"Mamashree, will we succeed at this?" Duryodhan looked at Shakuni.

"Ofcourse Bhanje, why not.
Ties of tears are more tenacious, as compared to those blood relations." Shakuni evilly smirked.

"Mamashree, we were gravely insulted when we came here last time. Not anymore." Karna spoke, looking at Shakuni and Dushasan already making their way towards the palace.

"Learn to take benefit of someone's weakness Angraj." Shakuni replied.

"Look at this huge, gold and gem studded royal palace of this prosperous state. Think about it Bhanje, think. Once, Krishn and Dhriti are coronated as the King and Queen of Dwarka, there's no escape.
Analysing the way Balram, Revati and Vasudev himself agreed to crown these two as the heir apparent to the most powerful throne of Aryavart, you can easily point out the strength and support they hold amongst the common people." Shakuni explained.

"What conclusion do you want me to draw from this extraordinary praise of Krishn and Dhriti?" Duryodhan questioned.

"There is only one person and his orders, which Dhriti and Krishn will never even try to ignore and he is Mahabali Balram!" Shakuni answered.

"Mamashree, Dhriti is the KulVadhu and will be the Maharani of Yaduvansh. Dwarka has already sided with Indraprasth, all these ploys will go in vain." Karna pointed out.

"No Angraj, Dhriti is the KulVadhu, but Subhadra? She's the Princess of Dwarka. If, Duryodhan asks for her hand in marriage, Dwarka will be left with no option other than siding with Hastinapur instead of putting the life of their own princess in danger and peril." Shakuni laughed.

"Mamashree, recalling the way Dau raged when we decided to attack on Dwarka and throw false accusations at Dhriti, I don't think he'll agree to this alliance." Dushasan shook his head.

"As powerful as Balram seems to be from the outside, he is even more compassionate and simple on the inside.
It won't be even a bit of hard to bring him under our control." Shakuni looked back.

"But how mamashree?" Duryodhan asked in confusion.

"Mace fight!
Challenge your guru for a mace fight, impress him with you skills and in this way, ask for Subhadra's hand.
He won't refuse, that's my assurance!" Shakuni planned as the four of them grinned in joy, unknown to the fact that life never goes according to the way we plan it.

"Pranipat! Yuvraj Duryodhan, Angraj and Gandhar Naresh Shakuni." Kanha suddenly spoke, jerkeing them as he, along with Vaishnavi in Dau's arms walked towards them.

"Ah! Vasudev and Mahabali Balram, what a surprise!" Shakuni greeted them.

"And who is this little one?" Duryodhan smiled.

"Rajkumari Vaishnavi." She smiled, introducing herslef as Kanha patted her.

"A splitting image of Dhriti." Duryodhan smiled back, opening his arms towards her but she refused.

"Maa said not to go with strangers." Vaishnavi turned her face while Kanha cracked up before getting a glare from Dau as he cleared his throat.

"Vaishnavi dear, he's Duryodhan and this one is Dushasan your mamashrees. Dhriti's cousins. Not strangers anymore." Dau explained as she gave a small smile, still refusing to go with him.

"She's still not satisfied with you, mitra. Come here Vaishnavi!" Karna heartily spoke as she smiled, going towards him.

"Narayan! Narayan! I appreciate all your leelas, Prabhu." Narad spoke as Kanha gave a small chuckle before walking with everyone.

"Revati kaki makes excellent laddoos. You want to taste them?" Vaishnavi softly spoke, finally looking at Karna.

"You want to take me in the kitchen right away?" He chuckled.

"No no, I have one last with me." She said, opening her fist as she fed it to Karna.

"Hmm... They're tasty!" He said through a mouthful of it.

"Haina! I'll tell Maa to serve this for the meal tonight." She smiled.

"Duryodhan, it has been days since I've had the opportunity to have a mace fight with an able warrior.
How about we have a little duel of our own?" Dau turned around.

"Um...Why not? Why not gurudev." Duryodhan answered, looking at Shakuni's light nod.

