Prishati stared at a distance at the outline of the cottages that accommodated the boys of the gurukul. She was standing at the entrance of the boy's quarters as she wasn't allowed to go any further. She felt uncomfortable standing there because this was not how she started her morning generally.

She would always make out Parth standing at the entrance of the girl's quarters grinning about to fall under the piles of books he was holding. He hadn't come today. So, Prishati stood waiting for him. Trying not to worry she looked around and her eyes found Madhav.

She had already met him. He had thanked her and Parth for handling the situation with Keshavi. It was more of a habit now, Madhav flustered whenever a girl of his age came to the gurukul. So Parth and Prishati took upon them to save his reputation. But this time it seemed different. He was more flustered when she was not around and probably his best self when she was. Like now, they were talking at a distance so Prishati couldn't make out what they were talking about. But, their animated actions portrayed that Madhav had just cracked a joke and Keshavi was laughing. She had already asked Madhav about Parth but he was clueless.

She looked around. The gurukul looked crowded today. The 5 acres housed more than 200 students. But today looked there was an abundance of them. She saw many new faces she hadn't seen before. Then her eyes locked upon a boy a little older than her perhaps who was harassing one of the students who were visibly smaller than him. Prishati was about to walk towards them when a girl as small as the boy being harassed came between the two. She saw the two argue a little but the older boy finally gave in and went away and the girl picked the boy up from the ground. Probably the bully's sister there facial structure looked almost the same, not the values. She turned towards the cottages again, thinking about what was taking him so long.

-:-

"Do we understand?" asked Dhairya solemnly.

"Yes, Jeshtha but we can at least tease them right?" asked Abhay his eyes twinkling with mischief.

"No. Treat them as any other student of the gurukul."

Aradhya stifled a laugh.

"What happened?" asked Dhairya.

"There is hardly any student who Jeshtha hasn't teased." to which Abhay grinned.

"Remember in your heart that they are our brothers, just do not let that escape your mouth." said Dhairya seriously.

"I do not think they want places in their hearts, Jeshtha!" Abhay said anger flashing in his eyes.

"They are astray right now brother and it is our duty to lead them to the right way, but we can't do that here."

Their mother had been very clear about this. She didn't want their identity to be known by anyone. She was not sure if they would be given what was theirs when they returned. It was not very hard, until now. Five boys from a household was not a very uncommon phenomenon in the Aryavarta. But their 100 cousins would make it a trifle harder. The sons of the interim King of Hastinapur had arrived. Along with their sister. Everyone knew of them. If the five brothers associated with them, their identity would be known.

The military general of Hastinapur had been successful in keeping Gandharraj Shakuni's evil eye from his city for about half a decade. But, Shakuni had returned with the excuse of missing his sister. And he was shocked to see that his nephews and niece in the city. Flabbergasted he had asked Dhritrashtra why they weren't in gurukul? To which his brother-in-law had laughed and told him that they were attending gurukul. It was so near the palace that most of the time they were at home. This was the result of the King's inability to stay apart from them. Shakuni had tried to wield his anger in by gritting his teeth. He knew anger always resulted in outcomings which he did not want. In about a month he had succeeded in cajoling the King to send the 100 boys and their sister to the Gurukul of Drona. To his brother-in-law, he had put forward the reason for wanting his nephews to learn from the best, and it was partly true, Drona was indeed one of the best teachers at the time. To the sceptical Bhishma, he had said that he wanted the brothers to grow up together. But the real intentions he had shared with the eldest and his favourite nephew, Duryodhana. The tactic was simple, 'Keep your friends close but your enemies closer'. He knew that Kunti wasn't sure if her sons would get their birthright and Skauni wanted to keep it that way. He had made the brothers comprehend that though they needed to study the five brothers, they would not associate with them as brothers.

"But what if they call us as their brothers?" asked Parth.

"I doubt that." answered Abhay.

"So, do we understand?" asked Dhairya yet again.

"Yes Jeshtha." the four brothers said almost in unison.

-:-

"Hey!" called Parth.

Prishati released a breath she didn't realise she was holding when she saw that goofy smile on his face.

"What took you so long?" she asked.

Parth did not like keeping things from her. He was very close to telling her who he was. But he decided against it as he didn't want to ruin their friendship. What if his being a prince harmed it? Prishati looked noble but he couldn't be sure, in his opinion, she was a queen.

"Nothing. Aradhya wasn't feeling very well, so just took a little time." he said.

"Is he fine, now?" she asked concerned.

Parth just nodded. Guiltier, she hadn't even questioned him once. She trusted him. He snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the 10-year-old swarthy skinned friend of his coming towards them.

"What happened to him?" he asked Prishati.

Prishati shrugged, seeing Madhav wobble towards them, his eyes clouded. She caught hold of his right forearm, preventing him to fall.

"Madhav?' she asked.

"Yes?" Madhav said, his eyes on her, but his mind elsewhere.

