"Come on!" Yuyudhana huffed, holding his hands palm-upraised and frowning at Lilavati.

Ever since her friends had found out that she had not gone out into Dvaravati proper since her arrival here, Satyaki had taken it upon himself to cajole Lilavati into accompanying them on a visit to the city. Lilavati had rebuffed all his attempts so far, but his insistence had not subsided.

Kritavarma was leaning against the wall, watching them argue, his arms folded.

When Satyaki had fallen silent and Lilavati was looking to the floor, hoping that she had managed to stop him from his attempts, Kritavarma slowly said, "Lilavati, Dvaraka is beautiful. You'll never see such a city in your life and the lives after that. Why don't you want to explore?"

She laughed shortly. "Won't I have the rest of my life to explore the city?"

They said nothing.

"I just... think it's too early." She wrung her hands. "Most of the palace residents have accepted my presence here, but I fear the citizens have not. The last time I snuck out by myself, there was a full revolt, one that I understand was extremely difficult to subdue. I don't want to cause any more stress in the palace about me—any more stress for Natha."

Satyaki's eyes were dark embers as he said, "No one would dare to harm Sakha's wife, Lilavati. You are under our protection too, two of the foremost warriors of the Yadava race. We'd protect you if it came down to it."

"I know you would," she sighed.

Silence hung in the air.

Lilavati sucked in a sharp breath and let it out slowly, considering her decision.

Then she stood up. "Alright."

Satyaki's face immediately bloomed into a smile. "You will?"

She nodded. "I will."

Even Kritavarma smiled at that.

"Well, what are we waiting for! Let's go, we've a trip into the city to get ready for!" Satyaki was already dashing down the hallway, when Lilavati blinked and Kritavarma only sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Overexcited much," he muttered, and then began to walk in the direction Satyaki had already gone.

But then he paused and took Lilavati's hands.

"I'm glad you agreed to come."

She beamed at him.

And then he left, and Lilavati spun around, looking for her wardrobe. She hummed as she thumbed through the silks and clothes in her wardrobe, her entire body alight with the excitement of an adventure.

~

She had chosen to cover her hair and some of her face, much to the momentary surprise of Satyaki, who accepted her dress after a moment's consideration.

"At least this way we might avoid people identifying me at first glance and give us some peace," she had explained.

Firstly, Satyaki had spread out a map on the table in front of them, and was pointing out the various sections of the city excitedly, with Kritavarma occasionally interjecting in the middle with some detail that Satyaki might have missed.

"—and this is the main marketplace of the city, it's huge! You can get lost in it if you don't know where you're going, and even then sometimes. I'd like to go there today, show you the different stuff."

Lilavati brushed her hand over the map, studying the details. Her gaze skimmed over the royal complex and the complex where the nobles resided that occupied quite a lot of the land off the island, and the different temples—some were scattered across the city, and some were clustered closer to the palaces.

"They made it closer so it's easier for our wives to go to the temples when they desire, and there's not much worry about security when it normally would be," Satyaki had explained.

At least a quarter of the island had been given to the farmers to cultivate their crops, which was understandable, and in the middle of the city was its bustling marketplaces and houses of the citizens, with winding roads intertwining and creating a maze of paths that almost made her head spin.

"All right!" proclaimed Satyaki, rolling up the map. "I think we're ready, hm?"

Lilavati dipped her head and took a moment to acknowledge both the excitement and nervousness that bubbled within her.

~

The bazaar was rich and complex indeed. Merchants called out their fares, and music played in the distance. Heaps of jewels, sweets, clothes and the like were piled upon the dusty ground or raised upon a platform.

The jewels glittered like a heap of stars come down to earth, while the children haggled and begged the shopkeepers for sweets; women argued with the merchants over silks and clothes that lay in hands rippling like water. Flowers and fruits decorated the whole area, the noise of people crowding her mind.

Lilavati gathered herself, forcing her nervousness to stay hidden deep within her.

Satyaki had already blended into the crowd, calling out people's names and talking cheerfully to them, while Kritavarma stood at her side as they both watched him make his way to a sweet stall. He talked briefly with the merchant before dropping a few coins in his hand and bringing three sweets to them.

"Try them!" His smile was wide and excitement infectious.

Lilavati accepted one and bit into it.

It melted in her mouth. Beside her, Satyaki gave a hum of contentment as they ate the sweet.

They moved on, talking about various things and stopping at different stalls. Lilavati could not stop herself from running her hand over the silks and the jewels, examining them, her expression akin to that of a world-curious child.

Satyaki and Kritavarma looked at her fondly, and the former would buy whatever she had her eye on, no matter how much she protested, he would tell her, "It's a gift from a friend. Enjoy it, Lila, we're spoiling you!"

Beside her, though Kritavarma to all appearances was not indulging them, but he was haggling with the merchants, a small smirk on his face.

An armful of silks and jewellery later, Kritavarma spotted someone in the crowd and announced that he would find them later. He took some of the stuff they had bought for her, promising that he would see it delivered to her chambers, and left them.

