"What do you mean no women allowed? "  Bheem asked.

" Well, no women, that is, no female shall be present here, I'd hoped that your Yuvraj was smarter than this samrat," Duryodhan leered at Yudhishthir.

" We understand what you mean, Yuvraj Duryodhan, surely there is no need for insulting my brother for it. " Jyeshth said, staring down at his former friend.

" Alright, but what I wish to ask is why?" I asked, confused.

" Maharani -"

"Samragyi. I hope you are clear,  Yuvraj. " Arjun interrupted.

"Samragyi, it's only , we wish to keep the women away from the brutality of the game -"

"Brutality Mamashree? You're not fighting a war here. Should I fear my husband's respect if you're saying I should leave? I thought that at least in games you would let go of your trecharous tendencies. For this very reason, I'll be the one playing. My husband is not that well learnt in the art of Dyut, I am. I learnt the intricacies of the game from my friend Dwarkadheesh Krishn. I am sure you understand that , seeing as you yourself are playing from your nephew's side. " I said, walking up next to Yudhishthir who sat in the middle of the room, near the board.

"Samragyi, I couldn't let myself compete against you -"

"Because I'm a woman? Or because you're afraid to loose? " I smirked and he shrunk back, eyes hard.

" Samragyi, it's a humble request that you let your husband play the game with my son and my brother in law -"

"Maharaj Dhritarashtr, it was a request, I decline. "

" Samragyi? "

" Mamashree, I thought my wife declined. You forget she's the Samragyi. Stand down. " Yudhishthir finally spoke, eyes hard.

"Bhrata Yudhishthir, you seen content to hide behind a woman -"

"My wife is my shield when I fall short as I am hers when she falls short. I don't understand what kind of marriage you've seen, Yuvraj Duryodhan, but this is ours. However, if you truly fear loosing to my wife, we can admit the game's conclusion and leave, after all, we have seen the other kala pradarshan. "

" Nahi! " Gandharaj shouted, " Nahi, it's alright. Come Samragyi, take your seat. "

If I was jittery before coming here, sitting on this seat made me anxious just as I was before coming to Dwapar Yug.

" Shall we begin? Your roll Samragyi. " Gandharaj said, handing me the dice as I looked up to Yudhishthir, asking him what he wished to bet upon first.

" The cowshed and the cows of Indraprasth. " He said to me, eyes soft.

" I wish to bet the same mamashree, the cows of Hastinapur. "

The first roll of the dice was unsuspecting, we won the first round.

" Next, we bet upon the gardens of Indrprasth. " Yudhishthir said to me.

Losing the second round had me unsuspicious, but the third round, fourth and fifth confirmed it , the dice was rigged.

It doesn't matter who's hands are on the reigns if the reigns itself are injurious.

" Change the dice, I don't like them. " I said, for once happy about my position as the queen.

" Samragyi? Is this fair -"

"I think I am the Samragyi. If you don't change these dice, I will ask Samrat to break them, " I said, eyes hard.

When he protested further, I looked at Yudhishthir who had already held the dice in his hands.

"Change these dice Gandharaj. " He warned.

" D-duashasan. Bring the second set, won't you, " Mamashree said, voice wobbling.

Though he brought in a new set of dice, I seemed to keep losing each round, even when we were very careful, rather Yudhishthir himself advised me with moves.

I originally thought I might be bad, but then I remembered how I would beat both Krishn and Rukmini ji, each time after six months I learnt the game. That could not be a fluke. Something was amiss.

" We abandon the game. " I said and whisperes rang around the hall.

"Sagarika? " Yudhishthir whispered.

" This game is planned, the dice are rigged... We should leave before we suffer any more serious losses. " I said and Mamashree looked affronted.

"Is this your kshatriy dharm Samrat, abandoning a game when you are losing, isn't that childlike? " He leered.

" See mamashree, the thing is, he might have his kshatriya dharm, but I am a Kaliyugi. I don't fear abandonment of a game to keep my head and survive. We're different that way. " I whispered to him, with comically wide eyes to make him think I was joking.

" Then what about your honour -"

"My honour comes from those who love me, those who care for me. I'm sure you do neither of those things seeing as you and I both know these dice are manipulated. " I said, staring at him.

"One more round Samragyi, after all you've already lost all your gold, the palace, possesions. What do you have to loose? " Duryodhan said.

" Samragyi, we leave the second you wish to, but he's right, what do we have to loose? " Sahdev said.

