I am astonished guys!!! I thought it will take weeks to reach the target of votes. But in two nights and one single day, you made it possible. I'm sooooo proud of you....❤❤❤

Now, I wanted to hit you with 2-3 back to back new updates. But.....there's two issues. This week I have a very important exam. And another thing is I'm feeling a little sick since a few days.

So, I couldn't manage more than one chapter. 😟😟😟

Happy reading...💖💖💖

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In the forest between Panchal and Indraprasth....

"Why haven't they entered the forest yet?" One of the assassins asked. The troupe was supposed to continue their journey this morning and enter the forest. But their camp was still there. Neither they broke the camp, nor started their journey.

"Maybe their lifetime includes one more day. As soon as they enter the forest, they'll be dead. All our men are ready and at position, right?" The chief asked the one with him.

"Yes." The man replied nodding.

"Okay. Stay here. I will come back in a while." The chief said and left to answer nature's call.

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The chief was returning to his men when he noticed a hawk flying in the sky and making noise. He frowned observing its' movements. This same hawk had been passing through the forest since the past few days. They had been in the forest for almost seventeen days. But, before didn't notice it. As he was thinking about it, he reached the place where he left his men.

"This hawk has been making too much noise. The target can get alert by it." The chief commented. But neither the man replied, nor he turned to face him.

"Damru? I am talking to you." The chief said sternly. But Damru still didn't respond. The chief in anger and annoyance kept a hand on his shoulder, only to be surprised when Damru who was standing by leaning on a tree, fell on the ground face first. The chief leaned down to examine him. And found out that someone had ripped apart the drum heads of his Damru.

The chief in shock and confusion went to alert his other men. He thumped on the tree trunk on which another of his man sat. When his man didn't respond, he thumped on the tree trunk again only to realise something slimy was on the tree bark. He looked at it to find blood which now coloured his hand too. He took a few steps back to be on the right angle to see his men through the tree branches. There he was. Hanging from the tree branch with a knife sticking out from his throat.

He became anxious and moved to another tree. But the same fate had fallen to the man seated there too. He went from one tree to another to find their dead bodies hanging or laying under the trees. He then rushed to the hiding place on the forest floor where his other men were. The sight made his eyes wide open. The men's head had been busted. Blood and brain was scattered there. Closing his eyes in disgust at the gruesome sight, he rushed to the bushes. There some of his men laid with their throats or chests slit open.

Perspiration of fear slid down from the side of his temple. Someone was here and he wasn't alone. Very tactfully all of his men had been taken out without even giving them the chance to defend. The chief had long ago unscathed his knives sensing the danger. He looked around carefully. Keeping watch on his surroundings, he moved silently. He knew not if the enemy was still here or not. But most probably they were. And he wasn't going down without a fight in that case. Just as he was keeping watch on the ground, a screeching noise came from above making him startled. The hawk.

'Wait. Was it alerting someone?' Just as the thought crossed his mind, he felt a presence behind him. He turned to find a man standing there in simple clothing of a commoner and staring at him with an expressionless face. The calm and cold stare of the man turned the chief's blood to ice. Sweat trickled down his spine. Rather than finding out who the man was, it was more important to know what his intentions were. And the chief was quite sure this man here was responsible for his men's demise.

Without wasting a moment, the chief attacked the man. He, with a roar tried to slash through the man's chest, only for the man to hold his wrist in a strong grip. The man twisted his hand making him lose his weapon and then delivered a swift blow with his other hand, breaking the chief's hand in the process. The man delivered a kick on the knee of his leg that was on the other side of his broken hand rendering him useless. If he tried to attack now with his good hand the pain on his leg would hinder. And if he tried to stand and run, his broken hand wouldn't support his good leg. All of it took less than a moment.

"Kebal ek baar prasna puchunga main. Uske paschat tum bolne ke sthitti mein nehi hoge. (I will ask only once. After that you won't be in the condition to talk.)" The man in front said calmly. "Who sent you and why?"

"You will kill me either way. Then why should I tell you anything?" The chief hissed in anger.

