OSR Samyukta 41-Life afresh at Sawai pg49 - Page 34

SAMYUKTA PART 37 Dharam learns of the dreaded secret!

Wow !! You made my day off from work perrrrrfect Lashu… Sammi posted just whn I was sipping tea after my noon nappie… Couldn't be better !! 👍🏼👏😊

Bhuvi is hurriedly reading the title to see if it has any mention of precious Anu.. nooo the title says 'Dharam learns of the dreaded secret!' awww no Anu in the title.. lets see whts the dreaded secrets.. there are soo many of them in Sammi..😕

Ohooo Nivu aunty is still praying away …😆 lolz I Did notice lashu that the words overheard by Veer are the ones in black.. am right naa ??😉 n look look… 'abruptly paled by the heart wrenching effect of his mother's ongoing laments; the loving son feels pained to watch her melancholy and resolves to put her out of her misery at once. ' our rajkumar is all tact and understanding when it comes to his dear mommy !! n how mean he is to Anu L Nivu u really should not be so insecure .. look at my Anu she is soo strong.. Even Pari n Sakshi are soo strong n brave.. but I do feel sorry for you.. 😒

The week going by... *giggle😆… lashu cant stop from describing even something like a 'week going by' without a para of beautiful words that make Bhuvi live n visualize the week going by 😛 "The fun filled gaiety nearing its end; the festive aura in most cities ………………….. normal businesses"

Paavam our Aryanagar raja finally gets some role n dialogue ;) n wht does he do.. summon sweet Dharam n useless ministers to ask them abt money *straight face.. These days Bhuvi likes Dharam a lot more than Veer so more words n space in her comments for him *tongue out at mommas boy veer..

'Majestically unfolding his hands….. the concerned crown prince decides to squander no further time in initiating discussion on the dilemma' yeah that's the way Dharam tackles things.. cool headed and strategic.. Not like Veer who would stomp his feet in anger, clutch his sword n throw sweet girls out of his Barbie house chambe 😡… okay okay back to the issue of missing moneys …*giggle serves the iddo king right … n look Dharam is soo responsible and mature "the minister's ignorance reflected a lack of urgency in tackling the problem; the stern prince immediately reveals his dissatisfaction at not having been informed of the situation earlier" n soooo sensitive too "Dharam curtly looks away from his onlookers for a moment, muttering to himself in ire "Forced to inspect one's own trusted friends and family! This is insulting..." "generally radiant Dharam" *blush yeah he is all tejas this boy.. n look how smart he is !!! "the wise prince silently speculates on his instincts" he knows Agni is responsible for all this !! Its good that Veer is missing at the meeting.. wonder where he is.. shampooing his precious hair no doubt .. peacock. "; the crown prince utters a soft smirk; as he conveys a determined pledge "If anyone is trying to implicate us in this scandal... or displaying the nerve to malign the integrity that I or Veer possess... let me know of it pitaji... I shall ensure that I teach that person a lesson..." Sweet of u Dharam but I don't think that mere words are going to stop Agni n his evil dad. "Discerning how his sensible son continued to lend wisdom and steadfast support in all affairs; the king begins to feels a sense of relief abating his afflictions." N the villain who hit my Anu makes his evil entrance "the prominent silhouette of an ominous personage emerges through the archway, simultaneously offering salutations to the small crowd, with a wry grin"

N now on to Veers chamber *giggle giggle… nasty boy … hope you are better behaved in this update Veer boy *Bhuvi gives him a stern look." The solemn disposition on his handsome face reflecting moderate recovery from the distressing incidents marking his life a week ago" Good ! even moderate recovery is too fast veeru boy.. u should be broken hearted for wht u did to Anu.. n look hes gratified and uplifted already seeing some presents… grain from poor shramiks.. sure cook kheer n eat ..glutton boy.. aren't u ashamed of taking foodstuff away from poor people .. oh okay Nivi aunty did not do such a bad job of bringing u up.. she taught u SOME manners.." the dignified Veer proceeds to deliberate on the right means to return the jute bags without offending the sentiments his subjects"..

