"Not like this Bhrata! Wait I'll tell you." Shatanik snatched the pebble from Prativindhya's hands.

"Pitashree, don't you have any work in the court today?" Prativindhya questioned.

"Look Jyesht, we can't see you chilling here. Go do your work." Bheem joked as Yudhishthir turned for an explanation.

"Putro! Why do you always target my Yudhishthir?" Kunti smiled patting him.

" 'Because he's no fun Mata', didi would say this." Sahadev mimicked her as Kunti gave a small laugh, partly agreeing on this.

"Eh, I don't remember how to play it now.... Pitashree, who taught you this game?" Shatanik spoke, giving a small defeated grin as he walked towards his father.

"Go ask your favourite Bua now. I've left this on her." Nakul and Sahadev chuckled, laying under a tree as Panchali and Kanha approached the kids with Dhriti closely behind, helping Sutasom walk perfectly.

"Look! Here she comes. Let the best person teach you." Nakul spoke, calling her.

"I don't think Dhriti is going to play the game...." Kanha smiled picking both of them up.

"Why Kakashree? Why won't Bua teach us?" Prativindhya sadly shot up.

"Because I've found a new game, which we can sit and play and also take my little Sutasom. Come!" She smiled, sitting down as the three of them gathered around her, intently listening to the game she was explaining.

"First me!" Prativindhya joyously sat beside her.

"No! Bua you'll teach me first." Shatanik held her hand.

"May I ask why?" Prativindhya squinted his eyes.

"Sure, I should remind you, I'm her favourite nephew! The youngest one!" Shatanik teasingly scrunched his nose

"The youngest is Sutasom then!" Prativindhya laughed as the other one frowned turning around in annoyance.

"Stop my dear boys.
I might have another favourite now...." Dhriti smirked at all of them, finding the smartest person to pick it up.

"I might take it as one of you pranks dear." Kunti patted her as Dhriti shook her head in a big no.

"Arya, she's not joking." Draupadi nudged Nakul and Sahadev as Yudhishthir looked at Kanha for his own confirmation.

"Dhriti, Putri! Really? When? Hey Prabhu! Nothing can match my happiness right now." She tightly hugged her, as a few tears escaped her eyes.

"So all men are really dim in this thing?" Dhriti mumbled smiling at Kunti and Draupadi.

"Make us dumb kids a part of your happiness please. That would be appreciated." Bheem gave a small pleading smile as Kanha enjoyed the look on their faces.

"You're going to be Uncles once again Putro! I'm going to become a Nanishree." Kunti beamed, unable to control her joy while Draupadi fed each of them some royal sweets.

"What! Wait wait wait. I can't believe I can't believe." Nakul walked towards his sister, gently holding her hands as she nodded.

"That day you took my joke way to seriously, isn't it? What was this? A planned surprise or something?" Sahadev looked at Kanha.

"Even I had no idea that day!" Kanha chuckled back as they hugged each other.

"Wish Arjun was here." Yudhishthir gave a small smile.

"Three more years Jyesth. We won't realize how fast time flies." Dhriti assured him.

"My dear family! Its celebration time. Oh what a better occasion to have royal feast. Worry not Panchali, today this Bheem himself will make a chhappan bhog." Bheem smiled, getting up.

"We didn't understand anything Bua." Shatanik looked up at her.

"That means, Bua has a surprise for you. So tell me what do you want, a little brother, a little sister or maybe both?" Draupadi cheekily grinned with her sons.

"Right now, we just want the food cooked with Bharata Bheem's special skills." Dhriti and Nakul laughed, high-fiving each other.

"What? Pitashree Bheem cooks food?" Prativindhya asked in shock.

"Just food is too simple for him. He cooks tasty very tasty food I must say." Kanha confessed joining in.

"Not only cooking tasty food, he does many things putro. Come I'll tell you. We've a lot of time now." Dhriti chuckled.

"Don't run Priya. You worry me sometimes. No actually eveytime." Kanha reminded, holding her hand.

"Oops! sorry." Dhriti gave a sheepish smile, before turning around.

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

"All the stars in the universe are aligned for me. Perfect! Perfect!" Shakuni gave a loud evil laugh as he walked through the hallway.

"What happened Mamashree? What made you so ecstatic today?" Duryodhan asked surprise.

"Everything is in our favour now on.
See, even the god wants it that way!" Shakuni exclaimed, with the plan running through his head.

"Our favour? What are you saying Mamashree?" Dushasan finally spoke out.

"Dhriti......" Shakuni drew out his sharp knife, as Dushasan took a deep breath of horror.

"........Is at Indraprasth. If you have some brain, you would definitely put it to a use thinking why Dhriti is in Indraprasth at this odd time." Shakuni looked at the two of them.

"Because my spies have informed that she is expecting a child!" A mysterious man, entered his room only to be greeted by Shakuni.

"Mamashree! What is this? And who is this man? Does not even seem like a man." Duryodhan closely looked at him.

"Calm down Bhanje, calm down.
Meet him, he's Kaalvakra. Maharaj Kans' loyal minister." Shakuni spoke, repeatedly giving heart attacks to Dushasan.

"We thought you were with Chanoor under Magadh Naresh Jarasandh?" Duryodhan questioned.

"I don't work under anyone, Yuvraj." He spoke with his demon like voice.

"Uh alright alright! So do we have the necessary information?" Shakuni changed the topic.

"We have more than sufficient news Gandhar Raj, but not the right time." He spoke in a dry and rough tone.

"Right time, why not?" Shakuni enquired, now jumbling his dice.

"Because Devkinandan is still there at Indraprasth. We can't take any destructive step against Yadav kumari when he's right there with her.
Also, let's wait for few more months. Let them have experience all the happiness of their life, because after that, its only sorrow written for them." He coarsed his voice.

