Heya all! How are you all doing? I am back with the 27th chapter. I hope you all will like it. Happy reading! 💕

"Welcome to Gandhar Maharaj Pandu and Maharani Kunti!" Shakuni greeted smiling his usual fake smile.

A month had passed since he sent that apology letter. Though he intended the dice game to happen soon, it didn't just because of his 'favorite' (enemy) Krishna. A week back Madhav had commenced the naming ceremony of his first child, Rukmini Nandan, Pradyumna. 

Not having the courage to meet his sister and family, he had stayed back in Gandhar sending his wife and son behalf of him. But now he had his plan being processed and loved the feeling of smelling victory.

"I am happy that you accepted my apologies Maharaj. That was a kind action of yours." Shakuni thanked.

"We are a family Shakuni. It's okay." Pandu smiled.

"Please come inside." smiled Arshi, Shakuni's wife though her eyes said something else.

Arshi hugged Pritha and let her inside to the women's quarters and signaled Panchali to follow.

Parth had tightly gripped Panchali's hands knowing her feelings what she is going through inside. He whispered to his younger twins that he will be joining soon and let them join Shakuni, while he took his wife to women's quarters.

"You remember what I said right? Keep that in mind. God is always with the righteous people. Don't worry." Phalgun informed.

Nodding positively, Parshati gripped Savyasachi's hands and asked, "You will be there if something bad happens right?" looking to his eyes. 

"Don't forget that I am your husband, Panchali. Will always be for you." Arjun replied as he caressed her and turned back to join the others.

As she saw her husband leave, Draupadi whispered, "Hey Govind, please be there for us."  

"Arya, please don't sit like this. Who will support Rukmini jiji if you are so broken. Please arya. She needs you now." Jambavati, the second wife of Krishna requested.

"What should I answer her questions? How can I tell her that our son is lost and kidnapped?" Vasudev sobbed slowly.

He might be an incarnation of the Alimighty who knows everything but he is in the incarnation of a human and a human has feelings right? What if he's the Lord of the Universe, he too has laughed and cried in many situations and this is also one. 

For parents, be it mother or father, their children's safety is the utmost care and they are their small world. If their children are snatched from them, it hurts more than a trillion bows hit the body. It would be better to live in hell rather experience the separation of an infant child from it's parents.

"But arya we can't Jiji drown in search of the child who she will not get atleast soon enough." Jambavati stated.

"Jambavati, what are you speaking? My son Pradyumna is not lost or no one can kidnap him. He's just like his father, mischievous and naughty. He would be hiding somewhere." Bhaishmi said looking around in an anticipation to find her first son.

"Vaidharbhi!" Vasudev called getting up and walking upto his broken wife. 

As she felt her husband's soothing hands on her shoulder, Dwarkeshvari turned back and looked at her husband a ray of hope still radiating in her face. She knew that her answer can be given only by her husband and she hoped and prayed just for a positive reply from him.

But her world shattered to tons of pieces when she saw the only light in her life now, nod his head negatively making her life a whole fully dark mess. She couldn't believe what she just saw, her husband, her Krishna nod his head in a no, her life, her Vasudev's eyes brimmed with tears which waited to roll down. 

"Ar- ary- arya!" she stumbled on her words as well as her balance. 

"Ou- our so- son, ou- our pra- pradyu- pradyumna!" Rakhumai sobbed uncontrollably, her mind running through the memories how she hugged her son just after his birth, how his smile cheered her and the whole family. 

"Pradyumna, arya!" she whispered and fell unconscious, her mind in need of peace which she wouldn't get even if she give birth to thousands of sons. 

Madhav got hold of his unconscious wife as he dismissed everyone out of the chamber. He held Ruchiranaa in his arms and made her rest on the bed in their chamber as he rested his head on the bed rest his palms running through Krishnaatmika's messed hair.

"More power to you both. Only you can help yourself sakhi and Parth!" Govind whispered his eyes letting out the tears he was holding.

"Maharaj, shall we first bet on the treasury?" Shakuni started.

"Shakuni it would be good if we don't bet on anything. We should bet on something that it is ours. And the wealth is of the citizens of Indraprasth." Pandu smiled, a relief to the his sons.

"But there will be no joy in it Maharaj. But I agree that we can't bet on wealth or the city. I agree, but we can for sure bet on what is ours right?" Shakuni asked a small smile playing on his lips.

"Yes for sure." Pandu answered.

Somewhere in his heart, Arjun felt a tang in his heart. He felt that he had to do something and he stood up to do the same before Shakuni could say something.

"But I hope people or family is not included in what you are speaking mamashri." Arjun quipped.

Shakuni at once looked at him, rather glared and cursed something under his breath.

"Then whom will we bet on Arjun?" he asked.

"On nothing. We can play for fun just like that mamashri or else I have another option. If you agree, I can call upon it." Arjun replied a sassy look in his eyes.

Thinking for a second, Shakuni agreed his sly smile masking up with the cruel face.

"Daasi!" Arjun called whispering something.

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"Pritha please. Stop all this. I am sure arya has planned something very cruel for you all." Arshi said walking back and forth.

"Mamishri, calm down. Everything will be alright. 4 mighty warriors are there to protect us." Agnija tried.

"No putri. I know him. His activities from the past many weeks are doubtful." Arshi feared.

"Arshi, I understand your fears but-" Kunti started to explain but was interrupted by a daasi.

"Maharani, Yuvrani, you all are called to the sabha." she bowed.

"No, Pritha, Panchali don't go. This is surely of arya's plottings." Arshi stopped them.

"Who sent you?" Parshati asked.

"Yuvraj Arjun." the daasi answered.

"Let's go then." Ayonija stated.

*****
How's the chapter?
To be continued...