Hey Guys!!!! 

Here is the hundred and fortieth chapter. 

I don't own Mahabharat. 

Happy Reading!! 

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Duryodhana's POV 

In Evening 

In Kalinga. 

"Devi yeh kya keh rahin hain aap?" (Lady, what are you saying?) I question stuttering over the words.

"Kal mera Swayamvar tha, Rishivar, parantu pita Shree ke rakhe hue pran ko koi purn n kar saka." (Yesterday was my Swayam Var, Rishivar, but no one could complete the task set up by my father.) She begins.
"Is kaarn se mere Kul guru ne mujhe yeh upay diya tha. Mere pati aap hue, Rishivar."(Due to this reason, my family Pandit suggested this measure. You are my husband, Rishivar.)

"Mujhe shama kijiye ga Raj Kumari parantu main ek sadharan Rishi hun jiska koi ghar nahi, main aapne jyeshta aur unki patni ke saath rehta Hun jungle Mein adhiktar." (Pardon me, princess but I am a simple Rishi, I have no house, I live my elder brother and his wife, in the jungle mostly.) I say slowly.
"Aisi ksht pradh jivan jine ka koi hak nahi hai aapko. Aapne nirnay par ek bar punh vichaar kar lijiye." (A life with these many problems is not something you should live with. Please rethink on your decision once again.)

"Mujhe yeh rah jisne dikhaya hai, main unki baat tal nahi sakti, Rishivar." (I cannot un-follow the one who gave me this order, Rishivar.) Princess replies, her voice firm. "Aur unke baat ka palan karne ke liye agar mujhe aapke saath is kathin rah par chalna padega toh main chalungi. Yahi meri niyat mein hoga, Rishivar." (And if to follow his words, I need to walk with you on this tough road, then I will. This must be in my destiny, Rishivar.)

I breathe in un- steadily I had hoped that the princess would resent living such a pull downed life but she seemed stuck on her decision. She didn't at all seem ready to leave it.

What should I do? What would Bhabhi Ma do in such a situation.
The idea was a thunderclap over my head.
Bhabhi Ma.

She was the one who could tell me what I should be doing. Let's go to her, get her help in here.

"Raj Kumari, meri Bhabhi Shree, humare chote se pariwar ki sabse badi mahila hain. Woh meri maa saman hain." (Princess, my BhabhiShree is the eldest lady in my house. She is as close to me as my mother.) I begin, a little hesitant still. "Koi bhi nirnay ghar mein agar liya jata hai toh unke salah ke saath hota hai. Koi bhi baat unse aage nahi ki jati hai, shaadi ki baat bhi nahi ho sakti. Aap humare saath chalna chahhti hain toh theek hai warna aap Raj Mahal lot sakti hain. Main aapko humara nirnay bata dunga." (Any decision taken in the house cannot surpass her, even my wedding. If you want you can accompany me, but if you wish you can also return back to your palace. I will inform you of the decision we will take.)

"Main aapke saath chalna chahhungi." (I would like to accompany you.) Princess Bhanumati replies, curtly.

Bhanu Mati's POV

I was stunned when I heard what the Rishi Var said. Not a decision taken without her consent? How much really did she mean to these two brothers, for them to respect her so much?

I watched as the Rishi filled the pot with sea water before he looks at me nodding to start walking behind him.
I did as he motioned, silently eyeing the soldier's to not follow me. I have my knives on me, and I somehow trust him too.

As we walked, I observed him. He had a lot of muscles for a Rishi. How did he get them? He looks like a fighter more than a Pandit.

Does he teach?
Or plan to do so?

We reached a small hut kind of arrangement that seemed very temporary. How do they live here?

And since when are the Rishi Var's who travel around living in such conditions?

"Bhabhi Ma!" The Rishi Var called as he enters.
Why didn't I ask for his name?

"Kahan the, Suyo?" (Where were you, Suyo?) A voice calls from inside, the voice was like a soft purr, a small movement in the air only nothing else. "Mujhe Chinta ho rahi thi, itni der kyun lagadi?" (I was getting worried, why did you take so long?)