"What happened?" Parth asked shocked to see the mischievous yet composed Madhav like this.

"I just had a realisation." Madhav said.

"What?" asked Prishati.

"I am going to marry her."

For a moment both of them were at a loss of words until they realised who he was talking about. Parth found his senses first.

"What? Oh Lord Rudra knock some sense into him. Marry her? You haven't even talked to her-"

"I have." said Madhav.

"Yes, he has." Prishati said nodding.

"Okay, once! But still? How could you even?" Parth asked puzzled.

"You won't get it." Madhav said placing a hand on Parth's right shoulder.

-:-

"What are we seeing here Parighosh?" asked Devaj, meaning 'from God' from his younger brother who was named right, 'a loud sound'.

Everyone knew who the 100 brothers were, but keeping with traditions they had been given gurukul names.

"A friend of mine tying my braid. Thank you, very much for your unneeded attention!" Prishati said joining her hands. Parth hid his smile behind her pretending to be busy tying her braid.

"Watch your mouth!" said Devaj, getting his teeth.

"If you would bring a mirror, kind sir!" Prishati replied smiling. She had already decided that she didn't like him, he was the one who was bullying the boy early the very same morning.

"He meant what is coming out of it!" said Parighosh, feeling the need to speak.

"Parth, would you please tell me what is coming out of my mouth?" Prishati said feigning curiosity.

"Angelic words!" Parth replied loud enough for the brothers to hear.

"Oh! Thank you very much!" Prishati said hiding her face behind her hands, pretending that she was flustered.

"You two scums! I will-" Devaj started.

"I think you should focus more on what is escaping out of your mouth." Prishati said smiling a little.

"And what is that?" asked Parighosh, dumbfoundedly.

"Garbage!" said Prishati, before Devaj or Parighosh could say or do anything she spoke up again, "Need to be put in the garbage collection pit! Did you know that Parth?" asked Prishati to a Parth who barely able to suppress his grin now.

"You!" Devaj said anger flaring in his eyes. Before he could do anything, a boy much older than him, held him back and said something in his ear. He was Ashwathama, the son of Drona. The son of the Guru took no other name as his lineage was known by all. Ashwathama was almost 14 or 15, way older than the 11-year-old Devaj. The party of three left humiliated, when they were out of sight Parth finally let out the laugh he had been confining, Prishati joined him.

-:-

"I heard what you did with that bully Devaj! I appreciate you more than ever now! I wish I was there to see his face." Abhay said just having finished the morsel of food in his mouth.

They were having lunch. The four brothers except the middle sitting across Prishati.

Prishati didn't say anything as she was still chewing. She looked down at her plate again to take another bite and realised the amount of okra in her plate had increased. She looked at Parth sitting on her left. He just shrugged. Prishati knew he didn't like the vegetable so she said nothing.

"Abhay, you shouldn't enjoy other's pain." Dhairya said seriously. Prishati had seen it coming. The eldest of the five was very earnest and committed. Hard on himself and hard on others.A fervent follower of Dharma. She respected that.

"Sorry, Jeshtha." Said Abhay, he was the tallest and the most buff of the five. He was the best friend anyone could have and the worst enemy. He was very fun once you got in his good books, but he could also kill you in your sleep if you made him doubt you.

"Anyways if he bothers you again tell me, I will topple him with my sword." Aradhya said playfully. Laughs were heard. Aradhya was the kind of person who liked to live in the moment. Not too serious, but very pragmatic, complimenting the idealistic eldest. Dhairya didn't join. One more person who didn't was Gyanav.

"How in the world can you topple a 30-kilo boy by your sword! That is impractical!" Gyanav said irritated.

"We better believe him! There is no text he hasn't read!" Udyat said sitting on Prishati's right. Udyat was not the brightest student but he respected Gyanav's fierce intellect. Besides he was also the best friend of Aradhya.

"Where is Madhav?" asked Prishati leaning towards Parth regarding the empty seat on his left.

Parth pointed his head towards the direction where the boy was standing. He was talking to Keshavi and had forgotten to eat his lunch. Keshavi was conflicted between her hunger and her kindness. Prishati was brought back to the lunch when she heard Gyanav.

"Jiji, could you please grant me five minutes of your time, I have a doubt?" Gyanav asked politely, Prishati nodded. She knew it so wasn't going to be five minutes. The smallest of the five was by far the smartest.

"I can't understand a verse of Isha Vasya Upanishad. Don't fret!" said Gyanav.

Prishati was about to reply when she realised the sentence wasn't directed to her.

"What! I said nothing!" said Parth flushed.

आगमन हुआ शतम् का है

क्या घटा छायेगी अन्धेर की

गुरुपुत्र उनका सखा है

क्या स्थिति बदलेगी अब गुरुकुल की

माधव को क्या हुआ है

क्या है ये घड़ी अमंगल की

अब पार्थ और प्रिशति को समझना है

क्या शक्ति है उनके प्रेम की