I was hesitant, every atom of my body was screaming at me to run, run away from this place.

" It's alright Sagarika, I won't let my family come to any harm. " Yudhishthir whispered and I sighed.

"Alright." I agreed, even as each step I took back towards the cursed board inspired a new fear in my heart, it was beating faster and faster with every step of mine, finally aky rocketing as I sat back down.

" Alright, I bet on my brother, Raajkumar Vikarn. " Duryodhan declared and my eyes snapped up.

"Absolutely not. I'm not playing anymore. I am not betting on my family -"

" You have to , you are the Samragyi, you have first right on all your subjects -"

"I have no more right than his mother doesn on him Mamashree, he is my brother, not some play toy I can barter away in a game -"

"It's alright Bhabhishree, I agree -"

"I don't care if you agree, I will not bet on you! " I screamed , looking at him as he cowered at my anger.

" But you can bet upon yourself can't you?" Mamashree interjected.

"What? " I asked, mind struggling to grapple the truth.

"You can bet upon yourself and your daughter. Oh and your sister-"

"My daughter and sister are of no concern of yours, as for betting myself, my husband has just as much of a 'right ' as you call it on me, that I do him. No one in this universe has a right on anyone, I am not an object that you expect me to sell myself in a game. "

"No? Then why do you behave like one, like an object in the palace of Indrprasth."

"Duryodhan! Watch your words that is my sister, my bhabhishree. I can tear your tongue out for even uttering such words! " Bheem shouted.

" Go on Samragyi, bet upon yourself. " Mamashree leered.

"No."

" If you don't, there is a very special arrangement we have for your husband. " He answered, smirking as he ran his hands through his beard.

"Ungh." I heard a grunt from behind me as I saw a confused Yudhishthir look down to his abdomen.

" Yudhishthir! This is beyond the rules of the game Gandharaj! Pitamah! If you don't stop the game now I will anhilate this palace and you do not want to test my fury, do you? " I shrieked, running towards him, when I felt him raise a bloodied hand up.

" It's - it's alright. I am fine. I'll be fine. Finish the game, leave here. " He muttered, sitting on the sofa.

" Mamashree! This is an act of war! You've injured the Samrat of Indrprasth-"

"Samrat of where? His possesions are now mine. " Duryodhan leered.

"Alright Samragyi. Let me put it this way. If you bet upon yourself, I will bet upon all my possesions, all that I have learnt in this game. If I loose, then it's all yours, you can save your husband and his throne. If I loose, you'll be my nephew's dasi. "

" Gandharaj! My sister isn't some possesion that can be exchanged for a life! She can save her husband without your help -"

"If I win, my husband has all his possesions, he is healed by the vaidy and we leave here without any repurcussions and Hastinapur has our promise that we won't start a war. " I said, staring at Mamashree point blank, as I heard another grunt from my husband, who now sat quietly, opening his uttaraiya(the one they wore on their shoulders) and tying it tightly around his wound.

"Bhabhishree, no. We still have our weapons, we can fight! " Bheen shouted.

"Samragyi, before you give out the order, remember, raising a weapon in the court of Hastinapur invites war upon yourself. I hope you wouldn't want that, seeing as you have no army -"

"Who said so? I have my brothers, I have the army of Pragjyotishpur, Sivi, Panchal, Dwarika and the whole kingdom of Maharaj Vrikodar, as well as my brother Arjun's wives kingdoms. Don't you dare threaten me with war Maharaj Dhritarashtr when you are the one in the wrong. " I answered coldly.

" Samragyi, if you've done with your speech, extend a gaze to your husband, he's nearly about to bleed to death. " Duryodhan said, smirking.

"No matter what happens to me Sagar-sagarika. Don't bet upon yourself. This is wron-wrong. " He grunted, as his brothers moved to help him, a guard stood with his knife at his throat.

Dread settled in my mind, what should I do? My husband, the one who loved me so dearly that he would die, but not let me harm myself, but for his safety, I would do that. He deserves it. After all, what more could they do?

" I Samragyi Sagarika bet upon myself in exchange for all the possesions you hold, as well as my husband's health. "

"NO! " " BHABHISHREE! "

"KARALI! " Panchali shouted, fuming as she stood up.

" Wonderful. " Shakuni said, rolling the dice as I watched myself loose to a tyrant.

" Come Dasi, you've lost yourself. "

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°
So... As I said, Yudhishthir won't bet on her.....

Ab kya hoga.... Tell me how it was and do vote.

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