Prativindhy ran after her, following her into the main city, where, despite his sharp vision he lost sight of her.

"Charulata! " He screamed, falling to his knees in the middle of the market road, crying into his hands.

The passerby's watched as their Yuvraj let go of all his proprietary and weeped in the middle of the road.

Short curt footsteps were heard and a hand was kept on his shoulder.

"Come son, we'll find her. " Called a controlled voice, as if it couldn't see the boy in such pain.

"No. I don't want to go till I find her. " He said, shoving the comforter' hand off.

"Prativindhy. Come up. " The well wisher hauled him up, hoping to get him inside.

"Nahi I - Fufashree? " He said surprised, looking up at a concerned Adam.

" Come inside. We need to talk. " He said, helping him back to the palace where a concerned Devika pulled him into a hug.

" Putr, where is my daughter in law? Where is my granddaughter? " She asked, cupping his face, as he hung it low.

Yudhishthir made his way to Adam, " Jijashree, where was ge? " He asked in a clipped voice, clearly trying to keep himself calm.

" Outside, he was sitting at the gates of the palace. I was truly concerned, until I saw him calling a name. "

" Thank you for bringing him in.. How is Jyeshtha? " He asked, trying to distract his mind with small talk.

" She's fine... Madirakshi has now begun to start walking, so Karunika has had to follow her around wherever she goes. " He smiled fondly.

" Arya! She's left! Claiming that she has no place beside a Yuvraj. " Devika called with grief and Yudhishthir's jaw hardened visibly.

"Sainik! " He shouted and a few soldiers collected next to him.

" Go find Yuvrani Charulata and bring her here with full respect. " He ordered and the others regained hope.

" But pitsdhree, she said -"

" Putr, she has taken my granddaughter away. Her personal choice to live away would still have been acceptable, if not reasonable, where we could have reached a negotiation. But she took Sanchita away. That is not acceptable and we will find her. She cannot vanish without reason. " He proclaimed, striding back into the palace.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

" Putr please eat something. " Devika urged and he refused, moving his head away.

"I'll eat when she returns. " He mumbled and Karenumati had had enough of his moping.

"Listen here. You should have brought her here the day you married. If she refused then you should have stayed there! Write a letter to us, called us but no! You left your pregnant wife there for your sister's wedding? How would that make any sense! " She told him with a stern look and his face visibly fell.

"Karenumati! " Devika said surprised .

"What? I'm not lying. " She answered back in an equally clipped tone.

"Kakishree, I understand your anger -"

"No you don't. Now eat food and go out to look for them yourself. Do what is needed and do right by them. " She blessed, sighing as her anger was abating.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Arya! Let me have it -" Shubhda shouted, as she ran after her husband, who was holding her flowers.

" No! I'll put them. "

"But you're allergic! You'll start sneezing! Your hands are already red! " She shouted, following him around the palace.

"I'm not going to surrende-uff. " He exclaimed, as he bumped into the Maharani of Vajji.

"Yuvraj, why are you running around with flowers! Your hands are red. " Karunika said, snatching them out of his to hand it over to his wife, gently holding them in hers.

"Come, we must treat this. ' she said kindly as he followed her, disappointed.

" But mamishree -"

"No. " She said and he sighed, as his wife followed after him.

As he sat with pastes and bandages covering his arms, his wife came in, slowly.

"What is it now. " He muttered sulkily.

"I have a present for you. " She whispered, revealing a flower pin from under her odhini.

"This is beautiful. Where did you find this? " He asked her in awe, turning the pin in his hands.

"I made it... You want to adorn flowers in my hair, but you can't, so I made one which you can use and not fall ill. " She mumbled, squeezing in next to him on the bed, her back facing his front.

" Alright. May I? " He asked softly, as he held his hand over her forehead, waiting for her consent.

"Always, unless I say no. "

"Which means I'll ask... Always. " He whispered, gently removing the odhini, to carefully place the pin on her head.

"There. All done. " He whispered, kissing the back of her head to turn her around.

"It's beautiful. " She mumbled,hand teaching to admire it.

"Yes, it is. " He answered softly.

"Not me. The pin. " She muttered blushing.

Suddenly, she was yanked back to him, hands enclosing on both sides to welcome her in his comforting embrace.

"You're always beautiful. Never forget. " He whispered in her ears as she blushed.

"Putr, have you -oh my. I'll just leave. " Karunika exclaimed, as she slapped her hands over her eyes, while the pair jumped apart, before breaking into laughter.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

" Adyashree, now you're being mean. Come on, tell me, what is the truth. Why are you -Arre! " He shouted as she hid her face behind her hands yet again.

"What is it? Don't you trust me? I won't judge you. " He told her softly as she shook silently with laughter.

"I know you won't judge me. It isn't about that. I'm just embarrassed. " She mumbled, her words muffled by her hands.

"What is it? You have nothing to be shy about... Not after last week -"

"Shh! Is that how you talk all the time! " She yelled, slapping a hand to his mouth.

"Well, it's basic human nature, what is to be denied -"

"Oh my! This is why I wasn't telling you. You won't take it seriously! " She exclaimed, hiding her laughter.

"Well, if my wife has had her fill, please tell me, I promise I won't make fun of you. " He asked, scooting closer to her on the bed as she shied away.

"No. Wait. " She said, hding his hand up then bringing it over to her womb.

"What is it? I don't feel any gurgling. . Are you sure your stomach is alright? Should I call a -"

"How stupid are you? " She asked in a moment of frustration, before realising who she was talking to.

"I -I didn't mean to - I am sorry Arya -" She was pulled into a sudden hug as he held her tight against her.

"I'm stupid, just for you. Stupid and mad in love. " He whispered to her, kissing her ear as he finally said, " And I'm glad you are to be the mother of our children. " He said softly, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

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So? How was it? Is Karenunati right?

Tell me in the comments and do vote

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