Medhasvini sat on the floor of Yudhisthir's room, sewing a few button on to a kurta as all the other Pandavas were busy in their own work. But when the lot is together, seldom can there be silence.

Everyone in the room secretly looked up to see what Bheem was doing with a bowl full of bitter gourds. They all had a laugh suppressed for they knew what the final result was going to be. Taking a bite into the bitter gourd, Bheem instantly regretted his decision, spiting the contents out.

"Bhrata Bheem, what are you doing?", asked Sahadev, just having completed his meditation.

"I kept these bitter gourds in the sugar syrup overnight but their taste remains just as bad.", Bheem replied, disappointed.

"If you keep them in the syrup for a year, perhaps then the flavour might change.", Medhasvini suggested with a grin.

"I mean, if Duryodhan could change, what is in a mere bitter gourd.", Nakul jested, looking away from his mirror for once.

Yudhisthir's smile dissolved at this comment.

"Even if it is kept in the syrup for a lifetime, it won't change. After all, it is defined by its bitter taste.", Bheem concluded.

Medha stared at Yudhisthir with a 'he's-not-wrong' look but him being him, saw good in everyone.

"Think postive, Bheem. In fact, all of your should try to think positively. One's heart cannot be so weak that there is no righteousness in it at all.", Yudhisthir reprimanded.

"You are right, Rajkumar everyone has Sattva, Rajas and Tamas guna but it is upto the person, what he or she wants to raise within oneself. And in all, there is one guna that is predominant and often times clouds the others.", challenged Medhasvini.

"Well, you should always give the person willing to change a chance, right? It is my dharm."

"What is this dharm you speak of? What does it mean?", Medha pressed on.

Yudhisthir stood still, unable to say anything further.

"Krishna says, dharm is what teaches people to live with each other, teaches how to live harmoniously with the entire creation of peace. And thus, a person who follows dharm, finds themselves in peace. True righteousness ends all struggles of mankind. Tell me, have you ever experienced this with them or with yourself?"

More silence ensued.

"Is it even possible that in this society a man is satisfied with what he has and has no struggle with others? Think about it....And before you say arguments are a part and parcel of every familial relation.....let me tell you, where there is love, there can never be struggle, hate and anger. If you have experienced even a slight bit of any of the above, you know what the answer is then."

Taking a breath in between her words, she ended with one question,

"So what is dharm? What others have been teaching you is right? Or what you know is right?"

"Guess what's happening for lunch today!", Avyukt pushed open the door, joyfully skipping inside.

But the atmosphere was quite readable as he came to a holt.

"uh....wrong time?" 

"Yes", everyone said in unison, slightly glaring at him.

"Pranipat, Yadav Kumari. Kumar Arjun is here to meet you.", announced a maid.

"Kumar Arjun?!", Subhadra stood up excitedly.

Medha intently watched her little sister command her handmaidens to clear off the piles of clothes to make space for him to sit.

"Tell him to come in.", she said, while fixing her hair in the mirror.

"No, wait!", Medha called out.

Looking at her with an innocent expression she said,

"I thought you hated him...don't you remember how he made you skip around the other day?"

Subhadra contemplated her words for a while, then face lit up with an idea.Facing the maid she said,

"You know what, tell him to enter after a while."

"Pranipat Pandav Kumar", the sisters wished him together, sharing a mischievous glance.

"Pranipat", he replied, oblivious to what was to come.

"Wait wait wait!", Subhadra shouted as Arjun came close to stepping on the clothes spread out on the floor.

"Walk carefully, I kept the clothes on the floor to dry. I am to leave for Dwaraka soon."

Seeming ever so confused, Arjun shook his head before holding on to his dhoti and skipping his way forward.

It took Medhasvini everything in her to not burst out laughing. But her sister made no effort to hold it back.

"You are quite the dancer as well, Pandav Kumar."

"Are you satisfied, having made me dance?", asked Arjun.

"I am quite contented!", answered Subhadra cheerfully.

"And your bhrata Krishna taught you to take revenge like so?"

"Krishna doesn't take revenge, Arjun. I taught her that.", confessed Kridha.

"But he did kill your uncle when he had abducted your parents as an act of revenge."

"Well, it wasn't exactly reveng-"

"Bhrata Krishna says that justice is a circle, if the culprit is not punished then it may affect the balance of the peace.", interruped Subhadra.

After a moment of processing that, Arjun admitted,

"I do not get it...."

Subhadra's expression mirrored Arjun's,

"Me neither...in fact I do not understand anything he says."

Awkwardly sandwiched between their chemistry, Medha cleared her throat and asked,

"Anyways, what brings you here?"

"Oh, I wanted to get to know more about Krishna.."

"So you have come to ask me about Bhrata Krishna..?", Subhadra sounded immensely disheartened.

Clueless about her feelings, he went on to ask about the backstory of Krishna and Jarasanda.

"I don't know.", she murmured.

"Pandav Kumar, you will invite me in your wedding right?", she asked out of the blue.

Medhasvini mentally facepalmed herself.

"First Jyesth then Bhrata Bheem. There is a long time till my marriage. Acha,tell me something-" 

"I don't know", Subhadra stopped him mid sentence, "Ask him whatever you want to yourself, when you meet. You may leave."

She turned her back to him so he wouldn't be able to see her teary eyes.

Medhasvini glared at Arjun, but he stood as unaware as he was since he entered the room.

"Putri Medhasvini, Putri Subhadra, just now a notice came that the demon Kalyavan has been blocking the path to Dwaraka. Going from there will be a risk...", Kunti entered breaking through hush.

The two sisters shared a concerned look

"Do not worry, I will have Arjun accompany both of you."

"But will it be right to leave Hastinapur at such a time...?", frowned Arjun.

"Why not? There is nothing to be concerned anymore. Duryodhan has whole-heartedly accepted Yudhisthir as the crowned prince."

"As you say Mata."

As soon as the mother-son duo felt the room, Subhadra let out a squeal.

But Medhasvini...her reaction was quite the opposite.

I cannot believe I will have to third wheel between these two...hey narayan help me, she prayed.

And Narayan...well, it was his sister after all.

"Devika, you called?"

"Jiji!", Devika got up and pulled Aadya inside her room.

"Calm down, kiddo.", she laughed.

"The next the thing I am going to ask, you have to say yes to it."

The princess of Dwaraka gazed at her with mock suspicion.

"Depends..."

"No no, you must say yes.", Devika urged.

"Ok baba! I will say yes, now ask.", Medha surrendered.

"Will you come to Sivi with us?", Sivi Kumari widened her eyes with expetation.

"Uh...sure but I wouldn't want to intrude...", she replied hesistantly.

"You won't be an intrusion!", Avyukt's voice reached her as she saw him emerge from behind the changing room.

"Why were you hiding...."

"I wasn't hiding. I was...", he looked around for a bit and pulled down the piece of cloth hanging from the changing room door, "sewing this."

"You can sew?", she asked, surprised.

"It's a basic skill.", scoffed Avyukt, trying to seem nonchalant and hopefully impress Medha.

"It is.", she agreed and turned her attention back to Devika.

"So, when are you both leaving?"

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I have surprised myself by updating so soon, two consecutive days....
Anyways, brace yourselves because something big is about to happen....*insert evil laughter*....and no Avyukt ain't dying.

For now, please vote on the chapter, let me know how you liked it and anticipate more drama.

And do drop a comment or two, I really enjoy reading them.

Also, do tell if you like the new cover

Signing off,

-fandomarcade