"Mamashree, we've already seen what kind of mayavi powers she beholds and still you landed upon this?" Dushasan looked at Shakuni.

"Idiot Bhanje! She's carrying a life within her now!
Even if she uses those elusive energy, she'll hurt the child. And you see, that's something I want." Shakuni explained, absolutely done with Dushasan.

"Exactly mamashree! She's carrying a baby.
Tell me who has the heart to hurt a woman carrying an innocent life? Even that demoness Jara gave back the child, she brought back to life, to Maharaj Brihadrath without eating him.
If demons can't have a heart to do that? What are we? Humans with thrice more emotions than them." Duryodhan argued.

"I knew your nephews won't do anything Gandhar Naresh. Don't worry Yuvraj, I'll do this heartless job." Kaalvakra assured with a corrupted thought.

"Stop spending time with that Karn, trying to be a Dharmaraj!" Shakuni glared at Duryodhan.

"Do whatever you want to do, take her captive or harm that child! I want Dhriti in shatters and in complete pain, paying for what she did." Shakuni looked at him with a sense of authority.

"Me and my men will roam around the boders of Indraprasth.
As soon as we find out that Krishn has left for Dwarka, we'll start plotting and after few months, consider that your work is done." Kaalvakra spoke, pulling back his cloak, as he exited the palace.

"How did you convince that man turned demon to do this?" Dushasan asked, making sure if Kaalvakra had left.

"Enemy's enemy are our friends Bhanje.
Krishn killed Kans and therefore gained the enemities of Jarasandh, Chanoor, Kaalvakra, Shishupal, Rukmi and Dantavakra. So I thought, why not use all of them against Dhriti as well. Afterall you hurt Dhriti or Krishn, what's the difference?" Shakuni explained.

"And what if he does not succeed?" Duryodhan confirmed.

"This is not the only revenge I'm going to take.....
Nor is Kaalvakra the only man I'm putting against your cousin.
Pandu! Someday your dear daughter's self esteem, her respect, dignity and the strength and independence by which she lives is going to be snatched away." Shakuni laughed.

"But how Mamahsree?" Duryodhan questioned, unable to register Shakuni's weird behavior.

"Don't stress much about it Bhanje. I have everything planned out for the future.
I'm such a visionary.
Nobody can even imagine what I've in store for them. Especially the two extremely non-steryotyped women of Aryavart.
Now the only wait is for Dhriti to send a letter to Hastinapur, officially revealing the 'good news'.
This is my vow." Shakuni slit his thumb with the knife, taking his unholy pledge.

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

"Kheer, Jalebi, rabdi, sattu ke laddoo, malpua, moong halwa, morabba, ghewar, chutney, saag, dahi, dal, chawal, pakoda, khichdi, poori, badam doodh, mukhvas, makhan―" Bheem went on.

"Bas Bhrata Bheem, otherwise Bhaiya will get hungry the whole journey now." Sahadev chuckled as they waited to bid Kanha a farewell.

"Yes Bheem we all purely agree that you are a perfect cook. Now stop bragging about it." Yudhishthir spoke.

"Okay but where is Govind now? Wasn't he the one, when told to stay back for few more days, ranted that he should reach Dwarka as soon as possible, for some important work?" Draupadi looked for him.

"Here take this!" Dhriti smiled, handing Kanha his nicely pleated Angawastra.

"And now bend down a bit....." She continued with her eyes fixed on his mukut in her hands, firming the beautiful peacock feathers.

"No, you should actually sit down. I know I have said this several hundred times but you are very tall." She giggled, helping him put his mukut.

"Why are you trying to hide those tears? And how long do you think you can pull it?" Kanha smiled, making her sit down beside him.

"As long as you're here maybe? I've cried a lot in this whole month. Now I don't think I will." She chuckled, standing up and straightening her light and flowy clothes.

"Be careful...." Kanha protectively held her.

"If you're talking about Mamashree, then he should be careful." Dhriti assured.

"He's scared since that day, but he won't stop from doing whatever he wishes, you know.
In simple words, don't look for Shakuni." Kanha hugged her.

"These were simple words? I see." Dhriti chuckled embracing him.

"Don't be a careless girl and run here and there. Don't fight anyone and explode in anger. Got it Chanchala?" Kanha sadly smiled.

"Yes Kanha! I got it. Now don't think about it too much. Look at your face covered with worry. Give your signature smile. I may or may not miss it." Dhriti teased.

"You have to miss it okay?" Kanha teased back as they left towards the chariot.

'Not this time Narayan. This time, your Lakshmi would be there in the battlefield. You won't fight anyone, she'll fight all of them and defeat them.'

Kanha remembered Lakshmi's words back at Vaikunth as he took one last look at Dhriti, smiling as she waved back.

"Gauri..... Protect her. I can't but I know you can." Kanha thought, holding the harness.

"Believe me Bhrata Narayan, she can protect herself and that little life for whom Shakuni and his allies are rooting for." Gauri reassured him.

"You're right sister! I know. I trust her. Its gradually getting over for Shakuni and his evil plots." Kanha gave a small smile, feeling Kaalvakra's evil presence.

"Dau, you should have killed Chanoor and Kaalvakra that day." Kanha jokingly chuckled.

"Looks like his destiny is different.
A death by the hands of Lakshmi or Narayan would give Kaalvakra a salvation that he does not deserve." Kanha explained on a serius front.

"Now I know why sakhi unconditionally showers her love on certain humans without any reason.
Not anyone of us, but he will protect Shri, if she's in danger." Gauri reminded him as he nodded with a final relief.

_________________________________________

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