A lot had changed in two years. Like Drishtdyumna's sense of fashion. He didn't feel the need to wear angavastrams anymore. Initially, everyone protested, but when he put forward the point that he was going to lose them anyway, everyone accepted. Draupadi not so much, she wore the usual modest attires with minimal jewellery. 

"You run like a woman, Drau!" Drishtdyumna panted after beating his sister in a race.

Before Draupadi could reply, the father of the two spoke.

"Putra, never underestimate the power of a woman, you think they are inferior to you?  A woman is a complete circle, she has the power to create and nurture, and if provided with the opportunities she can even destroy. But if we see men as inferior we will again be in the wrong. God created everyone the same Drishtdyumna. Indeed they both have different roles, God has gifted women with the title of nurturer but it is upon us to give her a choice to also be the provider if she wishes so. Why is that always men have to protect, if given the opportunities women can do so too? And it is you the future of Aryavarta who have to carry forwards this idea to accomplish your duty of improving the land on which you were born and educating the people with whom you were born."

Drishtdyumna stayed silent. Draupadi knew he was thinking. Her brother from such a small age was very logical, he would think over everything that Drupad had said and would agree only if it was logical.

"You are right, Baba! Drau I apologize for making that inappropriate comment." he said sincerely.

Draupadi smiled.

"But I still win right?" he asked grinning.

Again before Draupadi could object they heard noises from outside the palace. The twins ran to the balcony, which was too tall for them, so they saw the commotion from the spaces between the balustrades. They could only see a lot of people huddled around and they couldn't see what they were so enthusiastic about. Draupadi turned back to see her father as she was perplexed why he hadn't come to the balcony yet. She saw him smiling, a smile she couldn't comprehend.

"Drau, see! There is a horse rider." after a moment, "Or rideress." he added.

"Dyumna, the term rider is gender-neutral, but I appreciate your effort." Draupadi smiled and turned back towards the commotion. 

Drishtdyumna turned towards his smiling father, "Baba can we-"

"Yes, you can." he said.

"What?" Draupadi was shocked, their father never let them go out like that, especially when people were hoarding.

"Shh, let's go before he changes his mind." Drau said running away. Draupadi followed.

After a few minutes of running, they reached the area. Indeed they were being followed by the royal guards but still, they felt as if they were free for the first time. They loved being in the palace with their father, but once in a while, they would have liked to just buy a bracelet of coloured beads from the shop in the corner of the street.

Their small figures and the guards who accompanied them resulted in them viewing the cause of the commotion from the first ring of the circle. From a distance, they saw a group of horses going towards the way they had come. All of them were royal guards except one. The one in whom everyone was interested. They couldn't see who mounted the horse as the person wore a cape which pulled over the head. The black cotton cape on the white horse looked sumptuous. When the mysterious rider had just passed the twins it willed its carrier to halt. The rider jumped down the horse coming straight towards them. The twins without a word or even a look held hands. Drishtdyumna turned back seeing if the royal guards were ready if anything was to happen, to his astonishment they were smiling. He turned back towards the figure clutching Drauapdi's hand even tighter. The rider now just in front of them, after a moment of contemplation came down to its knees and with its right hand pulled the hood down making the visage visible. The face of a warrior. The face of a girl. 

Her cropped hair made her stand out. Her diamond-shaped face gave her a fierce look. She just wore a bath and a pair of earrings as jewellery. Her dark amber skin tone highlighted her toned muscles which were now visible as she had cast her cloak aside, revealing a white dhoti accompanied by a brown blouse. The border of the dhoti was veiled as it was covered behind a scabbard. Drishtdyumna clutched Drauapadi's hand even tighter, she wouldn't blame him the girl before them, looked intimidating. Then all of a sudden she sported a lopsided smile, a smile which Draupadi was compelled to return, even Drishtdyumna released the force on Draupadi's hand a little. 

The sixteen-year-old before them stood back up again as she heard the arrival of a horse, and no other horse, the King's horse. The twins saw their father mount off the horse and scurry towards the girl, tears flowing down his eyes. The girl also rushed towards the King, her eyes watery.  The two held each other in a long close embrace not saying a word. After a few minutes, they broke it and began speaking to one another but the words were hushed, so Draupadi heard only a phrase.

Her sister, Shikhandini had come.

"It is okay, Baba, I am here now." she had said.

Later that evening, the family of four were sitting in the King's chambers. The King and his eldest daughter were talking about the politics within the kingdom, though the twins understood a little, they were listening intently. They had no interest in the corrupt courtiers and the pressed people as of now, but what caught their attention was what their Jiji had said.

"Baba, I know it is a little early, but it will be beneficial for them if they grow up away from all this political drama." Shikhandini said softly as if convincing a child.

"They are just six, putri!" Drupad said flabbergasted.

"It is never too early to learn, and both of them are smart beyond their years if they do not leave now the situation of the kingdom will affect them in ways we won't want to. And you know that!" Shikhandini said keeping a hand on his shoulder.

"You are right, but who will teach them? I have heard Rishi Krip has been made the royal sage of Hastinapur, I do not think he will be able to give them enough time."

"There is someone." Shikhandini said smiling knowingly.

"Who?" Drupad said thinking hard.

"His brother-in-law. Your friend."

Drupad smiled as if relieved now, "Drona."

- : -

"Maa-" Arjun started.

"We are leaving." Kunti said sternly, grabbing Sahdev and Nakul by their wrists.

"But we only came here, Mata." Nakul complained.

"When I say we are leaving, we are leaving, okay?" Kunti shouted.

The elder twin started crying, he had never heard Kunti shout. Sahdev also seemed on the verge of tears. The eldest two were taken aback. 

But Arjun went to his mother. And embraced her. He only reached her waist. Kunti started weeping, embracing him back.

