Kaal Chakra

Chapter 42

Eventually, the day came for the prince and princesses of Saurashtra and Awadh to leave for their own respective kingdoms. Sun was peeking out from the horizon, marking the arrival of dawn.

"Mata, mai rajmahal ja rhi hu." Aradhya told her mother after completing her household chores. Being the only child of the family, she had multiple responsibilities, which she used to fulfill resolutely. "Aaj, itni sheeghra?" Saudamini, her mother asked. The palace has always been Aradhya's second home. And being the daughter of the royal priest, nobody ever barred her from entering.

"Aaj Aashna aur Padma didi waapas ja rhi hain." She looked at her mother expectantly. Her father was doing his sadhana, and no one disturbs the priest when he is worshipping his isht. "Oh! Kintu, bhojan toh karti Jaao." 

"Nahi Maa, tab tk mein der ho jaayegi. Aap chinta na karein, mai bhojan hetu sheeghra laut aaungi." She said, as she draped her uttariya over her shoulders. Saudamini nodded reluctantly, and Aradhya made her way out.

Walking through the lanes of Dwaraka and occasionally greeting the people she came across on the way, she reached the palace. By the time she reached there, the guests and hosts were already standing outside, bidding farewells. So, she joined them too. Soon, Padmakshi came upto her and engulfed her in a warm embrace. "Kabhi samay mile toh awadh awashya aana." She said with teary eyes. Aradhya nodded, smiling sadly.

Aashna and Krishiv bid their farewells too, urging them to visit Saurashtra and Awadh whenever their time permitted, as the hosts wished them a happy journey. The guests, then, made their way to their respective chariots and set off towards their destinations.

***

Time moved on as it always does, and one fine day, as the royalty sat together in the royal garden filling the garden with chimes of laughter and beauty of chaos. Jungkook was describing the day when he first met Manavi in the garden of Hastinapur, and how she stole her armlet.

"Manavi, ye hum kya sun rhe hain. Aapne hamare Jungkook ke keyur chura liye the?" Balram mock-scolded.

"Ab isme mera kya dosh, Dau. Jungkook ke keyur the hi itne sundar ki mujhe toh pura yakeen hai voh Jungkook ki pasand toh nhi the.", Manavi provided her side of the argument.

"Dekh rahi hain, mata . Ye kanya kaise aapke priy putra pr taane kas rhi hai." Jungkook pouted, and the innocent look on his face made Devi Rukmini chuckle. "Meri pasand toh kitni achhi hai na." He looked at her expectantly, batting his lashes. "Voh toh hai.", she agreed.

"Kintu Manavi bhi toh uchit hi keh rahi hai, putra." Satyabhama intervened. "Voh keyur toh satya mein tumhari pasand nhi the." She teased, making everyone laugh at Jungkook's expense.

"Kya Rani maa! Aap bhi." Jungkook was throwing tantrums like a two year old for some reason. The chitchats continued with numerous stories piling up. A wave of nostalgia was floating in the air, as people reminisced their childhood memories, when a messenger arrived.

"Dwarakadhish aur Dwarakeshwari ko pranam!", He bowed. The king and queens nodded in approval. "Srinathji! Varanavrata mein Panduputro'n ka nivas sthal agni ka graas ban chuka hai, aur vahan kuchh logo'n ke jale huye ansh milne ke kaaran ye maana ja raha hai ki Purochan evam Rajmata Kunti sahit paancho'n Pandav usse bach paane mein asamarth rahe. Varanavrat nivasi iss anhoni ka doshi Maharaj Dhritrashtra ko maante hain" Silence. One sentence was all it took for the nostalgia to be replaced by a tension so thick, one can slice through it with a sword. Dwarakadhish nodded, and the messesnger made his way out.

The boys were stunned by this sudden discovery, and Jungkook was feeling as if a huge mammoth was placed on his chest. Guilt was overpowering his every sense, as he turned numb for a moment. Manavi was shocked too. This was not supposed to happen. Rajmata Kunti and Pandavas were supposed to be alive. Her father assured her they will be safe and sound, when she along with Jungkook told him everything he heard. He said that he can't stop the princes from going to Varanavrata. He didn't had the authority to do that, and Maharaj Dhritrashtra was too blind on his putra moh to do anything. But he also said that he'll make sure nothing happens to the princes. In fact, he literally made his fool proof plan along with Manavi.

And even now, a small part of Manavi's heart was refusing to believe the news, but then, what to think of the burnt remains found in the Lakshagrih. Her intuition was repeatedly asking her to believe that the Pandavas were indeed alive, but logic has always been stronger, in her case.

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