Oh these shramiks are sweet.. not like the irritating weepy clinging lot as shown in the serial..n yes their words sting our peacock "for your vow to never turn any Shramik away, without offering him help..." I LOVE THEM…" Remembering the fact that he had been unable to help the lone Shramik that he was probably most acquainted with" *sob sob.. n hes ONLY unsettled over that fact !! "Repeatedly evoking his overpowering vanity to curb his intense desire to hunt for the truth; the hurt prince pursues with yet another meek attempt to re-establish his lost serenity, as his pride clashes with the concerned notions of his alter ego" you are HOPELESS !! Just becos the girl said she can take care of herself , u don't even want to check on her …" in fact, she warned me with an overconfident request...being a mere blacksmith she hardly displayed the courtesy while addressing someone bearing the rank of prince...then, why should I fret over someone as disrespectful... besides, she is about to be happily wedded off to an old man of her dreams..." you are revolting !!! Hope you get married to that fat friend of Siya's.. I will find a nice prince like Dharam for my precious… Anyone is better than u.. calling my precious a "mere blacksmith"…

Awww but Veer does care "the troubled prince gradually realizes that his repeated efforts to reprimand the girl with his conceited animosity did not his satiate his restless conscience, forcing him to delve on the alternate logic" Eaaaaaaaaaarrrghhh lashu.. stop making me swing like a pendulum.. What is ur Veers problem.. either make him sweet n caring or conceited n egoistic.. making me love n hate him by turns like that.. hes driving both me n Anu mad with his thoughts n actions that change every second..

"But then again, she is a lone girl... possibly surrounded by tyrants... she probably acted so strangely on that day, because of her compulsions... how could I then not display the basic courtesy of offering her protection..." yes Veer boy the poor girl is alone and helpless… go to her.. she needs you

Maybe now he will decide to go n find out about her … but no Nivi aunty comes to interrupt him.. NOT NOW.. I know this boy.. one distraction n he forgets all about Anu.. as it is he gets a noble thought only but rarely n Nivi spoils even that with her interruption "Swiftly perceiving the familiar warmth on the visage of the radiant queen, now approaching him; Veer experiences a much needed sense of relief overpowering his sullen state and rushes forward to greet Nivritti with avid enthusiasm." FINE both mommy n son have a great time.. I enjoyed reading about it but I don't want to comment on both of them since I am mad with both. *straight faced

Ahh this looks promising.. Agni and Dharams war of words "; Agni resolves to implement his agenda by taking advantage of Veer's absence and terrorizing Dharam with a few startling truths" ," Pleased with the reactions that his words seemed to be evoking from his victim; the composed Agni pursues maliciously "This Agni is really cunning.. Evil but smart.. ""Oh by the way, I was meaning to know...do you think Veer could be helping himself to the treasury coins... I...I...I have my suspicions on Veer... I mean, he could be taking the money innocently... in a bid to perform charity for these unfortunate Shramik groups...can't he?" yes yes Dharam.. Veer is only taking the gold coins away from ur treasure ! I am all with Agni this time unless Veer proves his worth to Anu n me.

Ahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa so this is the dreaded secret …" Do you know that 16 years ago, all Shramik infants born on Aashaad poornima were sacrificed on the mere advice of an old soothsayer...a senile saint made a baseless prediction that the birth of a young Shramik would threaten the future reign of the Aryavarts... and so many innocent newborns were..." poor Dharam.. he is shaken "devastated Dharam shivers in dread, as the glorious visions of his parentage and the proud memories of his bloodline seemed irreversibly shattered".. Aww Agni is troubling sweet Dharam a lot .." by attacking him with another blow, wanting to have the last laugh for the day "Yuvraj Dharamavardhan... I am aware that I might have troubled you enough... but I am still curious as to why you are not interested in finding out, how I came to know about all of this in the first place..." Where is that useless Veer.. atleast hes good at one thing supporing Dharam.. today hes not even there for that !