"You're right." The man said and in the next moment his knife made a clear cut through his neck. The chief of the assassins fell on the ground sideways unmoving with still eyes.

More man dressed similarly to the man, came in the spot to find the remaining one laying dead on the forest floor. It would have been better if they captured him alive. But no one dared to say anything to the man who was seething in barely restrained fury.

"What to do with the bodies, Rajkumar?" Asked one of the newcomers.

"Burn them before burying. And burn their weapons too. Be careful. Those have poisons applied on them." Nakul replied before leaving.

Ikshana, the hawk sat on his hand. Nakul petted it lightly thanking for the warning before he flew away again and Nakul started to go back to the camp.

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"Jiji? How are you? I heard you had trouble in sleeping last night?" Drisana asked as she came inside Draupadi's tent to meet her.

"I am fine. Nothing to worry. The new environment is giving me discomfort, that is all." Draupadi replied with an assuring smile. "Why haven't we started our journey this morning?"

"I don't know. I was only informed we are staying. Why, that is also unknown to me." Drisana said giving a little shrug.

"Bhrata Nakul didn't tell you?" Draupadi asked looking stupefied.

"You're saying like he tells me everything." Drisana said narrowing her eyes.

Draupadi raised her eyebrows. Even Malini who was standing behind her was trying hard to suppress her smile.

"Ok. He tells me what is necessary to know for me." Drisana said pouting and then added meekly, "and what is not necessary, he tells me later."

Draupadi laughed out loud hearing her.

"But still. He didn't tell me why we're still here. In fact I don't know where he is since morning. He didn't even tell me before going." Drisana said, complaining to her.

"Really?! How could he! He should be punished for that!" Draupadi said gasping dramatically.

"Yes." Drisana nodded in agreement.

"But how will you punish him? You melt as soon as you see him, don't you?" Draupadi said acting to contemplate.

"I Do Not." Drisana said gasping and emphasising her words.

"You sure do! You can never stay mad at him." Draupadi said again smiling teasingly.

Okay. That was just a slight kinda bit true. So, Drisana didn't protest.

"Rajkumari? Rajkumar Nakul has returned." A dasi came to inform her.

"Jiji---"

"Yes, go. Your Niramay (treatment) has come."

"Jiji!" Drisana whined before biding her and leaving.

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Nakul had taken a bath and changed to his normal clothes before coming back. Now he sat in his tent lost in thoughts. Very less people were aware of the fact that Nakul travelled with his hawk securing the path ahead. Hawks, with visual acuity, greater speed and hearing ability than humans was a very useful companion while travelling. Many people assumed them to be cruel and harmful. But they were neither. They were, like all living things, important parts of a diverse and intricate natural world.

Ikshana had warned him sensing danger in the forest. So, Nakul with his soldiers went to investigate silently. Sometimes it was nothing more than a troupe of people passing. He hoped it was the same case this time. But he was wrong. Those assassins were waiting with weapons to attack. At first, he wondered why a small group would want to attack a larger troupe that had armed and trained soldiers with them. But he got his answer soon when he saw their weapons covered in a deadly poison. They were here either to kill or die.

That was when he lost it.

He didn't care who sent them or why.

He didn't care they were just hired goons of some mastermind.

He didn't care that capturing some of them alive would have been beneficial.

He didn't care for anything except killing them.

There were two pregnant woman with him. One was his responsibility. His brothers' treasure that he was tasked with to look after. If anything happened to his sister-in-law or her unborn child, what answer would he give to him? How would he be able to ever forgive himself? How would he ever get rid of the guilt that she was harmed in spite of his being there?

And another was his wife, his Hridaya. Even the thought of something or someone hurting her, made him lose his mind. He never forgot the visual of Purochan's man holding her at knife point back at Varanavat. He had never felt so helpless in his life as watching his Mata and Drisana held hostage. And now when she was carrying his child, someone thought to harm her. How was he supposed to accept it or stay calm?

"Nirmay? Where were you all day? You didn't even inform me before leaving." Drisana said bringing him back from his thoughts. He didn't even notice when she entered the tent.

