I awoke the next morning to the sound of someone shaking the shackles.

" Come on, the sabha is ready for you."  The guard said, hauling me up to my feet.

We slowly walked into the sabha, where all my family members sat, the ones who knew the truth reflected clear anxiety on their faces, the ones who didn't know the truth looked eager to know what the truth was and the chaotic trio just looked excited to see me die.... So an ordinary day.

" Sivi Raajkumari Devika. You have been called here on crimes of entrapping the Yuvraj of Hastinapur by using black magic. What do you have to say? "

"I'm not Devika. " Was all I said, head held high.

" We're supposed to believe you? "

" Oh yes, for the one standing there next to my husband is Devika. I am Sagarika. "

" Putri, how is that possible? Yudhishthir wouldn't lie. "

" He didn't. I am Sagarika -"

"Kumari, Yuvraj has broken his vow of honesty! He said that raajkumari Sagarika has left the palace. " Duryodhan incited, while my husband  ran the gears in his head, reaching to the only conclusion his mind gave him, that yes, he did lie.

" K-kshama Maharaj. But it is true -"

" Forgive me for interrupting Yuvraj, but if you said what you were going to, then you definitely would have lied. Assuming the fact that you all understand that I am Sagarika -"

" We don't have any proof. " Dushasan added.

" Well, you are going to have to believe me first. Assuming that I am Sagarika, here is what my husband said to you. He said, ' Sagarika will leave for Pragjyotishpur'. He never said I will reach there, or I will actually make it. Yes, I did go out of the palace gates once to ready the chariot, hence I did leave for Pragjyotishpur but I never reached. On the other hand, you never heard my husband say anything more than that. He didn't even say I am not in Hastinapur, choosing to remain silent while the others spoke. "

" So Kumari, what I want to know is why you had to do this at all. "

" Maharaj, I am a Yuvrani, hence the matters of my security need to be taken with utmost care. However, during the Holi celebrations, a masked person with the intent of scaring me tou-touched me , inappropriately I might add. Thereafter when I pulled my husband to our room to tell him, we saw that the whole room was in chaps and disarray. Which is when we planned this. You aren't incorrect. My husband did initially request me to leave with my brother Ajatshatru for Pragjyotishpur, but in the end, I appealed to his mind and we sent a decoy Sagarika, to see if she was attacked or was my husband the target. Our suspicions were confirmed when day before yesterday, they were attacked by the same masked person and was only held off by the soldiers that went with the two. "

" If all this is true, why didn't you tell us? "

"Mahamahim, it was an impulsive idea and plan, we truly assumed that it would be quicker this way, for if we acted with delay, the person would think we were prepared and hence they wouldn't have acted with haste."

" But Yuvrani, what a wonderful story you've made. Or are you even the Yuvrani. "

" Ask my husband. You are so careful of the fact that he doesn't break his vow of honesty, do ask him. He can very well tell you who his wife is and who Raajkumari Devika is. "

Yudhishthir walked up towards me, taking my hand and holding it up to himself.

" I, Yudhishthir am announcing   to clarify the fact that the woman standing holding my hand is my wife, Yuvrani Sagarika, who is the one I took the saptpadi in front of the holy flame, forever and eternity. " He declared, but his eyes were on me.

" Now that it is settled.... Someone please get these chains off of me.. It's too heavy. " I whined, while the elders chortled and the chaotic trio decided to stomp out of the sabha... To be honest they're more whiny teenagers... Even Shankuni.

Pitamah came down to meet us.

"Who's plan was it to send out a decoy? "

" The Yuvraj's pitamah, he was the one. "

" And you made it successful. The two of you should always stay together, support each other as you have done today. " He blessed.

" Dhanyavaad pitamah, but we aren't the only ones to receive credit. My friend Devika as well is an equal partaker of our success. "

" That is true. Thank you Raajkumari Devika, you have put your life on the line for the safety of our kulvadhu. Tell me children, how can I help you."

" Nothing pitamah-"

"Pitamah, would you look into the workers and see who Latika is? She's been posing as Sagarika's personal attendant, when Sagarika doesn't have one. " Yudhishthir interrupted.

" Uchit hai. I will. Go rest children. " He said, moving out.

" Bhabhishree, do you think your plan worked? " Arjun asked stoically.

" We're sure it did. "

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

" I'm ready to listsnt o what you have to say Kumar. " Devika said, walking into the balcony.

" Alright, I didn't mean that and you know I didn't say it without actually thinking it through. It would have been  a wonderful story to add more depth to your character as an impersonator, one because it describes the events in the modern era. Two, because we both know, if Saag had told me this there, I would have hunted the people who hurt her and killed them. So such an incident, even Saag would only tell me where I had no risk of hurting myself, as you did. " I said, staring at the houses in the kingdom.

" I understand. I am sorry if I got angry at you before completely understanding your meaning. "

" You are forgiven. "

" Am I truly? " She asked,turning me around by the hands.

The woman I saw was different than who I saw most of the times, this one was the vulnerable one, not the one with the fiery eyes and an air of confidence always surrounding her.

