~Samyukta~.::Dharam and Veer::.parts 1-41 - Page 5

OSR SAMYUKTA PART 32- Does the prince realize?

Just as Shera advances a short distance on the elongated passageway from Agni's chamber; the preoccupied girl looks up to catch the unmistakable presence of the dashing Veer treading in her direction. Perceiving that the prince was absorbed in his own thoughts and had failed to observe her closely yet; the startled Shera darts quick glances around in order to weigh the situation and hunt for some form of escape or refuge. Looking around; the petite realizes that she could neither retrace her steps owing to the curious maids and guards already watching her from behind; nor march forwards, as the exhausted prince was advancing ahead, from a short distance away. Having briefly examined the vicinity; the cornered Shera fails to perceive any other ideas or means of escape and decides to boldly face a risk. Aware that the prince was familiar with her personage; the sharp witted girl immediately pulls the cloak over her visage and changes her gait, as she rapidly paces along and whisks past the drowsy Veer.

Abruptly awoken from his dazed state on discerning the presence of a vague figure fleeting past him; the ignorant prince senses a strange feeling and swings around, to investigate if his unusually kindled interests were justified. However, only managing to catch a distant hurried glimpse of a limping figure clad in a worn-out cloak; the amused Veer scoffs his seemingly baseless curiosity and instantly abandons his pursuit to withdraw to his private chamber.

Realizing that the prince had eventually left; the pleased girl celebrates her successful escape by allowing herself a proud smile, before the reality of her short-lived joy dawns on her to taunt her temporarily relief "What are you smiling about Ananya? What are you running away from? What are you thinking? How long would you or could you evade being caught...and from how many people... one day you are bound to be entrapped... and then... "

Aryanagar; Orphanage at the village of Sawai

Enduring the intense rays of the bright noon sun; the special stately tanga continues on its long-drawn journey through the dense foliage of the Sawai woodlands, loyally continuing to transport its esteemed company. Having dismissed the familiar faces of their personal maids at Aryanagar using trivial excuses; the princess and her friends journey with the small group of four silent perplexed guards and the protective presence of the valiant Aryanagar princes.

As the more homely sights of the capital now seem a view of the distant past, the gentle Siya and Nanda try not to think about the repercussions of having lied to their family for the sake of this adventure and keep their vigour alive to hide their nervousness. Her comparatively simpler green silk attire enhanced with gold ornaments; the graceful princess channels her excitement into surveying and remarking on the unfamiliar yet beautiful panorama of the Sawai forests with Nanda. Contrary to her reserved friends; the bold Daksha enjoys both, the thrill of the novel experience and her privilege of taking frequent peeks at the unaware Veer, involved with his own company of Dharam and Bhalla. As the princes and Bhalla pace ahead, playfully indulging in humorous prattle; the chivalrous Dharam remains aware of the concerns of the royal girls following them and inadvertently calms Siya's anxieties with comforting glances.

A short while of anticipated journeying later; the aristocratic gathering eventually comes across the breathtaking sights of the orphanage. Taking a few moments to absorb the peacefulness and innocence of the retreat; the party scan the charm of the lavish greenery with its rustic huts, from a short stretch away. Shaken from their thoughts by the noisy clamour of a few vivacious children playing around a marriage canopy; the amazed royal gathering notice the apparent preparations for a modest wedding laid out under the thatched shelter. Mud lanterns arranged in front of a small clay deity, a dented bowl with a few religious articles, garlands spread out in large bamboo baskets and bricks laid out for a divine 'hom' remain the only testaments of the upcoming occasion. Enthused to be a part of something as meek yet pious; the aristocrats strive to shed any notions of loftiness or superiority, and slowly resume their strides towards the serene sanctuary.

Dumbstruck by the sudden change in their familiar surroundings with the appearance of numerous royal foreign faces; most of the hushed children cease their activities in shock, while a few young ones begin screaming and hollering in fright. Startled by the strange noises; Pari hurries outside the large hut to investigate the issue and becomes exhilarated to catch the unexpected presence of the prince having arrived with his family, to attend the marriage of his sister.

Marking Veer's loving smiles; the speechless Pari briefly struggles to regain her composure, till she is joined by the supportive persona of Dhruv and his friend Manik, who surface from their commitments, on hearing the unusual commotion. While Manik is quickly compelled to divert his attention to the children, now acting frenzied on recognizing the familiar face of Veer; the dashing groom smiles understandingly at the moved mother, before proceeding to welcome the royal throng.

Clothed in attractive cotton maroon tunic, neat white dhoti and matching turban, the magnanimous Dhruv voices his heartfelt sentiments to greet his visitors "Rajkumar Veer...Yuvraj Dharam... Rajkumari ji...I am elated that all of you accepted our invitation and graced us with your presence... I hope the journey was not very uncomfortable..."

Winking his eye; the youthful Veer quickly grabs the chance of a brief pause to give the onlookers, a light-hearted reminder "Maaji...Dhruv kumar...I promised you that I would attend...didn't I?"

While Veer's lovable keenness nearly compels Pari to forget her resolute and wrap her son in a motherly embrace; Dharam grins at his brother's prankishness and then replies to the salutation kindly "The journey was all right...and it is definitely a delight for us to attend..."

As the hosts feel touched by Dharam's unassuming message; the gladdened Pari slowly turns to welcome the endearing royal pair of Siya and Dharam, with tender smiles.

Following the initial round of salutations; the pragmatic Dhruv indicates towards the partially organized wedding arrangements in the thatched canopy and informs everyone aloud "Please forgive my insolence... but there are still a few chores to be taken care of... the priest shall be here very soon...Your Highnesses, would you mind waiting till these tasks are done...meanwhile, I shall have Manik fetch some lime juice to refresh your exhausted selves..."

Fathoming the extent of his responsibilities; the brothers willingly accept his request with a sympathetic smile and the three royal men gradually follow the groom towards the smaller shack, while Pari escorts Siya and her friends into the large hut.

Aryanagar; Orphanage at the village of Sawai; The large dwelling

Following the mother into the humble dwelling; the princess' retinue view the cluttered interiors of the hut scattered with personal belongings, marriage accessories and the wild hubbub of a few scurrying children. Swiftly examining the disorderly lodging; their glances instantly fall on a far corner, revealing the fruits of the toil of two older girls from the orphanage, assisting another dishevelled petite, in adorning the bride. Having been showered genuine care and attention by her doting companions so long; the attractive Sakshi appears impeccable in her embroidered orange cotton apparel, conservative jewels and elegant hairdo. Enhancing the radiance of her simple finery; Sakshi's elation of being united forever with her true love, seems boosted with the fresh gratifying development of her brother personally attending her special occasion.

Aware of how beautiful and content her daughter seemed; the proud mother begins to guide the illustrious visitors through the adorable disarray, while; Sakshi welcomes her eminent guests with polite smiles and words. Gracefully sitting beside the bride; the thrilled Siya personally starts introducing herself and her friends to the bride, when she simultaneously manages to cast a glimpse at the weary young girl standing behind Sakshi.

Transfixed by how even her plain form failed to guise the depth of her fascinating features and personality; the princess beams at the young petite cordially. Touched by the extent of humility in the stunning princess, a stark contrast to the arrogance in many other aristocrats that she was familiar with; Shera responds to Siya's amiability with a lively salutation and charming grins.

As Shera and Siya casually commence trading cheerful messages, the pleasant Sakshi realizes that they had not yet been acquainted formally and chips in, simultaneously adjusting her bridal veil "Rajkumari ji... this is...my friend... she resides in Aryanagar..."

Abruptly interrupting Sakshi's introduction; a small girl hastens in with a clay plate carrying a few goblets of lime juice and simple delectables, which she immediately offers to the delighted royals and Shera.

As Siya, Nanda, Daksha and Shera gradually help themselves to the dishes with warm grins, the blushing child fiddles with her pretty traditional skirt and then turns to address the bride's mother softly "Maaji...Dhruv bhaiyya asked me to inform you that the priest has arrived ... and that the bride could arrive for the rituals, in a short while..." she continues with a tone of responsibility "I have to run now... they want my help with the arrangements..."

No sooner than the little child sprints away; the amused girls break out into a few giggles, after which; Pari progresses to notify the pleasant throng "Sakshi is ready... we should proceed...Rajkumari ji please join us for the rites with your friends when you have finished having the savouries" heeding that the busy Shera was yet to adorn herself; she pauses to advice the silent girl "My child... you are not yet ready... you shall be late... I have to escort Sakshi to the canopy now...please join us soon dear..."

After offering their respects to the princess and her honourable associates; the ecstatic mother beckons the fervent children in the hut, who willingly drop their activities to join Pari in accompanying the bride, gracefully exiting the hut towards the canopy.

Watching the large group exit for the ceremonies; Shera realizes the lack of time to spare and quickly scampers around the hut to collect her modest deep blue cotton apparel attire with its bits of correlating jewellery, specially procured for the function.

Frantically removing the veil from her head; the captivating girl unfolds the knot holding her fresh wavy hair and begins to braid a hasty plait, till her actions are interrupted by a sweet voice "No... please don't do that... that hairdo would not be ideal...would you like us to help you...I... I meant... help you deck up?"

Her tresses still cascading unreservedly down her arms; the vivacious girl takes a short while to muse over the unusual suggestion and giggles in disbelief, as she spins around to face Siya "Rajkumari ji... I am only a Shramik... how could you..." pausing to note that the remarkable princess' expressions were genuinely benign; Shera becomes awed at how her unexpected companionship with such a benevolent royal stranger, was bringing about a rare enjoyable spell into her life. Her chirpy giggles now transforming to a surprised glee, the touched petite reveals vibrantly "To what do I owe this honour of being personally decked by the princess of Niphaud herself... this is a very far cry from my reality...Rajkumari ji... please don't spoil me with such luxuries that I wake up tomorrow and repeatedly wish that this dream of mine had never come to an end..."

Chuckling at the blacksmith's guileless yet entertaining acknowledgement of the proposal; Siya goes on to justify her kind stance, as she amicably gestures Shera to sit beside her "Well... I believe that whatever her status, every girl has a right to her dreams ... at least when time and fate does permit..." abruptly realizing that she was still ignorant of the petite's name; the delightful princess asks her "By the way, what should I call you..."

Not wanting to amiss such wondrous opportunity of being lavished personal care by royalty itself; the vibrant Shera grabs her array and excitedly seats herself near the heavenly Siya, concurrently revealing her identity "My name is... Sh...I...I... mean my name is Ananya..."

Aryanagar; Orphanage at the village of Sawai; The wedding at the canopy

With the sun gradually embarking on its setting course for a long eventful day; the devout marriage customs progress in full splendour, a phenomenon that would continue in similar fashion, throughout the evening. Unusual to any other busy noon in the orphanage; the sole focus of each and every observer seated on the rustic bamboo mats, remains the rites occurring in the central makeshift canopy. Diligently conducting the rites; an old priest progresses with the various observances by tendering prayers to the small clay deity and simultaneously instructing the joyous young couple to pour the symbolic offerings into the blazing fire. Unperturbed by the distractions and formalities; neither Sakshi nor Dhruv fail to perceive how enchanting their joyous better-half looked in the special wedding attire, availing subtle glances and smiles to mask their mutual attraction, from spectators. Unmindful of the unusual event of a Shramik-Aryavart marriage; the small supportive audience of the Aryanagar sovereigns, Manik, Pari and a few Sawai villagers, continue to be awed by the pairing of two people, with such reverence and love for each other. However; blissfully ignorant of the stigma surrounding the occasion, the children remain amazed by the strange customs being subjected upon their beloved patrons and constantly shove each other to remain as closely seated to the pair, as possible.

As the traditions move forward in full glory, an awed stir is caused in the gathering, with the slightly delayed appearance of the beautiful princess' retinue and the enticingly refreshing profile of their new friend, emerging near the canopy. Eternally fascinated by his glamorous girl; the majestic Dharam is quick to welcome Siya with a comely smile, while the nonchalant Veer takes a few moments to be distracted by the mild ado in the crowd. Giving in to the fuss after a while; Veer scans the entire scene to evaluate the source of the soft bustle and incidentally casts a casual peek at the approaching girls.

Suddenly alerted by the attractive royal staring in her direction; Daksha bursts forth into a wide beam, intended to evoke a favourable reaction from the reserved prince. On eventually receiving a delayed response of an indecisive smile from Veer; the plump girl conveniently takes the development to be an encouraging sign and feels elated, till she realizes that Veer's glances had gradually shifted to someone else in her party. His attention barely drawn towards the fresh attire, tasteful ornaments and hairdo that highlighted Shera's naturally intoxicating features; the silenced Veer slowly realizes how prominent the petite's beauty was even in the midst of such a stunning group. Remaining unaware of Daksha's woes; the awestruck Veer shortly finds himself yielding to the blacksmith's lure, continuing to gaze at her smiles, as her past deeds against him or his perpetual animosity against her, temporarily fade away.

Similar to Veer's dazed state, though with intentions of far lesser nobility; another audience of ogling young villagers remain astounded at coming across such exceptional beauty in a commoner and try to impress the girl with silly gestures. However; deliberately ignoring any responses she seemingly generated from spectators, Shera tries to hide her pride at her splendid presentation fashioned by the skilful princess herself and instead joins Siya in hunting for a place to sit amongst other girls.

Just as the retinue find their seats; Shera pauses her chatter to smile at the wedding couple and the encircling children, when she casually notices Veer a short stretch away, who incidentally spots her glancing at him. Discerning the prince's reciprocation in the form of a pleasant nod; the young blacksmith realizes that the stubborn royal had apparently renounced his hostility from their last uncomfortable encounter. Noticing the prince's ensuing acknowledgement of her glimpses with a soft grin; Shera experiences a strange sense of satisfaction differing from her habitual indifference to any other onlooker's glares and slowly responds to Veer's magnetism with hesitant smiles.

With the entire group suddenly alerted by Pari's voice; Veer and Shera hastily realize the number of glares that they had casually attracted and bring their short silent interactions to an abrupt end to revert to their original positions, as soon as possible. No sooner than she tries to regain her composure, the witty Shera comprehends Siya's bewilderment and even before she could be faced with any questions on the matter, calmly dismisses her coy smiles with Veer as mere greetings to a royal acquaintance.

However; Veer's flustered attempts to evade his brother's sceptic glares on the amusing incident are only solved when Pari begins addressing Shera aloud, in front of the entire crowd "My child... Shera…we don't have the luxury of a band or a musical troupe now... why don't you render a befitting song to highlight the occasion..."