"At hunting." Nakul replied shortly.

"Okay. But what was the hurry? You could have at least tell me before going." Drisana said again before noticing the change in Nakul.

He was sitting calmly. Too calmly. Like restraining himself from making any movements though his muscles bulged under the effort it took, trembling slightly. His eyes were unfocused and bloodshot. He wasn't even looking at her. His irises moved restlessly. Drisana had never seen him like this before. She didn't understand or knew what caused him to be like this, but she was sure of one thing.

Nakul was extremely infuriated.

Drisana froze for sometime being unable to think anything. Then she took a deep breath and went outside to tell the dasi to bring a plate of food. She came back inside and silently sat beside him. She then took one of his hand in hers and sat there slowly caressing it. After a while, the dasi asked for permission to come inside with the plate of food. Drisana ordered her not to let anyone disturb them unless absolutely necessary.

As they were left alone, Drisana held one morsel of food in front of him. He hadn't had anything the whole day. He took it without saying anything. Thus, she continued feeding him and after finishing, again sat beside him holding his hand.

"I won't let anything or anyone separate you from me." Nakul said finally breaking the silence. Drisana only watched him.

"If anyone tries to harm you, I will either kill them or die myself. And I will die taking you with me. I won't let you breath in the world where I am not present." Nakul said in a low voice staring at her eyes. He was taking deep shaky breaths. His hold on Drisana's hand tightened. She put her another hand on the side of his face, stroking his jaw gently. But Nakul turned his face away.

"I never thought except my brothers, anything or anyone will matter to me so much that I will want to dedicate my life to that person. But then you came. You came and something stirred in me that I wasn't even aware, I had inside. You challenged every belief, every certainty I had. You made it impossible for me to believe in anything but you. And now. Now I have dedicated my life to you, to my love. My love has become my devotion." Nakul whispered the last part with pain and awe reflecting in his voice. Drisana's eyes turned moist. She got more closer to him and embraced him sideways.

"I do not care how long I live or how soon I die. But as long as I live, I will do so with my love. And when I die, I will take my love with me too." Nakul said again harshly. Drisana still stayed silent. He then took her face in his palms and held tightly.

"Do not mistake me Hridaya. I will not cross the worlds without you at any cost. If my love is true, if I am true to my love, not even Yamraj will be able to take me without you." Nakul said emphasising his words by staring at her eyes without blinking.

Drisana still remained quiet. After quite some time passed, she couldn't bear it anymore and placed her lips on his. Nakul's shaky breaths were falling on her face and he closed his disturbed eyes feeling hers caressing him. She stroked the back of his neck and shoulders. Moments passed as their breaths merged and their lips moved slowly against each other. It wasn't a show of passion rather a medium of comfort and reassurance.

"I'm fine. And I am right here. With you. I am. We are fine Nirmay." Drisana said finally lifting her face and joining their foreheads.

"Yes. You are. And I will not let anything happen to you. To either of you." Nakul whispered ferociously, placing his hand on her belly where their child was.

"We know. We do." Drisana said keeping her hand atop his where it rested. "We love you too much to ever be apart from you. And know this well, if it means to leave my breath to be with you, your Hridaya won't hesitate even for a moment before doing so."

"We are together. And we always will be. Be it in life or death. You're not getting rid of me." Drisana stated smiling though her eyes were watery. Nakul's eyes were wet too as he stared at her. Drisana whispered again in obstinacy,

"Let the storms come. I will also see how forceful it can get."

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So, this was it, before my next blunder. 😅😅😅

Yes. Right in the next chapter I'm going to do another very debatable thing which may cause me a few readers and get me a few bashings.

I don't know if any other author has done it before. Probably not, at least I didn't see anyone doing so, but I am still knowingly gonna do something which will cause me in losing some readers.

Before reading the next chapter please remember, it's not how it was or how I see it. This is obviously not a 'spin off' Or 'perspective' of Mahabharat. It's just a fictional story, nothing more, nothing less.