There's no way Saag could have died...

That's what I kept telling myself over and over, until I walked over to the tent at the end of the day....

Her body lay, a ghost of a smirk on her face, even in death... She must have conned someone...

A long bandage wrapped around her torso. Her sword lay by her.. Even though she rarely used it.

"Samrat? " Someone announced as Yudhishthir walked... No stumbled in by my side.

He looked stricken.. His eyes sharp as they tracked Saag's body. Head to toe...

I couldn't decide what was worse. The fact that he was so calm or that I couldn't see a tear in his eye.

Saag's sisters next to me shook in grief, Devi herself fell down next to Saag, holding and hugging her body.

I looked up to see Arjun rush in, his eyes widened in disbelief before they searched for his Madhav.

"Madhav... Tell me Bhabhishree will be fine... " He implored, as Krishn just looked at Saag's body grimly.

Suddenly, with rage I didn't even know I housed I stormed over to Krishn, holding his shoulders.

"You were the one who brought Saag here! You wanted her to fight! They could have very well burnt down all of Hastinapur! But you! You didn't let them! She trusted you! And where did that get her! You claimed the moment we stepped here that she was my sister!" I yelled at him, even as I felt Arjun's hands on my own shoulders.

No! No he needs to hear this! He went to any lengths just so his brother could survive! He sent Hanuman to save Lakshman's life.

Is my sister's life just a collateral damage to him?

"Tell me Oh Vasudev Krishn. Was her life only collateral damage to you? Was it! " I screamed, I could feel myself popping a vein, my eyes blurred with tears.

I heard a rasp then.. "Ajatshatru, " He called and I snapped my head to see a broken Yudhishthir standing at his wife's feet.

" What? What is it? Aren't you angry? Don't you feel the rage -"

" Death and life is an endless cycle. I cannot govern that, nor can Krishn. I don't think we should taint her memory by fighting amongst ourselves," He choked out, "Prepare for tomorrow's battle. " He walked away into his tent.

My eyes grew wide as I looked at him... And another thought struck me.

Madhu and Abhi. They were still in the tent. Unaware.

Devi apparently had the same thought as her eyes locked with mine.

We sprinted in two directions, me towards Yudhishthir as she ran towards the kids.

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"Yudhishthir? " I asked softly as I entered the dark room. He'd been sitting on one corner of the bed, eyes focused on the vanity.

" Do you see that?" A barely audible rang across the room.

" Yudhishthir, you need to -"

" She sits in that corner, every morning as she combs her hair... The first time I met her... She had such short hair, " He said, " She was so happy when I put gajra in them, thinking it to be impossible. " He chuckled, eyes moist.

" Yes I know... But -"

" And there, " He said, pointing at the corner of a room, " There she sits in the evening with our children, teaching them all about Kaliyug and her life there. Sometimes I'm jealous, I'll be honest, because I feel she's trying to guide them away from me. But every time she brings up Kaliyug, she mentions me with a soft smile on her face. " He smiled and I could see a singular tear map it's way around his face, slowly, as he himself processed her death.

" Yes, your children. Who need their father. Now more than ever. " I walked closer and his eyes snapped to mine.

" Why? Isn't their mother there too? Why now more than ever... Did Sagarika ban them from jumping on the beds again? " He asked smirking.

" No Yudhishthir... " I choked on my words, " I don't think Saag -" I couldn't breathe. Even taking her name felt impossible. Not when I knew she wouldn't respond.

" Yes? What about her? " He asked softly, though his eyes betrayed his truth.

" Yudhishthir, you know she's dead... We saw her -"

" What are you going on about Ajatshatru. She's a flame. She cannot die." He said firmly and I stared at him confused.

Didn't he himself announce... To prepare for the next day?

"Yudhishthir, I think you need to -"

" What are you talking about! Sagarika is just fine -"

" Then who was it lying outside! On the stretcher bed! " I finally screamed, tears streaming down my own face.

" That -that isn't Sagarika... That isn't Sagarika... Is it? " He asked which is when I realised.. He still hasn't accepted it.

I walked up to him, pulling him into a hug, his hands clamping onto my shoulders as if a raft to a drowning soul.

" She's fine isn't she, my Sagarika will be fine.. She's fine.. Maybe injured, fainted, but she's fine -"

" She's died Yudhishthir. You have to understand-"

" NO! " He wrenched himself away, his breaths coming in harsh gasps.

