Chapter 5

So today was the day when the princes will be officially introduced to the kingdom, right now, Subhadra was taking me to my room. She was in such a hurry that it felt like only 15 minutes were left. I couldn't even admire the surroundings properly.

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I was standing in front of one giant double door. I couldn't believe that it was the entrance to my room. I didn't even have to push the gate, guards did that for me. I entered the room. It was grand. Nearly six times the size of my room. It looked fit for royalty.

The color theme was red and gold, typical. But it looked perfect. To the right side of the entrance was a huge bed, covered in silk beddings. Right next to it were all of my bags. On one corner was a vanity table equipped with many things. I don't even know the use for half of them. Next to it were two large cupboards. In front of me just up some stair was a big balcony. It was so beautiful that I did not find it creepy. To its left was a doorway. I didn't know where it led.

As I was admiring the room Subhadra was talking to the maids, two of them left to go somewhere, and then she started instructing the other two. She looked quite skilled at doing the talk. Just as the other two left the first two came, with nearly twenty dresses arranged neatly in the rack.

"Jiji, these are all of my new dresses. If you want you can choose any one of them for today's event." I understood what she was trying to do. She was literally saving my ass so that I don't catch the attention of all and would have some time before I have to answer all the questions. She is so sweet.

"But I can't fit in them," I told her. I wasn't huge but she was slightly smaller than me.

"Don't worry, Jiji. They are all your size." Exactly how many clothes does she have? I wondered.

I looked at my options. Some of them were so heavy that I couldn't even think of walking in them. I wondered if I should were my clothes. And suddenly something caught my eye.

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Right now I am running towards the venue with my little sister Subhadra. I wonder how she manages to run in that lehenga. It was a bloody difficult task for me.

Yeah, you guessed it right.  I am wearing a lehenga right now. It was an aqua blue colored, designer lehenga with fake diamonds (or so I hoped they were) forming sequence embroidery work which is denser at the bottom and gradually becomes rarer till the waist. The blouse was sleeveless with little diamonds making beautiful designs and the dupatta was made of soft net with beautiful edges.

I looked gorgeous and even though my dress was not as heavy as that of Subhadra. I looked like I belonged here. But did I feel like it, absolutely not? I guess it will take some time.

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As soon as I entered the stadium, I saw a big stage and it was furnished with all kinds of weapons. The citizens were on the platform near the stage. It was like a big boxing stadium except for the net.

Then I noticed the room in which I was present. There were only females here and their handmaidens. The room was elegant and decorated with gold, pearls, and many other stones which I could not name. These people were insanely rich.

Subhadra gestured towards a lady in simple attire.

"Panipat bua" she said and I understood that she was Kunti.

"Panipat Subhadra." She said with a smile that could melt hearts.

"Aur yeh hai mere pyari Jiji Aarohi (and this is my lovely sister Aarohi)." )." Subhadra introduced.

"Pranipat Rajmata Kunti." I decided to go formal.

"You are as pretty as your name. I didn't know Devki had so a pretty daughter." She said it so lovingly that I felt guilty for lying. But I can't back down now it would be stupid.

"I lived outside Aryavrat, because of the circumstances at that time and then yesterday only Bhai insisted that insisted that I should come here to meet you so here I am," I said.

"I am so happy that you came. My sons have also returned today after years at gurukul." She said with longing in her voice. I couldn't even imagine how hard it had been for her, to live without her sons when they were all she had.

"I met your sons bua, they escorted me here. They were kind to me." I said thinking about Yudhishthir.

"Did you-" but she never completed the question because at that time the queen entered. As expected she had the most jewelry which made even Subhadra look a commoner, but it suited her. I made a mental note to meet her stylist.

She walked with the grace of a queen. Well, she was that. Even though she had a blindfold she knew perfectly well where she was going without help. It felt like the blindfold was see-through.

I could not introduce myself to her, because right at that moment the exhibition, (or whatever it was started.) Unlike the Mahabharat TV series, the princes did not fight but it was a show of their skills.

First Yudhishthir entered, furnished with a gauntlet (finger protectors), shield, and spear. His spear was so sharp that it could penetrate a stone wall as though it were a piece of paper. His chariot flew at a four-finger distance above the ground. He was so fast that he would have brought shame to all sports car riders and pain to the cars. I will never let him anywhere near Alexa. I am not exaggerating. My mouth was literally open until Subhadra pointed it out and it was quite embarrassing.

Then came the big guy and Duryodhan. Bheem was fair while Duryodhan had a dark complexion. They had a mace fight. They literally represented light and darkness. Even the spectators were divided, half of them cheering for a big guy while others for Duryodhan. I personally sided with the big guy, knowing the future had its perks.

But the fight was never completed. It was broken by Aswatdhama. This order was directly given by Rishi Bharadwaj which I came to know about later. After that, a lot of princes showed their strengths.

Arjun entered the arena. He walked as if he owned it. Now properly dressed in his attire he was a sight for sore eyes. For some he was love at first sight, an example is sitting right beside me. By now Kunti had tears in her eyes. He was really something. He created fire, water, and clouds and as if this wasn't enough he even created mountains with his arrows and vaporized them. By now every one's mouth could catch flies. Guru Drone had a smirk on his face, proud of his student.

After the exhibition, the Pandu princes gathered on one side of the stage with Guru Drone, while Duryodhan was on the other side with a century of his brothers and Aswatdhama. Those two sides had so much hatred that it felt like Mahabharat was preponed.

Guru Drone stepped in front and declared, "Rajkumar Arjun, my student is the best among all the warriors present on Earth." The crowd cried, chanting the name of Pandu Putra Arjun.

Suddenly all the shouts were stopped. I looked again and saw a man present on the stage, strong and capable to fight Arjun. For a second even I had forgotten about him, the mighty warrior Karna.

He challenged Arjun saying, "I am better than all of your students Guru Drone. Let me present myself."

Taking it as an insult, Arjun replied, "You are not welcome here, as you have challenged me O Karna, you shall be slain by me." He did not know the truth of the words back then.

"This arena is meant for all and I came here to represent all the people who are greater than you. So talk like a warrior, with your arrows." At that moment, his golden kavach was seen and bua was shocked to see her son's fight swoon away.

Maids came running to help her. They bought water and Chandan to wake her from her unconscious state. I helped her gain conscience but I could not lift her spirits. It crushed her to see her one son insulted by another. It was so wrong.

I was a lot thankful when Duryodhan offered him friendship as well as made him a king. Even though it was all because of greed, to accept someone when the world rejected him required courage and I respected him for that.

Bheem said, "Son of Charioteer, you don't deserve to be killed by my brother. You should be whipped for even thinking about it. Nor do you deserve the kingdom of Angha as a dog does not deserve butter placed before the sacrificial fire."

I did not understand what people saw in Pandavas. They were not always good. Right now I really wished to kill Bheem. It seems like I wasn't the only one.

Duryodhan angrily replied, "Do not speak such words Bheem. At least he knows who his parents are! But what can you say about yourself are you sure you know your father, Bheem."

I couldn't help myself now. I gave a bold whistle but as everyone's attention was on Duryodhan, no one noticed it was me who whistled except him. Duryodhan looked at me, I smiled at him and he smirked.

Karna became the king of Angha and the fight was fought. But it wasn't completed as the day ended.

Word count: 1617