The rishis had been promised shelter by us, so they would stay with us all this while.

In this time, I have successfully made more plans for the future.

Because apparently I still haven't learnt that nothing goes to plan in life.

The other day, Yudhishthir brought more fruits for me to try.

I am pretty sure I was around sixteen weeks now, considering that my puking had thankfully stopped. Lucky me, since it doesn't for many people.

" Here you go. " Yudhishthir said, handing me a leafbowl full of fruits.

"Thank you, come sit. " I, said patting the ground next to me.

"So, what's your verdict. A girl or a boy. " He asked, pulling my head to his shoulder.

"How would I know? I'm not a doctor." I said nonchalant.

" Yes, I know that. But mata says mothers usually know and they are right most of the time. "

"Well, let's see then. " I said, popping six grapes into my mouth.

"Hmmm... I feel very happy, so definitely a boy. My mind says boy. I want a boy. " I said, smiling at him.

" I understand that you want a boy... Why not a girl? " He said and I laughed.

"No no. I have no qualms about the child being a girl... Unlike many people in our time. " I muttered. If anything, it had become harder for me to control my emotions.

" What do you mean by that? " He asked calmly, stealing a few grapes from me.

" My food. " I said, moving the bowl away from his hands.

"Our child. " He said, holding my stomach, where resided our baby in a nearly invisible bump.

" Yes yes. Alright. " I said, handing the fruits back.

" Anyways, what about those other people? " He asked, munching on a carrot.

"Well, in many parts of Bharat, many families kill the girl child, either illegally before she's born or after. " I said. Now, as I said, pregnant equals me being an emotional wreck.

"What do you mean? You can know the gender before the child is born? "

"It's not allowed, but yes, you can. Many people in the greed for a son kill the female child. Some, who are refused by the doctors do it later. " I said, now sniffling.

" That's absolutely cruel! If you worship Devi Lakshmi how can you kill her own form! " He asked.

" Well, that's how it is. Laws are made, but for a thief no law is too hard and no prison to difficult. They still do it, worst of all, many healthcare professionals do it, some under the fear of being killed off by goons and some under the greed for money. "

"But why such a demand for a son, if there has to be one born, it will be born, either way. "

"No one seems to accept that. It's as if the mother is wrong when she's not. If anything, the parents of the fathers should blame their own son for sending the wrong gene. " I said, scrunching my nose.

" This is absolutely horrible. I'm glad we're having this child here. " He said, bending to hold my hand close to his."

" Yes, but my family wasn't like that. We have two daughters in the family Yudhishthir. " I said, smiling.

"But this is so cruel. Chemically altering a woman's womb. Doesn't that have repercussions? "

"It does, no one is willing to listen. "

" I wish we could fight for it. " He sighed, plopping his head on mine.

"Well yes, I wish too. " I said.

" Bhabhishree, Jyeshth, we need to leave immediately. " Arjun said, running over to us.

"Why so? Is something wrong? " I asked, pulling on Arjun's hand to stand up.

"Bhabhishree, Ashwatthama is here. " He said and I smiled, before realising the harsh truth.

"He can't know we're alive. ... We have to run. " Yudhishthir said, tugging on me.

How far will we run. When will the world be big enough to hide us at all times?

As we began running, I accidentally tripped on a rock.

"Agh." I winced, waking straight, when Bheem and Yudhishthir turned around.

"Jyeshth, run, I'll help bhabhishree. " Bheem said, coming over to pull my leg out.

"Now what? " I asked, panting.

"Well, I have an idea. " He crouched on his knees.

"What are you upto? My baby will get squished. " I said horrified.

"No bhabhishree, I won't allow my nephew to be squished. Come climb on. " He said, as we ran.

Reluctantly, I got on, wrapping my hands and feet around him.

We ran till Arjun and Nakul, being the one with the sharpest hearings said they couldn't hear Ashwatthama's horses anymore.

I very conveniently forgot about my twisted ankle, so when I got down, I felt a sharp pain and I fell.

"Sagarika! " "Bhabhishree? " "Putri? "

"You absolute bonehead. Don't you know your ankle is hurt? " He chided and it was either the pain or the scolding, I began to cry.

"Mata,your son keeps scolding me for no reason. I accidentally forgot that I hurt myself, now he's scolding me. " I cried and my brothers looked at me confused, while Yudhishthir sighed.

Mata however looked sympathetic and crouched down, " Don't worry putri, it's because he loves you and is worried. He won't scold you again. Will you Yudhishthir? Promise my daughter you won't scold her again. " She glared at him who said, " Yes, alright. I'm sorry. " He smiled.

"Where are we? " Nakul asked, as we looked around.

The forest was dark, dingy. There was barely any light through the canopies that hung low and deep and a multitude of unpleasant smells spread in the air.

" No idea, but we should move out the same way we came in. " Sahdev said and we agreed. This time, leaning on Yudhishthir, I stumbled with the others.

"I do love you, you know that right? " He asked hesitant in a whisper.

"Of course. But I was sad and in pain and then you scolded me. I'm sorry too. " I said smiling.

We might have walked for about ten minutes, when, " Isn't this the same tree we passed a few minutes ago? " Mata pointed out. 

" Yes Mata, you are right. This is the same one. " Bheem said and the others now cleared their minds and became alert.

" We're going round and round in circles. " I said, now panicking.

"Shh, calm down. We'll figure it out. Don't stress yourself. " I heard, whispered to me.

" Alright then, come Nakul Sahdev, let's find a pile of hay or dried leaves. We'll make beds. " Arjun said while the others other than Sahdev and Yudhishthir looked at him confused.

"We should be figuring a way out and you say we should sleep? " Bheem asked.

"Ji bhrata Bheem, this is a mayavi van. We won't be able to, leave here anytime soon. " He said and Mata looked befuddled.

"But why putr? " She asked.

"Mata, this van is of the rakshas Hidimb. We can't leave here until he allows it. " He said, walking away tugging Sahdev along.

"But why so? Why don't we just kill the rakshas? We must search for him right? " Nakul asked.

"These rakshas are cannibals Nakul, we don't need to find them. "

"Meaning? " Bheem enquired.

" Meaning Bheem, they'll come find us on their own. " I answered.

" Oh. Alright, come we'll search. " He said as they left, leaving Yudhishthir here.

We sat there, waiting patiently.

"Bhrata! Look what else we found. " Nakul's voice called, as we turned around to see four men led by a young girl, just near my age it seemed. She looked scared and confused.

"Who is that putr? "

"Mata, she lost her parents to the rakshas. She was scared and worried, so we brought her here. " Arjun said, though his voice didn't suggest even a bit of sympathy or care.

" Alright then. Don't worry, my sons will protect you. "She promised the girl.

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Well, Hidimba  is here... Now what?

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

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