"Now who will you support Subhadre? On one side is your beloved brother and on another is your dear husband. Whose victory will you wish for?" Krishna asked smiling playfully.

"Bhrata Krishna! What have you done?" Subhadra asked making a crying face.

"What have I done! I did nothing. They're the ones duelling." Krishna said innocently.

"Stop them. I can't see this." Subhadra said in distress.

"How can I stop them? They won't stop for me, will they?" Krishna said so smiling at her and moved away leaving Subhadra to her musings.

Subhadra flinched as Balaram delivered another blow to Karna. But that didn't slow down Karna. He got up immediately stopping another attack from him. Now Subhadra understood how Drisana felt when Rajkumar Nakul and Rajkumar Dhikshit were having a 'friendly' match. She silently sent an apology to Drisana for laughing at her that time.

Karna wasn't going to back down from a challenge, nor was Balaram going to stop. This fight would escalate for days and then? Either of their defeat would be an insult to them. No. Subhadra couldn't allow that. She had to stop them. But how? She thought hard how to stop them, what to do, without any apparent solution.

'Oh God! I'm going to faint if this continues.' Subhadra thought watching Balaram landing another hard blow.

Then something clicked on her mind.

"Maharaj! Maharani has fainted!" Shouted a guard from the sideline where Subhadra laid on the ground unconscious.

In Indraprasth :

The whole royal family of Indraprasth sat together for breakfast. Today, It was Valandhara's first day at kitchen. And she had singlehandedly made everything as per the custom. Whatever grudge Bheem was holding against her for sleeping at their wedding night, vanished looking at all the delicious dishes.

"Wow, bhabhishree! So much delicious foods! Look at this Drisana. And what you made at your first day? Boiled vegetables. That too half raw." Arjun taunted Drisana humorously.

Again.

Drisana narrowed her eyes at him as the rest sighed.

As Drisana and cooking didn't suit together in one sentence, so she had sticked to basics at her first day at kitchen by trying to make salad. In her opinion, she was decent. But Arjun had other thoughts.

Well, he was the only one to voice out his thoughts. Kunti, Devika and Yudhisthir were too nice to say anything. Nakul, Sahdev and Draupadi knew better than to say anything. Bheem still remembered the orangish substance she called Kheer at the time of their exile. So he remained silent.

Arjun on the other hand, complained saying raw vegetables with salt and pepper couldn't be called food. Specially when he had to peel off a few of them while eating.

Okay. She might have deliberately forgot to peel the outer skin of some vegetables. Why to take the risk of peeling her own skin when she knew those could be safely eaten without peeling. But no one could complain about the desert. It was perfect. Perfect amount of jagger mixed in boiled milk.

Yes. She served boiled milk as desert.

"So? Bhrata Arjun, foods are only made according to choices. Bhrata Bheem likes these foods, so Dhara jiji made this. But Nirmay likes healthy foods. So I made boiled vegetables, because that's healthy only." Drisana said with full attitude.

"Mana ki mere anuj ko ashwa pasand hai. Toh kya tum use ashwa ki vati kuch bhi kacca pakka khila dogi?
(I agree my brother likes horses. Does that mean you'll feed him anything raw or ripe like a horse?)" Arjun said again making both Drisana and Nakul frown, for different reasons though.

"I do not let my horses eat anything raw or ripe just like that. I keep proper notice of their diet." Nakul protested with a pouting face. Drisana resisted an eye roll at that.

"Haa. Aur thora samjhota toh karni hi parti hai na bhrata Arjun. Jaise aap Draupadi jiji ke haat ke bina badam wale kheer ke sahit karte hai, waisehi. (Yes. And a little adjustment is a must. Just like you adjust with Draupadi Jiji's Kheer made without nuts.)" Drisana said making Arjun's eyes rounded.

"Bina baadam wale kheer? (Kheer without nuts?)" Draupadi asked narrowing her eyes slightly.

"Yes jiji. Bhrata Arjun was only saying the other day that you always forget to add nuts in your kheer." Drisana replied innocently.

Draupadi threw a look at Arjun as he looked around nervously. The rest were silently laughing at their expense. Even Kunti hid her smile too watching her son's expression.

"Okay enough with the talk. Now start eating." Kunti ushered everyone as the foods were already served.

"There's nothing sweet in here. Even Drisana made 'boiled milk' at her first day at kitchen." Bheem commented nonchalantly. Valandhara hid her smirk at that. She knew this was coming.

"No. I've prepared sweet. That too laddoos Arya." She answered sweetly.

