With Saag having hidden the jttis away, I kept wondering what she had done and where she might have gone.

"Well, where would it be? " Devika thought carefully and even now, her regality would not leave her. The lines of her forehead deepened as her cognitive mind ran quickly.

Manojava, they call her, faster than the mind. Truly, the fiery aura of her was faster than her mind.

As I sat by thinking, I saw Saag sitting next to Yudhishthir, with her head on his shoulder. She looked tired, but had a lazy and calm smile on her face.

" Devika, I know where they are. " My wife... Wow. Wife.... Anyways, my wife looked at me jn surprise.

"Where are they? "

" Come with me. " I offered her my hand and she gracefully accepted it.

I made my ways through the corridors of the palace, all the way to Saag' room.

" Yuvraj, the Rajkumaari has said -"

"Oh I know, but she is the one who told me to come here and she'll be following behind. " I walked into the room with a confused Devika following me .

"What are we doing here Arya? " I turned around to look at her surprised.

"Arya? "

"Yes, what else should I call you? You are my husband now, Nath, Swami -" She began.

"No! No. None of that. Please, you're my friend before anything. Please call me by my name. " She looked at me scandalised.

"What? No that's disrespectful-"

"Alright, then from today I'm Swami and you are Swamini. I can't disrespect you by calling you by your name either can I -"

"But -"

"No buts. If I'm your husband, before that I am your friend. We'll call each other by our names, or Priy and Priye. Nothing of yhat Arya business. "

"But I shall need to do that when we're in public. It isn't -"

"Alright, we'll discuss that part afterwords. First call me by my name."

"A-ajatshatru..." She said shyly.... Where did this come from? Where's my Devika?

"Wonderful Devi, come, we'll figure out where the shoes are. " I said as she smiled.

" Why have you brought us to Sagariks's room? "

" Sagarika left the wedding abruptly in the middle, I assumed she came here, because of Gudu... The face that she did in fact turn up -"

"With Gudu means that she must have hidden your footwear here! " She chirped excitedly.

"Exactly dear wife. Which means we'll have to look at Gudu's possessions. "

"A few days old child has possessions?' She snorted.

" Other than clothes, no.... But. Maybe.... "

"Ajatshatru, why do I feel jijashree Yudhishthir has the shoes? " She asked and I looked at her surprised.

"No but that's too obvious. Saag knows that he will be the first person I check. No it's not there. "

" But then, what if it's with her, what if Sagarika is wearing your foortwear? "

"No, my foot size is bigger than hers.. No matter what prank she's playing, she looks into her own comfort so as to not be betrayed by her own discomfort... She wouldn't be wearing them. " I answered.

"Gudu! " She yelled suddenly, hands in the air.

"What about her? "

"Gudu has them! Didn't you see what she was holding on to when she came in... One hand which was tucked into her mother's chest. Sagarika held your footwear against herself, under the guise of a cloth Gudu might have been holding on to! " Devika exclaimed with glee as she ran outside the room.

"Arre! Wait for me! Devika! " I followed her, nearly tripping on the welcome mat.

We were both panting by the time we reached the hall, where Sagarika was playing with her daughter and two pieces of cloth stuck out from underneath the baby's swaddle.

"Sagarika, I found my shoes. " I said to her in a sing song voice while the court members looked around, eager to have the answers to the mystery.

Her husband meanwhile stood by, hands aganist his mouth as he stifled his laughter.

" Really, where is it? " She asked, although the her lips trembled slightly, as they always did when she was nervous.

" I want Devika to tell you, she was the one who found them. " I said and my wife smiled.

"Good try Sagarika, but I am smarter." She whispered to her sister as she bent down near the child, pulling her into her arms and the two jutis fell out from the swaddle.

The court erupted in laughter as Saag's face went beet red on being caught.

"Now, may we leave Sagarika? " I asked, smiling at her as I kissed my niece's forehead, put on my jutis and linked my wife's arm with my own, walking away as the others laughed, either at Saag's wit, or at the game they found so memorable.

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^

Stepping into our room, I felt a new sense of piece envelope me as I finally closed the doors.

Devika stood next to me, watching with bated breath for my next move.

" We're finally alone. " I said softly, holding her hands to my lips. I could do this freely now, no one could refuse me, rebuke me or restrain me.

