"Stop right where you are!" A voice yelled making them stop at their tracks. They turned aroung to find the eldest kaurava, duryodhan.
Mayuri wasn't aware that it's duryodhan and took notice of his curled hair, sharp eyes and tall figure. His voice was still going through puberty and arrogance dripping from his every moment.
"What's the problem,bhrata duryodhan?" Questioned arjun annoyed by this everyday's shit.
From the very first day they arrived, they have met with only mistreatment and discrimination from the their 100 cousins. Initially hoping for love and care, the hope was getting lost from their minds.
Duryodhan and dusshasan walked arrogantly towards them. "Who is this?" Duryodhan questioned pointing at mayuri who was still going through the shock that duryodhan was standing before her.
"Do not point fingers at guests duryodhan, this is yadav kumari mayuri. Shri krishn's and balaram's younger sister." Yudhisthir came into her defence, not liking duryodhan's behaviour.
"If so, there is no reason for her to be around with peasants like you brothers." Duryodhan and dusshasan laughed mockingly while mayuri felt her blood rise.
The pandavas too clenched their fists in anger but can do nothing because the boys before them is their brothers. Their tatshree's dear sons.
"You must be mistaken rajkumar, I'm fortunate that the rajkumars insisted in showing me around. I will not be comfortable anywhere except in their presence" the words rolled out so smoothly from mayuri's mouth which made duryodhan's mouth shut in shock.
The pandavas smiled that mayuri defended them while yudhisthir was impressed by the choice of her words at such young age.
Before duryodhan could reply, mayuri turned around her heels and walked further while the pandavas followed her trail. She knew if they stayed longer duryodhan would continue to disrespect the 5 brothers and with any slip of tongue, mayuri could find herself in great trouble.
She could not get herself to remember what deeds duryodhan had done but something inside her told that his deeds were something horrifying. These are the moments she wished to recollect all of her memories.
"Rajkumari!- rajkumari!" A voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Bheem was calling her looking worried.
"I hope you did not feel disturbed by duryodhan" he continued further. Mayuri shook her head and smiled.
"Very well because i suddenly feel too hungry. It's time for us to show rajkumari the royal kitchen" bheem stated holding his stomach. The rest of the brothers laughed at his bluntness. "No need to make rajkumari as an excuse bhratashree, she probably has no interest in even seeing the kitchen. If you are that hungry just go eat once again" nakul laughed earing a smack from bheem.
"Talk to me in the same way when you need me for your validation of your beauty!" Bheem huffed in reply while nakul felt embarrassed to have his secret out infront of mayuri.
"That's impossible bhratashree, nakul will always need our validation before he can turn away from the mirror" commented arjun and they continued to bicker and laugh. Roasting each other while the eldest pandava would just smiled amused and sometime either join them or shut them.
Mayuri smiled adoringly looking at their beautiful and unbreakable bond. Little did she know that their bickering was just so she can come out of her shell and talk to them freely? Their little attempt went unnoticed by mayuri.
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After the little tour around the palace, mayuri would still not break from her awkwardness and shyness. What's wrong with her? They must definitely think she is dumb and doesn't understand them.
Mayuri and the pandavas went back to kunti's chamber and the boys wanted to talk with her more. She left without a word and sat on the couch. It made them frown, have they done anything wrong? Did she not like their company? Thoughts like these wandered in their heads and they felt that they couldn't make her feel comfortable.
Seeing their dejected faces, mayuri felt guilty and decided to talk with them. "Thank you so much for showing me the palace rajkumaron." She stated with a wide smile plastered on her face. The pandavas finally smiled, an unknown pink hue spreading on their cheeks as they saw her gummy smile.
"Putri, it's time that we meet maharaj and maharani along with mahamahim bhishm. Make sure you touch their feet without any hesitancy." Rohini gently stroked her daughter's hair and mayuri nodded.
They family soon walked to the dining hall where the whole kuru family is seated. In the centre were maharaj dhritarashtra and maharani gandhari.
The two familes greeted each other and mayuri without a word touched their all feet.
"We apologise for not being present for your welcome" dhritarashtra joined his hands in apology. "No maharaj, we understand the current circumstances and we not offended in any way" assured vasudev.
Mayuri was feeling bored by hearing all the adult talks when suddenly a happy grinning face appeared before her.
A young girl equal to her height in pink attire with adorable jewellery adorning her. She was grinning widely in excitement.
"Pranipat rajkumari! I'm dushala" she introduced herself and it clicked in mayuri's mind. Dushala, the one and only sister of kauravas and pandavas.
"Pranipat rajkumari, I'm mayuri" mayuri introduced herself too smiling with the same excitement. She felt happy to finally get a female friend here in hastinapur.
"I would be happy if you just call me mayuri,dushala" mayuri stated dropping all the formalities. Both the girls personality clicked with each other and they continued to talk through out the whole dinner.
Pandavas from the corner of their eyes kept observing mayuri, they could see her so carefree and happy with their sister. They wished she would be comfortable with them in the same way.
