If someone had told me I would have spent seven years on foreign soil, I'd have believed them.

If someone had told me that I had spent seven years in an entirely different timeline, I'd have laughed at them before they landed in the ER for making a fool out of me.

Watching my child grow up in front of my eyes was something I never thought I could feel before I was nearly thirty something, but now I was watching it happen at twenty three.

Life plays the strangest of games with you sometimes does it?

"What is my dear wife thinking? " I heard a voice ask, as I felt myself being pulled into a hug, with my head under his own.

"I was wondering, about what I want for a gift from you today. " I said, swaying in his arms.

"Now what? " He asked, sighing.

"So you think buying me a gift is a burden? " I asked, turning around, watching his face morph from confusion to fear in a moment.

"No- that's not what -no. What? No. What?" He began and I laughed.

" My dear husband. " I said, putting my hands over his shoulders, " If you really want to give me a gift, then... " I bent low to whisper in his ears when.

"Mummyyy! " Called a chaotic voice, barelling into our room.

I sighed, stepping away while my husband shook his head.

"First it was the sisters and brothers, now we have our daughter. " He mumbled, rubbing a single finger against his forehead, grounding himself before looking up with a smile.

" Madhu? " I asked, as she nearly slipped into the room, her clothes stained with mud and dirt, her hair had too eaten a few streaks of it, while her face looked as if she'd put on a facemask of multani mitti.

"Madhu! What is this? Why are you covered in mud? " I asked angrily, going over to her to wipe the ones away from her face, the one threatning to enter her mouth.

" Well- I - I -papa! I can't tell you! It's a surprise! May I go back? " She asked, looking past my shoulder to see a Yudhishthir stuck between his wife and his daughter.

"Uhh -yes. Go putri, we'll ask no question-"

"But? "

" Thank you! " She exclaimed, running out, escaping my hold on her wrist with a slippery hand.

" You're spoiling her! Agreeing with whatever she says! " I fumed, watching her trailing form in the hallway.

My husband laughed before pulling me close to him.

"Who else will do that? Sagarika, it is a very important thing to have boundaries with children, of course it is, but it's also important to know when to bend them, for a small human brain cannot understand that we care for them, they take it as a form of hate to them, that we don't love them. So, it's better that we make sure that they know we love them, than someone trapping her in the same false promises of love. " He said, kissing my forehead.

"I know, but -"

"No buts. I thought you were about to ask me for a presesnt, what is it? " He asked smiling widely.

" Well, I will tell you. Wait. " I said, leaning up to whisper when he stopped me short.

"Why are you doing it like this, we're the only ones in the room. " He said, chuckling.

" I am shy. I will ask like this. " I said, furiously wishing my blush to go away.

" Oof! I can cook food here, what's so embarrassing my dear, you do know I'm your friend and you can ask anything of me, right? " He said, although his tone was teasing but his eyes sincere as he held my face with one hand.

" Yes, well -"

" Yudhishthir? The brahmins have arrived for the -" Jyeshth Karn began, then stopping in his way in.

I sighed, putting my head against his as we nodded.

"This time it was your sibling. " I mumbled and he chuckled, kissing the palm that held his face as he left the room.

It might have only been a few moments when -

"Karali! " I heard three voices call as I snapped my head around to see, Sulohita, Manojava and Sphulingini.

" You're all here? Where's Kali! " I exclaimed, rushing into their open hands as we embraced each other in a group hug.

"She's coming soon, said she's bringing her grandson along. Barbarik. " Panchali said, smiling.

" That would be wonderful! I also have news to share with you all -"

" Maharani, Devi Vrushali is waiting for you in, the hall. "

I nodded to the guard, settling my sisters as I left the room to watch her pacing.

She was nearly as old as me, maybe a year or two older infact.

"Vrushali? How are you? I was -"

"My marriage has been fixed. " She said, stone faced as ghe breath left me.

"But -dont you? Don't you love Jyeshth? " I asked, confused.

