Returning back to royal life was a pain. Literally.

It was so much easier to not wear twenty kilograms of jewellery the time, while carrying Madhu around.

On the plus side, Yudhishthir's mood seemed to have lifted considerably once we'd returned ‌, seeing as Madhu and I were having better meals now.

Once I caught him wiping a tear off when she looked excited about jalebi.

" Yudhishthir. " I whispered at night one time, waking up to our daughter sitting in the middle of the bed.

"She began sitting? When? " He asked with a yawn.

"I don't know. But look. " I said, pointing over to her as we saw her, attempting to move around on the bed.

"Oh she's adorable! Hold me! " I squealed silently as I put my hand in his.

" Yes, she is, although I see where her impatience comes from. " He chuckled.

"Yes yes. I know. No need to rub it in my -"

Had I not known she was still on the bed, I would have had a heart attack at her dropping head first into the bed.

"Alright, that's enough, come on. " He said, scooting to the front of the bed to pull her to us, settling her by his side.

"This feels nice. " He muttered into her head,osing his eyes as he sighed.

" I know, life is so beautiful when nurtured well. "

"Wouldn't you agree. " He mumbled, falling asleep almost immediately.

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The following morning brought news that would shock us to the core.

"Divide the kingdom? " Yudhishthir exclaimed as we were all gathered in our room, both Arjun and Bheem sitting with their wives, while I stood next to him with a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

" Haan putr, it is the best option. Truly, a smart one. Maharaj Dhritarashtr has become blind in his love for his son -"

"It's not love kakashree. Love doesn't bind. " I said and he sighed, nodding in agreement.

"So, which part will you all choose? " Jyeshth Karn asked.

" Well, we were thinking Khandavprasth. " Yudhishthir answered and there were rounds of absolute protests.

"Khandavprasth? Jyeshth, there is nothing there! Where will we live? " Nakul asked.

"There have to be huts in Khandavprasth kumar Nakul. We'll live in them. " Panchali said smiling at her devarshree.

" But Yudhishthir, that land is barren, cursed -" Mata added

"Land can never be cursed bhabhishree, Bhoodevi can never be cursed. Our actions may render it so, but the land herself can never be cursed. " Kakashree interjected, while the others nodded in agreement.

"So it's final. We'll live in Khandavprasth."

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That day, I was standing in the practicing arena, when I heard the sound of Angraj calling my name.

" Sagarika! " He called as I moved closer.

"Ji Jyeshth, what is the matter? " I asked, although looking around for anyone else too.

" Well I wanted to ask -why are you looking over my shoulder? " He asked suddenly.

"I'm trying to see if there is anybody following us. I'd like to spend my night out of prison. " I answered coldly.

" Rest assured I came here myself bahan, I need to talk to you. " He said, placing his hand on my head.

"Fine." I resigned, shaking my head.

" The reason why I came suddenly and left, is because, one of mitr Ashwatthama's soldiers saw Bheem rushing into the forest, although he assumed it to be a hunch. Trying to keep suspicion off myself, I walked into the forest, reassuring Duryodhan that if I return it will be soon, otherwise never. "

"So? Why were you there at all? "

"So that no one could be suspicious and actually walk in to find you. I am disgusted by what my friend did. I cannot imagine stooping to that level just after a throne. So I made the only decision of my life that would support my ideals. "

"You abandoned the friendship? " I asked, knowing that that wouldn't be the answer.

"I abandoned ttye crown. I am no longer Angraj Karn. I'm just Karn. I can't break my friendship, I have to pull my friend to the right path. I'm indebted -"

"Indebted.... Fine. If you think you can fix whatever is cooking in that monster's -"

"Don't call him a monster bahan -"

"He was about to make me walk all the way from the Mayavan to Hastinapur in the blistering heat, when I was crying in pain on the chariot, claiming that ' prisoners shouldn't be comfortable'. So yes, to me he is a monster. " I glared at him.

"I- I am sorry for his behaviour -"

"You don't have to be his lapdog you know. He's your friend, not your master. Rather I'm surprised that you didn't tell him we were alive - "

"Why would I tell him! That would put my family in danger -"

" YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH HIM IS WHAT WILL PUT US INTO DANGER! "

" I am not going to argue with you, you are elder to me, you should know. But if you don't, you can play house all you want with mata and her sons, but stay away from me and my daughter. I wouldn't have minded as much if it were simply me being involved, but now so is my daughter. If you cannot make up your mind that this is not friendship, then stay away from me and my child. Pranipat. " I said, storming off.

