"He should compete with me and then you can join here," I saw a man approaching near.
"He is the chief of soldiers in my Virat kingdom," Viratraj said in a weak tone.
"Maybe he could fight with Kichak and prove himself!" Uttar added.
Uttar gave me a mischievous grimace from there.

"Kichak? The one who would disturb Draupadi...  The biggest A hole."
He started walking around me.

"You shall fight this Kichak and get your job," He smirked.
"I shall kill you Kichak for doing that to my Sakhi."
"Fine, if Dhakshan wins the fight I shall appoint him as trainer," Viratraj said.
"I'm so ready Viratraj," Kichak said while taking his sword out.
"All the best," He smirked.
I don't need you all the best to win this. Govindh, be with your little sister.

"Let the fight start!!!," Soldier shouted.
He started attacking me so hard so messily. God, did he even learn properly?
"Are you are tired already?," He asked while keeping his sword on his shoulder.
"Never Kichak," I struck my sword to his sword.

We both were fighting a balanced fight.
He suddenly pushed me down with his shoulder.
"You though you could win Kichak," He asked while pointing his sword.

"Not just thinking I will win," I stood up while striking the sword so hard on his sword.

He was about to point his sword at my neck.
Remember what Karna taught you to focus. Focus!

I hit hard on his shoulder with my elbow and struck my sword to his sword which made both sword and him fall. While I took his sword. Pointing both the swords at him.

"Now what do you think about this Dhakshan? Perfect right?" I winked.
"Va rey va," Viratraj gave an applause.
Yudhistran Na offered me a warm, encouraging smile.
"Never underestimate a woman's strength or try to assert control over her. After all, remember that you, too, once came into this world through the love and strength of a woman." because of a woman," I whispered taking the sword closer to his eyes.
"Why did I even talk about women to him? I forget to play

"Excellent, Dhakshan. You have beaten up him," Viratraj held my shoulder.
"He acted as if he is the ruler of this kingdom. He took control over my father. I'm soo happy that you have beaten that Kichak," one of his daughters thanked me.
"Dhakshan,this is my first daughter Uttara. And these two are my Tavaputris Saigavi and Palavi," he introduced.

"I could see the disappointment in Uttar's eyes; he truly believed I'll lose to Kichak. But against all odds, it was Dhakshan, who emerged triumphant! What a shocking twist!"

"Well, Dhakshan," Viratraj began, his tone warm but firm, "as I mentioned earlier, I'm prepared to offer you a job. I would like you to take on the role of my son's personal trainer. He excels in many areas, but archery is one where he could truly use your guidance. I believe you have the skills to help him."

Uttar glanced at me, an expression of disbelief crossing his face—probably wondering why I, of all people, was chosen for this task. Yet, I understood the necessity of spending our Agyatvas meaningfully and at peace.

"Yes, Maharaj, I would be honored to train Rajkumar Uttar," I replied earnestly.
"Guards, please prepare a room for Dhakshan. And for my daughter's teacher, ensure Brihanala and her children are welcomed into our palace as well," Viratraj instructed with authority.

I felt a wave of relief knowing Aarya and my sons were situated close by, adjacent to my quarters. Thank goodness for that.

"We can begin our training tomorrow," I said with a hint of optimism.
"Yeah, sure! See you tomorrow," Uttar responded, though his smile didn't quite reach his eyes, leaving me questioning his feelings about the arrangement.

"I couldn't help but wonder, what might be troubling this young man? Had I unknowingly upset him?"
"This is your room," one of the guards kindly informed me.
"Thank you," I replied, appreciating the gesture.
"Now, where could Aarya and my sons be? I hoped they weren't delayed."
Curiosity got the better of me, and I peeked into the adjacent room.
"They're not here yet. I hope they're alright," I murmured to myself.
Peeking in again, I added, "They must still be practicing; I hope they're not too late." Just then, a gentle hand rested on my shoulder, reassuring me,
"They must be delayed." I heard a voice

I turned to see Rajkumar Uttar.
"Why were you peeking into the women's room?" he asked, his voice edged with tension as he pressed me against the wall.
"Do you really talk to your Guru like that?" I managed to stammer, trying to divert the situation.
He leaned in slightly, a feigned smile on his face. "Well, you seem around my age. We could be friends, right? It's okay to talk like this with a friend, isn't it?"
"It was clear to me he held a strong dislike for me."

"Ahem! It's really not what you think. I just wanted to catch a glimpse of her because I've heard so much about her," I explained, taking a hesitant step backward.
"Why does he always stand so close?" I wondered, feeling uncomfortable."
"Wait, you look familiar too," he said as he closed the distance again. "I'll be watching you, my dear friend, every time. See you tomorrow." He finally walked away.
A shiver ran down my spine. "This guy has some serious issues!"

"Aishhh," I gasped, startled.
"It's me, it's just me," Draupadi said, pulling the cloth away from her face.
"Sakhi?," I whispered, relief flooding through me. "Thank goodness you're here!"
"Why are you shivering?" she asked, concerned, holding my hand gently.
"It's all because of that Prince Uttar."
"He made you tremble like this?"
"Yes. I was peeking into my Aarya's room to see him, but he doesn't realize my disguise. He misunderstood everything and stood so close while talking. There's definitely something off about him," I vented.
"To him, you are just a man who trains him. That's why he's behaving like this. You're going to have a challenging year ahead with him!" she chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.
"Yeah," I replied, my voice weak.
"Let's try to get some sleep. Goodnight," she smiled warmly.

"Sakhi... please be careful while you're working," I urged, worried for her safety.
"I sense something might happen here. Don't worry, I'll be careful," she reassured me as she waved and stepped inside.
As I turned to go back, I noticed Prince Uttar was still watching me intently.
Did he somehow realize I was a woman?

I managed a smile at him before retreating inside, feeling a mix of hope and anxiety.

(Months passed)

Uttar's pov

"I've been trying to guide you from the start. Hold it firmly, Rajkumar," he said gently as he adjusted my grip.

Since his arrival, I've been observing him closely. Even from our first meeting, there was something unusual about him—his demeanor, the way he spoke. He felt so different from what I expected.
I recognized a warrior's hand, yet his felt as if it was more accustomed to tenderly plucking flowers than wielding a weapon.

"I asked you to look over there, not to stare at me, Rajkumar," he said, kindly redirecting my gaze.
"I've forgotten how to handle this. Please teach me," I said, offering him my bow.
"I've been showing you for months, and now you've forgotten how to hold it?" he exclaimed, but there was concern in his voice, not anger.

"How can someone shout so softly? Perhaps he is an enemy of my father in disguise, waiting for the right moment to strike"
"Will you teach me or not?" I asked, my tone more desperate than I intended.
"Alright, hold it like this," he said, carefully lifting my hand toward the bow.
"Now stretch it and focus only on the target. When you're ready, release," he instructed.
Something about him feels off, like there's something he's not revealing.
"Look at that! It's perfect!" he exclaimed, his smile brightening his face.
Perhaps he doesn't mean any harm after all. His smile is genuinely warm.
But wait, what is that?

To be continued....

Will Uttar find out about Dhaksha?

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