Dhriti smiled as she put the sandalwood paste around Draupadi's face and hands as the dasis helped to wash it.

After long debates of what to wear and how to wear, Draupadi and Dhriti finally came on terms with similar things as the bride to be was all ready to shine now.

"Now, check if you feel anything is missing. I'll be back." Dhriti said moving out of her chambers as she walked around the lake for some fresh air, only to see a beautiful purple lotus floating around.

The sight of this beautiful colour eleated her mood as she picked it up and ran towards Draupadi's chambers.

"Look Bhabi! what I got. Wait I'll put this in your hair. It'll look beautiful. Watch. " Dhriti smiled pinning the flower around Draupadi's hair.

"I'm done dolling up Dhriti. Now go get ready. You've not even started, I'm sure you're going to run out of time." Draupadi said worryingly as Dhriti walked towards her chambers.

Dhriti hurriedly enters her room as she sat in front of her mirror.

"I won't get late. Or I might?" She said adding on her jewelries on her delicate lehenga.

"I might fall down wearing all this jewelries given to me." Dhriti sighed wearing them one by one.

"Rajkumari, everyone is already waiting for you to arrive." A dasi entered.

"What!" She gasped looking at her untied hair, half open.

"Okay okay I'll be there." She said looking back at her reflection.

"Rajkumar Arjun has ordered to bring you along with us so you don't delay any further." Another one said giving a small giggle.

"Yes yes coming." She said giving up and laughing along with them.

"What took you so long?" Nakul asked as they waited in front of the mandap.

"How am I looking?" She smiled.

"Beautiful." The 5 of them said in unision as they walked towards the setting where everyone were already waiting.

Dhriti observed the change in Draupadi's look. She looked more serious and the usual smiled on her face now faded.

"Open hair looks good on you." Kanha said suddenly standing beside her as Dhriti sweetly smiled.
"But you look worried? What happened now?" Kanha whispered bending lower to her height.

"I got Bhabi ready this morning. She was so happy and beaming. Now, I don't know why she looks dull and serious." Dhriti said.

"My sakhi is worried and in self doubt." Kanha said.

"What? But why?" She whispered, to which Kanha pointed at Maharaj Drupad who stood up to say something.

"Today, my daughter is entering a whole new saga of her life. And it's a lot more difficult and different than what a normal person would think of. Therefore, Maharishi, I want the Pandav brothers to prove that I'm doing the right job ny giving my daughter's hand to the 5 of them." Drupad spoke.

"Yes, and if in the future, the brothers marry someone else of their choice, my sister's right and status would be suppressed. What about that?" Dhrishtadyumn spoke up.

"Don't worry Maharaj, right now, this statement only holds true for me. Therefore , I promise that no other wife would enter the Palace where Draupadi settles. She would have the sole right over the royal household as our wife. " Bheem said as Dhriti felt something would go wrong after agreeing to these promises.

"I understand what you are thinking Priya. But let fate play the game." Kaha said squeezing her hand asking her not to object.

"And how can my sister's innocence be preserved when she's marrying all the 5 brothers?" Shikhandi questioned.

"This is not seeming right Kanha, say something." Dhriti shook him.

"I know Priya, but if we try to put everything back on the right way, how will people learn from their mistakes? How will they know the price of their actions and it's consequences?" Kanha smiled down at her.

"That should not be something to worry about. I'll pray and offer myself to Agnidev everytime to get back my innocence." Draupadi spoke.

"Let me stop them Kanha! Why should she suffer now for something happened in the past? Why is it everytime that a woman have to sacrifice herself to Agnidev to prove her innocence. Let me ask my brothers to prove their point. Their promises. And I know special people will make a greater scene once in Hastinapur." She said clearly referring to Shakuni and others making Kanha chuckle.

"Not only Panchali, we all will prove our promises." Arjun spoke

"Kanha, can I ask you something. Will you honestly answer me?" Dhriti asked seriously looking in Kanha's lotus eyes.

"There are only and only 6 women whom I love dearly." Kanha said with a smile plastered on his face.

"Devki Maa, Rohini Maa, Yashoda Maiya, Subhadra, my Bhabi and me. I know Kanha. That's not what I was talking about." She smiled back.

"I know I know, just testing you. So what were you asking?" He laughed.

She looked at Arjun and Draupadi. "Nothing." She spoke as she was called for performing the gathbandhan rituals being the grooms' sister.

She stood there tying a knot of each of her brother with Draupadi and periodically showering little petals for flowers. Sometimes purposely on her brothers' face hoping that atleast now, they would crack a smile.
Kanha was the one who realized the sad smile spread on her face. She had definately realized something that now on no one can escape from.

"I told you to get ready faster. See, your long hair were open the whole ceremony." Draupadi whispered as she sat beside her husbands for the final ritual.

"Its not my day. Today is your big day to shine. So I'm glad I spent my time getting you ready." She smiled.

After the Saptapadi with each of the Pandav brothers, all of them together placed the beautiful golden crown on Draupadi's beautifully tied hair.

"Put that little crown properly. I have spent a lot to time getting those hair together." Dhriti said as Draupadi nodded smiling.

"Yes yes. Look Panchali, she has changed the sides now. Forgetting her brothers." Arjun chuckled as finally the long rituals ended.

Smiles were spread on the faces those who were earlier worried and tensed, including Draupadi and her now husbands. But the contagious smile, which Dhriti had carried with her since the start of the ceremony was now faded into a smaller one.

"Priya...." Kanha let out approaching her.