"I thought, you said nobody can defeat Dau in mace fight." Vaishnavi whispered to Kanha as they sat in the arena watching Dau and Duryodhan fight.

"A single match does not decide anyone's strength. You mamashree Duryodhan might win this one fight, but there are plenty more fights he have to face to draw conclusions." Kanha smiled.

"I did not understand, but I agree." She giggled but went quiet when she saw Duryodhan ending the fight, taking a win.

"Waah Duryodhan, waah! You've impressed me with your skills, modesty and this new tact.
Therefore......." He smiled at him.

"I grant you one wish! Ask away anything Duryodhan, I shall fulfil it as promised." Dau patted him.

Once again, beloved nephew turned towards his dear Mamashree, finding a reassuring nod as he finally spotted Shakuni lightly signalling him about the plan they had previously thought.

"Ask away quickly Duryodhan, do not hesitate. What do you want? Gold, silver, jewels?"

"Gurudev Mahabali Balram, I don't need any gold or jewels. I'm the Yuvraj of Hastinapur. The future king of Kuruvansh. I just need someone to be on my side, forever supporting me.
I need Rajkumari Subhadra, your beloved sister's hand in marrige Baldau." Duryodhan finally spoke, sending Dau in a state of shock for a while before he decided to make up his mind.

"Dear Duryodhan, you're brave, strong, an ace in mace fight, Yuvraj of a prosperous state. What else can I ask for ensuring my sister's happiness and a gratified life in future? You're everything that I can find in an able husband for the Princess of Dwarka.
I agree to your alliance Yuvraj!
I promise to place my Subhadra's hand in yours and once again, make a marriage alliance with Kuruvansh." Dau assuringly promised, affectionately blessing him.

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

"No Bhabhishree! No! I don't want to marry Yuvraj Duryodhan. I don't want to......" She sobbed crying into Dhriti and Revati's arms.

"Subhadrae, first of all calm down dear. Here drink some water and take a deep breath." Dhriti patted, herself being unknown about half the situation.

"Subhadra, have patience. Nothing will go against you wishes dear. We all are here to help you, aren't we?
I don't know anything else, but this descision of Arya won't take any shape until Dhriti and Kanhaiya's coronation. We have a lot of time to convince everyone what you want. Okay?" Revati wiped the stream of tears creeping out of her eyes, which were now far away from distinguishing themselves between an ocean of emotions or a desert of no emotions at all.

"I don't have any patience left with me Bhabhishree.
We vowed to be with each other and now everyone is about to change that." Subhadra revealed in the flow of agony.

"Vowed to be with each other? To whom did you promise this Subhadra?" Dhriti asked in incredulity.

"Rajkumar Arjun....." Revati let out as the copper vessel full of water trembled down Dhriti's hands.

"Bhrata Arjun?" She once again asked, for her own confirmation as Revati looked down while Subhadra silenced her sobs and walked towards a shocked Dhriti.

"Bhabhi....." That's what Subhadra managed to mumble before once again letting her body fall into the arms of this Mother of Three Worlds. Cause at the end, that's the only place where each and every human finds himself after fumbling with everything in this materialistic world.

"I never gathered any courage to tell you about this, Bhabhi. I'm sorry I kept it hidden from you....." Subhadra confessed as Dhriti remembered how Nakul had poured down his heart to her, back then.

"Its-its alright Subhadra......" She stuttered, softly embracing her.

"Did Kanha knew anything about this?" She asked, her brimmed tears just waiting to roll down her face.

"Yes...." She slowly nodded as Dhriti took a deep breath, sniffling and wiping away the tears from her glossy face.

"If he knows about this and still agreed with Dau's descision, then trust me Bhadra he must be having huge reason behind it. Don't worry, he won't disappoint his dear sister." Dhriti graced up a smile and took a leave, knowing where she was suppose to go next.

"I felt like...... I can't explain Bhrata, how I felt when I got to know about this from someone other than the two of you.
Why did the two of you felt that I would take it the other way? I'm not your enemy to oppose your feelings and descisions." Dhriti crossed her arms at Arjun.

