Book 1 of Maharani Devika Trilogy (Previously known as DharmaPriyaa: The Lady Who Loved Yudhishthira)
She struggles to prevent an unwanted marriage.
He is thrown into murder attempts.
But love still found its way, overcoming all the dangers.
_______...
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Indraprastha
"Not this uttariya!" Nakula shook his head, moving his eyes over Yudhishthira from head to toe.
"This colour doesn't suit you. Change it. And not this armlet, please! I have a better one with..."
"I'm getting late, brother!" Yudhishthira tried to remind.
"But it's necessary. You are going to a swayamvara, Jyeshtha. Not to your raajsabha." Nakula reminded, adjusting the new uttariya over Yudhishthira's shoulder. The King just sighed, exchanging a glance with the other twin.
"Now leave him, Nakula. Someone's too eager to reach Shivi!" Sahadeva smirked, earning a glare from Yudhishthira.
"I know that." Nakula chuckled. "But we too need to ensure that Shivi Kuma... sorry, Devika Bhabhi, sees our Jyeshtha in his most handsome form! It's a matter of Indraprastha's glory."
"You two are laughing here? For Mahadeva's sake, stop all these and listen to me!" Bhima hurried in, forgetting even to send the guard first to take permission.
"How can you go there alone, Maharaj?" Bhima crossed his arms. "Don't you know how much trouble might await you in Shivi?"
Everyone fell silent for a while. They knew that Bhima's suspicion was not wrong. Jayadratha was going to attend Shivi's swayamvara along with Duryodhana and his brothers.
"Could you do this if Arjuna was here now?" Bhima continued. "Could he let you go alone in this risk?"
The single mention of Arjuna broke all the three hearts at once. Yudhishthira closed his eyes to send his tears back. Nakula turned away to hide his moist eyes. A heavy sigh escaped Sahadeva's usually patient heart.
Absence of Arjuna since a year had made the other four feel like they had lost a limb of their bodies. Every day they wished Arjuna gave up his self-decided exile of twelve years and returned home. But they all knew it was not to be!
"Jyeshtha, do you want Arjuna to get angry with all of us for letting you go thus?" Bhima said again. "You know his oath. If they make you bleed, entire Shivi will be turned into a crematory. Can Devika Bhabhi endure that pain?"
"What do you want then?" Yudhishthira muttered.
"We three shall accompany you!" Bhima declared. "And don't you dare to oppose this Yuvaraj's decision, Maharaj!" He added, seeing Yudhishthira's lips parting.
"Right." Nakula came forward. "Bhrata Arjuna is not here. But that doesn't mean that our King, our brother is unprotected." He exchanged a glance with Sahadeva who nodded in assent.
"We are coming with you!" Was the final sentence of three brothers who could even rule over the ruler of Indraprastha.