" I would give you a hug, but things here are different and I know that the woman will be the first to be blamed. So consider this me giving you a hug."

" Thank you. I'm leaving for Sivi tomorrow morning. "

" Why? "

"Well, to discuss some important things with my father. Goodbye Kumar, may we meet soon. " She said, snirking as she walked away.

Now I couldn't hug her, but making sure that literally no one could report us, I held her back by the handhand,  raising the wrist to my face and pressed the lightest of kisses on it.

" Till the next time fate brings us together, Raajkumari. " I whispered.

" Till the next time, Kumar. "

So... Well. Ahem.

Safe to say I fell asleep well that night.

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

We sat in the room, sitting in the silence.

" So, do you think about what's next?"

" No my dear, I know that we'll have to do all this first, then only can we think about anything. Rather our life in Hastinapur  be full of challenges anyways. "

I pulled myself closer to him and was welcomed with an arm around my shoulders, comforting me.

" We solved this one. As long as we're together, nothing can hurt us. " I pressed a kiss to the hand holding mine.

" That you are right about. "

" Do you want to sleep? "

"No. I am not able to sleep yet. What about you? "

"No."

"Well, what should we do? "

" Well,  I don't know. "

" We could do something. " He said, looking down at me.

" What? "

" Well, we could paint. "

" You want to paint? Now? " I asked, laughing.

" Why not. My beautiful princess deserves all the paintings to her name. "

" So do you. Alright. We'll paint each other. "

So we made our way up. Now I don't know why I agreed to paint.
A) I don't paint well.
B) I don't particularly enjoy painting either.
C) I'm going to embarrass myself in front of my husband.

Well, Narayan save me.

In the end Yudhishthir showed his to me.

Looking at it I realised how beautiful he paints me, as if making it even with his eyes closed would bring him the same result.

"I'm not showing mine now. " I said, picking up the painting.

" Why not? "

"It's just not as beautiful. "

" I'm sure whatever it is is made with love. " He said, walking up.

" No. Even if it is, it's not as nice as yours. " I hid it behind my back.

" No. I'm sure it'll be better. Come on. Show it. "
I ran, clutching the painting close to me. Granted there wasn't any space for it.

Inevitably, I did run out of places to run to and fell on the bed, my dear husband tripped on the carpet and fell on top.

" I should have just showed you the painting. " I muttered, turning my face away.

With one finger on my chin, he turned it back to himself.

" Well, I am glad you didn't. How else would I get to do this? " He whispered,  bending down to kiss me.

It's times like these where I have to second guess if this is try Yudhishthir.

Then I feel proud that he's able to be this happy with me, feel free enough to be transparent with the matters of his heart.

He broke away and joined our foreheads.

" I promise you, as long as I'm here, I'll try my best, rather no one will be able to hurt you anymore. "

" Well, someone has to look after you too right? I promise the same. " I whispered.

His eyes softened, as we got up, ready to sleep.

" I want to show you another painting. " He said as we sat on the bed.

" Do you want me to feel worse? " I asked, laughing as he gave me a stern look.

" No. Just look. " He whispered, handing it to me. If I wasn't red earlier, I'm pretty sure I was a beet now.

" How do you even - do you not feel nervous? " I asked, hiding my face behind my hands.

I felt them being pried away by the amused husband of mine.

" Why feel shame about showing the woman I love how I feel. This is one of the most beautiful gardens in all of Aryavart and I will take you there, where I will do your shringaar with the flowers. What's wrong with that? " He asked.

You don't get it do you Yudhishthir?

Well, it is a beautiful painting.

" This is beautiful and I'll definitely go there with you. " The way his face lit up should have made me laugh, and I did. We laughed for a while, me still being beet red.

As we finally began to retire for bed, I felt a hand around mine, pulling me back up.

"Hold on. Can we sleep outside tonight? "

" Why? "

"I want to hold you under the stars.." He said and I agreed. The moonlight made his face shine so bright. He truly looked like the most beautiful person in the world.

I was eighteen,  I didn't know much about life or love. But I did know this, two things make a relationship, respect and trust. I think we had both.

My age also reminded me of a very jarring fact... One which I had been putting away since we'd cone here...

Children. I know I asked Yudhishthir to promise me that we won't have any till atleast three years later. But this world doesn't work that way...

The best I imagine is that we can hold it off till Maharaj Dhritarashtr steps down from the throne, or Bheem Or Angraj Karn get married as well.

Other than that, I truly didn't know how to delay it.

But, those are troubles for the future. So I burrowed in closer to him, basking in the warmth and love of the present, the future will see as it's supposed to be.

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

Is Saag's worry genuine ? Will she come under pressure to have kids  ?

Tell me in the comments how it was and do vote.

Based on the comments of the previous chapter, we have successfully decided to put mamashree Shakuni in a gas torture chamber.

Le Shakuni  :  Please let me out! I'll do anything.

Me : Anything? Run! Run away Shakuni and never return.

Le Shakuni  :  Matsya, I'm not Simba.

Me : Okay, *puts him back into torture chamber*

Anyways

Much love

Radhekrishn♥