"I don't want to say what I am about to." She shook her head in disappointment.

"Your Kanha won't judge you." He assured her.

"Bhratashrees, Nakul and Sahadev finally took a vow in front of Agni that, not other wives of thiers would be brought to the household on which Bhabi has her sole rights. Kanha, Bharta Arjun won Yagyaseni's hand in the Swayamwar. Other 4 were put in such a situation, that there was no escape so they had to accept each other's fate. Will my brothers stay true to this woman's immense sacrifice?
I didn't want to say this Kanha. It just came out. I can't think about it anymore." Dhriti fearfully let out.

"You're not wrong Priya. But you're halfway right." Kanha held her by her shoulders.

"Tatparya?" Dhriti asked in confusion.

"Tatparya yahi ki let's go eat your favourite laddoos there." Kanha laughed as he pulled her towards the place where the sweet was served.

"Kanha, you can't avoid my questions everytime." She said looking around.

"What I meant was you can't clap with one hand. In they same way, Yagyaseni is not the only one sacrificing and obviously not the only one suffering.
Sometimes, for humans, self respect transists into ego and they thrive for vegenance." Kanha said stuffing a laddoo in her mouth as she giggled.

"That won't fit in my mouth oh Kanha." She laughed taking a bite from the large laddoo.

"Who's ego are you talking about Kanha?" Dhriti asked trying to gulp down her favourite sweet.

"Your Bhabhishree. Not that I'm blaming her, but she's fire born. Although she has a soft heart, the flame always burning inside her and her self respect can't go unnoticed. But I'm glad she has you by her side, your single voice is enough to calm her down." Kanha smiled.

"Dhriti, Vasudev! Let's go, The Raj Bhojan will start in sometime. Also, Pitashree wants to talk regarding the return to Hastinapur." Dhrishtadyumn said as he led their way inside.

The usual smile appeared back on both Kanha and Dhriti's face as they saw the Newly weds sitting together around the hall.

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

"How is this possible? My men said that the Pandavas along with Kunti were dead." Dhritarashtra spoke, bitterness evident in his tone.

"Because Maharaj, your men informed you that dead bodies of 5 men and 2 women were found in the massacre. They never mentioned that it was the Pandavas and Bhabhishree." Vidur cleared out.

"With what assurance are you speaking this Mahamantri?" Shakuni looked at him.

"The thing is, Gandhar Raj, the men were not able to distinguish if it really were the Pandavas or someone else because the fire was gruesome, and I hope you can imagine the situation of the dead bodies found later." Vidur turned towards him, catching him off guard.

"We all are very sorry that Gandhar's famous and the most talented architect has lost his life." Vidur looked down.

"Leave the sad news aside Mahamantri, its time for celebrations. Pandu's sons have got married. That too at the same time........ And to the same woman." He spoke, adding fuel to the fire.

"I never expected this from them. Marrying the same woman? This is utter nonsense and against Dharma." Bhishma fumed.

"Even Vasudev and Baldau were present there. I wonder why they didn't try to stop this disaster from occurring." Duryodhan finally opened his mouth.

"I can never forgive anyone of them. Not even Dhriti." Bhishma said getting up from his seat.

"No Tatshree. I'm sure each on of them would have an explanation for their behavior. We can't punish them without hearing their side of the story." Vidur stopped Pitamah as Shakuni frowned.

"I hope whatever you said is true." Bhishma patted Vidur as he dismissed the sabha.

"Mamashree, we have to act careful now. What if Yudhishthir asks back his title of Yuvraj?" Duryodhan asked.

"That won't happen, unless. Unless that Vasudev would give some extra wisdom his beloved Dhriti." Shakuni said.

"Dhriti and Vasudev together are a major threat to our plans Mamashree. Our numerous attempts to separate them have layed flat." Dushasan reasoned.

"Don't worry Bhanje, we still haven't lost our hopes. The trick which I'm about to play, will not let Dhriti and Vasudev end up together. And no holocaust can stop.me from doing so." Shakuni wickedly laughed.

"What are you about to do Mamashree?" Karna asked, hoping he's not planning another death trap for Dhriti.

"Now that her brothers are married, that to all at once, they have made my job easier." Shakuni explained as she saw the blank expressions on the other there's faces.

"How can this Shakuni's nephews and their best friend be so dumb. Didn't you understand a single word of mine?" He asked in pure dismay.

"What?" Karna asked still rubbing the back of his neck.

"Nothing. Every single one of you is a disappointment but I still care for you all. The plan is to get Dhriti married off and send her away from Hastinapur. All the wisdom and brainstorming of the Pandavas lies in the hands of Sahadev and Dhriti. Yudhishthir is the Jyesth, but I've seen the younger ones reasoning his actions." Shakuni spoke playing with his dice.

"But Mamashree, how are we separating Dhriti and Vasudev by marrying her off? She won't marry anyone other than him. Write my words somewhere." Karna replied.

"Oh ho Angraj? Who told you Krishn would be marrying Dhriti?" Shakuni questioned.

"Mitra Karna's right Mamashree. All the women have the right to choose their husbands. So does Dhriti. She's not like my Dushala to nod a yes to everything I say." Duryodhan got up.

"Don't stress about it Bhanje. Just come with me at your Pitashree's Bhavan once they all arrive tomorrow. Start using your rights as the Yuvraj of Hastinapur." Shakuni said taking a leave as an evil smile of hopes started appearing on both Duryodhan and Dushasan's faces.

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