After meeting everyone, Uttara had gone back to her room and taken of all the heavy ornaments. She dressed herself in relatively simpler clothes only wearing one necklace and a small pair of earrings. However, she kept her martial ornaments.

At the moment, she was going to the royal treasury, where Mata Draupadi had called her. She stood at the door, observing Draupadi. The way she instructed people around her, the way she managed the accounts, the way she told people to manage the finances. Any decision regarding the usage of wealth for the kingdom was on her approval.

She was surprised at the authority her mother-in-law had. Back in Virat Nagar, her mother never took part in any matter related to the kingdom, political or otherwise. Her mata stuck to her household chores and expected Uttara to do the same.

She felt nervous. What if Mata Draupadi asks her to handle accounts for a while, or a suggestion regarding laws of the kingdom or her opinion on a political matter? What was she suppose to say? They would be so disappointed in her?

"Uttara. Putri come in", Draupadi called her.
"Mata I am sorry I don't know anything about finance or politics or law.....", she ranted on, nervously. Draupadi chuckled at her before placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I know dear", she said. "I am well aware about your upbringing. I don't mean to put your parents down, but as a Yurani of Indraprasth, you are expected to handle a kingdom related matter. Doesn't matter which one, though".

Uttara looked at her, surprised. "But Mata, I don't know anything. How am I supposed to help?"
"It is never to late to learn putri. And as for what to manage, you can choose that for yourself. What are you interested in?"

Uttara thought for a while. She didn't know much about anything. What would she choose. "Finance", she declared after thinking. Draupadi smiled at her proudly. "Very well. If that's what you wish to learn, I will be more than happy in being your mentor. We shall start from today itself".

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Uttara never realized how tiring handling finances of the state could be. It had always assumed that it consisted of mere counting of wealth and noting it down. She was taken aback by the amount of work it actually was.

She spent the whole day with Mata Draupadi in the royal treasury, supervising, as the officers counted the gold and precious jewels and spending the second half of the day tallying the numerical figures. It was indeed a tedious job. Suthanu did come once in a while to lend them a hand, but her main expertise lay in administration.

But she was not going to complain. She had actually enjoyed it. It new and exciting. She had always wanted to learn finance, and this alone had doubled her enthusiasm. However, she was undoubtedly tired and hungry.

Once dismissed, she headed towards the kitchen, not because it was a requirement, but rather out of habit. She carefully observed the chefs working in kitchen and also took some of the work in her own hands, despite the protests from the daasis.

After dinner, she headed straight to her room, ready to have a warm bath.
"Kuhu", she said as she entered her chambers.
"Yes Yurani? Do you need anything?", Kuhu asked.
"Yes Kuhu. Ask the daasis to prepare a warm bath for me with rose petals and sandalwood paste", she instructed.
Kuhu nodded humbly before leaving.

Meanwhile, Uttara took off her ornaments and untied her hair, leaving them loose, down her back. Kuhu came to her chambers to inform her that her bath is ready. Uttara nodded and headed towards the snangrah, clad in a thin, saffron clothing.
The daasis were instructed to leave, as Kuhu helped her apply the sandalwood paste.

Once she was done, Uttara stepped into the bath, the warm water, relieving her stress. She used a small bronze vessel to pour the water over her head, dampening her long, wavy tresses. Once she was done, she stepped out of the bath, feeling rejuvenated. She dressed herself in comfortable, night attire and headed towards her room.

She saw Abhimanyu struggling to take off his ornaments. She resisted the urge to laugh.
"Arya", she acknowledged him in this manner for the first time.
Abhimanyu froze for a moment, before responding.
"Hmm."
"Do you need any help?", she asked, moving towards him.
"No", he replied curtly.

"Really?", she asked in amusement. "You look like you could use some help".
"I said no", he spoke slowly, accentuating every word.
Uttara has had enough. "Why can't we just have a normal conversation?", she asked him, in a tone which even surprised her. Her Mata had told her to be respectful towards her husband and she was far from it. But she didn't care.

"Because I don't want to", he replied, shortly.
"And that's exactly my question", she replied. "Why? What is wrong?"
"I can't tell you. You won't understand".
"Why wouldn't I?", she retorted back.
"You just wouldn't", he said angrily. "All you have to know is that I can't."
"Don't keep any expectations from me, Rajkumari", he spoke in a tone of finality.

Uttara sighed wondering what she would have to do in order to penetrate the wall that he built around himself.