Ensuing the lady's suggestion; every member in the wedding begins turning towards the self-conscious petite to observe her reactions, who in turn tries to evade the abashment by stuttering a few humble refusals to avert the offer. However; after many repeated requests and nudges from her acquaintances, especially the eager Sakshi and Siya; the reluctant petite gives in to the pleas and gradually starts singing a lovely folklore.

Detesting even the possibility of raising Dharam's curiosity anymore; Veer intentionally avoids further glimpses at the absorbed girl, though he does not fail to join the remaining crowd in silently appreciating Shera's soothing voice. Incidentally recollecting how hostile his reactions were to her songs during their first encounter; the prince stares at the rings on his fingers throughout her musical rendition, smirking at how skilful 'time' could be at changing people's attitudes and outlooks. On eventually approaching the end of her song; the petite discerns the presence of numerous admiring grins around her and smiles gratifyingly at everyone, particularly the supportive Siya and Sakshi.

Following a general renewal of silence in the crowd; the priest commences his recital of sacred hymns, simultaneously instructing the joyous bride to place both her palms into the hands of her groom. Owing to the lone elderly presence of the bride's mother in the gathering, Pari is requested to pour the sacred water over the couple's hands, emotionally symbolizing her renouncement of the responsibility of her fatherless daughter to the groom. Struggling to subdue her tears at the significance of 'Kanyadaan'; Pari continues obeying the priest's instructions, after which; she ties one end of the bridal veil to a corner of the groom's shawl, denoting the upcoming unison of the pair. Watching the tearful lady silently complying with all traditions; the sympathetic couple flash their mother comforting smiles, before resuming their ceremonial duties.

A short while later; as a particular segment of the rituals requires the presence of someone to adopt the task of the bride's brother, the priest addresses the throng loudly "I would need someone to step forward and assume the role of the bride's brother... to hand this parched rice to the bride, to be poured into the holy fire..."

Heeding the proclamation; both Sakshi and Pari swiftly stare at each other, feeling compelled to thwart the emotional thoughts fleeting past their minds and accept their inability to openly request Veer to aptly come forward for the cause. On observing the fretfulness on the faces of the mother and daughter, though innocent of the true reasons for their dilemma; Veer immediately decides to accept the commitment out of eagerness to support the family in the midst of gossiping bystanders.

However; just as the younger royal is about to make his offer to take up the role, Dharam's voice thunders through the vicinity, volunteering to carry out the noble deed instead "I shall perform the requisite rites, as the brother to the bride... that is, if no one has any objections to it..."

Alarmed by the crown prince's suggestion; Sakshi, Pari and Dhruv gape at each other briefly, not knowing how to fulfil their humble yet ideal yearning for Veer to assume and complete the custom, as brother. However; obliged to come to terms with reality as soon as possible to avoid any doubts or speculations, the realistic trio flash each other reassuring smiles and then welcome Dharam's magnanimous offer, by welcoming him with appreciative grins.

Evidently proud of Dharam's deed; Veer and Siya show their support for him with affectionate smiles, as the older royal steps forward to accomplish the responsibility of advancing the holy rice from the basket into Sakshi's palm thrice. Once the offerings are poured into the fire; Dharam acknowledges the Shramik family's gratitude with pleasant nods, succeeding which; he returns to resume his place amongst the awed audience.

With all the formalities completed; the wedding couple are directed to arise from their seats and begin taking the holy steps around the fire, in keeping with the auspicious moments, past the setting sun. Taking the right palm of his love with firm optimism; the ecstatic Dhruv embarks on the important ceremony of completing the wedding vows, by gently leading Sakshi in steady steps for seven revolutions around the divine 'hom'. Once the seven significant wedding pledges are accomplished; Dhruv finally concludes the imperative rites by applying the 'Sindoor' on Sakshi's forehead and tying the 'Mangalsutra' around her, in harmony with the Vedic chants. Though devoid of the usual pomp, fanfare and splendour commonly present in a festivity; the modest setting of the occasion is compensated by the sacred ambience of the whole affair and the happiness on the visages of the newly married couple. Arriving at the end of the ceremonies; Sakshi faces a fresh lease of life, adorned in accessories that signified her new status of wife to the illustrious handsome man, sitting beside her. Quietly reflecting on all the cherishable instants during the day; the exhilarated Pari sincerely thanks the Lord for having fulfilled all her daughter's wishes along with the added blessing of her son's attendance at the entire solemn event.

Slowly leaving their seats behind, one after another; guests of distinct statuses including the royal gathering, proceed towards the newly wedded pair in order to felicitate them with wishes and gifts. While Dharam presents the couple with lovely gifts on behalf of the entire royal group; Siya silently continues to ponder on the simple yet expressive matrimonial customs she had viewed so far, hoping for a similar beautiful destiny with her prince soon. However; the cheerful royals remain oblivious to both, the silent Veer's unexplained bliss at having witnessed the wedding of a family that he seemed to increasingly relate to, or the hapless Daksha's endless misery at her recent observations of Veer and Shera.

Aryanagar; Orphanage at the village of Sawai; A short distance from the wedding

A short distance away from the tumult of visitors greeting the newly wedded couple; Shera ecstatically watches the blissful Sakshi, fervently hoping that the young family would be protected from any of her own disastrous compulsions, planned by Agni. Abruptly forced to snap out of her perturbing thoughts by the looming irksome gapes of a young villager; the fetching girl sternly holds on to her veil, as she realizes how proximal the tall impressive man was standing to her. Moving away from his discomforting glares; Shera rebelliously treads a short distance away and leans on to another pole supporting the wedding canopy. However; the solitary girl immediately discovers that the flirtatious man had pursued her course and taken his position right beside her. Dwarfed by the large bearing of the youth standing next to her; the petite lets out a deep sigh and then decides to forsake her solitude and involve herself with the marriage crowd, in order to rid herself of the annoying stranger in her vicinity.

Just as the alluring girl is about to advance from the dim area towards the noisy crowd, the man confidently stands in her way to block her path and speaks up in a seductive tone "Do you know that you are one of the most beautiful girls I have ever met... many other men here might have their eyes set upon you... but, I must confess that I am dignified, unlike them..." disapproving of the man's haughty introduction; Shera frowns at him, while he continues to be intrigued by her "Would you grant me the pleasure of telling me your sweet name, maiden... what about your whereabouts...your family... you are not from Sawai, are you..."

Nearly entertained by the man's attempts to woo her; Shera stifles her giggles, as she replies with a hint of cynicism "I sincerely thank you for the complements... but I possess many names and whereabouts... if I start listing them...and the reasons for the same... I might not be able to assist Pari chachi in serving the marriage feast now..."

In an effort to escape the needless pester; the nimble Shera tries to wiggle away through the gap, but finds her steps obstructed, as the man wrenches his fist around the bamboo pole to put forth a stern plea "I see that you want to escape my presence and exert yourself, serving meals to those cruel Aryavarts... they should not have been even invited here in the first place... you might not be aware of their selfish deeds, so I advice you to stay away from them..." unaware of how ironical his precautions seemed to her reality; the villager fails to read her fake sympathy and resumes his genuine proposition "Trust me, you shall never regret knowing me...I...I earn well...work in a reputed shop... I belong to a nice family...don't possess any vices... I...I will feel absolutely honoured if..."

Abruptly ceasing his statements; the man peers blankly into oblivion, as his proud words taper to a surprised stillness, compelling the harassed Shera to swing around curiously. Her frowns quickly fading away; the blacksmith notes the splendid form of Veer staring at them, with his profoundly intense sentiments, cleverly hidden behind his eyes.

Calmly suspending the silence amongst them; the prince metes out an indifferent apology "I did not mean to interrupt your private conversations...I only came here hunting for my brother...you may..."

Unsettled by the superior persona of the younger man now facing him, the villager enquires mildly "R...R...Rajkumar... were you here for long?"

Shrugging his shoulders in response; Veer folds his hands tardily and then replies after a brief pause "A while ago... possibly just before you were praising the Arvavarts..."

Striving not to appear nervous; the man continues holding on to the pole steadfastly and tries to justify himself, with futile exaggerations "I... I... I...she is actually a close acquaintance of mine... so I was only advising her about staying safe"

Overcoming her giggles spurred by the amusingly apparent battle of ego between the two men; Shera instantaneously proceeds to inform the irate prince with subtle expressions that the villager's tales were wholly untrue.

Reading Shera's hidden expressions denying the villager to be any relation of hers; the irked Veer finds his doubts about the man confirmed and treads with unfolded hands towards the commoner, to whisper authoritatively "Do you want to leave or shall I have you arrested for your blatant comments? I am a selfish Aryavart, after all..."

Aware that the enticing girl was observing his actions closely; Veer continues looking ahead at the man's faltering stubbornness and then forcefully removes the large villager's grip from around the pole, with the potent might of his strong fist. Constantly studying the startled eyes of his opponent; the victorious prince signals the man with an order to depart, leaving the subdued youth with no other alternative, but to follow the command.

Following the exit of the angry villager; Veer waits for Shera to make conversation by offering gratitude for his help, but on receiving no response from the mystifying girl, feels annoyed at having to swallow his pride and begin his confessions instead "From our last meeting... I... I... have been meaning to thank you... for having saved my life after the battle..." in futile attempt to comfort his ego, he mentally ends his gratitude with a cynical conclusion "But I shall not be fooled...I am still wary of you and your objectives..."

Smiling at the vain prince's endearing nature; Shera flashes him a warm grin, before revealing her feelings in composed fashion "Rajkumar...you have more than made up for it by performing many deeds in my favour..." pausing to observe Veer finally look up to gaze into her eyes; the petite tucks the lock of hair swaying around her temple and pursues with her engaging chatter "and about what just happened...that man was..."

Presuming that the witty Shera was about to jest him yet again; the prince loathes the very likelihood of being teased about his annoyance at the villager's romantic inclinations with her and interrupts curtly "I know... I know... I hope that my irritation with the man did not unsettle you...I tend to lose my patience quickly... anyway, I have to leave now..."

Eyeing how the silent royal was unwillingly holding back his steps to garner a reaction from her; Shera chuckles to herself and then nods her head negatively, to correct him "On the contrary, I was about to thank you for your help now too...besides Rajkumar, I agree that I do tease your temper... but, as long as you channel your anger to fight injustices, your anger is justified; is it not..." adding to her justifications, a mischievous notion crosses the amused girl's mind "Furthermore; it is comforting to know that a gentleman with such fiery might and power looks out for me, whenever he can..."

His ire gradually disappearing with Shera's vibrant remarks; the debonair Veer endeavours not to appear conscious of her spellbinding beauty, despite the fact that her fascinating manner and giggles were repeatedly drawing him towards her on that eve. Smiling back at the prince's dignified gazes; the cheery Shera suddenly realizes that her plaguing worries had vanished from her conscience for a long spell, making her feel liberated and enlivened. While both the frivolous associates remain unsure if their uplifted state was due to the admirable aura of the orphanage or the enjoyable company of the other; they simultaneously continue to wonder what the other person was musing about.

Curious to see if the guarded prince would reveal any cordial sentiment towards her; Shera poses with him a riddle "By the way Rajkumar Veer, since you just mentioned it, I am curious... why did you say that you were irritated by that man..."

Able to perceive that the girl was cleverly trying to gather if he held any possible opinions about her; Veer breaks out into a soft smile, as he lies to Shera with a hint of superiority "Irritated with that villager... well... he was condemning the Aryavarts... now all Aryavarts are not malicious, are they? I am an Aryavart too..."

Comprehending that he was trying to conceal the true reasons for his angry fit with the youth; the abashed Shera lets out an unconvinced chuckle, as she silently chides him "Just as I thought... you would never overcome your vanity to admit your jealousy..."

Aware that she had understood his thoughts; the conceited Veer finds himself reluctantly blushing for the first time ever, as he mentally battles with reality "I would hardly become jealous over something as unimportant... and even if I ever do so in future, you would be the last person I would or could admit it to..."

Having now become capable of inferring each other's thoughts, ego and quick-wittedness; the duo eventually break out into sporadic bouts of giggles, as they reflect on the eternally absurd yet pleasurable nature of their silent interactions.

A short while later; Veer discerns the presence of a lone figure standing a short distance away and his high-spirited conversations with Shera begin dwindling, as he slowly detects the gloomy visage of Daksha, goring at their friendly pair.

Ensuing a few wavering moments of uncertainty; the indecisive Veer speaks up to welcome her "Greetings Daksha..."

Alerted by the sudden awkward mood having taken over their otherwise chirpy atmosphere; Shera realizes from Daksha's discomforted glum that she was hoping to express her opinions to the prince, privately. Not wanting her presence to interfere with the two royal acquaintances' subsequent conversations; the wise petite adjusts her veil, offers both Veer and Daksha a quick bow and then departs the area, well before receiving any instructions to do so.

Ensuring that the intimidating persona of the young Shera had left their vicinity; Daksha swings around to return Veer's inquisitive smiles with pained frowns, before complaining dejectedly "So... only after two days of my stay at Aryanagar, did you choose to even acknowledge my presence, Rajkumar Veer..."

Taken aback by the unexpected resentful barrage; the uneasy Veer tries to lighten the situation by defending himself in mild manner "But then I did... I even smiled at you... when all of you... I mean... when you were entering the canopy..."

Distressed by Veer's tepid reactions to her profoundly emotional state; the plump girl refutes his justifications angrily "Were those smiles actually intended for me?"

Startled by her harshness and confused by the undertone of her implication; the perplexed prince enquires "What do you mean?"

Forcefully choking on her tears in a meek attempt to avoid disclosing her vulnerable side; the heavyhearted Daksha resolutely looks at the prince, as she reproaches him "I might not be as beautiful as her... but then, I do possess many commendable qualities too... I am intelligent, brave, pragmatic and honest with my feelings... I have always admired none other than you..." beholding the panic slowly clouding Veer's eyes; the girl takes a few steps closer to him and concurrently curses her fate, in desperate attempt to evoke a sympathetic reaction from the one she so loved "What else to say, other than that I was possibly living in disbelief... even when the astrologer foretold your future...I still refused to give in... it is indeed very unfortunate that it has always been I, a girl; revealing unreciprocated emotions to you ... but I hoped that someday, somewhere you would realize the true feelings in my heart, hidden behind my playful self..." she pauses "Rajkumar Veer, all I was doing was hoping...was I so wrong to hope..."

Never having encountered the vehemence of the daring girl in the past; the royal feels thoroughly disconcerted by how the enjoyable day had now been impaired by Daksha's ambiguous grievances and seeks to clarify the issue "Daksha, I don't understand what you are implying... I feel that you might be mistaken...are you misreading me, or my intentions?"

