"....So what really made you visit Dwarka?" Kritavarma turned is gaze at Viranth as they took a way back to the palace.

"Narayani Sena's Senapati, aren't you?" Viranth questioned as Kritavarma nodded.

"Then you must be knowing the commanders of other armies as well." Viranth continued, partially questioning Kritavarma.

"With the armies we have fought against, obviously yes." Kritavarma answered, happy with his own spontaneity.

"Then you must be having a slight idea as of why we've been sent here." Viranth smirked.

"Sent here?" Kritavarma perplexingly mumbled before someone else's call diverted his attention, as he approached the voices, revealing them to be a group of young soldiers.

"Yes, what is it?" Kritavarma agitatedly asked, his voice slowly fading away as the group continued their faint discussions while Viranth paced around, waiting for Kritavarma to return as his eyes took in the surroundings.

"Wasn't Senapati ji supposed to be with you, Yuvraj?" A royal messenger walked up to Viranth.

"Ah, yes yes he is. Just busy with some other soldiers so I decided to stroll around." Viranth smiled, noticing a scroll in his hands.

"You had something important to inform?" He raised his brow.

"Um....Yes. Actually, I wanted him to convey this message to Maharani Dhriti." He explained, raising his hand holding the scroll.

"I can do it, only if you don't mind. I'm anyways heading towards the Palace." He tactfully uttered his words, forwarding his hand.

"Thankyou Yuvraj. The sender said it was important for her to read the message inside as soon as possible. Glad you'll hand it over to her right away." The other one genuinely thanked, taking a leave.

"Hm....Important message. If this is about Jarasandh and his ploys then this message should never reach your Maharani." He evilly smiled, hiding the roll behind his Angawastra as he heard the footsteps of Kritavarma approaching.

"Sorry about that.
So where were we? Yeah, you were talking about the one who is, I mean was sent here.
Magadh's senapati Chitraksh. Am I correct Yuvraj?" Kritavarma gained his own momentum over the things.

"I've come here to free him. Things looked clear for furthering the matter if he would've been given a death sentence, but Dwarka's beloved Maharani imprisoned him instead.
Isn't that more of a turmoil?" He intrigued.

"I don't think I have any right to raise a voice against something which is not related to my position and when it comes to Dhriti, I don't even feel there is any need to oppose her descisions, they never go wrong." Kritavarma proudly explained.

"I see how you're subdued and suppressed here, Kritavarma. Don't you ever feel like being the free bird?" Viranth went on, much to Kritavarma's irritation as he sensed a cold tension in his words.

"Its better to be mentored under someone exceptional rather than wandering aimlessly which in the end, brings nothing around.
And as a very friendly suggestion of mine, I suggest you to drop the idea of going against Dwarkadheesh. I mean, only if you have any." Kritavarma chuckled along with the last sentence, easing the tension.

"Did you just threatened me, Kritavarma?" Viranth stopped in his tracks, stunned with Kritavarma casually continuing his walk back to the palace.

"Oh no no, threatening got too mainstream with Magadh Naresh Jarasandh doing that to everyone else, all the time." Kritavarma turned around with a proud smile.

"We Yadavs, we don't threaten. We're quiet practical that way, in lifting up the weapons when necessary." He corrected, leaving Viranth behind with a heap of contemplations.

"This is what you do when you spend too much time with Dhriti. She must know about this." Kritavarma mumbled under is breath, chuckling to himself.

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

"Maharaj Dantvakra, you've previously stated that Karusha requires some political help and amendments but you haven't specified any, until now." Kanha sat on his throne, surrounded by some specific ministers and Dantvakra himself.

"Alliance." That was the only word, coarsely escaping Dantvakra's lips as Dhriti's eyes traced towards the instant murmuring between the ministers.

"Alliance?
Alliance between Dwarka and Karusha.....Or a game of tactical illusions?" Dhriti questioned in shock, inaudibly mumbling the last line as she stared back at Dantvakra.

"The climbers of a forest seek refugee of a tree, and then drains the nutrients of that very tree.
Nothing different happens when there surfaces a talk of alliance between two such states which will only end up sowing saplings of destruction." Kanha spoke with his prominent smile, jumbling up Dantvakra in this own thoughts.

"But what are we? The tree of the climbers?" Kritavarma leaned a little as Dhriti pursed her lips at his genuinely silly question.

"Right now, we're surrounded by water by four sides, Kritavarma." Dhriti grinned.

"Yeah right. Better than being surrounded by snakes." Kritavarma replied, once again satisfied with his own reply.

"This I the second time in the day that I've surprised myself with such words. I must say, you're sufficiently influential." He chuckled for the last time before all of them retorted back towards Dantvakra's prolonged silence.

