Dangerous Life Ahead

17 : || Who's More Beautiful? ||

The palace of Hastinapur was busy hustling and bustling due to the arrangements for Bhanumati's Baby Shower Ceremony, which was scheduled for the next day.

Currently the Royals of Hastinapur stood at the entrance gate to welcome the Royals of Kalinga.

Bhanumati was too adamant to welcome her family by herself. She was getting impatient with passing times.

Her pregnancy hormones could be blamed.

Soon they could see the distant figures of Kalinga Royals and within few moments, they were standing at the doorstep of Hastinapur.

"Matashree, Pitashree." Bhanumati called out her parents and hugged them tightly. The mother daughter cried out of joy and the father patted his daughter's head lovingly while others were in awe watching the reunion of parents and their daughter.

"Now no one remember this old woman." A voice made them broke the hug as Bhanumati peeked to spot her grandmother standing.

"Pitamahi !" Bhanumati exclaimed with a broad grin and went to touch the older woman's foot for blessing but she was forbidden to do so.

"Arey, how can you bend in this condition?" Saying so, the old woman hugged her granddaughter.

"How are you, Pitamahi ?" Bhanumati asked as few drops of tear fell from her eyes.

"Don't let these tears flow, my dear. Those are too precious. And about me... You can see, I am perfectly fit and fine to do this long journey from Kalinga to Hastinapur." The woman finished her reply with a hint of humor that spread laughter among the Royals.

Dhritarashtr and Gandhari welcomed their guest warmly before Duryodhan went to take their blessing.

"Are you taking good care of my grand-daughter, young man ?" Kalinga Rajmata, grandmother of Bhanumati asked Duryodhan in a stern voice, making the latter nervous.

Gandhari Nandan glanced at his wife for help at which Bhanumati giggled and replied on behalf of her husband, "Your Grandson-in-law is taking the best care of me, Pitamahi."

The Kalinga Royals were invited to the palace and were alloted to the guest Bhavan.

Soon it was lunch time and everyone was assembled in the dining hall.

"I hope you haven't faced any problems while coming here." Bhism spoke formally to the Kalinga Royals.

"No no Mahamahim. We faced no problem while coming here." Kalinga Maharaj replied.

"By the way, here is everyone present but I can't see Panchal Princess. Bhanumati, where is she ? Won't she have lunch?" Kalinga Maharani asked to Bhanumati while the question made the Pandavas stiff as they were seated near them but on the opposite side.

"I don't know, Matashree. She rarely comes out of her chamber. You won't believe that even I have seen her only three to four times after her arrival in Hastinapur i.e almost 3 weeks ago. And about lunch, she prefers to have it in her own chamber. I have asked her once but she sternly replied that she doesn't want to share dining table with us." Bhanumati replied gloomily.

Kalinga Rajmata interrupted the conversation, "Panchal Princess ?"

"Yes Pitamahi. Panchal Princess Draupadi...umm she prefers to be called as Panchali, the one who is famous for her cold behaviour all over the Aryavart... Pitamahi, she was even invited in my wedding where for the first time I saw her and couldn't control my urge to befriend her." Bhanumati paused to speak further. She suddenly got interest to speak more about her friend.

The Pandavas glanced at each other. Now who knows better than them about her coldness and heartless behaviour.

"You know, Pitamahi, Panchali is famous for her heartless behaviour but with me she never talked even in a loud voice. But still I haven't seen her smile anytime." Bhanumati chirped at first but she finished the sentence gloomily making the old woman frown listening about the weird behaviour of that Panchal Princess.