After the dinner was done, everyone retired to their chambers.
Mayuri slept in happiness thinking about the pandavas and the few days she will continue to spend with them.
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The next morning mayuri was sleeping soundlessly when someone jerked her from her slumber.
She looked up to find rohini who was standing with a stern look. Mayuri groaned and went under the warm blanket. "Uh uh! You will not be sleeping here till 7 am mayuri. I allowed it in dwarka but not here. So get up before i throw cold water on you" rohini stated while mayuri sighed waking up.
People in dwapar yuga wake up before the sunrise and its the ideal time for everyone. No matter how many years it had been, mayuri could never get used to these timings. In kalyuga even 7 am was too early but due to her ashram rules she would wake up and was used to the same timings here. "Mataaa finee" she whined while rohini shook her head before exiting the room.
Mayuri got up and it was dark outside, she rubbed her eyes and continued to walk in the hallways in sleepy state. She bumped into a tall figure and fell on her butt. Mayuri looked with irritated expression ready to scold that person only to meet with the tall pandavas.
"Oh rajkumari, I'm very sorry I didn't see you there" arjun apologised lending her his hand. Mayuri took his hand blushing, she was thankful that they couldn't see her red cheeks now.
She looked at their attire, they looked fresh and were dressed in white robes. Probably going to do the surya namaskar.
"Have rajkumari just awaken?"Questioned nakul teasingly and mayuri looked into her self. Her hair were dishevelled and the jewellery out of the place. She was too lazy last night to remove them. She blushed furiously in embarrassment held her lehenga and ran away from them. The twinkles of her payal were filled in the hallways. The pandavas could not help but laugh at her adorable self which only added to her embarrassment.
This morning they woke up as usual to go do surya namaskar with their pitamah when arjun accidentally bumped into mayuri. They noticed that she was still in her yesterday's attire and was sleepily rubbing eyes. They found her adorable, she was much younger than them and they understood that she is still growing.
Nakul meant to tease her jokingly but he did not expect her to get so shy and run away. He felt his liking growing on her flustered self and mentally thought to make it a habbit.
Mayuri got into the bathing hall and quickly dipped herself in the water which was too cool.
"What the heck!"she shouted feeling goosebumps appear on her body. "Rajkumari the water is to still be heated. We apologise for not informing you before" a dasi apologised in a scared tone. Mayuri shooked her head and assured its fine. Maybe this water could cool her heated cheeks.
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After bathing all the royal ladies of the palace went to the royal temple. It was a tradition that the kulvadhus of the family must do the aarti of the god everyday and distribute prasaad among everyone.
Gandhari and kunti did the aarti singing melodious songs. Mayuri and dushala stood in the corner listening to the melodious songs and continued to whisper and giggle in each other's ears.
"Putri, would you distribute the prasaad among everyone. We have some work to finish" gandhari asked dushala who nodded happily. " I would love to help maharani" mayuri added making gandhari smile.
Kunti and rohini watched from the back smiling at the younger girls. "Thank you so much rajkumari" Gandhari stated caressing mayuri's cheeks. "Please do not call me rajkumari, maharani. Please refer to me with my name. For me you are equal to my kunti bua" mayuri replied making the elder woman's heart melt.
She hugged her and nodded "of course mayuri" with the the ladies left. Dushala ordered the dasis to bring the the prasad to the dining hall where all the princes and royal male members of hastinapur must be seated.
As they reached the dining hall, they began to serve prasad to everyone. Mayuri noticed pandavas sitting near pitamah bhishm and mahamantri vidura. They looked at her with smiles, waiting for her to serve them the prasaad especially bheem who could not wait to devour those delicious looking prasaad. Mayuri was still very embarrassed from the incident earlier.
"Dushala serve this to your brothers" mayuri whispered in dushala's ear and handed her the plate before going to the other side to serve the kauravas. Dushala was a bit confused but agreed anyway.
The pandavas were a bit and surprised the mayuri didn't come their way. It made them worry again, have they offended her in any way?
This was the only thought which would roam in the heads 24/7 as they struggle to understand her personality.
As mayuri was serving the laddoos in duryodhan's plate. He glared at her angrily "don't think i forgot the insult of yesterday" he said while mayuri rolled her eyes.
"Rajkumar, if you took my request as an insult then I can't do anything about it. It also makes me wonder if you can even bear it when I insult you for real. Stop being so sensitive rajkumar and do not mistreat your own brothers" mayuri snapped. She was done with his rude behaviour. "You-" before he could say she moved to the beside man who happened to be gandhar raj shakuni.
Shakuni was silently listening to the argument between his nephew and the yadav kumari. He took notice of her sharp words. Indeed she proved to he the sister of vasudev krishn who has been changing the politics of aryawarth.
The death of kansa and establishing dwarka was a huge step. Dwarka became one of the biggest kingdom equal to hastinapur but with more stronger army.
He believed it's suspicious how one young boy can managed to do this all. Either way it's wise to be in good books of them as this yadav family can be very beneficial in future.
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