WHEN THE STARS ALIGNED / A Mahabharat AU

25. When Bheem became lunch

Prakriti knew of the story of Ekachakrapura. A younger her in Kali Yug was deeply horrified by the stories her grandmother would tell her, of the asura terrorising the village, a cannibalistic, man-eating terror. But she also knew that soon Bheem would end this asura. And for once, she couldn't interfere with the timeline of the phenomenon occurring, as they had to stay in the village atleast for a while.

Days passed, the Pandavas, Rajmata Kunti and Prakriti took refuge in the house of a small potter family. Their family consisted of the Potter, Vinayak, his wife Mala, and their small 12 year old son Rudra. The family spent their time creating their artwork, all three extremely skilled.

The cardinal rules of "homestays" in the dwapar yug was helping the household in their work, in return of food and shelter.
Mala was more than happy to get the presence of the two females around her, doing most work herself while being helped by Prakriti occasionally. The Pandavas helped the Potter sell his work and even beg for alms.

Rudra had taken a liking to the Rajmata of Hastinapur, bothering her for all sorts of stories that painted colours in his little imaginative world.

One evening as the men have returned to the small homely hut, conversing about some crude person they encountered in the market that morning.

"It isn't uncommon in a village such as ours..." Vinayak commented.

"What does that m-" Nakul tried questioning.

"Mata?" The potter's wife, Mala called upon Kunti, handing few fruits to the men while Prakriti sat with Rudra, teaching him a peculiar game none of the others knew or heard of (it was stone, paper and scissors.)

"Hmm?" Kunti looked up from the small stitched angvastra she was working on, a soft smile gracing her face.

"Have you been looking for wives for the rest of your sons? It must be hard finding daughter-in-law as beautiful as Prakriti beti?"

The room fell unaturally quiet.

Prakriti who was happily celebrating another win against the poor kid awkwardly froze, turning her head slowly towards the matriarch of the house.

Kunti too glanced at the girl slightly, smiling sheepishly, "Prakriti is..-"

"indeed, to have someone as beautiful and hardworking like her as the wife of your oldest, must take a lot of burden off your shoulder, no?" Mala continued.

Now that made the Pandavas' eyes to widen. The four younger brothers' head snapped towards their jyesth, some knowingly, some just confused. The oldest in question looked like he wanted the earth to swallow him.

Nakul nudged Sahadev with a knowing look, gesturing towards Prakriti who looked like she will much rather be hit by Indra's Vajra than sit in this room any longer.

"Prakriti is...not my daughter-in-law."

"She is not?" Mala questioned.

"No...she is the daughter of my dearest friend, she was like my family. Her daughter is like a daughter to me indeed. She was visiting us...and then we encountered a situation that has led to her staying with us..." Kunti explained, unable to express the whole situation.

"Oh.... that's.... unfortunate. If we didn't know better we would think Beti Prakriti is some divine incarnate....we've heard of such beauty... Dwarkadhish's sisters are rumoured to possess such beauty." Vinayak expressed.

"Aap bhi na, Aarya." Mala laughed, "People as big as the people of royal families wouldn't even think of stepping foot into houses as poor as ours." Mala school her head.