By the sixth month, I was waddling around the whole area, especially out of my bed.

" What's wrong? " I heard my husband's groggy voice call out, as I rolled, quite literally out of bed.

"Washroom." I muttered, as I walked slowly. I felt two hands around my waist, helping me along.

"Thank you. " I muttered.

These four months living here had taught me how smart it was to not leave immediately after the birth of Bheem's son. It was exhausting and painful, but it was my life for now.

As I made my way back to the bed, I saw a tired Yudhishthir sleeping peacefully, chest rising and falling steadily, while the child in me had decided to make my insides it's own punching bag... And it's all Yudhishthir's fault. You don't believe me? I'll show...

A month ago.

"What! The lion dies in lion King? " Yudhishthir asked shocked.

"Yes dear husband. You slept halfway through the film that day. Mufasa dies because Scar pushed him off and Simba thinks it's because of him that his father -aah. " I stopped mid sentence as I felt a light kick against my stomach.

"What is it.? Are you alright? Should I call mata -" My husband asked worried.

If you've lived long enough with him, you'd know that he won't be reassured so easily. So I did the next best thing, picked up his hand and put it against my stomach.

"Sagarika what -"

"Shh. For once, let go of your panic and just feel. " I whispered.

He looked at me confused, ready to bolt out the door when our child graced him with his presence, with a firm kick towards my diaphragm, where I placed my husband's hands.

"I -what? "

" Do you feel that? That's your child you bonehead! " I said, when I felt a sharper one.

"Oh really? You don't like it when I call your papa a bonehead -aah. " This time, I had to clutch at my stomach.

Yudhishthir meanwhile looked at me with tears.

Uh oh.

"What's wrong? Why are you crying? " I asked as I raised my hand to wipe his tears off, when he raised both of his to pull me into a hug followed by a soft kiss. It was sweet and hopeful, grateful.

"You've given me one of the greatest gifts a man could ever want my dear heart. Thank you. I can't even imagine how hard it is to truly nurture a child inside one's own body. " He said, pulling me into a side hug. His hands made their way back to my mid section, as he caressed the growing bump with love, earning resounding kicks each time.

" Oh great. Now I'll have to deal with this too. " I muttered, leaning my head back against a steadily moving shoulder as he aimed to curb his laughter.

"You find this funny! Your child won't let me sleep now -"

"Ours. Our child. "

"Yes well-"

"No. Shh. I'll tell her. Don't trouble her mata. " He said, crouching down in the bed.

"Hi little girl, I am sure you are one. Now, I know you've found an interesting task, being able to move your hands and feet around, but your mata will be in pain all the time if you do. Please let her sleep, you and I will sleep too. Alright? " He tried, but was met with, if a softer but still a kick.

"Hmm, what if I sang you a song? " He said and was answered with a much softer punch.

"Alright, well, let's see. Mata? Which one should I sing? " He asked, looking at me.

"Of all songs, you choose this one? " I asked laughing.

"Tum se hi din hota  hai, surmai shaam aati hai, tum se hi tume se hi -"

Within only a few lyrics, all the moving subsided, all kicks and punches stopped.

"Sleep my dears, both of you. " He whispered as he saw me dozing off too.

In conclusion, ever since that day, I have found it impossible to calm my rambunctious child down from her nightly activities, unless my dear husband sings to her.

Which is why, seeing him sleeping peacefully made me cry in frustration. I know he has been working truly hard, assisting Bheem in the order of the rakshasas, helping in food provisions, looking after me, mata and his brothers, so much so that he barely has time for himself. Earlier I could force him to rest but now even I'm not physically capable of runninga free him.

So, sitting in my pain, I sat trying to calm my child down.

"Hi, dear me, how are you? " I asked , rubbing my hands on my stomach as I moved the pallu of the saree to one side.

"Oh how strong you've grown, I feel your kakashree Bheem will be very proud and try to train you since childhood, do you want that too? " I asked as the kicks subsided.

"Your kakashree Arjun will try his best to teach you the art of archery, but I'll force him to teach you dance as well if you'd want to learn. He is an exceptional dancer. Kakashree Nakul has decided to teach you how to look after your face, so that you may even surpass his beauty while Kakashree Sahdev is still vey intent on sitting you down late at night to teach you all about the stars in our galaxy. Would you like that? You pitamahi is happy to want to play with you all day, hoping to relive her children's childhood through you. Won't you give her that happiness? " I asked and the punches became soft nudges.

"How fortunate you are to have so many who'll love you, to give you the love that I never had. But I am sorry my dear, you won't meet your mamashree Ajatshatru anytime. Or your mamishree Devika Or mausishree Sulohita. AJ had so many dreams. He had fully planned to spoil my child, he told me himself one day. Alas he can never do that. And I am so sorry for that my dear. Sorry-" I broke off, anymore was about to shatter my heart. It was milestones like these where I wanted to run to my brother, show him how big his niece or nephew was and how he was still not allowed to spoil my child.

" I'm so sorry my dear. Shall we sleep now? Please? Mata wants to rest. I am so tired now. " I tried and was met with silence.

I breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the tears off my face as I slowly bent down to sleep.

Not a moment had passed when I felt a small fluttering again. Really? After I poured my heart out to you?

" Please go sleep my dear, it's so late." I tried again. While the fluttering did die down to an extent, it wouldn't stop and neither were my frustrated tears.

" Come here. 'Tum se hi. Tum se hi'. " I heard my husband mutter as he got up on one elbow, using his other hand to calm our child down.

"This isn't fair. Why doesn't she listen to me? Does she not like me? " I asked as more of the traitorous tears made their way down my face.

" No, no my love. She loves you, she's, well, passionate. " He said, trying to appease both parties.

"Of all words that you could have said, you chose passionate? You know what -mghm. " I began but was interrupted by a hand on my mouth, the comforting feeling vanished from my stomach.

"She's finally asleep. Shh. Come here." He said, but now, it was hard for us to sleep together. There was no comfortable position.

" I'll sleep. You also sleep. " He whispered, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

𝕀𝕟 ℙ𝕣𝕒𝕘𝕛𝕪𝕠𝕥𝕚𝕒𝕙𝕡𝕦𝕣, 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕤 𝕒𝕘𝕠.

"No! She can't be dead! These five men are one of thw strongest and smartest people I know! " I slammed my fist against the table.

"Ajat-" Mata tried.

"No! I won't rest until I find her.

" But -"

"No. My sister can't be dead mata, she can't be! " I cried, walking out into the garden to see Devika and Sulohita sitting together.

" I cannot believe a fire of all things can kill her. She is Karali, she can't die. " Sulohita announced tearfully as they rounded to stare at me.

My dear love looked at me through teary lashes.

"We'll  find them,won't we? " She whispered softly.

All I could do was pull her into a strong hug, proprietary be damned.

"We'll find them, I promise you I won't rest till we do. I'll die trying. " I said, convincing myself.

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Who all missed AJ?  More of a filler chapter before the big fiasco I'd like to call birth of Saag's child... You'll know why.

Tell me in the comments how it was and do vote.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