Listening to his apparently innocent responses; the girl finds herself drawn towards Veer's charms all over again and repeats her desires to him, as soft tears brew from her otherwise lively eyes "Rajkumar Veer...I might have known you only for a short while... but I can still see what you feel about her... the sparkle in your eyes when you see her... when you are with her... talk to her... laugh with her..." she pauses with a tearful sigh "That is precisely what I longed that you would hold for me... but then...now my heart has to learn to accept that I am not the one.."

Shocked by her frank opinions on such an unsettling issue that Veer had never delved upon or appreciated in the past; the prince immediately refutes her "No... no... no... Daksha...who... who... are you referring to..."

Smirking at his childlike defiance; Daksha questions him sarcastically "Rajkumar Veer, who are you trying to mislead... me, or your very own self... you know who I am referring to..." she continues in lifeless fashion "I learnt that the talented girl is apparently a blacksmith... if only I was as good looking..."

Though reluctantly wondering if her statements justified his recent thoughts and actions; the horrified prince remains unwilling to face the subject outwardly and stammers to end the discussion as soon as possible "I... I... don't know what to say... I don't know what to say anymore... please forgive..."

Surveying his persistent anxiety; the lonesome Daksha ironically begins empathizing with the troubled Veer instead and interrupts his awkward mutters, to reveal candidly "Why apologize Rajkumar? You have done nothing wrong..." courageously battling to recoup from her loss; Daksha tries to fight her self-pity by wiping the final volley of tears streaming down her round cheeks, before letting the prince know in a bold vein "Please do not fret for me...I am not weak hearted... yes, I did come to Aryanagar with many dreams and fantasies swirling in my mind... I might never accept anyone else in my life ever again... but then I shall learn to live with my ill fate too..." left with no other alternative but to accept her defeat gracefully; the girl moderates her tone, as she concludes her tale with a honest wish "I hope that at least you are able to have the pleasure of watching your wishes being fulfilled..."

Disturbed by the unpleasant incident and unsettled by the recently divulged facts; the prince leans on to the bamboo pole for support while staring into the distant revelling crowd that included the euphoric persona of Shera, as he discloses sombrely "I wish I was not the reason for so much of unhappiness in your life... I don't know of anything to say that could make you feel better now... but would you take my word for it if I... I... said that I sincerely wish you the best..."

Veer's concern nearly driving her to a short bout of mocking sniggers at her own cursed destiny; the reconciling Daksha pacifies the prince in an amiable note "Rajkumar Veer... I am not parting on a contemptuous note...besides, if you didn't realize it so long... I have always hoped the best for you..."

Even before Veer could feel obliged to respond to her final words; the downcast girl flashes him a soft parting smile and then spiritlessly forsakes the company of the one she so admired, now aware that her envisioned love story only held an incomplete ending.

Aryanagar; Orphanage at the village of Sawai; The Dining shack

As the waning heat of the refreshing early evening witnessed the end of the earnest marriage rituals, the guests assemble together under the purposefully built shack to utilize the remainder of the dusk, in light-hearted celebrations. While most of the throng, including the noisy children; begin indulging in the satiating meals being laid out with accompanying rustic musical folklore, a few selfless members assist the hosts, by tending to the needs of the guests and serving the meals. Advising the diligent Shera and the few other individuals involved in arranging various aspects of the simple banquet and entertainment; Pari simultaneously fulfils her responsibility of attending to the comforts of the prominent wedding couple. Rather lost in the frenzied mayhem of the boisterous crowd everywhere around the shack; Dharam whizzes through the commotion, frantically seeking his brother in order to commence his return to Aryanagar. Worried by how the elapsing time left him with very little margin to reach the feast at the capital and apprehensive of the additional responsibility of escorting the princess' retinue; the older royal inquires about Veer's whereabouts with nervous bystanders.

Eventually distracted from their overwhelming duties by the agitated persona of the prince at a far corner of the shanty; the dutiful Pari counsels Shera to forgo her commitments and look after the wellbeing of the royal instead. Consenting to the old mother's sensible instructions at once; Shera temporarily halts her chores and begins to cross through the masses in order to rush towards the dignitary.

Holding her veil tenderly; the petite bows to the crown prince to offer her respects and then addresses him in a mild tone, after garnering his attention "I apologise that you have not yet been seated Yuvraj..." she pauses to glimpse at the gathering "Where is Rajkumari Siya... I fail to spot her too...I can only see Lord Bhalram having his meals... I was under the impression that Manik ji had already taken care of..."

Nodding his head negatively; Dharam returns her meek etiquette with a quick smile, as he assures her "No...no that is all right... don't worry... the men did repeatedly enquire after me... actually, Siya is waiting outside with her friend, Nanda..." he pauses on a calmer note "We must head back to Aryanagar ... a feast has been arranged at the capital for which our presence is very important... we are already late…hence, I would have to leave without partaking the meals..."

Watching him quickly revert to his prior actions of searching through the busy crowds; Shera ponders on her recent observations of Dharam's benign nature, bringing back many troubling realizations that dampen her liveliness "How magnanimous... being the crown prince you attended a Shramik wedding, despite your commitments at the capital... how different are the attitudes of you two brothers when compared to the evil aristocratic group of Rajkumar Agni... and he is making murderous plans against you..." continuing to deliberate on the critical yet apparently unsolvable issues that she was aware of; Shera remains lost in her thoughts "This kingdom is in such a poor state and the only hope for its revival is the presence of sovereigns like yourself and Rajkumar Veer...if something happened to either of you and I stood back as a quiet spectator, I shall never be able to forgive myself..." yet again reminded of why she was being coerced to not only being a silent onlooker, but also a perpetrator of Agni's crimes; the desolate petite debates with herself for the umpteenth time "But then, is it worth taking the peril of placing the lives of all my tribe members at risk and warning the Yuvraj...should I be a responsible citizen or a responsible tribe leader...oh Lord!"

Suddenly shaken from her muse on realizing that the crown prince had become baffled by her prolonged gaping at him; Shera stammers to cover up for her strange behaviour and troubled contemplations "W...w...would there be anything else that you would like me to do for you Yuvraj..."

Brushing aside his uncertainties on her confusing conduct; Dharam speaks up slowly, to ask her a general question "Would you by any chance know where Veer is?"

Swiftly reviving her vivacious smiles and expressions; the petite strives to aid the prince, by providing her genuine knowledge on the matter "Oh...Rajkumar Veer... when I last saw him, he was near the wedding canopy ...with Rajkumari Siya's other friend."

Relieved at having attained the necessary facts; Dharam expresses recognition of Shera's assistance, with a cordial smile "Oh is it? I shall summon Veer... and then meet with the family, before I leave... thank you for your help..."

Just as the prince turns around and begins to make a hasty exit, he comprehends the barely audible whispers of a soft disguised voice, re-echoing behind him, through the background cacophony of the wedding "Rajkumar Dharam... before you leave... I have to let you know... I heard of some very unsettling facts... it might just be gossip... but if true, it could also mean that your life is in danger...I know that you have protection with you always, but please be careful of where and how you travel and proceed..."

Startled on eventually deciphering the dire message; the prince instantly stops his pace and turns around to detect the source of the voice, only to discover no one behind him.

Torn between the lack of time to investigate the issue and yet shocked by the profoundly disturbing nature of the warning; the prince speechlessly speculates the incident for a few moments, remaining unaware of the right course of action to follow "Wasn't the informer Ananya? Yes it indeed was..."

Aryanagar; Orphanage at the village of Sawai

Treading the large expanses of greenery under the dimming rays of the soft twilight yet again; the agitated older prince hurriedly sifts his glances through various groups of marriage guests, as he continues on his hunt for his brother. With every quest to locate Veer's whereabouts amidst the crowds; having returned him only amazed frowns from awed children and excessively generous offers of help from unfamiliar commoners, the overwhelmed Dharam becomes frustrated.

With the name of the petite incidentally reminding him of her recently disclosed information once again; the prince anxiously debates with himself on the authenticity of her warning "I don't understand this young blacksmith...there is always something very strange about her... I cannot believe that she manages to hear all these sorts of information only through palace gossip... why did she seem so disturbed..." aimlessly shifting the overhanging branch of a large tree; Dharam scans for any sign of his sibling in the vicinity, while still mentally occupied in debating on all the plausible reasons for a plot against him "So...someone is planning an attack on me and on Veer... ha! Who could it be other than Agni... Jai chacha... or any of their allies...in fact, this could be a part of the plans that I overheard Agni making...but then...how would Ananya know all this... does she have some connection with the maids that work for Agni...I wish I had more time to question her..."

Smiling warmly at the endearing persona of the young prince standing in front; the realistic Dhruv reveals a rare glimpse of his heartfelt sentiments, as he begins confessing his immense gratitude to both, Veer and his noble associates "I did mention this briefly to the Yuvraj too... how noble are your family indeed... Yuvraj Dharam... Rajkumari Siya... your very self... everyone is indeed remarkably large-hearted...none possessing airs of authority or superiority... this is a completely different picture to what Aryanagar is accustomed to watching for so long...we can now hope for a better future..."

Nodding his head at the humble address; the embarrassed Veer pats the hands of the touched groom in order to ascertain him "You need not have left behind the celebrations just to fulfill these formalities Dhruv Kumar..." pausing his words; Veer shifts his attention towards the tearful mother facing him and speaks up softly "Maaji... please don't fret... I will come back soon... please convey my regards to didi too...the guests would be waiting for you...you both should return to the canopy..."

Eventually inundated by his futile attempts in the hunt for his brother and the puzzling account revealed by Shera; the disturbed prince ceases his pursuit for a short while, silently wondering on how to proceed. Just as he is about to turn around and restart his journey in another direction, the prince comes across a few familiar voices emanating nearby and slowly commences to walk in the direction of the sounds, to investigate them. On finally unveiling the trio of Veer, Dhruv and Pari occupied in hushed conversation at a quiet corner secluded from the wedding bustle; the crown prince becomes baffled by the discovery and gradually halts his steps, a short distance away.

With no time to spare; Dharam begins mulling on the appropriate course of action to interrupt their privacy, when he inadvertently overhears the emotional Pari declare her earnest feelings to Veer, thus letting out many alarming facts unknown to himself.

"No R...Rajkumar Veer, but we had to tell you all this in person... your presence here has given us immense joy... this is the least we could do for someone who has helped the orphanage in so many ways...you helped rid the revolutionaries who used to visit here... you donated money to us... in fact, you are like a saviour to us Rajkumar..."

Momentarily taken aback by the relentless barrage of praise from his affectionate hosts; the bashful Veer corrects her "What I gave you was hardly donation..." he continues spiritedly "Anyway... my group has been awaiting my return for quite a while now... I should leave as soon as possible, or Dharam would lose his temper..."

Pained by Veer's impending departure; Pari is unable to assume a formal stance to respond to the prince's farewell and maintains her silence, as she mentally chides her compulsion of having to let her son go "Why do you have to abandon your family so soon... you are leaving your lone sister's wedding without having even a single meal..."

Perceiving the depth of emotions buried in the eyes of the quiet mother; Veer suddenly undergoes a strange myriad of sentiments and then forcefully subdues his unfamiliar feelings in order to utter a few parting words to Dhruv "Please convey my love to the children... I wish you and Sakshi didi a happily married life..."

Not sure if he had stumbled upon their conversations by chance, or overheard facts that were deliberately meant to be hidden from him; the already troubled Dharam feels even more distressed, as he meditates on the recently revealed truths "What! Revolutionaries used to visit this place? Weren't all people with any knowledge of the revolts or revolutionaries supposed to report in for questioning after the war... so, did Veer intentionally spare this family from interrogations... even if the family may be noble and their intentions honest... even if Veer was only trying to protect this orphanage from the evil forces in the administration, he is not fulfilling his duties as part of the ministry of defence... if anyone found out that he has been shielding an institution that was harbouring revolutionaries, he would be eligible for punishment... and the family too... I need to have a word with him on this..." staggering a few paces backwards from his location; the dispirited prince resumes his walk towards Siya's entourage, constantly delving on the new uncertainties plaguing his thoughts "And Veer has been handing out donations to the orphanage? Where did he get the money from? But... but... why has Veer been hiding all this from me... is it deliberate or has he stopped trusting me?" oblivious of the random salutations being offered by people passing by; Dharam desperately tries to deal with his insecurities "No! Have faith in your brother... I am confident Veer would never do anything wrong... he has been busy with his new responsibilities and hence failed to mention all this... I shall have a chat with him once we return to Aryanagar."

Enroute Aryanagar from sawai

Having ridden through numerous lanes of less-acquainted villages for a considerable while; the royal party hasten on their course in absolute silence, from the peripheral village of Sawai, back to the central capital of Aryanagar. Unmindful of curious inhabitants, examining the unusual sight of a small royal gathering passing by their rustic streets; the royal retinue nervously travel along, hoping that their bold venture of abandoning the capital would not have raised an alarm at the palace.

However; unlike his quiet associates; Veer eventually becomes tired of observing increasingly lonely lanes and decides to end the haunting stillness marking their hurried return home, by sharing a few light-hearted observations with Dharam, riding beside "Dharam...look at Bhalla... I have never seen him so calm and content on such tiring long journeys ... having been the only one of us to have sneaked in for the dinner at the wedding, he is looking forward to more delectables at the feast in the capital now too..." watching his generally amiable brother barely respond with a superficial smile; Veer becomes worried and persists hesitantly "What happened Dharam? Why are you so reticent? Are you anxious about being late for the feast? We can quicken the speeds of our horses... and easily sneak in during the feast..." pausing to gasp for breath, the young prince suggests "Shall we ask the charioteer to increase his speed too?"

Flogging the reigns of his speeding horse; the irked Dharam resolutely looks ahead at the forlorn pathways, as he corrects Veer by yelling above the noises of the hooves "No we cannot... the feast was meant to be at night, not midnight... we shall never reach on time!"

On heeding the tone of his reply; though unaware of the genuine reasons for Dharam's anxieties, Veer realizes that the older prince was not in the right state of mind for playful frolic and decides to leave him alone. Just as the young royal turns ahead to silently continue with their hushed advance to the capital, the princes realize their comparatively serene travel come to a sudden end, with an ear-piercing scream, from behind.

