PLEASE RE- READ THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER THE SECOND HALF HAS CHANGES MADE, AND RE- PUBLISHED ON 23. 05. 2023. 

Hey Guys!!!!

Here is the hundred and forty fifth chapter.

I don't own Mahabharat.

Happy Reading!!

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Third POV  

 The Next Morning  

 In Kalinga. 

The sun was shining deeply in the sky. Everything seemed much louder to Bhanumati today. Perhaps it was that Bhanumati was literally in middle of the forest. Whatever the reason was it was very pleasant, least to say. 

Karn and Ananya had left to take a bath, and complete their morning rituals, leaving Bhanumati and Duryodhana alone in their small hut, for first time since their marriage. 

Bhanumati sat looking at the birds flapping around picking up on the grains she had left for them. Seeing them this way made her happy. 

"Nazara achcha laga?" (Did you like the scenery?) Duryodhana's soft voice makes her look at the said man. 

Who slowly settles down beside her, a small gap was their between them, yet Bhanumati could feel the warmth radiate out of the man's body. 

"Yeh toh prakriti hai, iski chhoti si chhoti chij sundar hoti hai." (This is nature, even its smallest things are pretty.) Bhanumati replies. 

"Koi dikat toh nahi aayi?" (You did not face any problems, right?) Duryodhana asks. Bhanumati could hear that he was nervous and lost, especially the way he was blinking and playing with his fingers.  

He is just like a little kid.  

Bhanumati hides her smile from him, laughing internally rather, "Nahi koi dikat nahi aayi mujhe. Kuch hoga toh bol dungi." (No, I face no problems. If something happens, I will tell you.) 

"Awashya. Awashya." (Of course. Of course.) Duryodhana nods, rocking his head fast. "Bhabhi Ma ki bhi bol sakti ho agar zarrorat lage toh." (You can talk to Bhabhi Ma also if you feel the need of the same.) 

"Janti hun." (I know that.) Bhanumati nods. 
A deep silence settling between them once again. 

"Aap Bhabhi Ma se bahut pyaar kartein hain." (You love Bhabhi Ma a lot, right?) Bhanumati notes in the silence. 

"Woh hain hi aisi." (She just is such.) Duryodhana smiles. 
"Chah kar bhi hum sab mein se koi bhi unhe nazar andaz nahi kar sakta. Hum sab ko ek taraf lane ka subh karya kiya hai unhone, Ek jut banaya Hume." (Even if we want to, none of us can turn ourselves away from her. She did the good deed of bring all of us on the same side, bring all of us together.) 

"Woh sab jaanti hai na?" (She knows everything, na?) Bhanumati asks. 

"Sab kuch." (Everything.) Duryodhana answers, with a slight smile. 
"Koi bhi baat nahi chipti unse, chahe woh kitni bhi badi ho ya kitni bhi choti." (There is nothing that is hidden from her, however small of big it may be.) 

Bhanumati stares at her husband.
One who was talked to be evil. Said in gossips to be evil.  

How?  

He looked like a baby- faced man, he talked so softly, so cautious in whatever moves he takes. Yet people called him evil, because of his time of birth? 
How shitty. 

All she could see in the moment in the man currently was compassion and love for his brother as well as sister- in- law. 

When Duryodhana clears his throat awkwardly, Bhanumati looks away blushing a little on being caught staring by her a day- old husband. 

Duryodhana on the other hand blushes hard. 

Why was she staring at him? 
He felt shy even thinking about it. 

"Bhabhi Ma kabhi bolegi nahi." (Bhabhi Ma will never say it.) Duryodhana says suddenly. "Unhe kitna bhi kastha kyun na ho raha ho. Meri yeh vinti hai ki tum unki jahan ho sake wahan madd kar dena, jab ho sake tab dhyan de dena un par aur woh kitna kam kar rahi hai." (However, much pain or problems she may be in. I have this request to you that please help her wherever you can, pay attention on her and the amount of work she does.) 

"Is baat ki aapko vinti karne ki koi zarrorat nahi hai. Woh meri bhi Bhabhi Ma hain. Unka khayala rakhna mera karm hain." (There is no need for you to request about it. She is my Bhabhi Ma too. To take care of her is my utmost duty.) Bhanumati says. "Kaliyug se achanak aise yahan aajana aur fir itna sab kuch. Mujhe toh soch kar hi darr lagta hai." (Coming from Kaliyuga to here so suddenly and then all these things. I feel scared to even think of it.) 

"Hain na!" (I know right!) Duryodhana agrees. 
"Bhabhi Ma jaisi aur koi stree nahi hain." (There is no other lady like her.) 

Bhanumati hums. 

