Prakriti P.O.V

"Its time, we should go back" I said, after Uttar collected the  mantles and jewels for Princess Uttara's dolls. Arya nodded his head "Ride home now, our mission is accomplished" he told Uttar who started chariot moving towards Virata city. I followed them behind. I could hear Kurus getting back their consciousness and Anga King shouted from behind for Arya to stop. I stopped my horse and Arya looked at me in confusion. I summoned my bow and launched arrows in their direction. I don't have to turn around to know that my work is done. My first arrow streaked at Prince Duryodhana and knocked the crown out of his head and my second arrow made its way towards Anga King and hit his bow sending it to the ground. Arya started chuckling and again we resumed my journey to city. In the middle of the journey Arya asked to stop the chariot. I stopped beside him, he gave me his bow and I nodded my head "Your cattle have gone home. Now send word back to the city that you vanquished the Kuru army by yourself. As for me, I must be Brihannala again and my wife will be in her disguised" he said to Uttar. Virata Prince turned his gaze at me in surprise again for the second time. "You live in Virata city as well?" he asked startled, I gave him a small smile "Prince Uttar, you know me very well, I am Manha at your sister service" I said, his eyes widened and he joined his hands "Great Prakriti was in our service, I apologize for me and my sister behavior in past year" he said bowing his head. I shook my head smiling "No, Prince, I was comfortable in your home in past year, you and your sister are very generous" I truthfully said, Princess Uttara is sweet and she never treated me ill and Prince Uttar do self praising some of the time but he is still a good kid. 

"But I can't take the credit of beating Kuru's by myself, How can I even dreamed of telling this lie?" he asked.

"Do it for us Uttar, Your father must not yet learn that we are in his city. When the time comes, in a day or two, he will know everything. Until then you must keep up the pretence" Arya said to Uttar. He looked reluctant to accept it. "Prince Uttar, just for two or three days then we will come out of hiding" I said trying to make him agree because we have to remain in disguised until Elder brother tell us to do otherwise. Finally he nodded his head and I sighed in relief, I turned my head to Arya and gave him a nod "I will see you in the city, Arya" I said, he moved his body towards me and peck me on the forehead "Okay, Prakriti, I will meet you there" he responded, I sighed and took a deep breath as his lips touched my forehead. With final nod, I turned myself around and went towards the forest where our weapons are hidden, I put Arya's bow back again until we come back together to get it, tying the cloth again in a bundle and hoisted it back into the sami tree. With the flick on my wrist, my appearance changed back into Manha again, I looked at the horse and patted his head "Thank you, my friend, you can go back to your owner now" I said raking my hand in his silky hair. He bowed his head at me, I backed away to look at him. His wings came out from his sides and he took a leap from the ground, flying towards his home. I smiled staring at the retreating form of the horse.

I will need that horse again soon.

I went back to the city towards Uttara's chamber. She wasn't in her chamber but I heard the news of Elder brother being back in the city with Virata King. They must in the court room then. I walked to the court room, Arya hasn't arrived in the city yet. As I entered in the room, I saw Virata King flinging pair of dice at Elder Brother's forehead, he cried out and clasped his brow, my eyes widened in anger and I quickly walked towards Elder Brother, Krishne ran forward with a bowl of water to stop the blood from dripping on the ground. But the mistake is done and Virata King will have the punishment. "For every drop of this man's blood that falls on the ground, your kingdom will go without rain for a year!" I growled standing in front of him. King turned his head at me and glared in my direction "You are General Secretary Prakriti's maid, not herself who are thinking to give me this curse" he snapped back. I laughed cruelly at him "You are not aware of what will be the condition of yours if  there is he who has sworn to kill anyone who spills Kanka's blood. If he sees the gambler bleeding, you shall not live to see another day" I responded. He scoffed and opened his mouth to respond to my words but before that a messenger ran in the court room and bowed his head "My lord, Prince Uttara Kumara has returned. I left him at the palace steps. He is on his way here and Brihannala is with him" he said, Arya is here, he will not spare Virata King if he saw Elder brother's condition. Elder Brother looked at me in panic, I sighed and nodded my head moving out of the room. I stopped Arya before he could enter the room, Uttar looked at me in confusion but I nodded my head for him to move in the room. "What happened nature, why did you stop me?" he asked in confusion.

"It was necessary Arya, let Uttar talk to his parents alone" I lied, he raised his eyebrow "You know, you can't lie to me" he said with a small smile, I sighed "But I can still try" I tried to joke, he laughed and then we both walked in the court room. Elder brother looked fine, no trace of blood on his face or on the ground. Arya bowed his head to Virata King who smiled at him "Brihannala, I thank you for being my son's sarathy. I always knew he would be a great kshatriya; today he has surpassed all my expectations" he said with praise in his voice.

Arya smiled, "But, father, it wasn't I who defeated the Kurus!" Uttar intervened in the conversation, I looked at him in warning, he wasn't supposed to say that. 

"It was Mahadeva and Parvati mother themselves" Uttara said. 

Virata King eyes widened in surprised "Mahadeva and Mata!" he whispered to himself.

Arya gave me a glance and smiled, I shook my head "Maybe Prince want to say that when he was fighting he was remembering the deities pair and was grateful that their blessings are with him" I molded Uttar words so it looks believable. Virata King smiled and nodded his head, he joined his hands and looked at the ceiling "Thank you for being with my son during his worst time, Mahadeva and Mata Parvati" he said in thankful tone. "They are always with righteous people" I said.

Arya gave me the silk clothes for Princess Uttara doll. I took them and went back to her chamber. I entered in the room and gave her the clothes, she hugged me with a smile on her face "Now my dolls will wear Kuru warriors' silks! And one day my sons will wear their jewels" she said happily.