Startled by the shrieks; the royals immediately cast glances behind them to catch the menacing presence of six cloaked riders, advancing from the dust storms raised by their horses, towards the Niphaudi princess' chariot. Even before the princes could come to terms with the evolving horrific turn of events; two nimble attackers make headway in the direction of the four guards around the carriage and manage to engage the soldiers in instant horseback combat. Defying any onslaught from the stunned soldiers with astute skill; the two aggressors destroy the might of the proficient Aryanagar sentinel in no time, with merely a few calculated strokes of their weapons.

Within the few moments that the guards are mercilessly crushed; the remaining assailants decide to take instant advantage of the shocked state of the princes. While the princes invest their might in trying to swerve their fleeting horses around, to fight the onslaught; the attackers waste no time in charging forwards and an intense clash ensues between the two oppositions. As three vicious men pounce upon Dharam with deadly weapons, two others drag Veer from his moving horse to the ground. Bruised by the nasty fall and lying in the precarious midst of blinding dust and wild horses stomping around; Veer languishes on the dark soil, struggling to withdraw the sword from his hilt.

Abysmally worried for the safety of his family; the cornered Dharam wrestles to yoke the strength of his will and skill, as he simultaneously balances himself on his steed, extracts his weapon and begins tackling the three men, assaulting him. However, despite Dharam's trials to repel strikes from all directions; the trained horseback warriors succeed in inflicting many superficial injuries on his being, including a deep gash on his left arm. Though striving to disregard the blood drenching his left sleeve; Dharam bawls in agony on heeding his helpless brother's screams, caused by the sadistic men trampling Veer with their horses to thwart any possibility of the prince being able to use his sword.

Observing the fate of his powerful friends; Bhalla forcefully represses his intense terror and gallantly stays with the charioteer in a meek attempt to protect the girls from a single attacker, till he is also rendered defenceless by a few injuries. Watching the horrifying unfolding events from a far corner of their chariot; the shaken Daksha protectively hugs Nanda, to stop her from wailing uncontrollably at the unexpected formidable twist to their destiny. Huddled beside her quivering friends, as she lifelessly surveys the excruciating sight of wounds being wreaked upon her loved ones; the shocked princess mentally implores the Lord for her companions' safety, unaware of her own faint state.

Continuing to brave many painful wounds; the tortured Veer feels guilty on discerning the treacherous situation facing his family and perceives the lack of time available to recoup himself and assist his brother in fighting off the assailants. Grinding his teeth to overcome the throbbing pain in his body; Veer manages to elude a few offensives on him using his agility and finally manages to reach out and grip his sword.

With the setting sun giving eventual way to the tranquil moonlight, destiny gradually begins favouring the noble princes fighting for their loved ones, rather than the malicious rogues meting out the vile attack. While the two brothers relentlessly pursue with their combat; they comprehend the skill that the villains possessed at wielding their respective weapons and realize the depth of thought and plot behind the well-planned attack on them. Wrestling with fatigue; the wounded Dharam dismounts his horse and joins the overwhelmed Veer, as the brothers try to tap their remaining vigour and combat proficiency, to wound their attackers, one by one. While the weary brothers jointly work to defend any further inflictions from their encircling assailants; they gradually accomplish the feat of slaying the dwindling rogues, one after another. No sooner than five of the six criminals are brought to their terrible ends; the enraged princes glare at the sixth lone remaining man and swiftly block his pathway with their swords, hoping to capture him for interrogation. However; unfazed by the dreadful fate of his companions, the man remains well-versed with his orders if the mission did fail and thus ends his life by mortally driving his weapon through his own body.

With no time to stop the unfortunate development; the breathless princes stagger towards the dying man in alarm and eventually accept the unwilling outcome after a short while, before they turn around to face one another. Sympathizing with the other's sorry state for a few moments, the emotional siblings engage in a manly embrace, sharing their relief at the favourable end to their horrid ordeal.

After a short while; Dharam retracts himself to examine his brother's bruised arms and scratched face, simultaneously asking Veer with genuine concern "Veer...are you all right?"

Nodding his head affirmatively in response; the sensitive Veer feels touched by the empathetic expressions of his injured older brother, as he enquires in return "What about you Dharam?"

However, being the most affected of all; Siya stares at the grimacing pain on Dharam's face all along, failing to come to terms with the appalling realization that the recent occurrence had revealed "I cannot bear to see you in such an afflicted state Yuvraj ... those men were looking to take you away...take your life away forever...leading such a protected life in Niphaud, little did I know of the perils behind the life of a monarch... this evening has taught me many lessons... I came across the hardships that common people faced at the wedding ... and now I have faced the harsh reality of the dangers in a ruler's daily life... if and when you go for war... how could I stay calm and just resign myself to my fate, if something were to happen to you...no... no...I cannot..."

Aware of how shaken his girl was, on having witnessed the unacquainted sight of bloodshed, violence and strewn bodies; Dharam valiantly strides up to Siya and tenderly grasps her shoulders to pacify her.

Suddenly unaware if she would have the fortune to cherish his comforting touch in such manner forever; the insecure princes shudders at his grip and retreats a few steps, to question him spiritlessly "Yuvraj...we only got betrothed yesterday... why such an anguishing incident today? They were about to slay you..."

Noticing Siya withdraw from his affectionate hold; the worried Dharam again advances a few steps and enfolds her soft cheeks in his palms, in a bid to assure her "No Siya... everything shall be fine...I am fine... I want you to leave Aryanagar on a happy note tomorrow..."

Indicating to her prince's gashes; warm tears begin streaming from Siya's unconvinced eyes down the prince's palms, as she refutes him "You are not fine Yuvraj... all this is not fine..."

Watching the couple's upsetting exchanges; Veer feels disheartened by how disturbed the cheerful princess had become and attempts to soothe Siya's grief by reminding her of his steadfast support to them "Bhabhi... please do not be so unhappy... you know that as long as I am alive, I would never let any harm come to either of you..."

No sooner than the princess falls silent on attending to Veer's caring words and smiles; the benevolent Dharam adds a further wise phrase of advice, to help Siya rein her fears "Siya all this is a part of life... you should understand that I am only human... I am not invincible......but... but at least in such mishaps, your support in the form of your courage would make me stronger... both, physically and emotionally..."

Immensely moved by his intelligent counsel that reflected the extent of his regard for her welfare; Siya finally begins to feel a sense of relief and subconsciously leans her forehead on to his torso, seeking his emotional support. Swiftly perceiving the sensitive nature of the couple's interactions; Veer, Daksha, Nanda and Bhalla proceed to their respective stations to grant the couple a few rare moments of privacy, prior to their return home.

Oblivious to her surroundings, as the elated Siya continues resting on Dharam's chest; she inadvertently listens to the steady pulses of his heart and prays that she should have the fortune of being able to listen to his unfaltering heartbeat in life and spirit, forever. As Dharam responds by wrapping his strong arms around her protectively, Siya's delicate state makes her succumb to the solace of his firm hug, while her femininity unwittingly yields to the feel of his hands on her exposed neck and shoulders.

Feeling uplifted with his emotions being momentarily aroused; Dharam neglects the throbbing pain of his wounds, to whisper a final batch of soft reminders into her ears "Did you forget what your royal priest had said about our relationship... that I shall progress to become a ruler of Aryanagar; while you shall remain beside me all through... that God has willed this relationship and your future lies with Aryanagar, despite anyone's approval or disapproval... everything will be all right Siya... your prayers shall not go unanswered..."

Nodding her head in agreement to his consoling justifications; the pacified girl gradually withdraws from his overpowering presence, to convey her renewed stance "I shall be strong...henceforth... if that is what you want...for your sake...Yuvraj Dharmavardhan..."

Gradually realizing that their frail modes of mind had given way to a brief interval of intimacy; the embarrassed Siya draws herself away from her prince, while Dharam comprehends her reservations and smiles understandingly to mask the abashment.

While still flushed by the thought of their recent affectionate spell; the blushing princess quickly looks around to ensure the whereabouts of the remaining retinue, simultaneously stammering to express her views to Dharam "Yuvraj... how would the three of you travel back on horses ...you have deep gashes... Veer and Bhalram ji are in severe pain... we don't have any medication... this place is deserted...shall I temporarily tend to everyone's injuries till..."

Instantly shaking his head in order to halt her anxious mulling; Dharam advices her calmly "Don't fret about all that... we shall be able to manage... let us start now... I suspect that we would have missed the feast, as it is..." he pauses "Anyway, it is better that none of us inform our families about this attack, lest they consider this an ill omen... myself and Veer shall take care of everything..."

While gently beginning to lead the girl towards her conveyance to help her ascend; Dharam scans the unpleasant scene of the remnant spoils of the attack, reviving a few troubling notions in his mind "I wonder who is behind this attack... these masked men didn't sport any uniform or dress that gave away their whereabouts... who else could it be other than Agni himself... or maybe even Rajkumar Harsh...whoever it was, Ananya was right... it was this attack that she forewarned me about... or could there be another one too..."

Palace of Aryanaagar – Dharam's chamber

Meticulously lit brass lamps suspended from the wooden holders of the mighty walls; barely dispense the gloominess of the large palatial room, or the sombre aura of its inmates. Sporting grave expressions; the monarchs of Aryanagar encircle the elaborate remedial arrangements of exquisite oils, ointments, medicines, fresh cotton bandages, needles and linen, procured for the treatment of the young royals resting on comfortable chaises. While the royal Vaidya endeavours to finish attending to the medical needs of the two injured princes; the profoundly fretful mothers interfere with the inundated physician's duties, repeatedly offering their opinions, assistance and recommendation on the matter. Already having to endure the agony of the physician's therapies and the fatigue of the day's turbulent incidents; the brothers silently groan at the additional harassment of constant admonishments being showered by their enraged family.

With his folded hands and severe expressions reflecting his stern disapproval; Aryavardhan notes the ongoing events unhappily, as he resumes scolding the young royals, in an uneasy tone "I still cannot believe that you both failed to make your presence at the palace or fulfil your obligations, because you spent your entire day attending a Shramik wedding... what is the necessity to attend a Shramik wedding? Do you think it is appropriate for us Aryavarts to be attending a Shramik wedding? Every Aryanagar inhabitant that came for the grand feast today was enquiring about your whereabouts... and we had to lie to them..."

Incidentally catching the strong Veer grimacing at the pain being caused by the treatment to his bruises; the aggrieved Nivritti instantly joins her brother, in censuring the princes "And to add to the insolence, you spent the rest of the evening horse racing and sword fighting... what did you both think... that you are still enjoying your time at the Gurukul... look at the state of the two of you... cuts... slashes... torn clothes... now am I supposed to wail for being cursed with such disobedient sons or thank the Lord that you both did not turn up at the feast in this shoddy manner..."

Even before the stressed Dharam or Veer could utter anything in their favour; the indignant Swathi adds to the series of complaints "And why did you have to involve Siya in all of this... we had to lie to her family about her whereabouts for the entire day..." noticing Dharam groan as the physician secured his mild sutures; the doting mother briefly twitches in anguish at her son's misery and then continues her resentment in milder vein "Dharam... you have no idea of the grief you have given us the entire day...what if they came to know the truth about where their daughter has been to... what if something happened to her... how would we answer the Maharaj and Maharani of Niphaud...what if something happened to you..."

Shaking his head in agreement with his wife's sensible views; the displeased king again speaks up bitterly, not allowing the brothers any opportunity to defend themselves "You both never think twice about putting us to shame, don't you...Dharam you are about to get married in two months...about to ascend the throne in a while... and if this is the responsibility you display, I dread to think of what is to come..."

Detecting the older prince let out a deep defeated sigh in response to his father's endless chiding; Nivritti perceives that the young royals had suffered their fair share of woes for the day and acts on her wave of sympathy, by swerving the topic after a brief pause "Anyway, having enjoyed your day... tell me, whose wedding was it...where was it held..."

Annoyed by the lack of empathy that they had been shown so far; the childlike Veer shows his dejection at the persistent rebukes, by mumbling a grumpy reply "It was a wedding here in Aryanagar, at the capital...the family that saved my life after the war had invited me for the wedding a short while ago...I did not want to disrespect their invitation," terminating his explanation abruptly, the young prince moans aloud, in an effort to evoke some pity "Ma, can I retire for the night? I am tired of my aching body!" angered by the attackers that had brought him to this pitiable state, Veer adds mentally "Besides, tomorrow morning, I have to counsel with Dharam and begin my probe into these attacks."

Feeling suddenly perturbed by Veer's casual revelations; Nivritti scarcely nods her head to consent to her son's pleas, while simultaneously debating about the afflictions swirling in her mind "That family again! Why does that family come back to torment my thoughts over and over... why do they show such special affection to my son, who so willingly reciprocates the same, at every instant... are my fears needless or justified... I have to meet that mother...Pari...soon... in fact, tomorrow..."

Noticing his mother's downcast visage and changed disposition; Veer halts his departure from the chamber and tenderly leans over his mother's shoulder, as he whispers a concerned query in order to pacify her "What happened ma? You suddenly seem lost... was it something I said...are you not happy about me having attended that wedding?"

Her possessiveness and love for her son still whelming her thoughts and being; Nivritti rejects his affectionate gestures by flashing a few dazed glares in his direction, before curtly standing up and leaving the room, thus profoundly baffling Veer with her actions.

Aryanaagar, the capital – The tribal basti

With the darkness of the still midnight highlighting only a few sharp contours of the dusky girl, casually sitting on the chilly floor of her hut; Shera ethereally folds her hands around her knees as she enjoys her temporary solitariness. Relishing the gentle wafting breeze that swayed her open tresses against her dangling ear rings; the girl sweeps her glances outside the crude window to catch the light of the moon that sparsely illuminated the silent basti, lodging her resting tribe. Briefly tasting the flavour of feeling truly high spirited after a long spell of time; Shera still tries to recover from the charm of the marriage and the exhilarating experiences that she had savoured at the occasion.

Though aware that her dire reality never held any possibility or hope of such blissful fantasies for herself; the tranquil girl unselfishly mulls on all the favourable aspects of the wedding that she had just witnessed "I am happy that I at least had the fortune to attend such a beautiful wedding... didi was glowing with happiness... I hope Sakshi didi and jeejaji cherish a happily wedded life forever with the endearing company of the numerous mischievous children at the orphanage... away from all the evil eyes and viciousness here...." resting her cheeks on her knuckles; the petite smiles dreamily to herself, on recollecting the only disheartening aspect of the entire joyous event "I shall miss meeting didi at Aryanagar, now that she will reside at Sawai mostly..."