"That we are. What are you planning?" She smiled bashfully, her cheeks flushing the lightest shade of red.

"Well, I was thinking, firstly we remove all this jewelry off you, it seems heavy. " I answered, putting a hand on her cheek as she sighed and sunk into it.

"Yes please. " She whispered, moving towards the large mirror vanity.

As she began to unhook her earrings, I put my hand on hers, a silent request.

It was answered with shy acceptance, as she lowered her hands.

With deft hands, I made quick work of the earrings, softly taking them off.

"These are truly heavy. Don't your ears hurt? " I asked her as she nodded.

"They are, but I'm used to wearing them. " She answered, breath hitching as I moved her hair to one shoulder to unclasp the different layers of neckaces of her.

One by one, I took them all off, hand resting at her nape as the last one fell right into her hands. I was itching to put my head on her shoulder and spend all my night like so, but it was late and we were both incredibly exhausted. So I resigned to do the next best thing, pressing the softesr of kisses at her nape. I felt her go rigid, but not uncomfortable as I saw her smiling in the mirror of the corner of my eyes.

" You truly so look beautiful you know, either way. I love you when you wear the jewelry, because I know you wore them for me just as much as yourself. But I love you without them too when you stand completely berift of your ornaments, but still a regality nonetheless. " I told her.

"I am glad. Had you said anything else I would have left you to sleep alone in the balcony. " She whispered, hand curling into fists at her sides as I moved my hand down to her waist at her kamarband. (An ornament meant for the waist. Kamar - waist.)

" Would you really? I can't imagine you could." I answered as I moved my hands in front of her, my arms accidentally brushing against her sides as I took the kamarband off.

" I could if I had the motive for it. " She answered , her snark returning even as she breathed rapidly, trying to control her racing heart.

"Hmm. Well, even then, I couldn't imagine it, do you know why? " I asked her, lifting her hands to her sides to slide off the bajuband. ( an ornament meant for the upper arms. Goes around the biceps. Baju - arm)

" Why? "

"Because I know for a fact that my wife trusts me more than the world and I simultaneously trust her more than what anyone says... So until we stop telling each other the truth, we won't have to ever sleep separately at all. " I replied, taking her chudis off. I brought her wrist to my nose, taking in the heady scent of jasmine she had bathed herself in .(Chudi-bangle.)

" I agree. We will be honest with each other if we ever feel something is off before arriving to petty conclusions which will hurt us in the end. " She answered, turning around.

"My turn. " She requested softly, as she began at my head, removing the heavy crown. The feel of her hands running through my hair offered great tranquility from the stifling feeling of the crown.

" You do look quite hansome yourself you know. It wasn't only you who seemed to be swaying when you saw me. It's just, I had so much jewelry I was grounded by the weight. " Shechuckled and I laughed out loudly at that.

"Really? Well remind me to take away all your jewelry and stand in front of you just like today once more.. I want to see you fall into my arms. " I said, smiling as she gently massaged my neck when she took off the offending necklace which had been forcing me to hold my neck upright.

" Really? " She asked and then stood up on her tip toes, standing right next to me, " But I thought my heart had already fallen for yours. Do I still need to fall-" If someone had told me my wife would have this effect on me, I would question their morals, but today I couldn't hold back.

So I silenced her snark with the gentlest and most honest of kiss I could manage, pouring all my love, joy, trepidation at life into it. She felt like home, no, she was my home.

"And to think you doubted Krishn when he said you'll be married to me." She said, moving back as she caught her breath, panting slightly, her chest rising each time. Her blush had spread down to her neck and she looked more beautiful bathed in the soft moonlight, then she had ever before.

" Well, yes. " I answered, returning back to continue with my earlier work. Her hands held on to my shoulders and that night, I felt like I was on the top of the world.

"Shall we sleep? " She asked after a few minutes, having changed her own saree to a more comfortable one.

" Rest my dear heart. We have a lot of work to do tomorrow. " I whispered, pressing one last kiss to her forehead as she burrowed her head into my side, an arm thrown across my waist.

My own made it's way to her waist, holding her close as sleep welcomed me after the hectic day.

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

Now I'm sure you're all wondering where our dear panchali is....

Don't worry, she's also coming in soon.... So are the last two... Any guesses who? Tell me more in the comments and do vote.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