𝐑𝐀𝐔𝐃𝐑𝐀 𝐁𝐇Ā𝐕𝐀

CHAPTER 37

Duryodhan and his brothers were walking by the corridors when their gaze fell on Manvendra taking long steps towards their direction, but his eyes refused to spare them a glance.

"Oh look who it is. Our cursed cousin !" Dushashan said causing Manvendra to stop in his tracks.

"Accept the greetings of Durmukh, Taat." Said a younger Kaurav with mockery, standing in front of Manvendra, who stayed silent and refused to reply.

"Showing such strut while standing in the palace of our father ?" Durdharsh said.

Manvendra raised his brow at him, before taking out the scroll hanging in his waist band and showing it to him.

"Your own father has called for me deliberately, because apparently the princes like yourselves are up to no good." Manvendra said.

"You-" "Easy Durdharsh." Duryodhan interrupted his younger brother, "First let us congratulate him on the marriage." He said.

"Right." Dushashan smiled slyly, "Where is she ?" He asked.

"In Gajasaharya. For her safety." Manvendra said.

"How exactly do you plan to protect her from here ?" Duryodhan asked, his tone was clear of what he was trying to imply and what his intentions were. All of which, the son of Vidur was already aware of.

"I don't. The protection of hers lies not in my hand but yours." Manvendra said sternly looking at his Kaurav cousins.

The sudden shift in his tone, the way his voice got low and firm, and how his eyes instantly became fierce, the sons of Dhritrashtra who were in a mood to make fun of him, too became serious.

"So listen carefully, all of you, not even a hair width of harm should befall her. Or else...." Manvendra looked at each one of them, they all were trying hard to show courage on the face but deep down were getting terrified hearing his words which were laced with a dangerous edge.

"O-Or else what ?" Dushashan asked, trying not to stutter but failing.

"You don't want to know. So don't dare to find out. Because the curse I endured which has been celebrated by you all every moment, only makes it easy for me to agonize my enemy. Therefore I trust that you will all exercise your next moves with utmost caution." Manvendra said.

His words were met with silence, as his cousins nodded in agreement. They knew that the Manvendra was a man of his word and with the authority and conviction with which he spoke it was clear he wouldn't hesitate twice. With this warning hanging over their heads, even Duryodhan knew that he needed to tread carefully and not cross any lines. Not yet at least.

-----

Sulabha was sitting on the steps of the temple of her bhavan. She was reminiscing the moments when she and Kunti would spend hours here, worshipping Narayan.

"O Narayan, why did you do this ?" Sulabha asked in a shaky voice.

Tears were blurring her eyes, she was especially saddened at the fact that even the Pandavas 'perished' in the fire. They were young, they had so much to see and so much to do.

Sulabha lowered her gaze, a sigh escaped her quivering lips.

"Mata ?" The familiar voice of her son startled her.

She hurriedly stood up and looked at Manvendra coming towards her. He touched her feet in reverence, this time Sulabha couldn't bless him, she just embraced her son tightly. After the recent eventful days, she was finally able to find some solace as she held her son close.

Holding his arms, Sulabha looked at him with a smile, which appeared on her face after a long time.

"Where is she ? My daughter-in-law ?" She asked, her voice showed her excitement to meet her son's wife.

"I didn't bring her here." Manvendra said, feeling a little uneasy to be curbing his mother's happiness.

"What ? But why ?" Sulabha asked with a frown.

"I don't deem Nagasaharya to be safe for Dhisana." He said.

"God..... You silly boy !" Sulabha said lightly smacking his head.

"What ?" Manvendra asked with frown.

"You left your newly wedded wife alone in monsoons !" She said.

"It was necessary." He reasoned.

"Poor her will be so saddened." Sulabha muttered.

"Mata, it's not that I just abandoned her. I told her that I need to go. She didn't relent it." Manvendra said.

"Son, for a woman separated from her lover it is very difficult to pass the rainy days." Sulabha said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Really ?" Manvendra asked with a confused frowned.

"Oh you too shall know how she'd be feeling when the rain shall give rise to amorous feelings in your heart as well." Sulabha said, patting the chest of Manvendra.

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A/N

Yes Sulabha kaki, knock some sense unto him -.-