Her attention slowly swinging towards the pile of blue apparel and jewellery, neatly tucked away at a corner of her rustic shack; the young blacksmith incidentally begins to reminisce her lovely moments with the princess "What an adorable person Rajkumari Siya is... I wish I could have met her again... just to offer her my gratitude... but the entire royal retinue left in such a hurry..." her deliberation on the royal group inadvertently bringing back her seemingly amicable interactions with the young prince at the wedding; the amused Shera giggles delightfully, while speculating on Veer's ever-intriguing attitude "Rajkumar Veer... always the same reserved self... but, he did manage to smile and speak a few words by himself, without being goaded this time... such arrogance and pride hardly allows him to even start a conversation... expressing himself is a distant probability..."

Turning to observe the powerful radiance emitted by a shining piece of long metal steadfastly reclining against a wall of the hut; the girl stares at the weapon gracefully, continuing to admire the flawlessness in the remarkable work of art.

Gently shifting her face in the dim light to mark her reflection in the gleaming blade of the new sword; Shera studies her kohl filled eyes for a short while and then begins speaking to the weapon, with an air of pride "Hmmm I am merely your subject and cannot dare to exhibit vanity in your presence but, your Highness can afford being miserly with your compliments to me... Rajkumar Veer, I know that I looked no less at the wedding... and... am aware that you realized this very fact too..." continuing to gape at her profile in the blade; the petite feels a warm tone ascending the sleek outline of her soft cheek and then begins giggling at her own childish charades. Swiftly proceeding to brush the strong handle of the weapon with her fingers; Shera continues to address the inanimate object dismissively "I can predict that you would be my most difficult customer, but this sword is no ordinary one either... the extent of effort bestowed upon it by an esteemed blacksmith like myself... the exceptional craftsmanship that it now possesses... this would fetch my tribe handsome money in the market..." she pursues with a false bearing of superiority "But, I took pity on you and did this favour in my spare time... a small token of appreciation for having saved my life and for trying to help out my tribe now... hence, I warn you not be so reserved with your praise for this piece of art or I shall stealthily whisk it back from you Rajkumar..." her playful drama of chiding Veer, unexpectedly reminding her of the more feisty unpleasant encounters with the hot-blooded prince during her initial days at Aryanagar; Shera feels repelled about having to face something similar, ever again "I hope I will never have to face you after the day you find out about me... more painful than the punishment I will be subjected to, would be watching how your impression towards me would degrade to one of immense dishonour, despite the truth that I am doing all this out of sheer compulsion ... now that I have warned Yuvraj Dharam of the attack on his life, I have risked myself ... it is only a matter of time, before I shall be caught..."

Her spirits fading on recalling the miserable possibilities that her future held; Shera swings around to stare at the female tribe members peacefully sleeping under the roof of her shadowy hut. Suddenly feeling very unsettled; the girl refuses to permit her frisky hair locks to play with her face anymore and forcefully tucks them behind her ears, as she ponders aloud "What am I doing? My one mistake can mean the death of my entire family…I am a strong person by nature, I should not have warned the prince... but then, how could I allow harm to such noble people... anyway Ananya, strength lies in doing the right, even in adversity...leave the rest to the Lord!"

Abruptly ceasing her speculations on the vicious nature of the 'cycle of destiny; Shera decides to proceed to the water well at the basti and wash her face with few cold splashes of water, before retiring for the night. Just as the lone girl stands up and quietly steps towards the entrance of the hut, she becomes alerted by a muffled sound outside the hut and cautiously advances outdoors, to investigate the source of the noise. No sooner than she detects the presence of a looming shadow; the shocked petite looks up at the increasingly familiar figure, only to dismally realize that the conniving Tasha had been waiting outside, overhearing her private thoughts all along.

Barely able to contain his joy at the priceless newfound knowledge that he had managed to stumble upon; the guileful man peers at the girl's expressions in order to study her well-concealed frustration, as he begins silently revelling at his stroke of fortune "Should I consider myself blessed that on the rare occasion that I pass by the basti at this time of the night, I caught the shrewd Shera enjoying her solitude and toying with her innermost sentiments... blurting out enough damaging information to secure my future leadership with this tribe and much more..." conscious ofall the disheartened notions that could be spinning in the petite's mind; Tasha begins the conversation, by chiding Shera's impudence cynically "I now know of all your doings and yet you calmly stand here, facing me... how bold of you to have actually warned the Yuvraj! Additionally, you lied to the tribe that your friend's wedding yesterday, was at a temple near Aryanagar...when, I actually know of the precise whereabouts of the function..."

Confounded at detecting how relentlessly the vile Tasha had been spying on her all along with the sole purpose of bringing about her downfall; Shera desolately mulls on the consequences when he would sell all the information to Agni. Knowing that her plight held no solution, as Tasha would never be swayed by bribes or threats in his determination to usurp the tribe; the devastated girl realizes that her comparatively carefree life was more short-lived than she thought.

Goring at the rogue all the while; Shera forcibly swallows any of her tears and gradually strengthens herself by wisely learning to accept fate "When I have spent most of my life enduring immorality, for the sake of others... accepting baba's misdeeds...suffering your worthless existence... and now dreading Rajkumar Agni... I refuse to live the final free days of my life bringing harm to the only few selfless souls I know...so do what you may and I shall do what I consider right..." Aware that Tasha was impatiently awaiting a response from her; the girl decides to stay tight-lipped about his questions to prevent revealing anything that would undo her fate any further and instead returns his rude accusations with a nonchalant reply "Tasha, I am curious... once you become successful at all your sordid aims of dismissing me... after you manage to grab the leadership to this small business that you possess neither the skill nor knowledge to run... would your life and time not become meaningless with none else to spy or plot against..."

Though enraged by her sarcastic statements; even the spiteful Tasha is forced to marvel at Shera's rebellious audacity for a brief while, before extracting his revenge by revealing freshly distressing information that she was deliberately kept unaware of "I don't know if your baba ever informed you Shera... but, Sardar had started looking out for grooms for you, a short while ago ...apparently, he has fixed your alliance with a prospective groom... the family had come home this morning to seal the proposal... Sardar is elated since they do not expect much money, gifts or goods..." he pauses mockingly "Do not fret, the man is handsome... in fact, more well-to-do than us... hardly 38 years of age... and only possesses two wives..."

Noticing her stunned expressions; Tasha rejoices at his successful venture of having shocked the strong girl once again and deliberately ridicules her bleak future, before leaving the basti for the night "I sincerely pray that you enjoy happiness in your newly wedded life with this man... but, how would you juggle your affairs with this new man's family alongside Rajkumari Agni's demands to conspire against the Yuvraj, Rajkumar Veer and everyone else... that shall indeed be a sight to watch... besides, I am not sure your new husband would be entirely happy, if he knew of how many men you continue to be associated with..."

Palace of Aryanaagar – The palace gardens

On hearing the familiar voice of the prince discharge the sentinel guarding the arc entrances; the petite withdraws from her trivial pastime and stands up to face the prince courteously. As the familiar duo cease their early awkward silence by initiating their interactions with a short bout of formal smiles, Veer incidentally observes Shera holding on to a long narrow jute cloth, wrapped in the form of a sleek parcel.

Majestically striding a few paces into the green grass; the radiant Veer casually probes into the reason for her unexpected presence at the palace "Here? At this time of the morning? Is there a problem?"

Briefly grinning at the loftiness hidden in the prince's amiable manner of enquiry; Shera elucidates earnestly "I apologize for the disturbance... but, I learnt that you would not be arriving at the court or any of the formal meeting areas, till later this evening... hence I had to request for this audience..."

His curiosity spurred by her answer; the handsome royal shrugs his shoulders and persists with the subject "And what matter is of such urgency that you could not even wait till this evening..."

Maintaining her composed bearing, even while revealing elusive hints of her dismal future; the magnanimous girl responds to him "Actually the matter is not very urgent Rajkumar... it is only that I might be running out of... I mean that I might not have the time..."

SAMYUKTA PART 37 Dharam learns of the dreaded secret!

OSR SAMYUKTA PART 38 - The terrifying confrontation eventually occurs!

Aryanagar; the palace – Dharam's personal chamber

Nearing their full potency with the arrival of the late morning; splendorous beams of the infallible sun make their natural way through lavish windows and terraces, elevating the grandeur of the entire chamber. Brightening every object that they set upon; the brilliance of the rays inherently lights up almost every facet of the extravagant areas within; except for the obscurity looming around the lone figure slumped at the edge of the royal bed. Untouched by the glory of his surroundings and unconscious of the fact that an entire day had elapsed in desolation; the dismal persona of the master remains gloomily slouched with his head buried in his hands. Emotionally disabled by the disastrous nature of the recent barrage of disclosures he had come across; the crown prince unusually continues to ignore the existence of his commitments or the reality of any responsibilities, for the solitude of his chamber. His prolonged unbroken glares at a fixed spot on the ground below having turned the floor patterns into a hazy blur; the withdrawn royal speculates indefinite theories over the myriad of intimidations put forth by the rogue.

Aware of how Agni had the will and the power to execute crimes that would pose unfathomably detrimental consequences for both brothers, the confounded prince wavers over a number of solutions to try arrest the already dire circumstances from worsening furthermore "I am fed up! These debates are driving me insane...I shall first start looking into Agni's connection with the monetary scandal...and his wretched plans for the orphanage...but...but then, should I confess to pitaji about the orphanage before he learns of this truth in an unpleasant manner..." he pauses with a frustrated sigh "This is precisely why I warned Dhruv Kumar to come out in the open about this, long ago...I asked him to request the administration to have his institutions legalized... but he refused! Additionally, Veer has been unwittingly helping these institutions with money...possibly with his own money for a noble cause...yet...if his secret donations to these organizations are ever discovered; he could become an unnecessary suspect in this entire monetary scandal... I personally know that Veer would lay his life, before taking a single coin out of the treasury ...but...it would become impossible to convince the nobles of his innocence... every time I set out to ask Veer about this, he evades my questions childishly!" the apprehensive Dharam pauses worriedly "At the end of all this political intrigue, I hope the innocent orphans remain unharmed!"

His concerned notions for the young children unintentionally bringing to mind Agni's repulsive claims about the past tragic deaths of many Shramik newborns in Aryanagar, the miserable royal cringes woefully, as the horrifying allegations against his father resurface "Tch tch so worried about the Shramik children of Aryanagar... and yet you have the blood of thousands of Shramik newborns on your hands... my my do you know what heinous crimes your gentle protective father secretly propagated in the hope that no harm would befall his precious first born. All Shramik infants born on Aashaad poornima were sacrificed..."
Every recalled word on the terrifying subject only amplifying his mental anguish; the overwhelmed Dharam remains unable to accept the fact that his illustrious father was capable of committing such monstrous deeds. Earnestly unwilling to destroy the reverential visions he had of his father; the devoted son quickly succumbs to his continual scepticism of Agni's intentions and rebuffs the cruel scenario painted by his deceitful cousin, to be implausible "Why should I even waste time cursing my conscience with this nonsense...this could never have happened... my father could never have participated in such a frightful crime... Agni is trying to pollute my dignified notions of the king, just like how he tries to poison pitaji against Veer and I... he is confident that this topic is too awkward, to go about making enquiries..." vowing never to delve on the disturbing matter; the prince makes a desperate attempt to swerve from his thoughts "I sometimes wonder how a person as devious as Agni could be born in the same lineage as myself...Veer…ma... Nivritti bua... pitaji... how fearlessly Agni goes about maligning my pitaji... ha... then why would he exempt anyone else from doing so..." the reference making him realize how the vile tyrant had exposed the mystifying blacksmith in a similarly despicable vein; the troubled crown prince questions his indecisive stance on the shocking insight that he had received about Shera "If the very King of Aryanagar is not spared from his slander... then why would he spare a lone Shramik like Ananya from defamation... but then, Ananya has tried to create misunderstandings between us brothers in the past... besides, how else could Agni possess such thorough information about this hidden orphanage, if not from Ananya... moreover, she did know about the impending attack on me and warned me too... but then again, if she is working for Agni, why did she have to warn me... is she being compelled to do all this against her wishes... Agni could have learnt of the orphanage, from some other spy too... oh Lord! How can I warn Veer about her, when I am dubious about her involvement in all of this myself..."

Plagued by the unanticipated multitude of problems that seemed to have no simple means of remedy; Dharam becomes thoroughly exhausted of his endless speculations over the uncertainties. Eventually deciding to seek some respite from his pessimistic suppositions; the destitute crown prince looks up to cast a dull glance at his surroundings, perceiving from the bright infiltrating rays that it was nearing noon. Realizing that it had been an entire day since he had been made aware of Agni's harrowing warnings; the anguished royal wonders how he would ever summon the fortitude to communicate the ruinous discoveries to his sensitive brother.
Daunted by the aftermath that such a revelation would cause in his sensitive sibling; Dharam unhappily mulls over the imminent task, contemplating the appropriate time and means to divulge the news to Veer "I have to inform Veer about all this... but I feel strangely reluctant to carry out the unpleasant task... these developments have peculiarly left me in disbelief... besides, I fear that Veer might misconstrue my statements and my doubts... being an impulsive young prince, he would never be able to take any of this in his stride ... I don't know if he would welcome my doubts about Ananya ... but, I know that he shall definitely not tolerate the horrid reality of Agni availing Aryanagar laws to seek and destroy the Shramik institutions... if Veer reacts brashly to these tidings, it could deteriorate the circumstances even more!" he pauses sensibly "I shall first enquire into the entire matter about Veer's alleged charity to the orphanage ...simultaneously, I shall seek a solution to try and bring the ghastly situation into some form of control ...and then in a day or two... I shall let both, Veer and pitaji know about the perturbing issues..."

Just as the harassed prince arrives at a vague decision; his thoughts are followed by the resounding echoes of a familiar voice ending the unceasing stillness that had characterized the enormous expanses of the opulent chamber so long. "Dharam, what has happened to you..."
Gradually looking up to cast an unmoved glimpse in the direction of the voice; the crown prince catches the approaching figures of the spirited young royal, followed by their vibrant friend, Bhalla.

As the new entrants eventually traverse the chamber to come to face with the silent crown prince; the enthusiasm in their manner and expressions inevitably diminish, on noting the profound weariness shrouding the imposing persona of the older royal.
Anxious to observe Dharam's deplorable state; the alarmed Veer wastes no time in expressing his apprehensions about the recent observations "What happened Dharam...you did not even respond to the guard's declaration of our arrival...you look gravely ill...I heard that you had not been to any of your scheduled meetings since yesterday..." after proceeding to palpate Dharam's forehead in order to ascertain himself that his sibling was not suffering from any malady; the frisky prince resorts to his usual antics to lighten the ambience "I can understand... ever since bhabi's departure, you have been unusually sullen... but I never thought that your temperament would deteriorate to this extent... she shall be here again in a few days for the pooja Dharam...so, stop sulking!"

