Kairavi

Chapter 16

"Mamashree!" Duryodhan beamed at his uncle. "The stars of fortune have taken a seat above our heads." His evil smirk indicated that he had good news.
"How do you know that, jyeshth?" Dusshasan asked. "Purochan has sent a message. It says that Madri putra Nakul and Sahadev are getting married. To one woman." Both Gandhar Raj and the second Kaurav were astonished.

"One woman?" "Yes Dusshasan, one woman. Seems like Yudhishthir has also begun to commit sins for the sake of the throne." "What does this have to do anything with the throne?" His sibling was naive.
"My moorkh anuj, the loverboys, Nakul and Sahadev would've turned against them if he didn't wed the girl to both of them."
He laughed, but Shakuni didn't have a pleasant reaction. He looked deep in thought.

"Perhaps yuvraj has forgotten that pitamah would never allow a sinner to sit on Hastinapur's throne." Dusshasan joined his brother's celebration.

"Don't be foolish, mere bacche. That old geyser will never stop favouring the pandavs."
"Why mamashree?" He turned around and limped towards his nephew, "A snake-charmer doesn't stop enchanting a snake if it bites him. Instead, he cuts of it's fangs." Shakuni's left eyelid dropped.

"That budha bhairav will cut off Yudhishthir's two fangs, Nakul and Sahadev; making his character spotless once again." Duryodhan's anger started brewing up on the inside.

"But, their sinful marriage is the least of my concern right now." Shakuni spoke up again.
"What are you thinking, mamashree?" Dusshasan asked. "The wedding is after six days. They would definitely ask the whole family to come and bless the ceremony; and if that happens, we wouldn't be able to burn the lakhshagrah."

Even after almost failing at his previous plan, the cunning ruler of Gandhar had already concocted a plan B during their conversation. "We have to make sure that the invitation doesn't reach the court of Hastinapur. Order Purochan to set the place on fire on the day of wedding. Let them spend the last day of their lives celebrating."
A satisfactory smile played on both of their faces after hearing the evil plan. They were going to eliminate the biggest enemies of Duryodhan from their lives; and the competition for the throne.

Meanwhile Purochan, his wife Renuka and his five sons were busy making arrangements for the grand marriage. The Pandavs, Rajmata and Kairavi had left for the temple after distributing grains and gold to the subjects of Varnavrat.
Yudhishthir and Kunti were travelling on one chariot while the other four brothers rode their horses. Kairavi was given a chariot of her own but she wasn't a fan of the conveyance.

The land was uneven and she hadn't ever ridden a chariot to know how to balance herself on it. She would stumble when the wheels hit a bump. "Saarthi mahoday! Please drive slow, I will hurt myself if I keep falling at this rate."
The charioteer drove slower and soon enough, they were left behind while the others disappeared from their sight.
"Rajkumari, if I don't drive fast, we will lose the path and I don't know the way to your kuldevta's temple. I am just following the other raths." "Okay then." she said hesitantly.

Nakul retraced the path on his horse when he didn't find Kairavi's chariot along with the group. He found her struggling with the speed of the vehicle after coming a mile back.
"Wait Saarthi." He commanded and jumped off his mount.

Kairavi glared at him while he climbed up her chariot and stood behind her. "What are you doing?" "Helping you out." He replied and ordered the driver to resume the journey. She lost her footing once again and was about to hit her side, but Nakul's arm was on the way of her fall.
He was holding the front edges of the chariot with the princess between them. His tall frame easily towered over Kairavi's short one from the back. And he made sure to keep a respectable distance between her and himself so that she wouldn't get uncomfortable.

She tripped several times, but Nakul's limbs didn't allow her to fall. She was feeling too shy to say anything so kept quiet the whole ride. It was nice being protected by her fiancé but the reluctance to trust the prince was still residing in her mind. It supressed the weird fluttering in her stomach and the rising love in her heart.

They reached the temple where everyone else was waiting for them along with a surprise.