"This is the mighty Narayani Sena of Dwarka and the Yadav Clan." Kritavarma introduced as Kanha had finally decided to show Dhriti around Dwarka although she had not left many stones unturned about the city.

"But my dear Kritavarma is the senapati of only one regiment." Kanha chuckled pointing at the sena.

"Sure Rajkumar. Anyways, the other six regiments are under Dau." He explained as Dhriti smiled.

"And who are the Athirathis and Maharathis?" Dhriti questioned fascinating Kritavarma as Kanha smiled at her knowledge.

"Rajkumar, Dau, Satyaki, Chakradev, Charuhesana and more to come are the Adhirathis." Kritavarma assuringly looked at Kanha as he nodded.

"More to come? Like?" Dhriti asked curiously.

"You'll know....." Kanha said, pretending to look away as Dhriti shrugged.

"Me, Saimika, Ahuka, Saanku, Kanaka and Aadharashtri comprise the Maharathis." Kritavarma explained Kanha and Dhriti turned their horses, taking a leave.

"Now Kritavarma would praise you throughout whole sabha about your knowledge on warfare." Kanha chuckled.

"This is all because of Pitamah and Kakashree. Their bedtime stories always talked about wars or yudh niti." Dhriti smiled as she looked around.

"Anyways, its been almost a month that Parth had started his conquest and I'm sure he has gained the confidence of adequate kingdoms." Kanha informed.

"And spies have informed that Bhrata Duryodhan has commenced his Ashvamedh Yagya. That to without any previous notice to other rulers." Dhriti spoke.

"Yes. Pitashree was discussing about this morning. But where were you the whole time?" Kanha smirked at her.

"I was busy finding and then sneaking Makhan for you. Don't even try to forget that Kanha. If Devki or Rohini Maa ever learns about this, I'm sure we're not spared." Dhriti frowned making Kanha chuckle.

"Makes me remember how Gauri had caught you red handed along with Vinayak." Kanha said, laughing more.

"You know, I have been reminded about this incidence twice this month. And that was a very embarrassing situation. So Now leave it." She said, partly laughing.

"Alright, Pitashree and Dau are too simple and pure hearted to think that Duryodhan would not send his ritual horse in Dwarka." Kanha said getting down from his horse as he waited for Dhriti.

"Why? Do you think otherwise?" She replied shockingly.

"Don't you?" Kanha questioned back.

"I know he was foolish enough to think about attacking on Dwarka but oh god! Its against Kshatriya Dharma to attack on a state with whom they share a matrimonial relation." Dhriti reasoned.

"Yes and Bhrata Duryodhan and Mamashree Shakuni are the people walking on the path of Dharma na." Kanha said as Dhriti caught his sarcasm.

"I'll not spare him if he's thinking of sending his horse here to establish his authority." Dhriti crossed her arms.

"And would you raise your weapons against your brother?" Kanha raised his eyebrow.

Dhriti looked down as she kept thinking about it making Kanha smile.

"Think about it Priye." He said leaving Dhriti in a flood of questions.

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Dhriti kept changing her sides as Nidra Devi had decided not to let her close her eyes for even one moment. The constant thoughts of Duryodhan and his army attacking Dwarka and she, not having any other option other than raising her weapon against her family made her feel sick.

"I would have shook Bhrata Arjun or Nakul and ranted about this." She thought as her eyes filled with tears.

She turned around to wake Kanha up but as soon as she touched his arm, she could feel the peace running throughout his body. She refrained from waking him up as she smiled looking at his composed figure, quietly resting.

Kanha was always at peace. Even if he wasn't, his face ways showed the peace to instantly calm any other creature.
Dhriti's thought now diverted towards her impatient nature, putting her in another set of thoughts.

"Was Lakshmi really like this? Or was Sita like this?" Her mind questioned her.

"Obviously not. Lakshmi is forever calm, caring. She's so at peace that her face almost never shows anger.
And-and Sita! She smiled and accepted they way Manthara treated her when they were exiled. She did not even raise her voice even once when the praja threw insults at her about her purity." Dhriti answered herself.

