✧ *✧･ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚 • ✧ *✧

12. Wedding bells, and some blues.

Dayanidhi was shook. The number of rakshasas in the cave was stupendous. There were so many of them, wearing unusual clothing, headgears made out of wood and bone, while their king, their 'Bhoopati' as devi Hidimba had called him, stood there, mighty and proud.

" Bhrata. Please don't kill these humans. You may kill me. But please spare them. " Hidimba pleaded, falling to her brother's feet.

" Aargh. Move aside, I will kill him, with or without you. We will sacrifice them to Bhagwan Vrikodar. "  Her brother yelled, pushing her aside, where Daya caught her, carefully helping her stand straight.

As the rakshasas moved towards Bal, Rujut suddenly came between the two and yelled, " Rukiye Maharaj Hidimb! Will your subjects eat before you? This is not right. "

" Huh? But they always eat with me. " He replied, confused.

Daya, now understanding the game, added, " Oh yes. It's very important for the king to have before his subjects. Otherwise, the subjects are subject to sin. They will be called paapi. You don't want that do you? "

" Haan haan. It's true. Paap lagta hai. Ask our bhrata Dharmjeet. He never lies. " Ashwa added, and simultaneously was glared at by five pairs of eyes.

" Uh. No. Not a sin -" Dharmjeet stuttered out, before he was interrupted by Rujut.

" Not a sin, but it's traditional . Traditions hold a high importance in our world. " He added, panicking.

" Alright. First I'll have the big one. You can all take the rest of them later. " Hidimb said, laughing.

" Bal. They pray to Bhagwan Vrikodar. It's your other name as well. So, as a Bhagwan, you must give them ashirvad, don't you think so? " Vasuni added, smirking to himself.

" Come on Maharaj Hidimb, I am ready to be eaten by you. " Bal said taunting.

They fought rigorously for many hours, with no side being completely overbearing on the other, when eventually, Bal gained the upper hand, and killed the Bhoopati.

" Bhagwan Vrikodar ki Jai! " Daya yelled, only to be warned off by her mother's eyes.

The family sat down, enjoying their newfound peace. They were served with endless varieties of fruits and food, which was relished by the family after the grueling days of life before.

Hidimba and Bal on the other hand......

" Bhrata Vasuni. I remember something you told me long back. When you had gone to Kuntibhoj for your Yuvrajabhishek. " Rujut said, smirking at the scene he was witnessing.

" What? About Daya and the Yuvraj? " he asked coyly?

Daya's ears perked up at the mention of her Yuvraj.

" Yes, so what about them? " Vasuni asked his anuj.

"Doesn't that remind you of the same? " He said, prompting everyone to turn their heads around to see, Hidimba and Bal, staring at each other , as if no one else existed, and their presence was enough for them in this entire world.

" Bhabhishree?  We are also hungry. "  Ashwa interrupted, which startled Hidimba from her reverie.

" Who's bhabhi? We aren't married. " Bal said, perplexed.

" Not yet. " Gopal muttered.

" Bhrata Dharmjeet. If the king is killed by an outsider, does that mean, that he'll become the new king, and marry the original king's living female relative? " Rujut asked .

" Yes, it is true. " He answered calmly.

" Bhoopati ki Jai ho. Bhoopati, tomorrow morning in the madhur pancham bela, you will be married to the princess Hidimba. " A rakshas said, doing a shahstang pranam in front of Bal.