Alaknandha ran out of the room only to bump into her bhabhi brinda.

"Sorry bhabhi. Are you alright? Did I hurt you?" Alaknandha said rubbing her forehead.

"No don't apologize. The mistake is mine too. I didn't see you coming. I was in a hurry. And I am perfectly fine nandha." Brinda said trying to steady the plate of ornaments in her hand.

"Give it to me bhabhi I will keep it in your room. You should rest now." Alaknandha said trying to take the plate from her hand.

"People why can't you understand I am pregnant not sick. I am tired of resting Nandha." Brinda pouted.

"Ok fine. But if bhratashree see's you working then you know what will happen right? Please take rest bhabhi. I want a healthy niece or nephew." Alaknandha asked.

"Ok fine. I will go and rest. Happy?" Brinda said handing her the plate.

"Very happy. Please call me if you need anything." Nandha said making Brinda nod at her.

"Keep this plate in Dushala's room." Brinda instructed.

"Ok I will keep it there now you will go and rest." Nandha said with a smile.

Sighing Brinda walked back to her room. Both brother and sisters are same she thought as she walked back to her room. Since they came to know about her pregnancy they had not allowed her to even lift a pillow. A part of her was irritated because of their overprotectiveness but the other part of her was happy seeing their love and care.

****

"Dushala where should I keep this ornament?" Nandha asked.

Dushala looked at Nandha and ponted her hand towards the table at the cornor of her room.

"Keep it there."

Nandha kept the plate there and looked at Dushala who had a frown on her face.

"What happened Dushala? Why are you looking dull?" Nandha asked narrowing her eyes. Suddenly Dushala's face brightened as she looked at Nandha.

"You are my best friend right. Can you do a small favour?" Dushala asked with a wide smile.

"What do you want me to do?" Alaknandha asked sighing.

"You are the best Nandha." Dushala said hugging Nandha.

"Ok ok I know I am the but tell me what you want me to do?" Nandha said breaking the hug.

"You know Angraj Karna right my bhratashree's best friend?" Dushala asked. Alaknandha nodded her head in responce. How can she forget him?

"He has brought sweet from maghadesh for me. They are my favourate. Being the bride I am not allowed to get out of the room so can you go and bring those sweet for me." Dushala asked.

"What ! Dushu I have never talked to him and suddenly I went to him and ask him about the sweet. What will he think of me? OMG no." Alaknandha said with wide eyes. Dushala looked dissappointed with the answer.

"Please Nandha for me. Tell him they are for me. Please." Dushala said giving her best puppy eye look.

"Ok fine I will ask him. Now stop showing me those puppy eyes." Nandha said unable to resist Dushala's puppy eyes.

"Thank you. You are the best Nandha." Dushala said hugging Alaknandha. Alaknandha rolled her eyes at her best friends childish behaviour.

****

Alaknandha slowly walked towards Angraj's chamber. She was really tensed. It was the first time she was going to talk to Angraj. Her heart thudded in anticipation. She didn't have the guts to meet him after what he had witnessed in Armoury. If he had not inturepted them then she couldn't imagine what all would have happened. She shook her head to get the thought out of her head.

You have to do this for Dushala. Alaknandha chanted these words in her head.

She raised her hand to knock on the door but stopped midway hearing the shouts of the person she loves. She know it is not good to eavesdrop on other's convercation but her curiocity made her do it.

"How can they be alive mamashree? How?" Duryodhana shouted with anger evident in his voice.

"Bhrata it is just a mere doubt right? Maybe Ashwatthama might be wrong. Just ignore it bhrata." Dussashan said trying to calm his brother.

"We saw the bodies of six people and even their weapons were there. But we can not be sure if the bodies are there's or not." Karna expressed his point of view.

"We can't just ignore it my child. If the pandavas and Kunti are alive then they will return back to Hastinapur. Bhishma pitamaha will again make that paandu putr Yudhishtir the yuvraj of Hastinapur. All our hardwork will become nothing." Shakuni said looking at Duryodhana who was burning in anger.

Duryodhana took the vase kept on the table near by and threw it on the floor making it shatter into pieces.

"How can they be still alive even after being burned alive in the Lakshagiha. We had heard their shouting for help and we have seen their bodies. We watched the whole wax castle being meltedinto nothing. Still they escaped. How are they escaping from each trap of death I set for them. If they are alive I will definetly kill them. This time they won't be able to save themself from me. They will die and I will make sure of it." Duryodhana said throwing another vase on the floor.

An audible gasp escaped from Alaknandha's mouth making all the four in the room to look at the door. Nandha without waisting a second ran from there afraid of being caught. No one was there when they had opened the door. The whole corridor was void of human presence but they were sure that someone had heard evaesdroped their converstion.

They looked at the whole corridor trying to find the person but the whole place was empty. If the person says about this to Bhishma or anyone one then they are gone.

Duryodhana sighed unable to find anything. He turned to leave the chamber when his eyes fell on something that caught his interest. He went forward and picked up the familiar earrings. That means it was his priya Alaknandha who was evesdroped their converstion.

"What do think will happen now? Someone had heard everything we had said. If the person tells this to someone then we are gone." Dussashan said worried.

"Don't worry Dussashan, that person will not open their mouth about what had happened and I know how make her shut." Duryodhana said looking at the earring in his hand.

Without waiting for any reply duryodhana stormed out of the room.

*****