Inadvertently left out of the brotherly moments; the charming Bhalla feels compelled to join their apparent frolic by conveying his amicable thoughts in a childish manner "Dharam... you are indeed fortunate to have such caring company like us... do you know that I have skipped all my important assignments ... even my noon nap... to visit you... to promptly make sure that you were all right...I..."

Gradually interrupting Bhalla's tall statements with a disinterested remark to conclude the charade; the wistful Dharam finds himself devoid of any emotion to appreciate his associates' amusing cordiality "Bhalla.... Veer... I am fine...please...no need to shower me with such concern. "
An entire night of worry having taken its unhealthy toll on him; the lifeless prince disregards how his unusual curtness had stunned his companions into silence and straightaway proceeds to query Veer on the doubts that had ravaged his peace "Now without dismissing my queries or changing the topic ... answer me in a straightforward manner... have you been contributing funds or performing charity to any Shramiks without my knowledge...have you offered anyone any form of donations so far?"

Caught unaware by the blunt deviation from a light-hearted caper to an irrelevant interrogation; the young royal becomes thoroughly taken aback by his brother's eccentric behaviour, unable to heed the reasons for the seemingly unjustified manner of the inquest. Failing to comprehend that the entire scenario was a misunderstood exaggeration of the fact that he had handed a few meagre coins to Dhruv, long ago; the jolted Veer stammers to provide a defensive reply "What! Funds? Donations? Why would I do such a thing...where would I have the resources to do so... that too without your knowledge... I... I...I have done no such thing..."
Though surprised to note that his answer had finally brought about a strange semblance of comfort in his sibling's face; the relieved prince remains immensely intrigued by the unsettling event. Innocently assuming that the crown prince's strange conduct was probably due to official issues; the charming Veer hurls his confused friend an awkward glance and then chirpily resumes his carefree chat in the hope of uplifting his gloomy brother "I have done no such act of charity as yet Dharam, but I am possibly about to do so in future... you must be aware of the gifts that I have been receiving from the subjects... I am planning to covertly have the raw grains redistributed to the Shramik orphanages... that way, I shall not offend the subjects who offered me the presentations and yet, help unfortunate orphans with a few week's supply of food... this playful aristocrat has now transformed into a sensible prince, has he not..." his spirits again defied on closely observing how Dharam persistently reacted to the pleasant tidings with unconvinced frowns; the increasingly confounded Veer pursues with curbed vigour "By the way, I have many new plans that I have been meaning to tell you... I am waiting to put forth my recommendations in the upcoming assembly... I have many new ideas to amend the unsuitable health laws now governing the Shramiks... are you not proud of your brother's fresh ideas...well... at least tell me what your thoughts are..."

Staring at the escalating restlessness in his sibling; the grim crown prince lets out a dull sigh, before gradually confessing a few reasons to explain his displeasure towards Veer's apparently noble objectives "Veer...these decisions that you are taking... the deeds that you are doing... though noble, are not within the realms of your authority... and remember, everything that you are struggling to materialize might not be practical..." fearing that his brother's generous acts might only land him into trouble, Dharam sports a regretful expression, before ensuing pleadingly "I request you not to send the sacks of grains to the orphanages..."

Startled by Dharam's disagreeable sentiments against the selfless deed; the young prince experiences a sense of intense disappointment at his brother's unsympathetic views and begins communicating his disgruntlement sternly "Dharam... I don't understand, when we started off a few months ago... you, as the crown prince and I, in the ministry of defence... we had vowed to help the oppressed commoners...to steadily eradicate the injustices in the kingdom... what happened now Dharam? Why are you stopping me? Besides, I...I have already made arrangements to have them sent out..."

Following many moments of stillness marked by Dharam's continued unresponsiveness; the temperamental prince becomes vexed by how his generally kind hearted brother now remained unappreciative of his just clarifications. Ignorant of the agonizing reasons behind Dharam's silence; the unhappy Veer strives to restrain his mounting frustrations, as he breaks out into an ironical smile, before setting out to question his brother's choices "Why do you stay adamantly quiet Dharam? You almost seem displeased by my achievements... why... what is so impractical in what I am setting out to do... why do you not approve of my decision to carry forward my recommendations to the next assembly... do you think I do not know the principles of moral rightness...or do you think I am unfamiliar with the ideal course to mete justice..."

Discerning how his protective intentions were being misinterpreted by the very person he was seeking to shield; the cornered crown prince swiftly proceeds to correct Veer, his helplessness getting the better of him "No Veer... you think you know how to mete justice... but your decisions are invariably driven by the emotions in your heart rather than the rationality in your conscience... if you continue in this manner, you could get into trouble...please listen to me...revert your decision to send out the sacks of grains and do not perform any such charities...for a while..."
Pausing to perceive an irate frown now overcome the visage of his younger sibling; the dejected Dharam gradually tries to rationalize his forceful statements by educating Veer of the bleak developments "A... actually money has steadily gone amiss from the treasury over the past few weeks and there are prudent investigations being carried out within the palace..."

Dissatisfied by the ambiguous clarification provided in defence of his haughtily inconsiderate attitude; Veer impatiently urges Dharam to explain what he was trying to imply "Dharam! I know about the unfortunate events...I was informed of it by a messenger from the Maharaj... but what has this got to do with what were just discussing about..."

Confused about how to deal with the growing awkwardness of the situation; the desperate crown prince silently debates with himself to conjure a hasty solution "If I tell Veer about Agni's intentions for the orphanage, Veer will set out to annihilate the brute this very instant...without even realizing that he would be the first person held culpable for having hidden the reality of the orphanage...I need to put the matter across to Veer gently."
His ability to reason already challenged by numerous dilemmas; Dharam struggles to come up with a logical reason to persuade his brother against sending the grains to Sawai "W...Well... these ongoing investigations in the palace about the missing money... they could expose your association with Dhruv Kumar...with his illegal institutions... then, the outcome could be very devastating..."
Following his tense rationale; the agitated Dharam is blessed with subtle comfort on noticing that his obstinate sibling chose not to furnish any retaliation to his reasonable counsel. Briefly pacified by the short state of agreement with his brother; the hesitant Dharam takes advantage of the few welcome moments of harmony to garner his daunt and reveal a considerate yet significant word of caution "V...Veer... I... by the way... please take my advice in the right spirit...I advice you to cease any affiliation you have with...t... the... blacksmith ...I mean...please restrict your camaraderie with the Shramik girl...I... I... do not trust her..."

While the nervous Bhalla is compelled to remain a muted spectator to the growing unrest in the chamber; Veer becomes instantly shocked by his sibling's remarks that seemed solely driven by discrimination. Kept unaware of the true concern behind Dharam's advice; the dismayed young royal vents a hurried retort, his annoyance evidently revived "Oh! 'That' ...Shramik...girl? Dharam, her name is Ananya... by the way... why do you feel unable to trust her..."

Watching the anticipated agitation in Veer's reactions; the older royal feels unsettled about sharing any inconclusive suspicions with his sensitive sibling, while being unsure of Shera's reality himself. As Dharam warily attempts to bring the delicate topic to a swift end; the disapproving Veer fathoms the distinct uneasiness marking his brother's face and progresses to interrupt the silence by rebuking him for the loss of his courteousness "Why don't you answer Yuvraj? Why speak so disrespectfully of someone you hardly know...do you mistrust Ananya because she is Shramik befriending me, an Aryavart... do you suspect that her amicability with me is to use my power to gain her means... ha...because of the difference in our ranks, even a friendly association is forbidden...you are just like ma.. I am surprised as to how I singularly stand to think differently, about the issue of class and creed."

Perceiving the stark unpleasantness in Veer's dialogues; Dharam becomes vexed by the futility of his ongoing efforts, his very attempt to conceal certain facts from his brother having ironically been to avoid an aggravation. Increasingly exhausted of wrestling with a multitude of issues at one go; the crown prince makes a meek attempt to demonstrate his judicious stance "Veer... you are mistaking my intentions...why don't you understand that I want to help the Shramiks as much as you do... definitely not in the secretive fashion that you do... but, in the right manner... lawfully..."

Unable to identify with his sibling's prideful sentiments; the appalled young royal curls his fist in irritation, inherently unappreciative of Dharam's frequent surrender to the unjust laws of Aryanagar "Help Shramiks? With what... the laws? Laws written by the Aryavarts...for the Aryavarts... laws that have not changed in centuries... you surprise me..."
Tired of Dharam's unconcern; the angered prince feels reluctant to reveal his critical opinions to his seemingly detached brother anymore and looks away from his dumbstruck audience with an exasperated sigh, as he reaches his conclusions on the sour episode "I came here looking forward to a short while of cheer and friendliness with you... but now I am forced to leave feeling incredibly disheartened Dharam... why are you swerving from your implicitly virtuous nature...I am pained to see the inherent nobility in you, gradually becoming blinded by the prejudice associated with your newfound status, brother."

The next few days going by…

As the streets of Aryanagar gratefully experience an outward impression of normality for the few days thereafter; the fortified enclosures of the monumental palace are unfortunately faced with the adverse emergence of a few petty yet random ominous signs. With the subsequent period in the palace of Aryanagar, unexpectedly characterised by the occurrence of the bad omens; the alerted queens immediately shift their focus of attention from their ongoing joyous pursuits to the unfavourable developments. Unsettled by the grave signs foreboding probable misfortune; the ladies squander no time in taking upon their religious responsibilities and arrange for all the necessary rituals in the anxious hope of warding off any form of evil and saving their beloved household from trouble. However; despite the elaborate precautionary measures undertaken, the gloomy signs remain a subtle yet accurate indication of how destiny was beginning to favour a vile set of schemes being plotted against the ruling family by a few evil aristocrats inhabiting their very home.

Evoking the very strategies from their unsuccessful past, but with renewed fervour and resources; the vicious duo of Agni and Jaivardhan seek the affiliation of rival kingdoms in order to oust the current regime in their kingdom with the purpose of gaining sole power. Having gradually drained the Aryanagar treasury and cautiously dispatched the money to bribe the royals at neighbouring Gadhwar; Agni's joy knows no bounds on being the eventual recipient of a positive reply from its prince. Though able to discern the selfish motives of the hostile capital in uniting with them; the elated duo continue to be drawn by the promising outlook of Gadhwar and its menacing allies, helping them in fulfilling their eternal visions of crushing Aryavardhan's entire clan.

Dreading the possibility that their infallible plans may be subject to disclosure by the joint competence of the two powerful brothers; the sly Agni implements all the necessity tactics to warrant the safety of his ideas. Aware of how significantly the combined might of Dharam and Veer could destroy his notions; the rogue yearns to keep the two inseparable brothers permanently apart and in the process, relegates a small network of select maids to keep a close watch on their activities.

In precise accordance with Agni's wishes; the unshakable nature of the illustrious brotherhood starts feeling the strain of the circumstances, as the current woes continue to independently affect both princes. After a few subsequent cordial encounters between the two siblings end with episodes of mild disagreements; the dejected siblings inadvertently start keeping most of their personal thoughts and issues to themselves in order to prevent further disharmony. Already worn out by the innumerable miseries disturbing their state of mind; the two brothers subconsciously begin spending any spare while in the solitude of their chamber, rather than in the seemingly unpredictable company of each other. Thoroughly embroiled in their own worrying personal affairs, the two princes become oblivious to the fact that their neglected friend, Bhalla, had stopped visiting them anymore.

While Dharam frantically ensues with investigating the monetary scandal in order to analyze Agni's plausible involvement in the intrigue; the uninformed Veer remains tormented by the growing incompatibility that he seemed to suffer with his close ones. Forced to endure his strangely unnerving loneliness in silence; the desolate Veer earnestly misses the joyous days before the emergence of the unpleasant events, frequently longing for the return of the recently elapsed cheer in his life. Often comforting himself with recollections of the uplifting moments from his past, the prince delves upon his playful encounters with the captivating girl, the only person having ever evoked such a diverse array of emotions in him.

Deriving subconscious pleasure from recurrently reliving his numerous clashes of ego with the witty petite; the enrapt Veer enjoys every aspect of the pleasant memories, including the delightful sounds of her captivating giggles that invariably followed any of their banters. His repeated reminders from their short lived affiliation only haunting him of her absence even more; the prince ponders every now and again on how he had failed to catch even a glimpse of her in any of his recent official rounds through the common streets.
Though never having shown interest in the girl's welfare when their association had lasted; her prolonged disappearance and the troubling images of her injuries from their last encounter ironically continues to torment the royal about her wellbeing. Finally, more than a week after the untoward incident with Shera; the vain prince succumbs to his conscience and concernedly dispatches a trusted messenger to make a detailed yet covert inquiry into the current conditions surrounding the mystifying petite.

While the spiritless young royal carries on with his daily responsibilities, restlessly awaiting news about the girl from his aide; the remaining nobles in the palace are primarily occupied by the substantial prearrangements essential for an important upcoming event. Anticipating the large meeting about to grace their assembly; the duty bound aristocrats conform to their requirements with increased fervour, loyally adhering to their responsibilities and duteously completing respective administrative tasks in preparation for the conference. However; as all engrossed palace members ensue with their own obligations and concerns; they remain unaware of how the forthcoming assembly would turn out to bear far fetching repercussions for a few eminent dignitaries in its audience and thus for the questionable future of entire Aryanagar.

Aryanagar; The palace – The assembly towers

In stark contrast to the foggy mist overshadowing the fine skies outside, the lavish conference chamber reflects an unsurpassable grandeur; the stately vista of its massive circular hall charmingly enhanced by delightful trimmings and adornments. With attractive streamers of silky muslins, wreaths of flowers and fragrances of incense accentuating its already imposing ambience; the royal assembly appears beautifully organized for the substantial meeting being held in the midst of its rich interiors. Aptly completing the pristine arrangements for the august congregation; the indispensable provision of protective guards and assistive maids feature the entire periphery of the sweeping stretches.

Appreciative of the faultless presentations around them; scores of aristocrats belonging to different ranks and statuses occupy their respective positions from the endless successions of luxuriant seating in the hall. Patiently awaiting the arrival of the monarch to formally commence the assembly; most members from the huge gathering while their time in gossip and prattle, the primary matter of discussion being the recent mystery of the treasury thefts. Being silent onlookers to the fact that the subject of intrigue dominated every conversation around them; the malicious royal pair of Agni and Jaivardhan strive to control their overpowering joy, mentally revelling in pride at the success of their recent accomplishments.