It seemed that Dhriti had realized the reason as she kept quite for a few, while her mind went silent.
Acharya Drona always made it a point about how Dhriti was beyond curious that at times he had it enough and since then, Dhriti had built up this habit of embedding her numerous questions in her heart to such an extent that sometimes she even thought that she must be annoying and bugging Kanha with her questions. But Kanha knew this nature of hia chanchala. And he loved it.

"Pitaji, don't you ever feel that you have absolutely no one who can answer your questions. Not me, not didi nor mata?" She remembered Lakshmi asking Samudra Dev.

"Shri, Putri there's a time when you grow up. Maturity strikes your soul and your body. And that's time you realize your inner virtues. One of those virtue is holding the ability to find your own answers. And I'm sure my Shri will do that someday." Samudra Raj smiled at his innocent daughter.

Tears again rolled down her face as she quickly wiped it off. She was in pain but still didn't want to wake Kanha up from his precious sleep. One look at him and she felt like peacefully sleeping in his arms without waking him up.
Tired of all her running thought, that was the exact same thing she did the next moment. Retired into her safe place.

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"Look bacche Duryodhan, Dwarka shares family relations with Hastinapur. Don't do this stupid job of sending this horse in that territory." Shakuni shook Duryodhan in his senses.

"Think about it Mitra Duryodhan, would you do the same thing with Dushala? Will you send this ritual's horse to Sindhu as well? If no, then remember, whatever it is, Dhriti is still your sister and Dwarka her home now. So take back your silly descision." Karna warned.

"Jyesth Bhrata, if you even budge one single soldier of Dwarka, the armies of Indraprasth and Kuntibhoj will counterattack." Dushasan spoke.

"Idiot Dushasan, bhrata Yudhishthir has promised that he won't attack on Hastinapur and coming to Kuntibhoj, its Mata Kunti's maternal home. Now why and how is it possible for them to attack on Hastinapur. Their daughter's home now?" Duryodhan laid his point.

"My foolish nephews, leave the armies of Indraprasth and Kuntibhoj aside. Narayani Sena of Yadav Clan is Aryavart's strongest army. Seven regiments, 7! 6 of them lead by your guru mahabali Balram and one by Kritavarma. He was the one who had singlehandedly managed to track down and capture all my men previously.
And I think you don't need another special explanation about what kind of a warrior Dhriti is.
Who knows it better than Angraj. She had fought a war alongside him.
And don't test her when you know how she managed to defeat Devraj Indra." Shakuni explained.

"Mamashree! I know you're worried about the fact that she'll drag down Gandhar into shatters. But you should not worry. As far as I know, Dhriti won't raise a single weapon on her brothers and I haven't seen Krishn fighting with anyone weapons my whole life." Duryodhan assured still not ready to leave his pride aside.

"Mitra, you're putting Hastinapur in danger. Also, this is against Mahamahim and Maharaj's orders." Karna did a last attempt to explain him.

"Dushasan, this ashwa will be directed towards Dwarka by you and few of my soldiers while me, Mamashree and Mitra Karna will follow shortly." Duryodhan sternly ordered as Dushasan, having no other option, nodded proceeding.

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

The early morning sea currents blew faster than normal today as they hit Dhriti's face while she walked towards the waters.

She sudden change in weather constantly hinted her about something about to happen today.

"If bhrata Duryodhan pulls an attack on Dwarka, I can't stand there empty handed, without raising my weapons." She thought fidgeting  with her hands while the strong, cold breezes messed her hair and her neatly pinned attire but she was least bothered about it.

"But-but what will Bhratashree Yudhishthir think about me? That-that I had lost it till such an extent that I raised weapons on my cousins?" Dhriti restlessly looked around.

"And what will Mata say? Her daughter had let her down by clashing with her homeland.
If I do this, I'll be upsetting Pitamah Bhishma and all the warfare strategies he taught. I'll be disrespecting everyone."  She shook her head yet again.

"Also, if I stay quiet on this, I'll come out as a partial one, silently forgiving the misdeeds of my cousins.
First of all, what a shame that my own family members might have thought of attacking Dwarka. Dwarka's Kulvadhu, being a threat to her own clan!" Dhriti gulped as she felt someone's presence behind her but chose to ignore it.