"That is the beauty of politics, Dwarkadheesh.
We all can agree on one basic fact that Dwarka's relations with Hastinapur are neutrally matrimonial while those with Indraprasth are supposedly tensed. Added up with Indraprasth's conquest of Raj Suya Yagya,
their every move will ultimately lead to their political proficiency rather than mending the rifts already formed within." Dantvakra smirked, looking at Dhriti.

"Karusha Naresh! Whatever issues that have recently arose are purely confined to me, Samrat Yudhishthir, his brothers and their wife.
In my suggestion, your non-involvement would be in your best interests." She politely let out, with a rather clenched demeanor.

"It is impossible to kill Maharaj Jarasandh. And Dwarkadheesh knows this very well." Dantvakra continued.

"Sure. We have fought seventeen battled against Magadh Naresh.
Not that he has won any of them." Kanha stated.

"Dwarkeshwari, you are revered across Aryavart to have exceptional knowledge of warfare and clear politics. Then think about it, it has already been seventeen times, and let me assure you, Maharaj Jarasandh won't think twice before launching another attack." Dantvakra turned his gaze towards Dhriti just before she was about to end the assembly.

"Karusha Naresh, I wasn't present even once out of the seventeen times Magadh Naresh announced an attack on Dwarka.
Well, now I am and everything has got a first time, except for Magadh Naresh's defeat which would be for the eighteenth time." Dhriti flashed a smile, silencing Dantvakra's tactical pleas as she stood up, finally ending the sabha.

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

"Hmm.... The scroll is tied with a red cloth. Seems like a confidential message of utter importance to Dhriti." Viranth evilly chuckled, looking at his father.

"I suggest, you shouldn't take her that easily. She isn't just a usual woman who'll fall into your clutches." Dantvakra warned, his eyes tracing at the scroll.

"Pitashree, I have my ways.
No matter how strong she puts herself out there, I know she has that one centre which can instantly ignite her weakness." Viranth assured, untying the letter.

"And what is it?
I've never seen a woman, this difficult to untackle. No wonder Jarasandh will be defeated even more bitterly this time if he decides to wage yet another war." Dantvakra sighed, unable to execute his wicked ploy.

"This letter looks somewhat similar. I'm sure there is something in this which Dhriti shouldn't know if a grip over Aryavart is what we wish." Viranth scrapped his evil smile as he strenuously devoted his gaze on the unusual text inked on the parchment.

"Impossible.
The message. The message is encrypted." Viranth shouted, frantically banging the long parchment on his bed.

"There must be a way to decrypt this." Dantvakra picked up the parchment, vacantly stated at the jumbled writings as the two of them continued their thoughtless efforts.

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

"Really, I heard them saying something about decrypting jumbled words." Vaishnavi said clinging on Kanha's arms as Dhriti sighed with a chuckle.

"Vaishnavi, it is bad to eavesdrop someone." Kanha spoke with a straight face.

"Look who's talking." Dhriti laughed, wiggling her brows as she moved closer to the two of them.

"What?" Kanha innocently asked.

"You DO eavesdrop me. At times." She pointed out.

"You and me are no different so that's alright." He smiled, pinching her nose as she raised her hands in surrender.

"Coming back, what were you doing near his chambers Vaishu?" Dhriti squinted her eyes.

"Me and Bhrata Nisatha were playing and the pillar near his room was my judging place. That's when I heard him talking about this." Vaishnavi efficienlty narrated every detail on there.

"I knew this man was forever fishy. What was he trying to decrypt now?" Dhriti rubbed her temple.

"I mean, its not that hard to figure out." Kanha smirked.

"Ugh tell me or go find it our yourself. Kanha, wait!!" Dhriti rolled her eyes, stopping him.

"Look, you're more restless to know what this fishy because that's your intitution. Now go find you answers." Kanha cheekily grinned.

"Come Vaishu, until then, I'll show you some good places to hide.
Hiding behind a pillar is definately not the best one." Kanha smiled picking her up.

_________________________________________

Hellu Peps !!

In the last announcement I Published, I forgot to post our story rankings, taken a week ago
They seem to be quiet impressive, so imma do it here.
*Smiles Sheepishly*

*Thinks* I haven't scored such beautiful rankings back in school but nevermind yeah.

Secondly (THIS IS LIKE THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION.)

How many of you genuinely thought I was a boy?

Like I just got to know that a few people thought I was a boy.
Guys,
I'm a girl
Female
Stree
Mulgi
Ladki

I mean, yeah my username doesn't clearly specify that but still, Jimmy sounds like a dog who eats Parle-G biscuit rather than a boy but anyways.

One if them said they really thought I was a boy and we're not ready to believe it. Ig face reveal karna padega. *Stares with a poker face*

I just wanted to clear this since we've been laughing on this since days.
I mean people do adress me with bhai and bro but I'm actually sis

I mean samajh re ho na? *Shit i'm cracking up*

Anyways.

Hope you like it.
If you do, don't forget to vote and comment.
Thanks.
xx.