As we headed to the seating area, I observed the large crowd who had gathered to see their princes compete in the games.

I was still shaken by the happenings in the sabha. All I truly wanted was to ask him why he apologised on my behalf. Even I knew silence was not the answer. One must talk it out. But we didn't get time.

So I chose to do the next best thing I could.

" Mata, I need to meet Yu - Arya. I'll be back shortly. " I said, as she looked at me with alarm and gratitude.

" But putri. Are you sure? He has hurt your heart. I am immensely apologetic for that -"

" Nahi Mata. You need not apologise. To answer your question, I must do it. An internal battle must never interfere with an external one otherwise there would be consequences. I just need to calm his mind. " I said, running towards the entry gates of the grounds.

He must have heard me coming, because he turned around as he was putting his armour in. His face reflected the mask of serenity he was trying to adopt, but also the guilt of the pain he had given me.

" What happened? Are you unwell? " He asked immediately as I stopped next to him, panting.

"No. I am fine. I had approached you to wish you all the best. You and I both know that internal battles need never interfere with the external ones. So that's all I have come to do. We will talk about what happened in the halls after this. But you need to go knowing that I still love you. " I said as he looked at me in surprise. His eyes couldn't contain his relief and he hugged me, armour and all, which was decidedly not a good idea as the armour smelled.

" I promise I'll make it upto you. You are right. We will talk about this later. I love you too. " He answered and his name was called out.

As I began walking back, I heard him murmur something, but couldn't discern what.

As I came back, Mata Gandhari was talking about her son's wins, while Mata was looking at her, sad but hopeful. Sad, not because her sons had lost, but because of the way Mata Gandhari had been saying it.

" My son has yet again won, against Nakul as well hasn't he? " She asked delighted.

" He has jiji. " Was all Mata could say.

" Now calling, Dharmgyani Yudhishthir! " Drauni yelled. Which made me realise. Wait a moment. He's here? Ashwatthama is here? Wasn't he back in time.... No forward. Forward in time.

I didn't get a chance to debate on it as the crowd cheered for the eldest kurukumar. Which incited me back to where he was.

He was falling out of the sky, or so it appeared. He had jumped off of a pillar, with his spear pointimg downwards.

For someone who doesn't like extravagance or pomp in his life, that was a rather majestic entrance I would say.

He looked up at us, first joining hands in front of both his elders, than waving a hand at me.

I smiled and waved it back .

Then the fights began.

Duryodhan seemed to want to extract vengeance against every word I had said to him in the halls, because his attacks on Yudhishthir were anything but under the rules of acting against anger. Both of them fought like lions.

At a point it reminded me of Mufasa and Scar. For some very weird reason.

Eventually, I swe Yudhishthir and Duryodhan with locked weapons, circling around the ground with their weapons locked when, he left. He suddenly left the fight.

What was up with him? He's a wonderful fighter, a calm one at that. Why did he abandon the fight?

" I can't fight anymore as he has ignited the fire of anger in my heart. I surrender. " Was what I heard.

Why did I marry someone with such strict morals? We were going  to have a clash on this in the future wouldn't we?

" But I haven't. You are still part of the fight. " Duryodhan said, eventually landing the winning blow, defeating him.

He looked up at us, yet again, joint hands.

As he made his way back, I saw him concealing a limp in his left ankle. Oh well. It's time to go down I guess.

As I made my way towards them, I saw him sitting, cross legged on the ground, grinding his teeth.

" Are you a bonehead? " I said, sitting by his side.

" What? Why? "

" Who sits cross legged when they have an injury in their ankle you doofus?" I said, putting my hands near his legs when he jumped back, literally. Then winced again.

" What? Now what is wrong with you? Here I am trying to help you but Nahi! We'll do as we wish. Shut up and show my your feet. " I told him, while he looked at me like I was dumb.

" Sagarika. While I appreciate your attention and care, we are in public. I will treat this back in the room. "

Fine. Be stubborn for all I care.

" Fine. But atleast sit with your feet in front, elongating your legs. It will hurt more later. " I said, anger making and diffusing it's way on my face.

He agreed and I smiled, walking back when I was pulled back by a tug.

" Please stay. I want to sit with you. "

" Al-alright. " I said, sitting back down.

It felt as if I wanted to erase the misunderstandings of the sabha. I didn't want to be apart. But it had happened and it needed to be remedied.

Bheem was, disqualified to say the least as he drew first blood.

While my darling husband was admonishing his younger brother, I pulled him over, saying, " Just between the two of us, what you did was marvellous. " I whispered to him.

He smiled and said, " Anything for you bhabhsishree. He had the gaul to insult you. "

" What did you say to Bheem? " Yudhishthir asked as I sat down next to him again.