"Laddoo? Bring fast." Bheem's eyes sparkled at the mention of laddoos. Valandhara got up to bring laddoos and bringing a plate full of laddoos dumped all on his serving plate.

"Here is your laddoos." She said sweetly showing all teeth.

Sahdev who was drinking water, coughed out looking at the laddoos. He wasn't the only surprised one. All were looking at the content in shock.

"Methi ke laddoo?!?!!! (Laddoos of fenugreek?!!!)" Bheem exclaimed in utter disgust. Bheem absolutely hated this. In his opinion, laddoos should be sweet and if it was bitter it couldn't be called sweet.

Devika wondered why Valandhara made that when she specifically told her Bheem didn't like it upon asking.

"I won't eat that." Bheem announced sulking.

"But I made it with so much love. I thought after this heavy breakfast, it'll be good." Valandhara said looking sadly at Kunti.

"Bheem? Putri Valandhara has made them with so much love. You'll have to eat." She said.

"Kintu Mata, methi ke laddoo?!!! (But Mata, laddoos of fenugreek?!!!)" Bheem whined this time.

"Bheem! They are good for health." Kunti said sternly.

"Ok. But I'll only eat one." Bheem relented.

"But Mata, isn't it bad to leave foods in plate?" Valandhara asked Kunti innocently. Bheem turned his eyes at her glaring hard. Kunti looked to be in a dilemma. The rest looked amused.

"Yes. Bheem, you'll finish it all. And putri Valandhara, serve everyone the laddoos. All will eat them." Kunti said with finality.

Bheem grimaced again looking at his plate full of laddoos. This was good. First he stayed awake whole night hoping she might wake up and now he had to eat these bitter laddoos. This woman had married only to torment him.

In Hastinapur:

Duryodhan sat in his chamber looking at some parchment when a das came to inform him that Rajkumari Lakshmana had come with her Kakashree Vikarna. A slight smile immediately adorned his face as he permitted their entry.

"Pitashree! Pitashree!! Look Kakashree got me a new doll." Lakshmana exclaimed in joy rushing to her father. Duryodhan picked her up and sat her in his lap.

After coming back from Kashi, Duryodhan was ready to destroy everything. He ordered their army to be prepared to attack Kashi without asking permission to Dhritrastra. When Dhritrastra came to know what happened there, he was also angry but Mahamahim Bhishma and Mahamantri Vidur reasoned with him that this was swayambara's decision and they should accept it.

Duryodhan in a fit of anger asked him why then he not let the swayambaras take their decision years before and intervened in Kashikumari Amba, Ambika and Ambalika's swayambar. After a moment of silence, Maharaj Dhritrastra screamed at him loudly in anger surprising everyone.

"How dare you to insult Tatshree!!! I am sad and angry on your behalf Duryodhan. But that does not mean you'll spout out anything in your anger and insult Tatshree."

"Let it be Dhritrastra. Let it be. He has questioned than he should be answered too. Putra Duryodhan, I won their swayambar on behalf of Hastinapur. That is true. But when Devi Amba let me know her choice of groom, I did not force her or go against her wishes. When a swayambar is organised, it is believed the girl comes with a fresh heart without any predilection. But Devi Amba had decided beforehand who she wants as her life partner. When I got to know that, I respected her wishes. Kashikumari Valandhara has done something similar too. The difference is Maharaj Salva rejected Devi Amba, but Bheem here accepted Valandhara."
Mahamahim Bhishma said. Then in a much gentler tone he added,
"Duryodhan, I understand you are upset. But declaring war against Kashi is not going to solve anything. What happened cannot be undone. Accept her choice. If a woman is consented, she can turn burning coal to flowers, but if she is forced, even the softest petals become sharp blades. Do not think of it as your insult. Respect her choice. Just as your Gurudev told you."

Dhritrastra also calmed down with Mahamantri Vidur's reasoning and understood starting a war would be foolishness where Kashi had both Indraprasth and Dravida as it's allies. Even if Indraprasth remained neutral, same could not be said for Dravida. Mahabali Balaram and Vasudev Krishna had already made their opinions on the matter known and the Kings present in the swayambar all accepted it. It would be best not to let this matter escalate further.

Duryodhan on the other hand could not forget his humiliation at any cost. His burning anger destroyed everything that came in his path. He drowned himself in alcohol completely and stayed confined in his chambers for days.

How he got control over himself again?

Well. That was interesting. All had been worried for Duryodhan and Maharani Gandhari was particularly angry on a careless wife.

Yuvrani Bhanumati would never forget the harsh reality check she got from her mother-in-law. She had always saw Maharani Gandhari as a caring mother who supported and loved her. For the first time she met the Maharani of Hastinapur when after coming back from Kalinga, she came to meet her.

