𝕰𝖒𝖊𝖗𝖌𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊 | ✔

Chapter 25 - Kripa knows Amba?

"Jiji! Come, we will go this way!" said Ambalika, "My room is that way! You will stay with me."

"Who told you that?" protested Ambika vehemently, glaring at her little sister, "Jiji will stay with me! Come Jiji, my room is that way!"

"I am the youngest!" said Ambalika, "I get to have first right!"

"Who told you such an idiotic concept!? As the elder, I command you to let Jiji go. She will stay with me."

Ambalika snorted, "Jiji is the eldest. She can still overwrite you. And what makes you think I will listen to you?"

Amba watched fondly as her sisters fought over her. Both where clutching to her hands like a child, arguing about where she gets to stay. On the other hand, Karna, Ashwathama, Pandavas, Dushala and Duryodhana's jaw dropped at the scene.

Meanwhile Satyavati had let her daughters-in-law leave for she understood their need to be with their sister. She had already done one mistake. She did not wish to do another. In the absence of her sons, both Ambika and Ambalika had filled the gap left by her children. That's way their refusal to accompany her had made her unhappy then. But now, she felt that they had taken the right decision. Years had made her perceptive and even more experienced. She had already noticed that they had not been shocked at seeing Rajkumari Amba alive. Instead they seem elated to see her. It won't be shocking for her to assume that the eldest princess had advised her sisters on several occasions. Even after decades, she wasn't shocked to see Amba command her sisters' respect, love and affection. Her son's wives had admitted that since their mother died when both of them were young, it had been Amba who had single-handedly raised them. No wonder, both of them loved her so much. 

She had sighed, bought her bearings under her control as she waited for the next guests to arrive. She will apologize to Amba after her tasks were done for the day. Asking forgiveness from her daughters-in-law had been easy but their sister would be a very different matter. She had a feeling Amba didn't like her much.

On the other side, Kripa wondered what had gotten into his best friend. First he was speaking of betrayal if he thought of marriage. Next he went off about a woman whom he just saw! Has the world ended already and he didn't know?

He squinted at his best friend, who was looking forward with a blank face. Now for everyone else, it was nothing new. But for him, he knew Devavrata looked excited, worried and guilty? 

Mahadeva! Why are you giving me headaches? Instead give me some patience!, He prayed in his mind as he went to catch up to Devavrata's long strides.

"Devavrata, will you tell me where we are going!?" He whispered, while the Gangaputra looked at him annoyed, "Can't you see where we are going? Where does this corridor lead to?"

"Oh!" He glanced around. They were going towards the ante-camber adjacent to the entrance. He blinked when he noticed, instead of going there Devavrata changed directions quickly towards and went towards the overhead hidden roof from where anyone could observe everything. 

Kripa shook his head. Typical Devavrata! Completely paranoid. Wait! He did not come here because he was suspicious of the woman, did he? Oh no! 

He looked up discretely to find his friend showing him a raised eyebrow and giving an expression which easily said 'Hurry-up-idiot'.  He was about to go towards him, but instead he stopped because he heard a very very familiar voice.

"How about we go to a room that is closer to you both?"

Ambika and Ambalika behaved liked kids in front of their grand-kids by pouting and glaring at each other. Amba wanted to laugh and ask them to at least behave their age. But, honestly, she had missed this. Their laughs and bantering. 

How long has it been since she had to break them up before they threw something at each other? She gave a fond glance at them.

"Kashvi, is that you!?"

Amba blinked a bit at the address. She turned around to find a man dressed in the dress of a Royal Preceptor. A name she hadn't uttered in years escaped her lips, "Bhrata Kripa!?"

"Kashvi!!!" Kripa gave a brilliant smile as he quickly swapped her in a hug. He had probably spun her a few times too. He was so happy. How would he know he would see the girl in Hastinapura one day. He had thought he would never meet her again.

Amba laughed, patting his arms, "Put me down, Bhratashri. Honestly, you're worse than my son."

"You have a son?" said Kripa, as he put her down, "Where is he? How does he look? How old is he?"

"He is here," said Karna with a bland smile, "I think we have met before, Raj Guru."

"You have?" said Amba, before turning amused eyes at Kripa, "So you're the grumpy old Mamashri of my son's friend, huh?"

Kripa turned unamused eyes at Ashwathama and his lovable bhanje tactfully hid behind Karna who decided this man was alright to be near his mother. His overprotective senses were tingling the moment they have entered Hastinapura. Karna looked around discretely wondering where the reigning 'Maharaja' was. He was curiously absent. 

Kripa let out a huff before his eyes widened again.

Was Devavrata suspicious off his baby sister!??? How dare he!

Kripa gave a small glare at the hidden roof, knowing he must be observing everything.