Now, it was only Lilavati and Satyaki, but they talked cheerfully and made their way through the crowd.

Then, Yuyudhana saw someone, perhaps one of his relatives or friends, and he told her, "I'll be back soon, I've just someone to chat with!"

He pointed at a temple. "Find me there in... about a ghati?"

Lilavati nodded, but apprehension crept over her as Satyaki passed her a small smile and walked away.

She was alone now, in the crowd. She still didn't know the way back to the palaces in case she needed to escape, but she took a deep breath and continued walking.

Hopefully no one would recognise her.

A little ahead, there was a commotion.

Lilavati frowned at the noise and pushed her way to the front of the crowd towards its source.

A man was yelling at a little boy, who was on the ground, trembling.

"What a useless child! I gave you one—one instruction and you fail to carry out even that! I should cast you out of my house, see how you fend for yourself alone, you spoiled, ungrateful brat!"

The man raised a hand and the little one cowered away, shaking.

"Hey! Leave him alone!"

Lilavati found herself snapping at the man, and both man and child looked up at her.

The man sneered at her. "And who are you to stop me from disciplining my own progeny?"

He then did a double take and looked at her again. A vicious expression of disgust curled on his face.

"You're that murderer, aren't you?" he spat. "The one who ensnared our Dvarakadhisha and forced him to marry you? What right do you have, Jivantaki, to interfere in the personal matters of the people? I bet, given half a chance, you would murder my son with hardly any remorse!"

Lilavati was shaking.

She took a step backwards and pressed her hand to her mangalasutra, her chest heaving.

The man caught her motion and within a flash, he caught her mangalasutra and inspected it.

She was powerless to stop him.

The man's hot breath ghosted on her neck, and he gripped her mangalasutra with intent—to break it—she realised too late as his grip tightened.

A hand pushed the man back, forcing him to fall to the ground with a heavy thud.

Satyaki was looking between them, his eyes burning.

The man coughed, and rose up.

"Who dares—"

"Who dares?" Yuyudhana's voice was silky soft with anger, unlike anything from the normally cheerful man she was used to. His voice raised.

"How dare you harm Dvarakadhipati's wife?! Need I remind you that she is wedded to our protector?! If he hears a word of this, you will not be spared your life! And I have half a mind to take away that life here and now!"

People were gathering at the commotion.

Lilavati was still trembling. She closed her eyes, desperately wishing she was anywhere else but here.

A calloused hand placed itself on her arm. She would have jerked it out had she not turned to see Kritavarma, who was looking at her softly.

The commander of the army placed his other hand on Satyaki's shoulder, who was near rage.

"Satyaki. Calm down."

"How can I calm down—"

Kritavarma spoke to him in a sharp whisper, and a glance was thrown her way. The former nodded with a mollified expression.

Kritavarma stalked forward, the man now realising his mistake.

Satyaki came to her, and called her name a few times. Lilavati refocused on him, and he noticed her trembling and frowned. His arms around her shoulders, he led her out of the crowd.

Anyone who had half the brains to come forward was stopped by his death glare.

Lilavati didn't notice.

The man's words were ringing in her ears.

I wouldn't harm a child, I wouldn't...

She blinked back tears, her feet walking on autopilot.

~

She stood at the entrance to the Rajamata's chambers, awaiting permission to enter.

Satyaki had brought her back into the palace and spoke to her softly, advising her to seek her husband's mother. She had nodded, slowly regaining her senses.

A dasi bowed.

"The Rajamata awaits you, Raani."

She entered, her head bowed.

"Lilavati."

Her name was spoken gently, and she looked up.

Rajamata Devaki, who sat straight, with all the grace of a queen mother, looked at her kindly. A motherly love radiated off her in waves, her minimal adornments speaking to the great grief she had borne for many years in darkness. Her saari was hemmed white, speaking to her mourning for her children that had been snatched from her moments after birth.

Lilavati's eyes burned with tears.

What was her pain in front of the Rajamata's?

She remained rooted to the spot, trying to control her tears.

Warm arms that carried the love of a mother embraced her, and she followed, her lord's mother leading her to a seat. Lilavati sank to the ground right below her seat.

"Oh darling, it's okay to cry."

The words were whispered, and the Rajamata brought her closer in a hug, and Lilavati let herself cry. She wept as she never had before, in the warm embrace of a mother that resonated only in her earliest memories.

She wept for the change in her fate, for her marriage, for the weight of her love that she bore for her lord, for her sins—all her sorrows and joys mixed together in her tears.

A hand stroked her hair.

"You are safe here, my child."

Lilavati smiled through her tears, even as they ran fresh down her cheeks.

A/N: So it's pretty much official that Lila is a baby. I realised it when writing this chapter.

Like, see this:

Satyaki and Kritavarma, two of the foremost warriors of the Yadavas, happening upon Lilavati:

Two seconds later:

*they start spoiling her as though she were a child*

Lmao, well this is a simplification. They do regard her as a fierce woman, but they recognise her loneliness and decide to be the friends she has never had, and have fun with her.