of hair." Kanha smiled with some hope.

"Mata isn't even here right now." Devarshi unnerved.

"The game of fate, might look cruel, but makes absolute sense. Everything is proficiently woven into each other.
Vaishnavi's sickness will save the Pandavas and show Priya the right way." Kanha straightened up, signalling Devarshi the end of their conversation.

_________________________________________

And I'm backkkkk. Now this chapter may be boring, or maybe is boring....Sorry.

Just a random question coz why not? Is your wattpad reading mode dark or light?

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