Hey Guys! 

Here is the hundred and fifty seventh chapter. 

I don't own Mahabharat. 

Happy Reading!! 

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Third POV

In Kalinga

King of Kalinga, Chitrangada, was least to say surprised when the solider informed him that his daughter was requesting an audience with him. 
Was there a problem? Was his daughter alright? 

He had rushed straight from his leisure room to the small meeting room to meet his daughter. His wife, Queen Shilpi, followed closely behind along with their niece Karenumati. All of whom had been having tea after the early hours court, that thankfully ended early with few ups and downs. 

It was a little unhinging to see Chitravaram, his right- hand man in loose words, standing there along with the Foreign Minister, Shivraj. 

"Maha Raj, Maha Rani, Hum aapka hi intezar kar Rahe the." (King, Queen, we were waiting for you.) The two greet their King. 

"Humara Intezzar?" (Waiting for us?) Maha Raj frowns. 

"Senik ne kaha ki hum sab ko Raj Kumari ne yaad Kiya Hai." (Soldier said that Raj Kumari has called for all of us.) Minister Chitravaram says. 

Maha Raj didn't say anything that but his frown deepened. 
What did Bhanumati want to talk to his ministers? Especially Foreign Minister? 

"Andar chalte Hain." (Lets go in.) Mister Shivraj says. 
Maha Raj Chitrangada nods entering the room closely followed by his wife. 

The sight of his daughter laughing, lifted a weight of his shoulder. 
He had stopped the soldier from announcing his arrival to actually look what the people of room were doing; he didn't want their first look to be in an artificial environment at least sort off. 

But the sight did raise a question in his mind, if everything was fine why were they here? He supposed he needed to talk to them to get the answer of same. 

"Maha Raj!" Suyo's elder brother aka Aditya was the first one to spot them. He stood up in an instant joining his hands and inclining his head in greeting. 
The other three followed suit. 

It was the next second that Queen Shilpi was hugging her daughter. 
The former crying in happiness while the latter smiled wide. 

While Suyo, turned to the king bending down to take the latter's blessing by touching his feet.  King blessed him, before raising him. Maha Raj Chitragandha may be the young man's father- in- law but the younger was a brahmin. It didn't seem right for the junior to bend in front of him. 

"Ma Roiye mat, aap aise royeingi tohh Hume acha nahi lagega." (Mother don't cry, if you keeping crying like this, we won't like it.) Suyo said seeing the Queen Shilpi cry buckets of tears. 

Hearing her son- in- law, Queen Shilpi tried to stop crying, but the joy of seeing her daughter in such happiness even though she was living away from house, in a forest eased her heart, calmed her heart a lot. 

It took them around next five minutes for them all to settle down. 
(The greeting between the cousin sisters surely left the other 40% deaf.) 

"Hum se aise milne ka karan Kya Hai, Bhanu?" (What is the reason for meeting us like this, Bhanu?) The King asked. 

"Humne nivaden ki thi, Maha Raj." (It was us who requested it, Maha Raj) Aditya spoke.  "Bhanumati ne toh srif humari prarthna aap tak pahunchai." (Bhanumati just brought up the request to you.) 

"Aapne? Koi vishesh karan?" (You? Was there a specific reason?) 

"Maha Raj, mai asha karta Hun ki aap bhi aapni beti jaise bade dil waale honge aur humari baat ko samjhenge. Aapne aap ko humare sthan rakh kar, humari baat ko swikarenge." (King, I hope that you just like your daughter, have a big heart and understand our point. You will place yourself at my place and will accept the thing that I am about to tell you.) Aditya says, his voice firm & hard. 

It was like never before. He seemed uncannily different. 
This wasn't the Brahmin Aditya they had talked with; this person help the power to rule people. He held everyone's attention with his voice, his aura demanded respect, his posture shouted confidence. 

"Sambhavta." (Possibly.) The King shrugs, growing vary of the man in front of him. "Uske liye toh aapki baat janni hogi." (For that I must know your 'thing'.) 

"Aapne apne putri ki vivah ke purv humse ek prash pucha tha, agar aapko yaad Ho," (You, before your daughter's marriage had asked me a question if you remember.) Receiving a confused nod Aditya continues. 
"Aapne humse humara ghar pariwar ka pata pucha tha. Aur us samay humne aapko ek vade ke badle aapna pata chupaya tha." (You had asked me my family, and address. And at that moment I had pushed off the question by masking it with a promise.) 

Again, a silent & even more confused nod was given by the King of Kalinga. 

"Aaj Hum yahan aapko aapna pata batane aaye Hain." (Today I have come here to tell you about me.) Aditya says. 

The Queen squints her eyes at the three of them, were these guys normal or had Bhanumati got stuck in a bad place, but the younger didn't say anything. Rather she looks quite happy today.
So, what was it? Why were they being so secretive about all this? 

"Aise kon Hain aap jo aapko aapne baare Mein batane Mein itne bandhan Hain?" (Who are you really, that you have so many restrictions in telling about yourself to people?) Princess Karenumati questions, intrigued. 

In answer Aditya smiles, as he stands up, his wife on his left and brother on his right, a step behind. Bhanumati also stood beside her husband. 
The three royals and two minsters looked at them all lost. 