"What was the need to come back so soon?" Maharani Gandhari had commented after the initial greetings.

"I was missing you all Mata." Bhanumati replied ignoring the odd stiff behaviour of Gandhari.

"But no one apart from your children was missing you here Bhanumati." Gandhari said calmly surprising her with her cold manner.

"Do you know Duryodhan went to Kashi to attend the Kashikumari's swayambar?" Gandhari asked her when she remained silent.

"Yes." She replied shortly. Bhanumati heard what happened. It was the hot topic of entire Aryavart. She had felt a slight pang in her heart after hearing Duryodhan won the swayambar. But ignoring it, she concentrated on the satisfaction she felt at his humiliation.

Bhanumati had accepted Duryodhan as her husband after her abduction. But she couldn't love him or rather didn't wanted to. She held onto her dislike for him tightly. She fulfilled her duties with a cold demeanor that irritated him. And after a time Duryodhan stopped trying, getting hurt and angry. Both of them held onto their ego and the differences kept increasing. And now their relationship was only bound by duty.

"I hoped he would return with a new bride from Kashi. But alas, that did not happen. Whatever, I am now searching for a suitable bride for him. I've also sent message to Bhratashree in Gandhar to look for a girl. Hopefully soon my son will have a desired companion beside him." Gandhari said nonchalantly smiling and making Bhanumati aghast at the suggestion. She couldn't believe Gandhari herself would say or consider something like this. It was one thing for Duryodhan to participate in swayambar to make allies, but Gandhari looking for a girl meant she didn't wanted an ally but a wife for him to replace Bhanumati.

"Mata? Are you angry with me for some reason?" She asked directly with a hurt filled voice. Gandhari paused turning her face in her direction with a blank face.

"Is there any reason I should be?" Gandhari asked instead.
"A woman's respect is bound with her husband's. No one respects such a woman who can't bind her husband with love and respect. No one gives importance to the woman who is not important to her husband at the first place. And no one cares for such a woman who neither cares for her husband nor he cares for her anymore."

Gandhari said calmly and started again after a long pause.

"I'm the Maharani of Hastinapur, Bhanumati. Before me someone else was in this place. After me, someone else will be in this position. It'll keep changing. But one thing won't change. I'm the wife of Maharaj Dhritrastra and whenever his name will be mentioned, even after years, my name will be attached with him as his devoted wife and companion. What will be you known as Bhanumati?"

Bhanumati contemplated on her words hard. It was true, she was Duryodhan's first love and he had indeed loved her immensely. But in her anger and detest, she had pushed him away. She was no less stubborn and egoistic than Duryodhan himself.

"It won't be long before you're mentioned as the first wife of the Yuvraj. But people only remembers and respects the favourite ones. As for being the mother of his first son, Mahamahim Bhishma, Maharaj Dhritrastra and Putra Yudhisthir, all were first sons of the reigning King, weren't they?" Gandhari said slowly.

Bhanumati's heart sank getting the meaning of her words. If Duryodhan married again, she would have to compete for his attention and affection constantly. And at the way they were going now, it wouldn't be long before she completely lose her place in his life. The only importance she would hold would be as the mother of Lakshman, his firstborn. But that did not promise anything. Specially if Duryodhan became smitten with his new wife. Where would that lead her eventually?

On the other hand, Gandhari didn't wanted to be so blunt with Bhanumati. Over the years, she had given numerous hints and advices to her. But all her gestures had been lost to this thick headed girl. And now her son was so alone and lost that he had to take the support of alcohol to lessen his pains. Who was really there to share his burdens?
A man could share his troubles either to his life partner or a true friend. Duryodhan had none with him who could provide him solace. He could not go to his younger brothers whining to have a heart to heart conversation. Karna had abandoned him and Bhanumati had never been a true companion at the first place.

After getting that verbal slap from Gandhari, Bhanumati was literally shaken. And the next shaken one had been an intoxicated Duryodhan when she went to his chambers with food and fed him with her hands. The new caring and affectionate Bhanumati had distracted him enough to get him out of his stupor. Spending time with her and his kids, gave him the solace he needed to get control on his raging emotions of hatred and turmoil.

Did that mean his hatred for Pandavs lessened even a bit?

No.

Duryodhan was like a coiled cobra full of venom waiting to attack at the perfect time.

And unfortunately it wasn't too long before he poured his venom on Pandavs.

😥😥😥😥😥😥😥

There's never have been a writers block more stronger than this. Even now I don't know how to write, what to write. But then I thought...let's not sweat so much..I can always edit it later...

So here's what came out...