WHEN THE STARS ALIGNED / A Mahabharat AU

2. To meet new family

The castle was filled with joy and sorrow all at the same time. The inhabitants recently came to know about the death of their former king, Pandu. It was being decorated and dressed like a new bride to welcome the children of the dead king and their wife, the the former queen, Kunti.

The ten year old princess watched with an annoyed frown as her oldest brother paced around, grumbling to himself.

"That oldest pandav, he is older than me Mamashree, he'll be the king now. All these years of hardwork, all gone to waste." He grumbled in anger.

"Mere bacche, you will still be the Yuvraja if he is the King, you don't even know if he is able enough to be the king and afterall, it depends on your father. Don't worry from now. Just prepare yourself well. They are your brothers, mere bacche." Shakuni winced, trying to convince his nephew to be careful around the celestial sons of Pandu.

"Or, you can look past your jealousy and welcome them with open arms. Not being the king isn't the end of the world, Bhratashree, you'll have more responsibilities, more hardwork, atleast you can get sleep as just a Rajkumar. Why take that hard responsibility when somebody else can do it for you?" The girl shrugged.

"Shivu, you....you wouldn't understand." Duryodhan frowned.

"I understand enough, I am ten not two, get yourself together, brother." She shook her head, jumping off the window pane she was sitting on.

"Do you ever act like a princess?" Dusshashan mused.

"...you act like a princess enough for both of us." Shivanya shrugged. Shakuni chuckled and shook his head before ruffling the princess' hair.

"No! It took me a lot of time to tame these curls. Mamashree!" She shrieked.

Duryodhan too couldn't help but give her a look of amusement, "you'll look the same no matter what you do with your hair. Like a monkey." He laughed as he heard his sister gasp, "how dare you!" She said dramatically, pouncing onto her brother who held her off.

"She's like a lioness." Dusshashan laughed watching his sister smack his elder brother's shoulder. Duryodhan swiftly picked his sister up and threw her over his shoulder.

"No no, let me go." She whined. After a long while of persuasion she was allowed to step her foot on the ground. She glared at the fifteen year old infront of her.

Unknowingly, she erased the bitter emotions present at that moment, from the room.

--

All of the members of kuru family stood together. Susshala and Shivanya stood together to see their new family.

"I can't wait to meet our cousins, will one of them be our age?" The fourteen year old Dusshala wondered.

"Maybe. They are my adoptive cousins though aren't they?" Shivanya frowned.
In a castle full of people, rumours do spread, hence as she grew older Shivanya was confronted with the truth of her origin. Although it was half truth that she knew, she knew that the kurus adopted her but she had no idea who her actual parents are.

"Shivu, don't say it like that....we are family." Dusshala said, rubbing the younger's back.

"I know, jiji, I never doubt that." She smiled.

Soon enough the five children and the widowed Kunti got off their chariots and were welcomed by the family. Gandhari and Kunti hugged while the children greeted and touched the feet of the elders recieving blessings.