""The captivating beauty that Veer seems absolutely engrossed in these days... she professes to be a blacksmith by profession, but what an able spy is she……………..Shera...I... mean 'Ananya'..." YUCKOOO … I hate him !! Hes spreading vile rumors about my precious ..

Awww desserts for the lastttt * dancing… Anu singing *blushhhhhhhhhhhh "Sleep my innocent child peacefully, all through the night -Didn't you know that the almighty Lord is watching over you lovingly?............Sleep my innocent child peacefully, all through the night" awwwwwww lashu wot a beautiful song u have written … darling is singing a lullaby to sweet manu.. Lashu where is radha ?? 😭vplease keep her safe..

Anu is in a sad sad mood "the lonely girl hurls a joyless glimpse at the prominent full moon on the backdrop of pitch black skies and then proceeds to leave the open expanses of her basti for the thatched shack, a short distance away." Awww anu dear sleeping in a shanty……….

Awww look at her "Hurriedly progressing to loosen her thick tresses; the stunning blacksmith closes her captivating eyes and begins envisioning her life differently, imagining herself to be the pampered daughter of an immensely wealthy merchant. Spending many adorable moments in fantasizing an alternate life filled with light hearted frolic and joy" You are soo sweet Anu.. even I love to fantasize before I sleep.. only I fantasize about you and A.Nagar.. *blush… awww anuuuu.. "and flashes an ironical smile at the modest bundle that comprised all of her worldly possessions" you break my heart.. u are welcome to all of my worldly possessions if you want… aww JUST a bundle *sob sob "Quietly starting to uncover the many folds of enveloped clothing that ultimately exposed a rusted container" paaaaaaaavam my little girl does not even have nice wooden box.. she cheers herself up by wearing the bangles… wear them Anu if it makes u happy and keep them safe okay.. especially from Tasha.. n look how many jewels lashu has given Siya.. po lashu 😳… though siya is very sweet ..

Aww I am glad the bangles fit Anu perfectly.. I was not sure in the last update ."if I was indeed the privileged daughter of a powerful merchant ...I would be spending much of my while trying one impressive set after another...decking myself in many flattering embellishments " awwww Anu.. don't worry u will have a wonderful life.. forget ur useless father.. she continues with her romanticized visions ecstatically "Then anyone having the opportunity to set their eyes upon me, would be struck by the lustrous charm I possessed...I am sure none would be able to refute how enchantingly aristocratic I would look in such expensive ornaments...not even Rajkumar Veer!" even now without the ornaments Rajkumar Veer cannot refute how beautiful u look…

Anu is really missing Veer "she continues gravely "With 'you'... the first person capable of provoking a bout of genuine giggles in me...just as you remain the first person to bring a heartfelt tear to my eye..." "the lonely girl clears her choked voice and proceeds to wipe the rare appearance of a lone heavy tear blurring her eye" awww saddd… 😭*hugging Anu.. sleep well my precious n sweeeeeeeet dreams of the sour prince.. if you really like him n he keeps u happy bhuvi will forgive him.. only for u.

I feel sad for Daksha.. where is she ? Still missing Veer ?? She is welcome to him *nose high in air.. I will find a nice n sweet prince for Anu..

I hope Veer does not waste any more time n puts an end to Anu's misery.. Hope Agni does not harm anyone.. Hope Anu's suffering ends.. Hope Radha is safe.. Hope Veer comes to know abt Pari soon… awww but lashu is answering that too in this update ""Lord is the controller of destiny... and whatever happens, He always obliges the good hearted, doesn't he?" yes sweet lashu.. beautifully said.. all your readers hope "end of all this that no one is affected by anything adverse...and that fate has a favourable plan for everyone..." n ask the fates ruling in A.Nagar to be extra partial to my Anu to make up for all the misery she is going through now.. 😛👍🏼👏

OSR SAMYUKTA PART 38 - The terrifying confrontation eventually occurs!

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.

hi shraddha!!

wonderful update as usual!!👏👏