Duryodhana turns to her wide eyed, "Maaf karna, main tumhara apman nahi karna chahhta." (Pardon me, I did not wish to dis- respect you.) 

Bhanumati smiles in understanding, "Unke jaisa bana toh khwab hoga humara. Aur main samjhti hu. Bhabhi Ma ne aapke jivan mein aham bhumika nibhai hai. Isse mujhe koi dikat nahi Hai ki aap unka aise baadai karein." (To be like her is our dream. And I understand. Bhabhi Ma has paid utmost importance in your life. I have nothing against you for praising her like this.) 

"Achcha laga jaan kar." (Good to know that.) Duryodhana smiles at Bhanumati. 

Bhanumati looks at the partially rising sun present between the clouds, 'Hey Durha Ma, meri vinti hai aapse, Jyestha aur Bhabhi Ma ki jodi yun hi banaye rakhna. Hamesha unhe khush rakhna, Ma.' 

(Hey Goddess Durga, this is my request to you, please keep the couple of Bhabhi Ma and Jyestha just like this. Always keep them happy.) 

"Waise, tum ne bataya hi nahi, tumhare swayam var mein kya sharth rakha tha pita ji ne?" (By the way, you did not say, what was the condition that was put forward by father- in- law?) Duryodhana questions. 

"Humare vansh ki ek parampara hai." (Our family line has a tradition.) Bhanumati smiles brodly. "Kisi bhi Raj Kumar ya Raj Kumari ki agar shaadi hoti hai toh unke hone wale jivan saathi ko humare rakhe gaye kisi ek karya mein hume harana hoga." (For any Prince and Princess's marriage, then their to be life partner has to defeat us in one work that we both perform.) 

"Kisi bhi chij mein?" (In any one thing?) 

"Haan, shastra gyaan, kisi astra ya shastra ka gyaan, itiyadi." (Yes, knowledge based on scriptures, or knowledge of different kind of weapons, etc.) Bhanumati answers his doubts patiently. 

"Aap ke swayamvar mein kya tha, huh?" (What was the condition of your marriage, huh?) Duryodhana's inquisitiveness got better of him.  

"Bhala ladne ki pratiyogita." (Spear fight.) Duryodhana could see the proudness the latter held for being an able spear fighter. It was good to know. 

"Bhala ko teji se chalane ki kala toh Bhrata Yudi mein hain, lekin eo baar, apke saath ek-ek haath ladna hoga, Raj Kumari." (Brother Yudi has the real talent of using a spear. But once, I will need to go one on one with you, princess.) 

"Jaisa aap theek samjhe, Raj Kumar." (Whatever you feel is the best, Prince.) Bhanumati returns back a hearty smile. 

"Aapki muskaan bahut khoobsurat hai." (You have a very beautiful smile.) Duryodhana whispers softly suddenly staring at her smile. 

Bhanumati instantly turns red at his words. Blushing, as her cheeks turn to look like dark red tomato's. She could not believe he just said that. 
Yes, he had right of saying such things to her but how could he suddenly spring it at her? They were talking about a competition and he distracts her like this. 

"Dhanyavad." (Thank You.) She says out loud, thank god with out shuttering. 

Bhanumati thought and assumed that Duryodhana just said that in spur of a moment and he would not really be that confident with such things.
So, she decided to flirt with him in return, trying to see whether or not he will recognize her moves and acknowledge it. 

She places her in middle of the small space between a little more pressed to his side before leaning her weight on the same hand. Acting as if unconsciously she moved her body towards him, still gazing at the rising sun in sky.  

But that was not at all true. 

Duryodhana had seen his elder brother & Bhabhi Ma flirting a lot, subtly or not. This was nothing new to him, rather he knew the weakness of this movement too. One that would stun and confuse the partner & result in the top flirting game of the former couple member. 

So, just as nonchalantly, Duryodhana moves to her side, moving inch by inch, so that there was as little space between them. Before he raises a single finger to brush his wife's hair off her ear. Pushing the stray hair right behind her ear. 

He saw her breath stopping at his action, he was already half way in to the game plan. He was already half way to winning the first competition he ever had it with her, up until now at least. 

But that could not continue for long because suddenly someone was cleaning their throat, making Duryodhana and Bhanumati jump two feet in air as well as pushing each other away from themselves. 

Bhabhi Ma and Jyestha still stood behind them a teasing smirk spread on their lips. They had returned from the river to a lovely sight truly. One they never would miss, whatever happens to the world. They cooed in unison, at them.  

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How was the update? 

It was a fluffy chapter, overall, huh? 

Sorry, for the delay!  

I hope things are much clear now. 
Previously I update the wrong part of story :(
Hope things are much clear now.

I hope to be back soon. 

Thanks for Reading this. 

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(1 6 8 5 words.) 

--Sxxxxx