" Oh nothing. A few choice words. "

" Don't lie to me -Arjun! " He yelled as we saw, the whole of the entry gate falling on him.

As it did, I had a flash of pain behind my eyes. " Sagarika? " He asked in worry.

I couldn't remember. Arjun? Yes. Arjun was the one who was suddenly crushed under the weight of the door. I was trying to wrack my brain. I know he makes it our alive? Does he?

Hai Narayan. This is your play. I'm forgetting everything that happens. Even in the morning I couldn't recall who I was supposed to meet here.

As I finally looked up through the haze of the pain, I saw my dear brother in law making his way out of the pile of rocks and entering the arena at last.

" I feel you might need more medical attention than I do Priye. " Yudhishthir said chuckling.

I looked at him with scrunched eyes.

He put a finger on his lips.

As Arjun managed to defeat Duryodhan, Guru Dron looked on proudly and said, " Hence it is proved, my disciple Arjun is the best archer in the world. "

Well.... I don't know about the world Gurudev. Their might definitely be ones better than him.

Apparently, someone agreed, as an arrow came from nowhere, lodging itself into the Duryodhan the icicle.

It broke into shard of ice. Stupid person. You should have melted it. Someone could have been hurt.

" I challenge your student to a duel Gurudev. Can you still claim that he is the best archer in the world once I've fought with him? " Asked a man, older than all of us it seemed. He walked in the garb of a commondr but the eyes of a warrior, the walk of a fighter.

" Who are you who has the gaul to challenge my discipline? "

" My name is Karn. I challenge your student to a duel. "

" But for that you must be of royal birth. This is a competition amongst the primces of Kururashtr. Are you one as well? Who are your parents? "

" You opened the competition to the world when you proclaimed your disciple as the best in the world. How is it wrong of me to challenge him for it. "

" Alright. But atleast tell us who your parents are? "

"My parents are Sarthi Adirath and Radha devi. " He answered shakily.

Karn? Why do I think I know him? Who is he? Am I supposed to know him? Krishn!

" But then you can't fight. You are a sutputr. "

" But a warrior should not be judged by his caste. Is that how we have adopted life? " He questioned angrily.

" But you can't. You cannot fight. I won't allow it. " Dronachary insisted.

I had had enough of their idiocy.

" Why can't he fight? Is a warrior's competence judged by his caste or the strength he carries in his arms? Is it judged by his birth or the valour he had displayed since birth? " I questioned and this time, I tagged my non comfronting husband along.

" Raajkumari. You are not aware of the way of the world. You shouldn't speak in between. " Guru Dron said.

" But if your disciple has no issues in fighting this warrior, then why do you GuruDev? Are you afraid that you haven't taught him well enough? " I asked, as gasps went around the stadium. Two sets of eyes landed on me. One of surprise and nostalgia and the other of pride.

" No! I can never doubt my learnings. I made him the greatest archer. It is the truth! "

" Then trust on your learnings and let him fight the warrior. If you aren't scared of loss, then what's the harm in fighting? You win you are proved right, if you loose you learn something new. "

" I agree with my bhabhishree. Gurudev, if he is a king, can he fight Arjun? " Duryodhan said and i looked at him with surprise. There was no way he would support me of all people without an alterior motive..

And i was proved right as my gaze landed on Gandharaj Shakuni. He looked aly, but the moment he saw me, he smiled innocently.

Shaking my head, I turned around and by the time I had, I saw the Karn had been made the ruler of Angdesh.

"Angraj Karn ki jai! " Was reverberating across the arena, when I looked at the man with disgust.

He should never have accepted the throne. I fought for him to make it easier for the people of all castes to be able to fight. By raising his status, he proved that sutputr can't take up arms. Nincompoop.

So I headed back with my husband, sitting down when I heard Bheem say, " What does the surputr think? He got the crown so he's one of us? " I was appaled by Bheem's words.

" Bheem! Did you not hear a word I said? You are willing to learn mal yudh from the workers, but not let them fight? Is this what your father has taught you? You are insulting his ideals by saying so. I want you to wholeheartedly apologize to Angraj Karn. As soon as possible. " I said, glaring at him, as he hung his head in shame.

" Kshama Bhabhishree. I will apologise to him. I hope I didn't disappoint you. " He said, with downcast eyes.

Soon the day ended and so had the fight. They couldn't fight beyond Suryast and so the family retired for the day. Which was when we got to know that mata had fainted. So we ran to her rooms to check on her.

As we entered, what I heard was, " You must not tell him. "

Tell who what?

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Well, Karn's here. How was it? Do you agree that communication can fix largely many of our problems?

Do share your opinions on comments and vote for this chapter as well as the rest.

Much love

Radhekrishn ❤