About a week after Yudhishthir left, I was woken up by my attendants, insisting that Angraj Karn wished to meet me.

"What? What time is it? " I mumbled out .

"It has been half a prahar since sunrise Raajkumari . Wake up. Angraj wishes to speak to you. "

Why me. Why at... seven, in the morning I guess?

I made myself presentable and walked out to see a pacing Angraj.

"Yes Angraj? What may I do for you? "

"Is your offer for me to let you teach still open? "

"I mean it is. My husband or brother would have done it, but since you're free and they aren't here. Yes. It is. Why? "

" Well, I was hoping to begin. " He said, but he sounded nervous.

"Alright. Where should I start? What should I do? "

"Well, first you need to come to the grounds, where we'll asses what weapon we should begin with. "

" Alright. Let's go. " I said, smiling as I
followed him.

We stood in the middle of the armory, while wore an armour.

"May I help you? "

"No Kumar. I respect your intentions and am grateful for them, but I know I am being spied on by many, so any indication of adultery will be used against me. But thank you. " I said, finally figuring it out. He flinched at my meintion of adultery. What is up with him today?

We walked out into the grounds where I held each weapon in my hand.

For my physical stature, a bow was too big, a mace too heavy, I lacked the arm strength for a sword combat and the spear would have poked me in the eye.

In short. I couldn't use any.

We began with the swords and spears to build strength and endurance.

Angraj taught me how to maneuver the weapon and then spar with them, even though slowly. It was as if filming a slowmo video, but we were the ones being slow.

By the end of a prahar, I was exhausted.

"That's it. I'm done. I'll see you tomorrow. " I panted out as he laughed at me.

"Kumari, you tire so easily? How will you do much more demanding tasks?"

" Like what?"

" Fighting in the spars, childbirth. More. "

" I will manage, that is not your concern. " I said, as I laughed with him, walking back, when I was met with a guard.

"Raajkumari! Raajkumari! Please come! They are back! Raajkumar Yudhishthir and the others. "

"Alright, but why do you look so frightful? I will come to greet them with the arti thaal but -"

"Forgive me for imterruptimg Raajkumari, but Raajkumar Sahdev and Nakul were greviously harmed during the fight. Everyone is right next to them right now, which is why you have been called outside their rooms by your husband. " He said.

They were hurt? How?

I looked back at Angraj and said, " I am grateful for your time but right now I need to run! " I said.

I ran through the corridors towards their rooms, where I saw all gathered outside, while the vaidys moved in and out.

Yudhishthir, Bheem and Arjun stood outside, with a very worried mata being held by Raajkumari Dushala.

Mata Gandhari and Maharaj Dhritarashtr stood by the gates, talking to the vaidys.

"What happened to them? " I asked my husband, who stood with his hands in his fists, mouth shut tightly.

He just shook his head. He won't be able to speak now. The rigidity in his body highlighted the semblance of control he tried to establish. To not burn the whole world down for hurting his youngest brothers. Eyes downcast.

So I went to Bheem. "What happened to them? "

"In Raajkumar Drupad's chakrvyuh, we were all isolated and they were attacked by more soldiers than necessary. We are sure they could combat that, but the fire arrows laced with some magic powder that burst near their feet did this. It burst so suddenly, they had no time to cover. "

Magic powder? Gunpowder! Bombs! Ancient bombs!

I went back to my husband, who was now holding Arjun by a hug.

"We'll all be fine priy Arjun. They will be fine too. It's my fault. I should have been there for you all and I wasn't. " Was what I heard.

"Nahi Jyeshth. We are all at fault, we are all older than them yet we couldn't take care of them. Forgive us Jyeshth. We couldn't help you. " Bheem said.

I couldn't help but watch them and think of how much love they had for one another. It was true, no one could break these five apart.

So I chose to work in steps.

First Bheem and Arjun.

I pulled them over and they sat by my side.

"Bhabhishree. We are sorry we couldn't-"

"Shut up. Both of you. I don't hold you accountable. It was war. And why do you worry so much. It's not the end of the world. The vaidys have gone inside, haven't they? Both of them will be fine. Imagine, how would Nakul feel if you let your beautiful skins become marred with tears? He'll say, 'neither of you know how to care for your appearance, which is why I'm the one who's known to be most beautiful'. You must be strong, for them. Believe in them. They'll be fine. Now wipe those tears. " I said, wiping my own away.

They smiled a bit at the memory of Nakul's obsession with the mirror, recalling all the incidents they had till date.

Next stop. Mata.

"Mata. Please stop crying. Look, if you cry, then Sahdev won't be able to feel happy when he walks out the doors happy and healed. He'll feel that he is the reason for your tears. His heart will drop if he knows that you were sad because of him. He'll be fine Mata. He'll be fine. " I said, hugging her, as she held on to me.