However; conspicuously indifferent to the surrounding pandemonium; the distinct personas of the two noble princes seated beside one another, make earnest attempts to suspend the awkward silence between them with occasional smiles and messages. Finding themselves unusually incapable of sustaining even ordinary conversations, the cordial siblings regretfully discern how their dynamic spirits had become victims of their many woes. Nevertheless; remaining generally hushed for most of their wait at the hall; the grave brothers appear invariably lost in the vast sea of noisy chatter encircling them.

The sudden loud echoes of a proclamation interrupting everyone's activity; the ongoing clamour in the colossal hall swiftly tapers to a few murmurs, as the entire assembly turn their attention to the majestic entrance, anticipating the eventual advent of the king. While the regal throng gradually begin standing up to pay respects to their ruler, on perceiving his approaching figure; the distinguished Aryavardhan makes his majestic entry into the congregation chamber, flanked by guards on all sides. Being aware that the respectably large audience had been waiting his arrival for long; the monarch wastes no time in fussy formalities and immediately proceeds to assume his prominent position, simultaneously signalling every member to resume their seat.

With the following few moments in the hall characterized by a peculiar sense of uncertainty; the curious spectators watch on in growing bewilderment, as the grim king slowly ceases the whelming stillness to begin his important address "I apologize for my delay here...however, my late arrival sadly has an unfortunate justification behind it... gentlemen, I have learnt of a rather unpleasant discovery from Senapathi Sanjaya just before my arrival at the assembly towers this morning... about the presence of a few illegal activities going on within the palace..."
Surprised to see Aryavardhan abruptly commence his speech without the usual diplomacy of salutations or greetings; the aristocrats in the chamber fathom how profoundly the current dire matters had affected the ruler. Wondering if their displeased monarch was about to add another concern to the already known discouraging developments, the inquisitive crowd listen with bated breath, intently attending to what the sovereign had to say "Apparently, a few men have been caught stealing consignments of jute sacks containing grains and pulses from the palace... these sacks were being meticulously rearranged and transported outside the compounds, when the thieves were caught red handed... the men were dressed in fine apparel to elude us, but it has been revealed that the robbers were actually a few lowly Shramiks... following a short while of harsh interrogation, they mentioned that they had done so only on the bidding of their master, but have refused to state the name of the royal who gave them the instructions to reallocate the grains..."
Unable to discern from the dumbfounded faces of the extensive populace facing him that his information had particularly affected a handful of close members; the annoyed king continues, raising his pitch to an assertive tone "I would like to know who the audacious aristocrat from this audience was, to have given his permission for such contributions, without seeking prior approval..."

Startled by the accidental revelation of his controversial act of generosity in the midst of such a sizable assembly; the cornered young royal remains silent for a few moments, drastically striving to garner the strength and emotions to react. Eventually bracing himself to fulfil his obligation towards the captured Shramiks; the dignified Veer makes the daring effort to overcome his apprehensions about the aftermath of a public confession and slowly stands up to confess to the violation. Disregarding the fretful glares of his anxious brother or the astounded expressions on the faces of the encircling nobles; the valiant prince offers the stunned ruler a courteous nod and then proceeds to make his modest admission "M...Maharaj... I was the aristocrat to have committed this unlawful deed... please do not take the helpless Shramiks to task... they were only following my command..."
perceiving the escalating alarm on the faces of his onlookers; the defiant Veer assumes a brave front, as he tries to pursue with a logical reason for his actions "I know what I was doing would not be easily approved by the assembly...hence, I was compelled to resort to a more covert means to accomplish the charity... but I possessed no ill intentions Maharaj... all I wanted to do was redistribute the raw food..."

Sensing how the hushed expanses now seemed to echo with a gradual rise in audible murmurs; the isolated prince unhappily pays heed to some of the slanderous comments besetting him from all directions
"When everyone is already worried about the loss of such large amounts of money from the treasury, he is out to ruin the Aryavarts by carrying out inessentially silly acts of goodwill..." "He has always been biased towards the Shramiks, this revelation does not surprise me..." "His status, bravery and might allow him to flout the laws as and when he pleases! If we had displayed such insolence, we would have been punished..." "It is true that we Aryavarts donate alms on festivals and occasions, but too much of kindness would only pamper the subjects unnecessarily..."

Increasingly offended by how the egocentric aristocrats appeared to possess such groundlessly unfavourable opinions of him; the provoked Veer displays his retaliation by querying the crowd "Why the hue and cry? These sacks and grains were only those that I had received as gifts from hordes of Shramik families... tokens of gratitude for my assistance towards them. Now, I do bear the right to do as I please with my belongings, don't I?"

Immensely disappointed by his nephew's deeds; the irate Aryavardhan curtly suspends his silence and interrupts the intensifying disharmony in order to return the prince's response with a stern retort "Veer! You can enjoy the right to do as you please with your possessions, if they are within the boundaries of the laws... your very act of unjustified generosity remains an unnecessary insult to the system here... but to top it all, it appears like you have started considering the coins in the treasury as your own possession too..." the noisy stretches of the hall instantly quietened with the commencement of his message; the muted audience listen in panic, as Aryavardhan proceeds to make another horrifying allegation against the unaware royal "The large bags confiscated this morning had parcels of gold coins hidden within... so what is the source of this money Veer...did you think you had the right to help yourself to the treasury too...to perform your 'well-intended' exploits?"

The unanticipated disclosure immediately generating appalled reactions from the assembly; the sceptical members turn to observe the apparent culprit, while the shocked prince is reduced to a brief state of disbelief on heeding the unbelievable facts. Unable to perceive if the monarch had been misinformed or if the bags had been deliberately tampered with; the exasperated Veer responds with an agitated reply in a vehement attempt to safeguard his reputation "Maharaj... what are you implying... what...Money...I never took any money...I do not know anything about the money found within these bags... trust me Maharaj... are...are you questioning me... your own nephew..."

Watching the king's persistent indecisiveness; the dismayed crown prince becomes increasingly aghast by the unreasonable predicament that his sibling was facing. Hastily forgoing his restrained silence; the empathetic Dharam swiftly arises from his chair and interrupts the awkward circumstances by springing to his brother's defence "Pitaji this is ludicrous...we are your own...why implicate Veer in this manner... you know him... you know his...all this sounds very..."

Disgraced by how his son was overtly questioning his actions in front of such a notable throng; the angered king promptly admonishes his impudence "Dharam I am not addressing you... besides, this is an official assembly... not a family reunion...please behave like one... I advice you to remain silent on this matter unless you have something constructive to add..." ending his cautionary note to the crown prince; the troubled Aryavardhan reverts his attention towards his culpable nephew to seek an answer of him "So tell me honestly, who were the intended recipients of these sacks Veer?"

Extremely insulted by the inexplicable situation that only seemed to steadily worsen; the unnerved Veer casts a subconscious glimpse at his daunted brother to avail the comfort of his supportive presence, before striving to affirm his innocence with the partial truth "T... the grains were meant for impoverished Shramik families all over the kingdom Maharaj... but... not the money... Maharaj... I know nothing about the money... I was only going to..."

Veer's earnest explanations abruptly intruded by a roaring challenge emanating from the crowd; the dumbstruck masses inadvertently shift their attention towards the source of the disconcertingly familiar voice. Hurling his observers a wry grin; the sadistic Agni rises from his seat to dispute his cousin's statements "No...No Veer... do not lie anymore... it is better to accept your misdeeds when you still have people in your favour... why hide the details... better let the assembly know where these grains were truly headed for…"
Having been a joyous beholder of the gruesome turn of events so far; the tyrant continues with his plans deviously, making his proud father delighted by his cruel manner "Maharaj let me inform the assembly as the only earnest Aryavart prince present here... these sacks... these coins... they were all being contributed to a group of illegal Shramik institutions in and around the kingdom of Aryanagar ... institutions like Shramik orphanages..." he pauses with a conceited smile "I just learnt of all this in the past couple of days... the loss of money from the treasury was very worrying... so I was looking into the matter just as everyone else... when I came across these discoveries; I was so startled that I had requested my men... my spies...to confirm all the facts once again, before I could come forth to insinuate anyone..."
Elated by how his scandalous testimony had momentarily paralyzed the two brothers; Agni discerns the magnitude of their mounting fury and ruthlessly raises his palm to deter any form of retaliation from the benumbed princes. Nodding his head casually; the sly royal ensues with his travesty "Tch tch... don't stop me now... it is not right to hide such things from the administration... I know what you want to say... that...though such charitable organizations for Shramiks are illegal in Aryanagar, the magnanimous Veer has only been trying to help them with innocent objectives..." he pauses viciously "However; the vile shramiks running these institutions... they are not sinless, are they... they have been misusing our brother's liberality..."

While the infuriated Veer finds himself at a loss of words on discovering Agni's knowledge of the orphanage; the confounded monarch proceeds to quieten the angry stipulations of the gathering and straightaway demands a clarification "What is this commotion all about... what orphanage... Veer, has the money from the treasury been used to fund illegal orphanages..."

Abysmally outraged by the unfolding scenes; the inflamed Veer is compelled to repeatedly repress his soaring wrath on sensing how his cousin was twisting the facts to appear as dishonourable as possible. Worried about the tragic repercussions that the deceit could have for the nave institutions, the overwhelmed prince fiercely tries to protect the noble cause "Stop all of this nonsense Agni... stop it... what are you talking about...this brute is fabricating lies... Maharaj...firstly, these orphanages are not illegal... they are only harmless places meant to take care of orphans..."

Gauging the prince's struggles to conceal a sad detail of the asylums; Agni belittles Veer's endeavours by correcting his assertions with a reviling sneer "Why Veer... is it not true that these orphanages were used as hideouts for revolutionaries...where they used to make vicious plots against the administration..."

Overwrought by Agni's heinous divulgence of the damaging reality of the orphanages; Veer feels increasingly repulsed by how the innocent institutions were falling prey to his merciless cousin and expends his rage by curling his fist around the hilt of his sword. Singularly battling to preserve Dhruv's institutions; the flustered prince strives to support the benevolence of the institutions, conscious of the ongoing restless glares from the pompous aristocrats surrounding him "No! The revolutionaries had seized the premises to carry out their wicked plans... but they have all been driven out..." turning to the enraged king; the aggravated prince furiously substantiates his sincerity once again "Besides, I never took any money from the treasury to help anyone...ever... I am an honest young man... my very duty is to 'guard' the treasury and I follow my responsibilities sincerely... these coins could have been planted by anyone..."

Watching the young prince's expected resoluteness in wrestling the tragedy; the depraved Jaivardhan decides to cease his stance of being a calm witness to the progressing issue and stands up to back his son's achievements. Adjoining Agni in entrapping the lone royal; the ecstatic father proceeds to disprove Veer's desperate justifications, uttering his reservations with a note of false concern "How Veer... you tell us that you had designed to carry out your entire feat very secretively... then how could anyone else have planted the money... none knew about the jute sacks being dispatched, till Maharaj informed us, just now!"

Unable to understand how to arrest the torturous situation from deteriorating with every passing moment; the despairing prince seeks futile revenge for his humiliated state and hurt by rebuking his uncle with a sarcastic comment "That I cannot say mamaji... this palace has many gentlemen, but it is not entirely devoid of wretched criminals either...and such people shall not rest, till they destroy everyone in their path to success!" aware that the ghastly developments held grave consequences for himself and the orphanages; the tormented Veer makes another frenzied attempt to restore the assembly's faith in his integrity "Maharaj... nobles... please heed my words... please do not demolish the orphanages or other institutions... those children... those people... they are only harmless orphans, never having willed ill of anyone... and... and... how could anyone think of incriminating me of such crimes... you know me for the past 16 years of my life ...am I one capable of stealing money ...yes... I might have handed out a few coins to the orphanage in the past, but only from my own money... I have never made any illegal donations or..."

Opportunistically taking advantage of Veer's innocent mention; the cunning Agni immediately drowns his cousin clarification with a reproachful forewarning "See this is precisely what I meant to say... why Veer... why do you do such things... why hand out money secretively to criminal organizations... do you not realize that you have been ignorantly perpetrating injustice in this kingdom..."

Dreadfully noting how his desolate younger brother was being trapped with elaborate deception; the agonized crown prince abandons his compulsion to stay a silent bystander to Veer's misery and curtly disturbs Agni's exploits with a thunderous warning "Agnivardhan! Stop it...stop this absurdity right now... enough of your atrocities... do you not have any restraint at all..."

Caught unaware by Dharam's intimidating rant; the startled Agni instantly masks his fright by ridiculing the seemingly harmless animosity of the crown prince "Enough of your brotherly act Dharam! Instead of asking me to curb my words, why don't you learn to control yourself Yuvraj... why don't you advice your brother to restrain himself..."

Able to endure his cousin's goading mockery and despicable deeds no more; the explosive young royal invariably resolves to teach the brute a forceful lesson. Realizing that his atrocious circumstances could worsen no further; Veer sheds any remaining inhibitions and shocks the congregation by darting towards Agni to display his profound resentment on the villain with physical brutality.
Marking the young prince's sudden spectacle of violence; Agni gleefully appraises how his strategies had transpired to perfection, before hurriedly setting forth to defend himself from Veer's physical might with his potent way with words "By the way, Dharam...why is Veer so startled by all this... I had shared all of my fears with you, a few days ago... you knew that the truth of the orphanage would be exposed very soon...that an investigation against the orphanage was ongoing... that all the Shramik institutions were illegal and would have to be demolished very soon...I warned you that if Veer continued his wayward ways, he could be implicated in the monetary scandal... I was being a responsible Aryavart... however, instead of protecting Veer...instead of counselling him to stop distributing our treasury money to workless Shramiks, it seems like you just kept everything to yourself..."

Victoriously noticing how the savage ferocity in Veer's shattered spirit had now been irreversibly smothered by his irrefutable ploys; Agni hurls a mean glance at the astounded Dharam, before concluding with the final segment of his plan "Hmmm... anyway, let's not create anymore drama in front of this august throng...why don't you both meet me after the end of the assembly...come to my chamber and we shall discuss many more aspects of these critical issues then...what do you..."

Severely disturbed by the unfolding evident display of familial enmity, the contemptuous taunts and the horrendous revelations exposed in his court so far; the revolted Aryavardhan rises from his throne to halt the crisis with a deafening roar "Stop this farce now! Dharam you knew about all of this too... the orphanages... the revolutionaries... the donations...and you did not even come forth to confess..."