"Look Dhriti, I don't need to tell you each and everything happening in my life. And didn't saw this coming, Balram Dau promising Bhrata Duryodhan and all these twist of events and now you're making me feel more sad and helpless about it." Arjun lowly replied, not want to draw the attention of other sages meditating around.

"But Draupadi Bhabhi―" Dhriti retorted, clearly recalling the promise they made to Panchali.

"Dhriti! Sometimes you completely forget that you're my younger sister. Don't run your rights over me like you do with Nakul and Sahadev. I'm good enough to take my descisions." Arjun's stern voice caught her off guard.

"Enough Bhrata! There was no need to give this bitter answer. I'm sure you and your Sakha are more than good and skilled enough to make a way out of this and, that's the reason none of you gave me even the slightest idea about the same." Her voice cracked midway as she turned around to take a leave.

"Also, don't drag Nakul and Sahadev in this!" She remarked before finally running away from the scene.

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

"What was the point in not telling me?
And how did Dau decided to fix the marriage without Subhadra's consent? Why didn't you intervene this descision? Wasn't he the one fuming when Bhrata Duryodhan arranged a Swayamwar against my wishes?" She looked at Kanha with an agitated expression as he protectively held her.

"Are you even breathing?" He chuckled, silencing her.

"Yagyaseni is the reason neither Subhadra nor Parth told you about this." He explained.

"And what about you?" She squinted her eyes.

"What about me? Its about Subhadra and Parth na, and they themselves told me about it." He corrected.

"Even I told you about Karenumati na? Traitor!" She reasoned through the mist of tears in her eyes while Kanha pulled her in his embrace.

"Don't smile, I am serious." She mumbled, knowing that Kanha was still laughing.

"Now, keeping the promise given to Panchali aside....." Kanha started.

"Why should that be kept aside?
Yagyaseni has infinite favour on my brothers." She reminded.

"That's true Priya, but that event is inevitable, for all of us. Especially for you." He slowly revealed.

"Right now, we have to take Parth and Subhadra out of this entanglement.
Trust me,
If the future of the entire Aryavarta didn't depend on this single union and it's aftermath, then I would've never thought of putting my Chanchala in such a big crisis." He carassed her.

"Put me in crisis? What crisis!" She asked in perplexity.

"Dharmasthapana! That's the reason my Shri is here on Mrityu Lok, isn't she?" Kanha smiled, pushing away her questions, with a somewhat satisfying answer.

"I'm ready to go through end number of  pains and crisis, if this it where the welfare of our creation lies." She bravely smiled.

"But but, I'm still angry with Bhrata Arjun for what he said to his precious little sister." Dhriti finally laughed as Kanha sighed in relief.

"I hope I wasn't interrupting something.
Anyways! Satyaki had sent the letter to Chedi Naresh Shishupal.
And yeah, this is letter from Maharaj Yudhishthir is for you, Rajkumari." Kritavarma chuckled.

"What did 'dear' Shishupal say?" Kanha tagged along with him.

"Not much, He and Rajkumari Karenumati will be arriving most probably tomorrow. " Kritavarma informed as Dhriti unknowingly smiled, reading the letter from Yudhishthir.

"Even Jyesht wrote that they'll be arriving soon.
Oh somebody already crown me as the best sister." She giggled to herself.

"One more thing." Kritavarma interrupted her excitement.

"Yuvraj Duryodhan and Gandhar Naresh Shakuni wishes to see you."  Kritavarma laughed, looking at the sudden change on her excited face.

"I'll see you both later." She playfully warned before taking a leave.

"You forgot to tell her that Vaishnavi is already with them." Kanha continued laughing.

"No thankyou. I want to stay alive for a lot more years now." Kritavarma remarked, proceeding with his work ahead of the huge coronation of Kanha and Dhriti.

_________________________________________

Happy Raksha Bandhan to everyone, especially to everyone whom I've habitually addressed as ―
Bro! (≧▽≦)

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xx.