The past whole month was completely occupied, with Saag and Yudhishthir busy in their own problems... Madhu's absolute rebellious phase.

The ever calm Yudhishthir too had sat on the steps of his seat in the sabha, one hand holding his head, while his other was pressed against his lips in silent acknowledgement of just how much her daughter and wife were similar, in behaviour and in tantrums.

" What's up bro in law? " I asked him, sitting by his side. For a rather competent warrior, his daughter had rendered him rather tongue tied and oblivious to the world around him.

" Yudhi? My dear Jija! Yudhi boy, you know you're my man, Yudhishthir? Yudhishthir! " I finally exclaimed and he startled, head nearly hitting his knees as his hand slipped.

"What?" He croaked, before clearing his throat, " What happened? "

" Nothing brother dear, come, we need to go for a brother's day out, " I said, hauling him to his feet.

He needed a break, far too much had happened in the past few weeks.

" Is there - is there anyone else joining us?" He asked, eyes flitting, eager to draw the curtains of his tranquility.

"You do know you're lying everyday right?" I told him, just to throw him off.

" What? No, I have never lied in my entire life, never will. " He answered resolutely.

" Don't you know? Your eyes lie each day? Your face may be a hard facade of peace, nothing phases me, I am Yudhishthir. But your eyes betray you, well, oy in the presence of Saag, but they do. You try so hard to be completely unphased that your eyes are begging for someone to listen to the child in them, " I said to him as he chuckled a harsh laugh.

" That child died the day our father did Ajatshatru. " He murmured.

"There wasn't a reason for him to. "

" Why not? My father passed away, it was my dharm to look after my mother and my brothers," He answered, taking slow walks towards me.

" Was it? And wasn't it the dharm of Maharaj Dhritarashtr to look after you? The son of his younger brother? His own nephew? You sit there, excusing their behaviour, painting them as the older generations when you know full and well that their lives are hollow. "

" And what should I have said? They were the ones housing us. Had I been the only one involved, I wouldn't mind being sent away from the kingdom. But my brothers were there too. "

" I understand, look, it's fine, but you should know, suppressing your emotions like this is never good. " I reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

" I know, come, we shall go on the ride you promised, " He smiled, changing the subject.

" Alright-"

"AJ! AJ! " I heard  Saag call as I snapped my head around to see her running into the room, panting, while her husband ran to her help.

" A-AJ! You need to go meet Devi — Go! " She shouted, hurrying me away.

Even as my feet took me away, my mind stumbled, " But where? " I asked her and she shoved me, " To your room you idiot. Now go. All the best. Don't faint. " She warned and I ran, her words ringing in my head.

Don't faint? It's not as if I faint anyways. Why would I faint seeing Devi —

I now realised why Saag warned me not to faint. I barged into the room to see Devika lying on the bed, a cloth to cover her as she snapped her teeth shut, withheld screams forcing their way through her as she panted in exertion.

"Devi? Devi? " I skidded over to her. I suppose,  she did not expect me to be here... To be fair, neither did I.

Grabbing hold of her hands, I looked at her, eyes widening in worry. While my eyes could capture all of the people, the incidents and whatever was happening around me, my brain was still caught up looking at her, as she panted and groaned in pain.

" Well, what would you like me to say? " I asked her softly, running my hands through her hair.

"Nothing." She grit out.

So I continued with my task, wiping her forehead when needed, handing my arm out to her.

If time was any indication, we might have been there for a mere matter of thirty minutes, but to me, it was more than an hour of hell to watch her in so much agony. I felt like I was being burnt with each painful sigh she made.

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" I never said that. He looks beautiful. " I mumbled, watching our son in Devi's arms, as we sat by the windows.

It had now been nearly a month since our son was born and in true Saag fashion, she had become his caretaker almost immediately.

Taking him away whenever she saw Devi or me too exhausted, or helping us have food as we cared for him.

" Well, you did call him 'sunkissed'.  Why not name his that. Ravi. " She whispered and I laughed softly, assuring that I didn't jostle my sleeping son.

" Well, we could. But I am sure we have to ask Saag. Poor her has been consistent in calling our son mowgli. "

" Why does she call him that? " She asked me, moving the little hair on our son's forehead away from his eyes.

" She thinks he's going to be a wild child. There's a movie-wait you don't know what that is. There's a story, The Jungle Book.  The main character in the story is Mowgli. A human cub raised with the wolves. " I told her as she sighed.

"As long as he stays safe, he can be a monkey for all I care. " She giggled ‌, nuzzling his nose softly.

" So? What should we name him.... "

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"

What do you mean they're gone! " Sagarika shouted at a guard, even though they both knew she wasn't like this.

" Rajkumaari, I truly don't know. One moment I was sent by Kumar Bheem to get the kheer, the next they weren't in their rooms. We looked everywhere, but we don't see Kumar Arjun, Devi Panchali, Kumar Bheem or Devi Hidimba. " He answered, eyes wide with fear.

" Sagarika, calm down. You shouldn't shout right now. " Sulo tried.

" I -Sagarika! " Yudhishthir exclaimed, running into the room followed by an eight year old Madhu .

" Sagarika, look. It's the beginning of the third week before -"

"So they left without telling us? " Devika asked.

" They must have, they needed to leave soon... Seeing as we know where they are, they were in the fear of being found out. Come we shall -"

"Saavdhan! Gandharaj Shakuni padhar rahe hain. " The drums announced.

"Why is he here? "

"You don't think -" Saag asked, eyes widening as she hid Madhu behind her.

" No, no. If I know Arjun, know one can find them until he chooses not to. Don't worry Priye. They'll not be -"

" Bachi Sagarika-"

" Raajkumari Sagarika. Karali. I am a princess in my own home Gandharaj. Much like mata Gandhari was in Gandhar."
His eyes twitched at that, mouth souring at the memories.

"Raajkumari. How are you -"

"Spare us the pleasantries Gandharaj. Why are you here? " I asked, walking up to him.

" Bache Ajatshatru-"

" Yuvraj. My husband is the Yuvraj of Pragjyotishpur. Soon to be king. " Devika interrupted him boldly.

"Yuvraj. I seem to see we have found you."

" Oh? And did the Agyatvas begin that you have found my wife? Let me tell you something mamashree, I will not let her hide, till she is forced to. Lest you forget, we don't even need to do all this. We can just storm in to Hastinapur and burn it to the ground. We are doing this so that our children can grow up in homes proudly, with 'family' to spare although I'm not sure killing your own nephews counts as familial behaviour. "

" Nahi nahi -I just meant -"

" Save it Gandharaj. This isn't Hastinapur where we house random people for years, when they have no business. As the Yuvraj of Pragjyotishpur, I exile you from here. If you don't leave in the next few minutes, Gandhar will receive the corpse of their king. "

" I'll leave. Don't worry. " He gulped, walking out with a distasteful look, an eye moving to Sagarika before he left.

" Well, now we have to -"

" No. Wait. Yudhishthir, AJ, go escort Gandharaj out yourself. Narayan only knows what he can do. " Sagarika said and we nodded in agreement.

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Okay, how was it?

Much love

Radhekrishn ♥