"Surya Putra, Kaunteyan aur Anga ke Raja Karn ki sambhodhan ko swikar karein, Maha Raj Chitragandha " (Please accept the greetings from the Son of the Sun, Son of Kunti and the King of Anga, Maha Raj Chitragandha.) Aditya- er.... Karn says folding his hands in a polite greeting. 

While the people in front of him were looking at him in shock & daze, Karn continued, motioning at his wife, "Yeh humari dharma Patni, evam Anga ki Rani Ananya Hai." (This is my wife and the Queen of Anga, Queen Ananya.) 

Placing a hand on his brother's shoulder, he goes on, "Yeh humare anekon Mein se ek anuj, Gandhari Nandan, Maha Raj Dhritarashtra ke sabse bade putr, Raj Kumar Duryodhana Hain." (He is one of my hundreds younger brother, son of Gandhari, & the oldest son of Maha Raj Dhritarashtra, Prince Duryodhana.) 

"Aur isi karan se aapki putri, Raj Kumari Bhanumati" (And which is the reason by which, your daughter, Princess Bhanumati) Aditya says, "Ab Kuru vansh ki Bahu aur Hastinapur ki Raj Kumari Hai." (is now the daughter- in- law of Kuru family and the princess of Hastinapur.) 

"Ang Raj?" (The King of Anga?) The Head Minister- Chitravaram whispers confused, his voice too loud in the quite room. 

"Par hum aapki baat par vishwas Kyun karein?" (But why should we take your word for it?) The other Minister Shiv Raj asks. 

"Na karein." (Don't take my word.) Aditya shrugs, before taking a step towards his audience. "Par yeh Kavach aur Kundal humari baat ko bhaali bhaati satya sabit kar sakta Hai." (But this armour & earrings, will prove my words totally.) 

It was at the finishing of his words that the golden hue coming from outside seem to shine brightly on his chest as slowly an armour replaced the bare chest. His Kundal's also seem to appear suddenly in his ears out of nowhere. 

Mouths of the five people fall open in shock, How in the whole dammed world was this possible? Was the person standing in front of them really the great Ang Raj? The person who lived half his life as a chariot driver's son? The person who was disciple of the greatest Parshuram? 

"Par aapki toh mrityu Varnavrat Mein aag lagne ke karan hui na?" (But didn't you die in the fire of Varnavrat?) Queen Shilpi voiced the question that was disturbing everyone, seriously. 

Karn gave a mock laugh, "Maha Rani, aapne abhi mere kavach aur kundal dekhe, Kya aapko lagta Hai ki zarrorat ke samay woh pracat nahi honge? Yeh mere khatre Mein hote hi pracat Ho jaate hain." (Queen, you just saw my armour and earrings, do you really thing they didn't at the time I needed them the most? They appear whenever I am in danger.) 

"Aur ek baar ko yeh baat pare rakhte Hain." (And for once let's keep that aside) Karn sits down on the seat, crossing his legs one over the other, his back pulled straight and head held high.  "Aapko sahi Mein lagta Hai jis ghar Mein ek nahi 8 sarv Shrestha yoodha the us Mein, unki maut ek chote mote aag ke karan hui Hai?" (Do you really believe on the fact that the house, that had eight of the very best fighters, the people of that house died due to a small fire?) 

"Aapne baat toh achi kahi Anga Raj lekin itne din tak yun brahmin ki tarah Kyun reh Rahe the aap?" (You gave an important point Ang Raj, but why stay in disguise of a Brahmin for so many days?) 

"Har chiz karne ka ek sahi samay hota Hai, Maha Mantri." (Everything has a right time for the work to be done at.) It was surprisingly Ananya who said it. 

"Aur aapke wapas aane ka Samay Ho gya Hai?" (And it is your time to return?) 

"Awashya." The husband & wife answer in sync, nodding along. 

"Pandeva aur Rani Kunti kahan Hai fir?" (Where are the Pandeva's & Queen Kunti, then?) Raj Kumari Karenumati raises an eyebrow in question. 

"Har vyakti ke karam ke phal alag hote Hain, Raj Kumari." (Every person's fruit of their deed are different, Princess.) Ang Rani says. 
"Pandeva's ka karam unhe doosre raaste pe chala raha Hai." (Karma of Pandeva's are making them walk on a different path.) 

"Hume aaj yeh batane ka karan srif samay aana Hai?" (Telling all of us this is only because your time is here?) Maha Raj finally questions. 

"Ek tarike se." (In a way.) Karn shrugs. 

"Hum aapse madd mangne aaye the, Maha Raj." (We are here to ask for your help, Maha Raj) Ananya continues; fingers locking with her husband as they hold each other's hands silently, it was completely natural. 

"Madd?" (Help?) Maha Raj seemed shocked. "Humse?" (From us?) 

"Ji" (Yes) Ananya nodded. 

"Kya hum sahi Mein aapki madd kar sakte Hai?" (Can we really help you?) 
Kalinga was a big enough land, but match Kuru Family? They weren't anything in front of the others. 

Yes, years ago, it was the great King Shantanu who had given this part of his land as a gift to King Chitragandha's forefathers. 
And they were grateful to the Kuru Family for their big heart and kind nature but what help could today Maha Raj Chitragandha provide to the eldest Kuru prince, his wife and his brother? 

"Bilkul" (Absolutely.) Karn nods. 

"Kya madd chahhiye aapko humse?" (What help do you guys need from us?) 

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