The party of six had been walking for 7 days stopping for some sleep and food. It hadn't even been a full day since the ceremony took place. The cremation ceremony. The King of Hastinapur and his second wife had passed away from reasons unknown to the boys. Kunti had not only lost her husband but her sister, but she didn't let it get to her, she could not afford to broken right now. She had five kids to take care of. She turned the only solution she could comprehend. Hastinapur.

Arjun's lips hadn't touched each other since he had entered the palace gates. It was only when Yudhishthira closed his mouth before entering the royal court. But seeing the grandeur of the majestic court, the mouth fell open again. 

The court was larger than the area the brothers were allowed to explore. On the gates was the trunk of the elephant-headed god. The removal of obstacles, Ganesha. In the middle of the court, on the floor was a large circle from which extruded wavy lines. The sun, a homage to the sun god Surya. In the middle of the sun was pond adorned with lotuses signifying the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.  Around the pond were figurines of lions which were protecting the pond, the carrier of the warrior goddess Durga. Around the sun the stairs on the left and right side of the door, also arranged in circular formation led up to the seating areas of the courtiers. The seats belonging to the courtiers had gold backrests which looked like the plumage of a peacock, a homage to the goddess of knowledge, Saraswati. From the intrados of the roof hung a chandelier from which hung strings of beads of gold and diamonds. The velvet white and red drapes added grace to the gold engraved walls. All of it was majestic. But what was the most extravagant was right in front of the door. The wall behind the three thrones, the middle one larger than the other two, was white and had been engraved such that the rays of the sun entered through them and enlightened the whole court. Every half prahar the mirrors located behind the wall were adjusted so that the court could continue to shine. The throne in the middle was cushioned with white leather, and the backrest resembled the weapon of the propagator. A homage to the wielder of the discus Sudarshana, Vishnu. The throne to it's left a trifle shorter with red fabrication was adorned with a backrest which spread like wings of a swan, the carrier of the creator. Brahma. The throne on the extreme right also fabricated with red velvet had the backrest which represented the destroyer, shaped like  crescent moon. Mahesh.

For a kingdom the propagators of good were the king and the queen, the creator of good was the queen mother, and the destroyer of evil was the supreme commander. And so it was. The interim King and Queen of Hastinapur, the blind Dhritrashtra and the blindfolded Gandhari. After the news of the demise of Pandu had reached the court, the Rajmata, Satyavati had vacated the luxuries of the palace, and the throne was waiting to be adopted. And the Senapati, the all-knowing Bhishma.

"Kunti." called Gandhari as she heard the noise of footsteps, guided by her servant she walked down the stairs to the six. 

"Kunti." wept Gandhari as she embraced her.

"Jiji." replied Kunti embracing her back, she would not sob in front of her sons, not right now, she had to be strong for them.

"How ha-"Gandhari was cut in by her husband.

"I hope you are well, Kunti. It hurts me to hear that my brother has left the world. But I assure you what is needed to be provided to you will be provided." Dhritrashtra said, monotonously.

Kunti was taken aback. She had spent a very little time in the city, but she knew her brother-in-law and he was never like this. Kunti hadn't come to ask for alms. She had come to the only place that she thought was able to provide her children with love and values, she was broken that she was wrong. She may have not been a queen for long but she had been a princess, and she was a princess who knew how to conduct.

"Oh, King of Hastinapur, you have been so merciful. How can I ask you for anything at all?" Kunti said joining her hands, acting to be grateful.

"Oh, he is only the interim king, you, you are the one who is the queen, my heart is shattered that the king has left us alone, he abandoned us. My nephew Duryodhana is so kind that he will give the throne to you without a word." feigned a man in his late-thirties to cry, his black locks were curly, he wore a grey dhoti and an angavastram which only people of the north wore, he was the brother of Gandhari. Shakuni.

"I do not mean to cause any problems here, Gandharraj. I will leave at once with my sons." Kunti said on the verge of tears, all that she had been consuming was ready to burst. And without a second's delay she stormed out with the five kids following her, she didn't stop till they reached the other side of the city gate.

The six huddled together weeping openly, they had lost. A Father. A husband. A mother. A sister. For a few minutes no one spoke a word, just held each other tight.

"What will we do now, Mata?" asked Bhim, wiping off his tears.

"We will go to Kuntibhoj." Kunti said caressing his cheek.

"No, you will not." came a voice.

The six hadn't noticed a horse rider, not recognizable due to the black hooded cape he was wearing. He looked huge, behind those veils of black. Yudhishtira and Bhim stood up in alarm, standing in front of their family if any danger was imminent.

The man mounted off the white horse started walking towards the group but stopped as he saw Yudhishthira had picked up a stick that was lying on the ground.

"Trust me when I say that I know how to use this." said the 10-year-old whacking the stick in the air, as an act of intimidation.

"Hmm... you look like you would take a spear." said the man, pulling his hood off, revealing his wizened face. His white hair was tied in a bun, and he was scarred from battles fought. 

"Pitamah!" Kunti cried, rushing to touch his feet, the children followed suit. 

"I am sorry Kunti. I couldn't defend you in the court, it seems that matters have slipped from my hands now, That scum from Gandhar, he controls everything now. But I am not dead yet. I swore to protect Hstinapur, and I  want to see a ruler rule my city with Dharma." he looked at Yudhishthira for a second and turned back towards the woman, "You are smart enough to understand all of this but too kind to do anything about it. I know you never came here asking or the throne. But you should. You are their mother, you can take their right away from them, but you cannot take the right of the citizens of Kuru to be ruled justly. It will not be easy. They will have to fight for it. Not for them but for their land. For Dharma. They are extraordinary I would say, but they need to be honed, and there is one capable man. Drona" he said.

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