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18

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Shakuni looked at the scene happening in front of him. The dots he noticed connected.

It was evident to him that his daughter loves that Dharm Raj.

Instead of anger, he laughed, knowing what to do.

As the night fell upon Akarshika, she looked at the moon, blinking and thinking about what happened today. It was unbelievable—

"Unbelievable," she heard someone scoff, none other than her father. "Unbelievable that my daughter fell for that Yudhishthir," Shakuni grinned. Indu was about to leave the room, knowing he would definitely try to manipulate her.

"Indu, listen to me, not as Gandhara-Sarvabhouma but as your father," he smirked. Akarshika stopped.

"Dear putri, I think only you have feelings for him—" he was interrupted by "I don't have feelings for him," Akarshika refused.

Shakuni smiled, "Well, I am here to—" he again got cut off by his daughter.

"You are here to say don't even try to have feelings for him as you and your nephews always plot against him and his brothers?" Akarshika raised her tone and questioned, her eyes looking into her father's.

"Don't worry, father, I don't have any feelings—" Shakuni now interrupted her, saying "putri, I believe in you, but perhaps if you ever have feelings for him, just remember," he looked at her with a wicked smile and continued, "Dharma Raj will never love you. Yes, I don't have good relations with him, don't believe me, I might be manipulating you, but ask yourself. Will he love Gandhar Rajkumaari, once the most beautiful one, arrogant, rude, known as selfish one and my daughter, over Panchal Kanya, the kindest, polite—"

"Enough, pitashri, I don't love anyone and you can just leave," Akarshika demanded, while Shakuni left with a smirk, planting the poisonous seeds in her heart.

Akarshika looked outside with tears in her eyes. Her father is right. "Why would anyone like me? I am never the correct one for anyone. I am rude, I don't think before I speak, I act selfishly," she cried out, collapsing to the ground.

She suddenly felt insecure about her behavior. She behaved like that since childhood. For her, she doesn't speak lies, she just spills it on face, which people say is rude behavior.

She thinks only about herself, her brother, her mother, and her people, and she selfishly loves only her nearest. She never understood the concept of loving everyone and getting hurt. She just avoided being like every weak woman, loving everyone—she is correct, right?

She never met many people, she doesn't know how to behave in front of them, so she just avoids them.

"People hate me, I just sense it. All he did for me was be nice, I just behaved with stupidity thinking all stupid, and now I just have to let go of everything," she wept, her fair face was all dry.

How easily she said "just have to let go of everything," unknown of the love she built for him. She can't, she cannot do that. Her heart screams the truth while she just listened to her mind.

Right now she needs a healer who knows everything.

Shakuni smirked, knowing what will happen. His daughter will forget everything in no time, he thought. But who's going to tell him she loves him now, more than anything, she loves him.

He just wants to keep Akarshika out of the mess of Hastinapur. He smirked, knowing everything will work well now.

He was bound by darkness of selfishness and revenge. His dear elder sister was married to a blind man who was refused the throne because of his blindness.

His nephews, as the sons of the king, should be the next to the throne, not those Panduputr, was his thinking mentality.

Akarshika didn't leave her room much. She only attended Dushala's marriage and didn't greet anyone. The marriage was taking place now, which the Pandavas also didn't like.

Akarshika just wished everything should go well for Dushala. That's when she heard someone's footsteps. She could feel something divine in the air.

She turned around to see him smile. "Gopala," she spoke with a smile. Her cheeks were quite puffy, and her eyes seemed sore. Though no one knows, she cried all night. Her dear friend knew everything.

Of course, he would. He was aware of everything about each human, their sadness, their grief, and everything.

He was the almighty, after all.

He knows what shattered his dear devotees' hearts, he just waited for the correct time to take away their pain.

He smiled at her, she too gave him a slight smile, “so you are here,” she said in her blue saree as the sun shone brightly.

He nodded and with a playful smile, “I heard about your marriage with Jambavant's daughter Jambavathi and Satrajit's daughter Satyabhama,” she said.

He nodded, “why aren't you talking? Am I talking too much? Is that why you aren't talking?” Akarshika asked.

“Well, did you give me any time to speak?” Madhav questioned, furrowing his eyebrows. “I am just stupid, I know that's why people don't like to talk to me,” Akarshika stated with no expression.

“That's wrong,” Kanha answered as Indu looked at him.

“My dear sister is ranting that you seem sad, my friend is telling me how you are not even reacting to his jokes,” Kanha replied while Akarshika just looked away.

“I don't want to talk, Gopala, my heart seems to be heavy with something, I just don't want to do anything,” Akarshika spoke about her uncertainty.

“Sakhi, your inner peace is precious, don't give importance to the comments and opinions of others,” he said with a bright smile.

Akarshika looked into his eyes, his eyes just gave her peace. It's so good when she's with him, he doesn't see her not-so-good qualities, he just gives her a pure smile. “Should I believe in him?” her heart questioned herself.

Soon Dushala's marriage was over, she was bidding goodbye to everyone. She had tears in her eyes as she took the blessings of her mother and father.

Akarshika stood beside Subhadra. Dushala hugged her elder brother Duryodhan, who had tears in his eyes. But of course, he didn't cry.

She spoke to each and every brother of hers, meaning 105 brothers, including the Pandavas and Yuyutsu.

She took the blessings of the elders and Kunti. She was from a big family, now she was stepping into a new world.

As soon as Dushala stepped towards Subhadra and Indu, Subhadra hugged Dushala tight and cried.

“I have a feeling that nothing will be the same anymore,” Subhadra spoke, wiping Dushala's tears. Dushala sadly nodded and looked at Indu, they all shared a group hug.

Indu's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Dushala, she was looking beautiful in a red saree and lots of golden ornaments.

Like that, Dushala went to Sindh in a royal palanquin.

Jayashri looked at Uluka, “bye,” she said walking in the corridors.

“I know, I know you will miss this handsome face, but yeah, I don't want my friend to cry on her brother's big day because of me,” Uluka complained sweetly.

Jaya laughed and looked at him, she took a deep breath and hugged him as she ran away.

While Uluka was confused, he thought she was just sad with his dense mind.

The environment was silent, the moon shone brightly as the servants were working, removing the decorations.

Amidst that was Akarshika walking aimlessly, she asked Subhadra if she could have some alone time.

Suddenly she saw Dharma Raj.

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𝔸𝕜𝕒𝕣𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕜𝕒:𝕝𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕝 𝟙 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕖𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟

𝕂𝕒𝕟𝕙𝕒: 𝕀 𝕒𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖, 𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 *𝕞𝕖 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕚𝕞*

𝔸𝕝𝕤𝕠 𝕘𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕟𝕖𝕣 *𝕔𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤*

𝔸𝕟𝕪𝕨𝕒𝕪 𝕙𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣

𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕦𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕚𝕥'𝕤 𝕓𝕒𝕕 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨, 𝕀 𝕒𝕝𝕤𝕠 𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕓𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕤𝕠 𝕪𝕖𝕒.

𝔸𝕟𝕪𝕨𝕒𝕪

ᏒᎯᎯᎠᎻᎬ ᏒᎯᎯᎠᎻᎬ