***

I walked to Elder brother chamber. I guess, it is time we came out of hiding besides Kuru knows about us being here now. Brother Bheem and Arya were already there talking among themselves. When they saw me, Brother Bheem moved towards me and pulled me a hug. "Our Agyatvasa days are over now, its time we take our revenge" he said, I nodded and broke the hug. Arya looked at me "That's why you were stopping me to go in the room this evening" he asked glowering, I sighed and nodded my head "King Virata doesn't know of our identities, he has been very kind to us this past year. We have been his guests and eaten his food. We must not be ungrateful" I responded, I would have gave him the curse if Elder Brother's blood dropped on the ground, killing him would be cruel. He has helped in the time of need, it is our duty to return back the favor. Arya started to protest again but Elder Brother stopped him "Tomorrow we will show Virata who we are: I will go and sit on his throne. If he is still defiant, you can kill him. But if he honors us, we must forgive him" he said and both the brothers nodded their head.

The next morning, we changed back to our selves, abandoned the disguise, my true form is back again after so long. We have decided to let everyone know of our presence. Our family went into the court room, Elder Brother sat on the Virata King throne and Krishne sat beside him, I took the seat of General Secretary while others also took the seat besides us, we waited for Virata King to appear in the room. Shortly, King Virata arrived with his courtiers. He saw us sitting on his and his courtiers seat "Kanka, how dare you! Explain yourself, gambler, if you value your life" he cried, his face started becoming red in anger. Elder Brother smiled at him, not even a least bit angry at the behavior of Virata King. Then Virata King eyes moved towards me and his eyes widened as he looked at me in my true form "General Secretary Prakriti!" He uttered in surprised, I gave him a small smile then his eyes moved back to Elder Brother then to Krishne, his eyes became huge as he took other Pandavas in. 

"Pandavas!" He gasped.

"Do you still think he should not sit on your throne?" Arya asked him. Virata King mouth gape opened as he again looked at us. He turned his head at me again "Devi, is it true, these are pandavas?" He questioned, I nodded my head and stood up from my seat "Yes, Virata King, we are family of Pandavas, the person you were yelling at just now is the greatest emperor on earth, conqueror of the world, he is Pandu's Elder son Yudhisthira and the Queen beside him is Draupadi, your queen's sairandhri. Your cook Ballava is Bheema, the wind's son. Your daughter's dance-teacher Brihannala is Arjuna. Your equerry Damagranthi is Nakula and Tantripala, the cowherd, is Sahadeva and I was in the service of your daughter Uttara" I explained it to him, he looked flabbergasted with the information. With a moan, he fell on the feet of Elder Brother "God has blessed me! You lived in my palace for a whole year. No wonder such fortune has come to my Kingdom. Noble Yudhishtira, forgive me, forgive me a thousand times! Forgive every offence of mine. Have mercy, O Pandava; I never knew who you were. My Kingdom is yours to rule and I am your servant. Only, forgive me for all the indignity you have endured in my palace" he started pleading, his eyes shining with tears. Elder Brother pulled him in a standing position and took his hand in his. "My lord, I am not angry. No, I am grateful to you. This last year of our exile was the hardest to think of, since we had to hide ourselves behind disguises. Your kindness made this the happiest year. Let me thank you with all my heart, there is nothing to forgive" He said and hugged the Virata King. Uttara and Queen Sairandhri entered in the court room with her son. Uttara eyes moved to mine and her eyes widened in surprise, she smiled at me. I returned the smile, Virata King turned at me "Princess of Dwarka, In law of Kuru, General Secretary of Indraprastha, I am grateful to be in your presence again" he said bowing his head, I smiled and shook my head. "I am no King or Queen, I am just merely a General" I responded. 

He smiled "If you say so".

Virata King turned his towards Arya "Greatest of kshatriyas, she has been your pupil for a year and she was in the protection of Prakriti herself. Now take her to be your daughter in law and with her take my kingdom for your own" He said smiling, I walked towards Uttara and pulled her in a side hug "I have always thought of her as my daughter" I said lovingly.

Arya smiled, his eyes shining with happiness, he knows Uttara very well and knew that she will be the perfect match for our son. "From now on, she is truly my daughter" He said in joy and everybody looked happy.

Just then a messenger entered in the court room, I identified his clothes and my jaw clenched in annoyance, he was the messenger of Hastinapura. Now what scheme Duryodhana and his loved one's think against us? Squinting at the sabha, he delivered his message. "My lord Duryodhana sends this message through me. He says to the Pandavas, 'We saw Arjuna and Prakriti before the Agyatvasa had ended. You must go into exile for another twelve years.' So says my master Duryodhana".

Elder Brother and me starting laughing at Duryodhana's audacity to send the messenger here. "Take my reply to your master. Tell him his cousin Yudhishtira says let our Pitama Bheeshma decide if Arjuna and Prakriti showed themselves before or after the Agyatvasa ended. Tell Duryodhana, also, that I will send my own messenger to him in a few days with a question. Let him be prepared to give me an answer. Until then, let him send no more messages, but leave us in peace" He said calmly, messenger nodded his head and started to walk back when I stopped him. Everyone looked at me in confusion.

"Take this message from me to your Master Duryodhana, tell him that the time has come to pay for his deeds" I said with tight lipped smile. He quickly nodded his head and scurry away from there.

Duryodhana, just few more days to live your miserable life!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Author Note:

Next will be the entrance of Abhimanyu and Upandavas and also meeting of Uttara with Abhimanyu for the first time. I want to know if you want their meeting in which p.o.v

Options are:-

1. Abhimanyu

2. Uttara

3. Third P.O.V

4. Prakriti

5. Arjuna

Kindly let me know in the comment so that I can make the meeting more interesting :)

Vote and comment your opinion on the chapter :)