"No! No no! She cannot die! She promised me... We promised each other -"

But before I could say anything, Krishn walked into the room, his own eyes dark and grim.

Oh.. I had a few choice words for him too.

"Jyeshth -" He began but I walked up to him.

" You, " I said, eyes blazing with fire,
"You brought Saag here. You persuaded her for war. You told her to fight. She died because of you! " I shouted, slamming my fist against his chest, even as it bled from the impact.

"Mitr -" He began but I was relentless.

" You told her to trust you! Even when she knew her children could die she took part in the war! Because she trusted you! She loved you! Her friend! Her brother! Someone she respected just as much as me! " I could smell the stench of blood dripping off my hands, but I had no control, until I felt two small hands envelop my own.

My eyes snapped to Devi's, her own tears evident.

" I've lost a sister... Don't make me a widow too, " She whispered to me and I broke down, falling to the floor.

" She's gone! She's gone and none of them care! For them it's all ' Dharm requires sacrifices, blah blah blah '.  But no one cared for what she wanted! She wanted a life away from the war. She didn't even want to fight the war! But she did! And all he can say is 'mitr forgive me'? "

" Mitr... Mitr. " I felt someone hold my shoulders, strong hands, as I looked back, I saw Karn sitting with Yudhishthir, holding his shaking body, while I could see Bheem, his own face moist with tears.

" Ajatshatru, we cannot -" But those words were left unsaid as a whoosh of pink and red baralled into the room.

" Didi! " She screamed and looked around the room. Her husbands looked down in shame, while Yudhishthir's head slowly moved up.

" Didi! Where is she! Are the rumors true? Is she -" She broke off, a hand to her mouth.

I could feel anger bubbling for almost everyone in the room.. But the most was reserved for her... Mini.

" Why do you care? " I asked coldly, wiping my tears as she looked up through watery lashes.. In quite a while had a I seen the eleven year old Mini in them.

"What? " She choked out.

" You... You who made her feel like your child's death was her fault. You who made her think that your parent's death was her fault. You who made her believe all her life.. That maybe.. Maybe she couldn't ever be the sister you needed... You are crying at her deathbed? " I bit out, even as I felt a warning hand on my shoulder and a shake of head from Arjun.

No. Today all those who wronged her have to listen.

" No. No I didn't -"

" Ajatshatru-" Nakul's warning voice followed.

" Stop. You might be her husband but I am her brother. I held her when she was born. I took her out for ice cream treats. I saved her when Saag would scold her. But today, she has to face my ire." I glared at her pointedly.

"Bhai please-"

" No
Absolutely not. You have no right to call me that. You don't understand how many tears she's shed over you, the night -" I cleared my throat, " The night you lost your child she weeped for hours, her pain may have been  less than yours.. But it felt as if she cried more than you did. " I heaved.

"Ajatshatru-" Sahadev began, when I felt the room fill with immeasurable heat.

We ran outside to see Saag's body self immolating in her own flames.

"No! " Yudhishthir shouted as he searched for water, sand, anything that could keep the flames at bay.

But it was too late... The body had already burnt itself raw, dark black.

Breath rushed out of our lungs as we saw it.. Yudhishthir had already fallen to his knees, crying his heart out and Mini had fallen into Mata Kunti's arms, her tears fell freely now.

"Mama? " A small voice called and my blood ran cold.

"Mama? Where is mumma? " Another voice called.

" Madhu? Abhi? " Another call... One which chilled my bones.. As if someone poured liquid nitrogen over it... Saag taught me -

I flipped my head around to see a confused Saag standing behind me.. Her eyes were sharp and confused.

"What's going on here? Why are you all crying? " She asked, looking at her hopeful husband, who rubbed his eyes, as if in a dream.

We collided with her simultaneously, nearly knocking her over as she looked at both of us in shock.

" You're -you're alive -? " He choked out and she frowned as she held his face.

" Yes... Why wouldn't I be? " She said, her eyes grew more and more confused.

Another body flew right into her arms, as she cried at her feet.

"Mini? Mini? What's wrong! " She was worried as she sat down, holding her sister by her shoulders.

" What in the world happened here?" Saag asked.
.

" It's what we want you to tell us... What happened? "

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Okay... So... I know I promised to share this on Rakhi.. But..

Yeah.

So...

I think you all expected it.. I can't kill of my main characters.. Or can I? 👀

Anyways..

Tell me how it was

Much love

Radhekrisn ♥ ..