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Anya trudged into the palace, covered head to toe in dust like she had just rolled around in a dirt field. The maids and soldiers behind her looked equally defeated, while she dragged her feet towards Rukmini and Revati, who were busy overseeing the preparations for the wedding.

Rukmini spotted her first, eyes widening in shock. "Anya? What on earth happened to you? And where is Subhadra?"

Revati looked equally horrified, covering her mouth. "Why are you covered in dust? Did... did you fall into a ditch?"

Anya sighed dramatically, shaking her head. "I wish it was just a ditch. No, my dear Rukmini and Revati, I’ve witnessed something far more chaotic and ridiculous today. Brace yourselves for the most dramatic event in the history of Dwarka.”

Rukmini stepped closer, clearly concerned. "What do you mean? Where is Subhadra?"

Anya threw her hands in the air, making a cloud of dust swirl around her. “Oh, she’s gone. She’s gone like a gust of wind! One moment she’s praying, and the next, she’s being whisked away by our very own romantic hero, *Arjun*!”

Revati gasped, covering her mouth again. "What? Arjun... eloped with Subhadra?"

Anya nodded, already relishing in the retelling. "Oh yes, and let me tell you, it was like something out of a ballad. There I was, happily munching on sweets, minding my own business, when suddenly, this tall, dark, and handsome Brahmin appears out of nowhere! He sweeps Subhadra off her feet, quite literally, and before I could even blink, they were galloping off into the sunset, leaving nothing but dust—" she gestured to herself, "—and me, looking like the most confused snack-eating bystander in all of Bharat."

Rukmini's jaw dropped. "He just... took her? Without a word?"

Anya nodded vigorously, her face lighting up with fake excitement. “Oh, not even a *‘hi’* or *‘how do you do.’* Just scooped her up like she was a sack of rice. The audacity! And Subhadra, bless her heart, just mouthed ‘sorry’ at me like it was nothing. Then poof! Gone in a trail of dust. I didn’t even have time to finish my ladoo before they were out of sight.”

Revati looked at her in disbelief. “You’re joking, right? This... this really happened?”

Anya gave her a deadpan look, brushing off more dust from her sleeves. “Oh, I wish I was joking. But no, I got to witness the most absurd elopement of the century. I mean, you’d think they’d at least wait for a proper wedding! But no, they had to make it dramatic—right in front of me, too. I had to stand there, watching my sweets get cold while they rode off like something out of a tragic romance novel. And then—then! The soldiers and servants tried to chase after them like they could catch up! I just stood there thinking, *'Sure, why not? Maybe they can outrun a chariot moving at the speed of love!’*"

Rukmini and Revati exchanged a look, clearly realizing the gravity of the situation. Rukmini sighed. “Oh no... Balaram is going to be furious.”

Anya smirked. “Oh, trust me, he won’t be the only one. I mean, the last thing I expected today was to come back to the palace as a dust-covered witness to a runaway bride scenario. I can already hear the drama that’s about to unfold. And here I was thinking I’d just be enjoying sweets and temple blessings.”

Not long after, the palace buzzed with the shocking news. The entire city of Dwarka soon learned about Arjun eloping with Subhadra. Balaram, as predicted, exploded in fury.

“How dare he!” Balaram’s voice boomed through the halls. “Arjun has dishonored us all!”

Anya, standing on the sidelines, couldn’t help but make a small comment to the soldier next to her. “Well, at least he was *romantic* about it. If you’re going to cause a scandal, might as well do it with style, right?”

The soldier gave her a sideways glance, clearly not appreciating her humor in such a serious situation.

Meanwhile, Shakuni and Dhritarashtra were equally enraged, throwing accusations and curses left and right. However, amidst the chaos, Duryodhan remained unnervingly calm, which immediately caught Anya’s attention.

She furrowed her brows, watching him from across the room. “What’s up with him?” she whispered to herself. “He’s acting way too zen for someone whose fiancée just ran off with his cousin.”

She observed how Duryodhan’s gaze flicked across the room, finally landing on her. The intensity in his eyes made her shiver. Before she could even react, he locked eyes with her, sending a chill down her spine. She gulped and quickly looked away, trying to regain her composure.

“I’m just imagining things,” she muttered, fidgeting awkwardly. But when she dared to glance back, Duryodhan was still watching her. She gulped again, feeling more nervous than ever. *Why is he staring at me like that?*

Just then, Balaram approached Duryodhan, his expression filled with sorrow. "I’m sorry, Duryodhan. I never imagined Arjun would do this. You... you didn’t deserve this.”

Duryodhan offered a calm smile, much to Anya’s confusion. “It’s alright, gurudev. Arjun and Subhadra made their choice. There's nothing more to say.”

Balaram sighed, patting Duryodhan’s back in apology. “You have my word, we will make this right.”

As Duryodhan excused himself, Anya stood there, utterly perplexed. “Okay, am I missing something here?” she whispered to herself. “The guy just lost his bride and he’s acting like someone stole his lunch. What’s going on in that head of his?”

Still flustered by Duryodhan’s calm reaction, Anya couldn’t help but mutter, “Seriously, this whole palace is one big soap opera. What’s next? A dramatic sword fight in the garden?”