"Putri! My sons. " She weeped.

"They'll be fine Mata. They are the panduputr. No one can harm them so. You know, that as long as they are together, they are the strongest force in the world. As of now they are. Each is willing to support the other. What other power is greater than that of love? You need to be strong Mata, for your sons. " I tried to console, my heart breaking for them.

As Mata finally wiped her tears, she invited her sons close and they sat by her, a head on each lap.

Pitamah Bheeshm stood near the window, worried and attempting to be the unmovable wall of Hastinapur.

"I've seen my brothers die, I have seen my father die, I've seen so many die. But I don't want to see my grandsons die putri. I don't. " He said, now shaking his head in his grief.

I held his hand and kept it on my head, saying, " Pitamah, you have been one of the strongest for all of us. You are the one we all look up to. Why do you worry so? They will both be fine and will be the happiest to see you proud of them. You must smile for them, for their happiness depends on the pride you hold for them in your heart. I know you are proud of them, but they must be able to see it too. Right? "

" Haan putri. You are right. I am proud of them and I will wait patiently. They will be fine. We have the best vaidys in Aryavart looking after them. They will definitely be fine. " He said, standing straight yet again.

The last one was the hardest and I knew because I could understand what he felt.

"Yudhishthir. Look at me. " I whispered, as he shook his head, hands still tight in fists.

"You are Yudhishthir. The one calm in every fied. Calm your mind my love, for that is your greatest strentgh. I understand that you think it's your fault, but I must tell you it's not. My dear think with your mind, it's war, anyone can be harmed. We must be strong right? We have to be strong for them. How will they feel if they come out to see their Jyeshth so worried? We will be calm and think. Look, the vaidys now seem to even be smiling. Which means whatever they are doing is working. See, that's the power of your love. If devi Savitri could fight Yamraj for her husband, even your love is strong enought to fight for your brother's lives. They will be fine. Don't worry. " I tried, finally managing to pry his hands open and slip mine in them. He wouldn't speak a word, but my hand was held tightly, very tightly.

I know why he wouldn't speak. It's a small trick I use too. Because I know I won't speak. I'll either yell or cry, neither of which were helpful in this situation. So he did that too, mouth tight as he kept himself mum.

I put my other arm on his chest as I pulled him into a hug. My other hand was held tightly and I was pulled into a tight hug with another.

We slid down the wall, sitting by each other, my head on his shoulder while his on my head.

It was about an hour or so as we sat there, waiting for them to heal, when we heard the news.

"Maharaj. Raajmata. They are fine. You may meet them now. " Vaidy said, as everyone stood up.

Yudhishthir and I stood up to and he dropped my hand, running inside the room.

There, the two of them lay, side by saide wrapped in bamdages from thigh to chest.

"Bhabhishree! " They exclaimed as I came up to them. The others, having met them sat by their side. Mata constantly holding their hands, while Yudhishthir Bheem and Arjun sat in the middle of their beds.

I went around to both of them, looking at them.

Both earned a twisted ear.

"Bhabhishree! Aah. What is it. Please!" They said, while mata just said, " Wonderful putri. Don't stop. It hurts doesn't it! You scared us all so and you say it hurts. She's doing exactly what I would have. " She said, as they attempted to laugh, coughing in the process.

Idiots. I brought over water to them, helping them drink it.

" We're sorry bhabhishree. We didn't meant to. "

"Apologize to your brothers, mother and pitamah. They were so worried. "

" But bhabhishree, all that is fine. What happened to your hand? What is it blue? " Nakul asked as I looked at the hand Yudhishthir held.

Oh well. This cannot be good. His guilt will kill him. I tried to hide it but was stopped by mata's hand on it, which drew my darling husband's attention to it.

"Putri! They are right! How did this happen? "

"Oh nothing mata, the doors here are heavier than in Pragjyotishpur and I had my hand trapped in it while closing it. No need to worry. "

Wow I couldn't lie well.

"But putri. You should have gotten it treated soon. "

"Ji bhabhishree, such bruises should be healed as soon as possible. " Sahdev piped in.

Could they not draw attention to the hand. I looked up at Yudhishthir who now just looked out of the windows.

Wonderful.

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

Well! Tell me how it was in the comments.

Why do you think Karn was so nervous to teach Saag? Was there some problem?

Also, mere pyaare Nakul and Sahdev... Sabko tension mein daal diya.

Vote for the chapters if you liked them.

Much love

Radhekrishn ❤

(PS. Agla chapter mein AJ wapas aa raha hai.)