He placed the pot in a corner before he looks in a particular direction, I suppose she was standing in that direction. I keep standing at the threshold, not knowing whether I should step in or not.

"Bhabhi Ma, aapse koi milne aaya hai." (Bhabhi Ma, someone is here to meet you.) He- Suyo- says softly. Why does he seems nervous?

"Kon?" (Who?) I could feel the confusion in the voice.
He turns around and motions in my direction.

I feel my heartbeat increase as the rustling sound of the saree comes closer to me. Why though?

One look at 'Bhabhi Ma' had my breath knocked out. The lady who stood in front of me looked like a regal apsara of Devlok. She was beautiful. And saying that doesn't even cover 1/4th of her beauty worth in total. She seemed more of a queen in that simple Kesariya saree than I looked as a princess with all these jewellery and specially styled hand- made saree.

"Pranipatra Devi." (Greetings lady!) She greets me, her hands joined, as she dipped her head slightly in respect.

"Pranipatra." (Greetings!) I greet back, a second later, I was stunned by her blinding smile.

"Aap toh Raj gharane ki lagti hain. Humare is choote se kutiye mein aane ka karan jaan sakti hun, Raj Kumari?" (You seem to be from the royal family. Can I know the reason of you visiting this small hut of ours, princess?) She asks.

My eyebrows shoot out a little, Princess?
How did she know for sure that I was a Princess?

I recite the same thing I told the Rishi var, a while ago. She listened to me patiently not even interweaving once as I was talking to her.

"Hum aapse jhoot nahi bolenge Raj Kumari ji, hum jaise jivan ji rahein hain woh ek Raj Kumari ke liye aasan nahi hogi. Agar aap yeh kasht lene ko taiyaar hain toh main aapko nahi rokungi." (We are not going to lie to you, princess, the way of life we are living, is not at all going to be easy for a princess. If you are ready to take up this toughness in your life, I will not stop you.) She says. "Aur awashya, agar Suyo ko is rishte se koi dikat na ho. Hume in sab baat se koi dikat nahi hai." (And of course, if Suyo has no problem with this relationship. We do not mind all these things.)

"Mujhe Kul Guru ne kaha hai, Devi, unki baat main nahi taal sakti. Agar mere niyati mein yahi likha hai toh yahi sahi. Main picche nahi hatungi." (My family priest said, Lady, I cannot overlook his saying. If this is what is written in my destiny then it may be true, I will never back down.) I tell her firmly.

It is true, I will do as he does.

Agni dev said it there must be a reason he is my second half.
Whatever it may be.

"Aapki ikcha Raj Kumari." (Your wish, princess.)

"Bhanumati. Mujhe Bhanumati bulaiye, main aapki Devrani hui." (Bhanumati. Call me Bhanumati, I am your sister- in- law.) I smile at her.

Her smile widens and she pulls me in a hug surprising me. But I return it back without hesitation. Once I am in her arms, I understand why he must consider her like his mother. Her aura and warmth gives it all away.

"Anu?"

We pull away from the hug and I turn to see who came looking for whom.

It was a man. A fairly built man. He seemed more of a fighter than the pandit, which I supposed he was considering his Kesariya dhoti and Ang -Vastram.

"Arya!" The lady beside me exclaims.

"Inse miliye, yeh Raj Kumari Bhanumati hain. Humare Suyo ki hone waali Patni." (Meet her, this is Princess Bhanumati. Our Suyo's to- be- wife.)

"Kyun?" (Why?) Elder brother frowns.
"Is nalayak ke sivay aur koi nahi mila?" (Why could you not find anyone other than this idiot?)

"Jyeshta!" Suyo shrieks, I suppose in embarrassment.
As a giggle bubbles up my throat.

Elder brother smiles, when sister- in- law beside me chuckles teasing Suyo. Is his name Suyo or do they call him that lovingly? 

******** 

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Hope you guys are doing well. And that you will give me some more time to patch things up. 
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(1 5 8 0 words.) 

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