"Lakshmi......" The voice softly spoke.

Dhriti's senses tingled as she found the voice strikingly familiar. She turned around slowly walking towards the direction from where someone called her.

As soon as her feet touched the little waves, a huge smile appeared on her face as she saw Samudra Dev appearing in front of her.

"Pranam Pitaji." She joined her hands, gently bowing down.

"Aayushman Bhava. Akhanda Saubhagyavati Bhava." She smiled blessing her.

"What made you come here Pitaji?" Dhriti smiled back.

"Yesterday, you remembered me so here I am. What made you so restless Lakshmi?" He asked in concern.

"I did not get my answer Pitaji. I'm in a dilemma. Bhrata Duryodhan, most probably would send his ritual horse inside Dwarka's territory despite being told not to.
As a sister it would be so wrong to raise my weapons against him but at the same time, I cannot stand and just see whatever is happening. Also, he's not a person who would sit and resolve things. " Dhriti worryingly spoke as a smile appeared on the other one's face.

"Tell me Lakshmi, when you step inside a battlefield who are you?  A daughter, a wife, a sister or a warrior? " He questioned.

"A warrior." She answered without a second thought.

"So I guess you got your answer, didn't you? No one is anyone's family member inside a battlefield. Everyone is just a warrior. If Yuvraj Duryodhan would have given a single thought about being your brother or a family member, just the way you are since yesterday, he would never attack Dwarka." He further added.

"I got my answer Pitaji. If anything happens, I'll surely pickup my weapons. Not against my brother or my family members, but against someone who is doing it wrong.
Thankyou so much Pitaji. I would have never arrived at a descision without you." Dhriti thanked him.

"I'm glad I could help you putri. Now, its time for me to take a leave. Whenever you need any kind of help, or if you wish to see me, just stand here and remember me. This Samudra Raj will surely come for his putri Lakshmi.
Also, give my greetings to Narayan. " He smiled, vanishing in the waves as Dhriti beamed, running towards the palace to inform Kanha.

She speedily walked towards the hallway, as she sensed the tensed atmosphere as she neared the commom room where Dau, Vasudev, Kritvarma, Satyaki and Kanha sat, surely discussing some serious issue.

"Maharaj, Hastinapur Yuvraj Duryodhan has started his Ashvamedh Yagya. Soldiers and spies have informed that his horse, under the control of Rajkumar Dushasan is marching towards Dwarka." Satyaki informed as Dau got up in rage.

"How is this possible! Hastinapur shares a family relation with Dwarka. Did he forget this simple thing?" Dau asked as Kanha smiled, as him to calm down.

"No Putra, it was our mistake to even believe that Yuvraj wont do such a thing. A person who could easily wish for his cousins to be burnt alive, can very easily send a mere ritual horse to his sisters home, to establish his supremity.
Kritavarma, make an announcement in the city. Ask everyone to stay inside their houses as much as possible. Forbid eveyone from nearing the borders.
Dau, Kanha, you and Satyaki would be enough for them. The four of you stand on the borders.
I'll wait here, if in case he changes his mind to arrive at peace." Vasudev calmly spoke as Dhriti stood there, listening to every word.

She knew some or other way, this was coming. But it still broke her heart that Duryodhan made up his mind to really do something like this.

She blinked her eyes to wipe away her tears as she turned around, taking huge steps towards her room.
She quickly put her sword in the scabbard and grabbed her bow as she walked out of her chambers.

"Where are you going bhabhishree?" Subhadra asked, makikg her stop suddenly.

"Armoury." She replied without turning around as she took a leave, leaving Subhadra in pure confusion.

Dhriti continued walking towards the territory where all the soldiers stood as they made a way, seeing Dhriti, in pure rage looking at the approaching chariot of Dushasan, with the grand horse of the yagya.

"Rajkumari....." One of the men tried to stop her building anger as he tied her hanging Angawastra around her waist.

"Him and his horse won't even touch the main city. He's going back to Hastinapur......... Without the horse." She let out as the situation tensed up with each and every step of Dushasan, nearing.

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