Agni's exaggerated misrepresentations having utterly inundated him; the crushed Dharam stammers to provide his father a reply, struggling to amend the distorted image of his noble intentions "No... I mean yes... I mean...not all...I was about to speak up pitaji...believe me... but... but pitaji please... what are you doing? I... we... Veer is innocent of..."

Crudely overriding the crown prince's pointless pursuit with an impolite smirk; the indignant monarch exhibits his intense displeasure of his son's conduct by candidly dismissing Dharam's emotional approach to the issue "Dharam, Veer has accepted most of the offences himself...what more is there to it... in fact, you are as much in fault as your brother for having kept quiet about all this too...you should have reported this matter promptly, just like Agni did... you have your responsibility as an Aryavart...as a crown prince...I am devastated that my own sons would be involved in something like this..." deeply dishonoured in the assembly by the seemingly illegitimate actions of his own family; Aryavardhan turns his attention to the remaining beholders, as he heavy-heartedly progresses to announce the requisite decree "There shall be an official investigation into all this...into these places... into the wrongdoings... into what knowledge the three princes possess of all this... and especially into the treasury funds... to find out if Rajkumar Veer had indeed mishandled money..."

The awaited announcement bringing them a step closer to their success; the thrilled duo of Agni and Jaivardhan celebrate a silent jubilation, subsequently glimpsing at how their powerful foes had been diminished to a pitiable state. One of the aggrieved casualties of the pair's competent schemes; Dharam finds himself whelmed by the grave implications and the unpredictable outcome of the terrifying scandal and implores the Lord to miraculously bless the disastrous incidents with a favourable ending. Disregarding the reproachful expressions of his enemies; the miserable crown prince sympathetically observes his speechless sibling, hoping that his brother would show the tolerance to understand his own honest motives.
However; the ravaged young prince continues to ignore his brother's remorseful stares, remaining wholly oblivious to his surroundings while choking on his repressed tears. Annihilated by the profound humiliation, the entrapment and his brother's apparent deceit; the hurting young royal stares into oblivion, bitterly mulling on the tragedy "Mishandle? Funds? You know that I have never touched a single coin that was not mine... yet, Maharaj...you would rather doubt my virtues...you have been blinded by the evil forces besetting you... hence, you fail to discern the actuality...do whatever you have to do Maharaj, but I vow that I shall not let Agni's obvious conspiracies destroy me... I shall prove my innocence of these crimes...and I shall never allow any adversity befall Dhruv Kumar's institutions... irrespective of whether I have Dharam's support for all of this, or not!"

Niphaud; The palace – The queen's prayer chamber

The glowing light stemming from an indefinite series of brass lamps illuming the surfaces of the religious articles; the colossal trays of floral garlands and gleaming bowls containing devotional offerings sparkle with radiance. Complementing the splendour and the sanctity of the lustrous objects; fragrance of holy incense and the harmony of pure chants perpetrates an aura of divinity within the entire chamber. The elaborate preparations around the holy platform appearing impeccably arranged for the ongoing rituals; the engrossed queen ensues with her responsibilities of co-ordinating the progressive sacred formalities. Devotedly tutoring her young daughter on the various essential stages of a religious ceremony; the dedicated Gauri indicates towards the small golden idol of the Goddess located in the middle of the enormous ancestral plate "Siya...now offer the 'arghya'... this actually means that you are offering the Goddess some water..."

Gradually realizing that the devout queen seated beside had proceeded to the next phase of the formalities; the enchanting princess subconsciously abandons her trivial pastime of tinkering with the stunning brocades of her crimson finery. Having barely heeded the incessant volley of instructions; the distracted girl begins faltering in her search for the needed objects, till her impatient mother is compelled to repeat her words "Siya... I said pour the water... pour the water on the idol!"
Consequently alerted to the chalice of water in front; the preoccupied princess tucks the shimmering veil hiding the floral braids of her silky hair and follows the commands, simultaneously struggling to the resist the thoughts blurring her coherence. Facing exhaustion from sleeplessness and disturbed by the succession of disturbing nightmares from the previous night; the fazed girl unwittingly delves upon the detracting visions every now and again. The worries bothering her conscience, barely calmed by the soothing spiritual ambience in the chamber; Siya remains unable to sustain her concentration on the ceremonies and steadily fails to comprehend Gauri's relentless recommendations "Wiping... idol... sandalwood... haldi and then some kumkum... simultaneously chanting...prayers...I taught you..."

Discerning a brief pause in the queen's instructions; the distracted Siya progresses to wipe the water from her turmeric tinged palms, when her gaze inadvertently falls upon the ruby ornaments on her wrists, reminding her of the blood stained images from her recent nightmares.
Following a brief while of unnerving deliberation; the princess decides to ignore the ugly delusions and proceeds to execute the subsequent customs of the ritual, when her musings are shaken by the loud reprimands from her irate mother "Siya... what are you doing? You have knocked the gold idol of Lakshmi Mata down...you have unsanctified the proceedings...why is your concentration lacking when facing a holy dais..."
Disheartened by how the lone princess of Niphaud continued to demonstrate such irresponsibility; the displeased Gauri chides her daughter angrily, fearful of how she would fulfil her royal commitments after marriage "Goddess Mahalakshmi is the kul devi of the esteemed household that you are going to be wedded into... if this is how you perform the pooja after you become the kul vadhu, everyone will blame me for failing to educate you on the rituals..." letting out an exasperated sigh; the unhappy queen continues authoritatively "Now memorize the prayers quickly... repeat the verses after me... "

Aware that the queen was uninformed of her current frame of mind; the virtuous daughter takes her mother's scolding in stride and is compelled to duteously follow the biddings, while her innermost conscience continues to seek the Lord's aid in dispelling her fears "Ma... I cannot tell you about the nightmares that kept me awake last night... you too might become unsettled by the dreary undertone that they conveyed...besides, I am sure they are baseless... actually, I am unnecessarily mulling on them and troubling myself ...how silly of me...why would yuvraj be chasing Veer... and why would Veer be desperately running away from him into a haunted forest... and how could common thieves try seizing the crown prince's priced belongings or wound him so severely...all this is nonsensical...I think these images appeared because I might have not entirely recovered from the attack on us by those masked men in Aryanagar..." her feeble reconciliations hardly unburdening her anxiety; Siya continues nervously "Oh Lord... please keep the Yuvraj and his family safe..."

Aryanagar; The palace – The corridors

Indifferent to the confused stares from curious bystanders casually frequenting the prolonged corridors on that dull drizzly morning; the reckless prince wildly advances through the flamboyant passageways of the palace. The latest spate of agonies having obliterated his peace; the depressed royal feels unable to bear the brunt of the engulfing pain and pursues with his frantic pace in the quest to seek justified revenge for his wrecked reality. Bolting through the avenues that would lead towards the fateful chamber of his arch enemy; the spiteful Veer continues to scorn the persistent toils of his virtuous brother, ever since his vehement exit from the demeaning episode at the assembly, a short while ago. Outraged by the fact that his sibling had concealed such vital information from him; the unforgiving Veer perseveres with his rampant strides ahead, refusing to look back. Remaining unconvinced by the genuine reasons that had been cited by Dharam in support of his ambiguous deeds; the inconsolable Veer soon becomes vexed by the tireless pleas.
Subsequently wishing to rid himself of his brother's company; the young prince is forced to end his obstinate vow of silence, blurting a rude dismissal to the despondent prince following behind "What are you still tailing me for Dharam... what do you want me to say… that I never expected this of you ... that I never anticipated my own brother to cheat me so, by holding back such critical information from me... that I never imagined my best friend... my closest aide... could abandon me to face insult and wrath in that horrendous assembly, for no fault of mine...just leave me alone Dharam..."

Exhausted of Veer's adamant negligence of his endless appeals for pardon; the distressed crown prince eventually resorts to a forceful means of coercing his brother into providing a reaction and proceeds to dart forwards. Impeding Veer's relentless pace by brusquely grasping him by the arm; the irate Dharam angrily whispers a few defensive retorts, inaudible to the puzzled passerbys in the vicinity "I have tried explaining this innumerable times already Veer... I was about to explain everything to you today, or at the most, tomorrow... storming off to quarrel with Agni in this manner is not going to help anyone... see, I knew this is precisely how you would react... hence, I wanted to understand...to deal with...some of the issues before letting you know... for the past few days I have been working day and night to try and investigate what has been going on... but Agni beat me with his wayward ways..." he pauses painfully "And stop taking your frustrations out on me Veer... how dare you criticize me of not concerning myself with your welfare... why blame me of not warning you... I tried to caution you several times... I tried so hard... but you would always brush off my fears to be groundless... besides, what about the deeds that you have been doing lately? Are they very noble? How about all the facts that you have hidden from me Veer? The revolutionaries...the illegal activities...you handed out money to the orphanage and you never told me?"

Curtly shaking off his brother's restraint from his arm; the unmoved Veer looks away in resentment, as he furnishes a tame reply "I did not tell you not because I did not mean to Dharam...but because, I never realized that these issues were significant enough to be mentioned..."

Frustrated by the audacious attitude that Veer was brandishing; the helpless Dharam makes a forlorn attempt to reason with him, by criticizing his brother's brashness in a low tone "Revolutionaries plotting against the kingdom does not seem significant enough to you! Hiding something like this from the administration is illegal and would undoubtedly have adverse consequences when uncovered... this is precisely why I had requested Dhruv long ago, to legitimately educate the government about his work … to openly fight for his rights... and now... just as I feared...the situation has deteriorated horridly... everyone has been exposed to this information in such an awkward manner..." distraught by the harrowing outlook that the latest exposures seemed to project; the crown prince continues on a tense note "And how are we going to defend ourselves from the long list of shocking revelations... how are you going to prove your innocence from the disclosure of your covert dealings... all this has made you appear like you are culpable of everything that Agni was stating..."

His rationality being blinded by emotions; Veer remains unmoved by Dharam's explanations and instead becomes disgruntled by how the crown prince had impudently held him responsible for the dismal events, despite hiding essential knowledge from him. Mistaking the sincere concern for a pretentious act; the agitated young prince blatantly spurns Dharam's rigid etiquettes that restrained him from displaying any loyalty towards his own brother in the conference "Lo! Behold! Yuvraj Dharam now takes the opposing stance to blame me of carrying out illegal activities! Ha! You want me to confide everything with you... but how could I, when you would rather give importance to the foolish laws of Aryanagar than the lives and plight of nave citizens... you attended a simple marriage under that very roof... you played with the beautiful children there... how could you now steel your heart to agree to have that shelter demolished... our preferences in this subject are very different, Dharam...I realized this when you hardly uttered a word in support of the genuine orphanages, at the assembly... but, I tell you... I shall never allow anyone to touch innocent people ...be it, Aryavarth or Shramik... even if it meant that I would have to go against the king... you may go ahead and follow this lawless system blindly..."

Driven to despair by his brother's uncompromising stance and brutal accusations; the woeful Dharam responds to the absurdity by forgoing his hushed manner and loudly condemning Veer for his grudges, curling his fists in anger as he does so "Veer! Stop talking foolishly...stop misconceiving my statements... is this all that you have understood me in the past 16 years... can you not discern that I would never accept, participate or allow the orphanages to be torn down... when 'I' continue to have unshakable faith in 'your' innocence, why do 'you' become blinded by your emotions and believe in 'other's' inciting remarks..." shaking his fists in anger; the prince vows to avenge their grievances "I know that this is precisely what he wanted ... Agni orchestrated all of this... Veer, you were on your way to confront him, weren't you...let's go... the encounter shall clear everything... he had asked us to meet him after the assembly...I shall make him feel sorry for having invited us at all!"

Unmindful of the intrusive glares of the few onlookers nearby; the revengeful crown prince instantly acts on his pledge and nudges his silenced sibling's arm with impatience, indicating their need to begin fulfilling the urgent pursuit. Eventually receiving acknowledgement for his notions in the form of a faint nod of approval; Dharam commences his venture in the direction of the tyrant's chamber with a rare ferocity, closely followed by the intimidating presence of his undaunted brother.

Aryanagar; The palace – Agni's private chamber

Approaching the exuberant entrance to the most disquieting part of the palace; the livid brothers storm towards the towering iron doors that eternally divided the secretive enclosure from the remaining lively stretches of their home. The heavily guarded threshold having never witnessed a forced entry in the many years of its dark history; the powerful sentinels at the ornate archway are caught unaware when the two wronged princes defy formalities and shove them aside authoritatively. Perturbed by the prospect of defying the invincible siblings; the faltering guards remain unaware of how to react to the encroachment and gradually surrender to the onslaught in order to avoid accosting the royal entrants.
Hastening their passage into the luxurious yet gloomy courtyard that they rarely visited; the indignant brothers scurry through the exquisite radius of the sombre lobby, menacingly heading for the secluded chamber of their hated cousin. Unconcerned with the necessity to proclaim their arrival in advance; the princes barge into the eerie ambience of the palatial bedroom; silently unnerved by the overpoweringly sinister vibes that the areas continued to generate. Unable to heed his presence at the first instant; Dharam visually scans the extensive spans in search for the whereabouts of the sly rogue, while Veer impatiently begins calling out to him, unwilling to squander any time in waiting for Agni's advent. Unproductively continuing their pursuit for a brief while; the vindictive pair become increasingly exasperated with every passing moment, till their attention is eventually caught by the remote sounds of Agni's laughter emanating from elsewhere. Subsequently sensing the noises to be echoing from the adjoining terrace; the flustered brothers bitterly embark on their doomed mission towards the beautiful balcony annexed to an eastern opening of the chamber.

Exceedingly consumed by the thought of affronting the tyrant and exacting revenge for all of their miseries; the mortified Veer succumbs to his vengeful obsession and leaves his brother behind to rush into the terrace with threatening strides.
Just as the possessed young royal dashes into the obscured gallery, simultaneously drawing his sword in anticipation of a perilous encounter; the cruel sadism of the slowly emerging scenes, ruthlessly squelches the viciousness in the prince to a paralyzed stupor. Unimaginably mortified by the staggering culmination of the fresh shock; the victimized prince is reduced to a benumbed witness of the detestable sight that unfolded a horrifying reality. Devastated by the seemingly inconceivable deception; Veer painfully observes how the loathed profile of his cheerful enemy continued to repose on a plush couch, while being casually attended to by the dainty presence of the captivating blacksmith, sitting beside. Beholding the unsightly spectacle of his detested enemy enjoying the company of the mystifying petite; many unexplained enigmas that had plagued him about the girl's existence so long, gradually begin making sense to the shattered prince. Overwrought by how he had become the pitiable target of such a depraved betrayal; the weapon steadily slips from the senseless palms of the incapacitated Veer for the first time.