"I do, but I can't follow someone who's afraid to admit the truth of his feelings to me. I have been waiting patiently for the last few months, as friends before, now as someone who seeks a love. But he always plays his concern as friendship -"

"And, ? What choice does he have? Jueshth and I may have a Rocky understanding in our relationship, but even I know that he wouldn't be able to simply confess his undying love to you in public -"

"Not even when we're alone in the village? " She whispered, a tear cascading down her beautiful face.

"Oh no! I didn't mean to, I'm sorry-" I began, rushing to wipe her tears away.

" Well, who is it? Your betrothed? " I asked and she sighed.

"My neighbour, Raman. " She said and I looked up sharply.

"But he was just recently released from his sentence in the jails for thievery....i know because me and Yudhishthir had apprehended him red handed. Your parents want you marry a man like him? "

"No, it's because he's the only one whos not asking for dowry. Even despite it being an illegal action, many in our kingdom have been asking for it. It's sickening. But -"

"Thank you for bringing this to light, I will talk to Maharaj about this. But the other issue. Don't you worry. I won't let you marry a thief. " I said reassuring her as she left silently.

I could only think of what to do.

Walking back in, I saw my sisters gossiping, when they noticed my worried face.

"What's wrong? " Devi asked me and I sighed.

" Love. And lack of courage. " I said and she laughed, before figuring that it was the truth.

"How can we help? " Panchali asked, while Sulo joined us.

" Ooh! A love story, just like we matched you and Dharmansh in Swarg -"

"Panchali, don't you want to bring some sweets? " Devila asked, with a clear glare at Sulohita, who went pale.

" I -uh yes. I made -I mean, I made -"

"Whatever you are upto or hiding is of no concern to me, but this is my plan. " I, said, whispering to them.

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•

L

ater in the sabha.

I walked in with a dhol, as the only family members being in the court looked at me with intrigue.

" Bhabhishree, what is the celebration? " Bheem asked, feeling left out at the thought of playing dhols.

" My friend is about to be married! " I exclaimed and Yudhishthir 's face twisted in confusion.

"You're marrying again? " He asked, turning sharply to my dear AJ, who looked at me horrified.

"NO! " He shouted, running down when I stopped him with one hand.

" No Arya, I'm talking about Vrushali. She's about to be married soon. " I said and I saw Jyeshth Karn visibly stiffen, his jaw clacking shut as his arms fisted, then resignation passed his face as his eyes fell to the floor.

It was amusing, seeing as my brothers and my husband, looked over to him with wide worried eyes.

So they all knew and neither had the brain cell to tell him to confess to her?

Did I marry Yudhishthir Or someone without a brain?

I thought he was a romantic one.......

" Ahem, I'd like to congratulate my friend-"

"Jyeshth, if you love her so much, just tell her. She'll stop. " Panchli smirked.

"What? It's the truth. You can't expect a lady to wait, not when she's made it clear that she loves you and you don't tell her that you reciprocate her feelings. " Sulohita said.

I felt like we were putting him on the spot.

" Come Jyeshth, we need to talk. " I said and he looked up sharply.

"Bhabhishree? "

"No no, it's fine. My brother wouldn't hurt me. Would he ? " I asked, levelling our eyes.

I received a curt node and a small smile.

"I couldn't dream of it. " He said, though still stiff, yet his body seemed to have relaxed.

^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•^•

"So, what's the issue? Why won't you tell her you love her? " I asked  sitting next to him in the garden.

" I -I never knew that she -"

"So? You did, you should have told her. Confessed your pining love to her. What would have happened next is god's own doing. " I said and he sighed.

"I was under the impression that now she's about to be married and -"

" That way you'd be the most selfish man on earth, spoiling three lives. Well, two, the third is already gone to hell. Raman was just released from-"

"Raman? Her parents are having her married to Raman? " He asked sharply and I nodded.

"So it's important you run to her before time runs out. All the best Jyeshth. My daughter calls... That and my husband. We need to asses the last few details before the Rajsuy.

I left with a hand on his shoulder, showing my support.

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

Alrighty, they're here! After the Rajsuy we'll have

Dun dun dun....

The Dyut Sabha.
I thought of a very different plot line for it in this story.

Any theories?

I hope you're blown away.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