" Sagarika! Wat! " I heard, but I disreagarded it, moving back to the palace.

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If me banging into fifteen things on my way to the bed didn't tell my husband I was mad, then my crying definitely did.

"What's wrong! Who hurt you? " He asked, clearing his table off with one move, rather nearly if I was being observant and pulled me into his lap.

" Nothing . I just want to sit here. " I told him softly, hididng my face in his neck.

"T-that's alright, but I need to know why you are crying. " He asked softly, as he ran his arms over my shoulders and upper arms to calm me down.

"I was practicing simple movements in the arena, when your Jyeshth came up to me, explaining why he just came and left like the wind. When I asked him if he's abandoned the friendship, he refused, saying he abandoned the cro-crown and that he is indebted to that vile
monster -Duryodhan. So I asked him to stay away from me and Madhu until he figures out his true loyalties. " I sniffled as he continued running his hands over my arms. His jaw set hard as he sighed, putting his face on my shoulder, mimicing my actions.

"It's alright, I'll talk to him. Come, we'll look into this. I found something you'd like. " He whispered, kissing my cheeks, as he softly icited me to open my eyes and look at what he had in front of me.

" That -that looks like a chemical. " I said, staring at the symbols on the page.

"Yes, I figured something out and I want you to be the expert that the kingdom will rely on. The water has been contaminated by this chemical in khandavprasth. How can we solve it. You'll be my queen, you'll be their queen. You'll help us establish our home in Khandavprasth. " He said, nuzzling my nose.

" This is -such a big responsibility. I don't know if I am -"

I was shut up with a soft kiss, then he joined his forehead with mine, staring into my eyes.

"I can't take you back to your dreams in Kaliyug, but I can bring Kaliyug to you. I asked the librarian in the palace, these are the best books on rasaysn shastr. We'll use them, you'll use them. You'll make a dying land like Khandavprasth into our home. " He whispered.

If I was crying again, it was out if happiness, which he couldn't distinguish because his eyes grew wide with panic again.

"Is there something wrong? I'm sorry, don't do it if you don't want to its f-"

For once, I was the one to shut him up.

"No. I love it. I love that you took the time to look for this. I love you. " I whispered to him, settling into his lap, my head on his shoulder and my legs across his as he sat doing his work while I fell asleep.

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"So, when are we leaving ? " I asked Yudhishthir, who had shifted me over to the bed for comfort but had managed to accidentally wake me up when he lay me down on the bed.

"I assume in about a day or two. Why? Do you have something to do? " He asked softly and I sighed.

" No, I want to know if we can ever return to the pushpbhoomi. Away from all this, just us,you, me and maybe Madhu too. That's our place. " I, said, standing up to walk infront of him as he struggled with a neckpiece.

"Why are you tugging on it. Do it gently. " I said, laughing as I swatted his hands away from the offending jewellery, gently opening it with a tug.

" There. All done. " I told him softly, watching as he looked at me with a find look.

(INTIMACE AHEAD OR ATTEMPTED...THEY HAVE A KID NOW. READER DISCRETION ADVISED)

"What is it? " I asked, laughing nervously as I ran a hand against the back of my head in nervousness.

" Well, I wanted to do something. " He whispered, turning me around to face the mirror.

"What are you upto? " I chuckled when I felt him pulling my hair over to one side on my shoulder, softly unclasping the giant heavy piece that rested there.

"Oh thank god, I was waiting to remove -what are you doing? " I asked, breathing in nervously as he ran a single finger up and down my neck.

" I'm figuring out where the new neckpiece I bought for you will sit. Near the base of your neck or near your clavicles. " He mumured, softly removing his hand to bring out a soft silk pouch.

"Well, make me wear whatever is in that." I said softly.

He smiled and just before he could pull it out, I heard Panchali's worried voice call for me.

"Jiji! Karali! " She called running into the room.

" Jiji, Madhu has a fever and nothing I've done is helping. " She pantsd and my heart dropped.

If it was just a fever, I wouldn't have worried, babies catch all kind of viruses and fall sick, but it helps to build their immunity, but this time, since she wasn't getting well, I was nervous.

I looked at Yudhishthir as we ran out the room, with Panchali following us.

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Hehehe... So why's Gudu so sick? Any reason? Tell me in the comments and do vote.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