" Acting? " Aahana asked, her brain screeching to a halt.

" Haan Sakhi, Acting. " Alata said as Aahana looked at her.

" My dear sister. I may not have married her by will, but she is my wife now. No other woman can hold her place. We've decided to be friends. What better way to keep a relationship? " Moksh asked, as Alata smiled and then squeezed her nose.

" What happened? "

"He's smelling... How much did you sweat? "

" More than what you could do in an entire day. "

"I work more than you do. All you do is sit on a seat and read things. I have to clean and cook and -"

" Aren't they already in love? " Shubhda whispered to Aahana, walking behind her.

" I know! I've been telling them since forever! Now Narayan himself made them a couple... I'm actually expecting to become a buashree sooner than he'll become a mamashree. " She giggled.

Rhw stood there for five minutes, before the two fighting realised.

"Right. So. Bhrata Nirmay has taken a liking to Kumari Shubhda, Kumari Shubhda wants to marry Bhrata Nirmay. This is a plan to draw the rat out of his bill. He'll act upon his feelings only when he's jealous. That's all we're doing. " Alata said, while Aahana thought over the plan.

"But Bhrata Nirmay of all people, jealous? "

" Haan Aahana. He'll be jealous. Didn't you see how he masked it by speaking up for Alata today in the dinner hall? We'll just have to do this till tomorrow when she has her swayamvar. In the swayamvar, she will choose Nirmay... Then we'll see what happens. "

" But Moksh. Isn't this a bit risky? You'll earn mata and pitashree's ire, on top of the anger from bhrata Nirmay. "

"He needs to realize that he does love her. Not  marrying  every pet animal that he finds, love them as he may. "

" Alright. What do I have to do? "

  ~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

The morning of Holi brought love and hope into the eyes of all but the Yuvraj of Vajji, who sat sulking in his room.

Afraid to make the first move, but jealous of what he could see.

The audacity of Moksh to do so, even after he told him that he had imagined a future with the Avanti Kumari?

"Bhrata Nirmay! Bhrata! " Came the demonic voice.

"What is it you want Moksh! "

"Come on out! It's Holi! "

"I don't want to play. "

" But Avanti Kumari is here to invite you too -"

"Listen here. I don't care what you're doing. But you're wife cares about you. She was forced into the same marriage as you were. At least she has the decency to be cordial about it. " Nirmay growled, pushing. Moksh against the wall.

"You sound awfully sure of what my wife wants and doesn't want bhratashree. Come out, your parents have come. "

Moksh walked away, smirking. " Now we'll play Holi... Rest of the work will be done tomorrow. "

  ~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

Holi was celebrated with full pomp in Vajji, as they welcomed their queen and her consort back to the palace, as well as with the pending decorations of the swayamvar next day.

The colours of life and joy spread across the city as they welcomed the new season with delight. The warming of the wind, the flowing of the rivers. Life was about to change for them all.

Which was why, when Avanti Kumari Shubhda went up to dear Nirmay to colour him, she was graciously accepted, though he still kept his eyes closed, tightly.

" You don't need to hide Yuvraj. I will find you. " She whispered. To herself as she walked away, while the prince sfood there, blushing. The red of his cheeks was visable even over the blue that marred his cheeks.

  ~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"I need to go back mata. I have to be in Matsya with Arya. He and I have some work to do. That and it's our first Holi. "  She said, as she climbed the chariot in the afternoon glow.

The Holi celebrations were in full fling, yet the girl had to leave, her plan already set in motion as per her brother's orders.

" Alright Putri. Farewell. "

" Sahdev. I gave you until Holi. What is it. Why was my daughter hurt in her own home? " Karunika glared.

" Jyeshtha. We all know, putri Aahana has her birthday just a few weeks after the phalgun purnima. Hence, all of us were planning a birthday surprise for her in Dwarika. However, since Holi and all these incidenta have took place, we went slow on the schedule and so, the surprise meant for Holi had to be postponed to her birthday. We couldn't tell her, Bhrata Yudhishthir wouldn't lie and you would just tell your daughter anyway." He finished. His sister was always a formidable woman, even now.

" You -fine. We'll be waiting. " She resigned, as Adam laughed at the misconception they'd created behind the secret.

  ~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Meanwhile, Moksh and Alata were mid quarrel yet again.

" No! I told you! Blue will make my skin stain! "

"oh boo ho! You're my friend I have the right. Plus, you're not a girl, why do you fear staining your skin so? "

"What do you mean! I have a very muscular body and milky skin thank you very much. There had been so many marriage proposals for me before we were married! "

"So you should have married one of them. " She said, throwing another tray of blue which was dodged by a very agile Moksh.

" I didn't want to. They were all not nice women, unkind and vain about their appearance. "

"Look at the hypocrisy of this man! He claims to say they were vain, when he won't bathe in colours on Holi! " She shouted, finally grabbing a stick.

"What -what are you doing? "

" Aahana told me all about the lathmar Holi mamashree Krishn played. I'm just testing how fun it would be. " She said, running after him.

As they reached a pond, Alata looked around for Moksh, when she saw, a giant black snake emerging from the water.

"Arya! " She screamed out of fear, as the snake was about to grab her.

She shut her eyes, prepared to die, a death on Holi while chasing her husband with a stick, she thought Narayan was blaming her for her insolence.

As she prepared herself for death, a sword lashed out, lodging itself into the snake's head, as she was yanked aside by two big arms ecircling her petite figure.

She looked up to see Moksh, who looked at her with worry.

"How big of an idiot can you be to put yourself in harms way like that. What if something had happened to you? I may argue with you as a friend is meant to be. But you are my wife too. I can't and don't want to loose you so soon! " He yelled as she, in her fear string her arms around his neck, fear in her heard.

" I'm fine. Thank you. " She said, moving back as she regained her senses. Moksh rubbed his neck.

"Right... Where were we? " She asked, smirking as he finally gave in, out of love or the adrenaline in him as they fought the snake. But the blue colour of love finally made its way onto his  skin and that day, Moksh smiled wider than he did when he saw his mother after years of her vanvas.

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

Rather an ordinary reveal... But the way she was so worried. Abhi uska bhi gussa isi baat pe niklega.

Anyways twll me how it was and comment how you felt. Do vote if you liked it.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