Hello dear readers here is next chapter. Happy that you are liking the ff. Hope you like this chapter
Recap : Ram and Varun are out on a mission to deliver messages from Prince Aditya who is at Indraprastha. Ram meets Jodha in Kekaya and delivers Aditya’s message to her. Sita and Panchali have a conversation. Jodha invites Ram to stay at the palace.
Chapter 2 : Inside the Palanquin
The maid and soldier approach Ram
Ram: Ill find Varun and then we will go
Saying this he walks out of the temple. As he steps out, he finds someone walking in reverse with their back facing him. He takes few steps and realises that the person is Varun. Without talking anything Ram walks forward and Varun stops after dashing on him
Varun: Ram…
Ram: What are you doing ?
Varun: Actually Im confused…Ill tell you wait
Varun’s POV
Varun walks out of the temple to give space to Jodha and Ram. As he walks a few steps away from the temple he finds an ivory palanquin decorated with pearls. He gets amused to see such a costly palanquin and walks behind it.
Pov Ends
Varun: I was so curious to find who was in it
Ram: It would have been Princess Devsena..she is the only other princess to use it
Varun: I thought the same..but…
Varun’s POV
As the palanquin was moving into the palace grounds, Varun follows it. He stops to hear sword sounds and turns to see a girl practising sword fight.
Gaurd: Princess Devsena is practising sword fight, others are not allowed now
Pov ends
Varun: Now tell me, how can the princess be in two places at the same time ?
Ram: Who else will it be? May be an empty palanquin
Varun: Why is it covered with a silk cloth?
Ram: Leave it , we have a long journey ahead. Princess invited us for dinner and sleep to the palace. Lets leave.
He drags Varun with him. The scene freezes
Lanka
Arjun is sitting inside the war camp analysing war strategies. Krishna walks in
Arjun: Vasudev , at this late hour?
Krishna: Thought that you may need a help
Arjun: Nothing of that sort. I was just going through the plans for the war
Krishna: The enemy soldiers have to come out for it Arjun, I don’t think they will do it anytime sooner
Arjun: Let us wait , civilians should not be harmed in any way
Krishna: Thats right. I came to say that Im going to Rameshwar for a few days
Arjun: Suddenly? What happened?
Krishna: Im going to arrange food for our army. Karna’s Anga raaj is also sending stuff to us now
Arjun: That will be sufficient then. Till you come, I would like to go around this country
Krishna: What if people know its you
Arjun: They wont know. Its a promise. Ill be starting in the morning
Krishna: Take 1000 soldiers with you. It is for your safety.I have to leave now. Take care
Arjun: Okay Vasudev, Ill do as you say.
They depart from there. The scene freezes
Kekaya, Palace
Jodha serves Ram and Varun with a delicious meal
Varun: Prince Aditya is really lucky. Such a caring wife he is getting
Jodha: Next what is your destination?
Ram: Off to Mahishmati princess Jodha. To meet the king
Jodha: How are you going through the Kaurava security? They dont allow anyone to meet the king
Varun: Not even his children?
Jodha: Not even them…
Suddenly the maid runs inside
Maid: The shooting star..its here
Everyone is shocked except Varun
Varun: What happened? Why is everyone shocked?
Jodha: The shooting star has appeared for the third time in this month. Its not a good sign for the empire and already rumours of the king being in deathbed are roaming like forest fire. Prince Ram when you return after your work can you meet me? I want to know about the King
Ram: Sure Princess. I can even deliver a message from you to the kong now, and to Prince Aditya while going back
Jodha blushes on hearing Aditya’s name
Jodha: Ill make my message ready before your arrival and to the king my request is to make him agree to whatever My Prince has said
Varun: Wow..what a love
Jodha hides a blush with a hard effort
Jodha: Both of you rest and in the morning you take a fresh horse each and leave for Mahishmati. Your horses are too tired after a long journey they won’t help you much. We will take Care of them and make them healthy and fit again.
Ram: Thank you so much Princess
Jodha: Its my duty
She leaves from there. The scene freezes .
The next morning after a good breakfast Ram and Varun mount their horse and leave from Kekaya Palace. On the way they reach the Kingdom of Jalandhra after a full day journey .The Vishnu temple is crowded and that blocks the way. Finding it difficult to ride the horse the hop off and start walking by holding it
Varun: Ram, it is almost evening. We have to find a place to stay tonight
Ram: Seems like there is a huge festival here so we will definitely find a place for the tourists to stay
Varun: Good then what about food?
They are interrupted by a loud sound piercing their ears. Inquisitive to know what it is they walk towards the sound and find a man fighting with people there
Ram walks to him and drags him away
Ram: Why are you hurting a poor lady?
Man: She spoke ill of my Lord Vishnu thats why
Ram: Lord Vishnu preaches love and not violence, come away
Ram takes him with him. Varun too joins them
Ram: Whats your name sir?
Man: Im Hanuman. You are?
Ram: Im Ram and this is Varun
Hanuman: Prince Ram of Ayodhya? So nice to meet you
Ram: Actually whats the special of today?
Hanuman: Dont you know that there is a huge meeting of big political leaders here? Cultural activities are going on here on account of Prince Bharat’s arrival
Ram: Bharat is back now?
Hanuman: Yes. The voyage is over.
Ram: Sorry to ask who are all here for the meeting?
Hanuman: The Elder Brother of Kauravas Duryodhan is coming here. See
They turn towards the direction of his hand pointing. A huge campaign walks on the road. A chariot enters the street with Duryodhan in it. Ram and Varun look in awe
Hanuman: In addition to them many others are coming. I heard that your father Dashrath is here too
Those words dont fall in Ram’s ears as his eyes spot the ivory palanquin mentioned by Varun.
Varun too notices it and they watch that it is a part of the campaign now
Hanuman: I love to watch the cultural events , but
Ram: Do you mind joining us?
Varun pulls Ram Aside and in a whisper
Varun: Are you sure that we are going inside the palace? With your father being here
Ram: Varun, the same palanquin is here now. It was alone in Kekaya yesterday and now as a part of this campaign here. Something is fishy. Shooting star appeared thrice, Jalandhara’s king is a neutral one but Kauravas gathering with other kings is dangerous. Anyway we will be staying here then why not meet Bharat and enter the palace in that pretext
Varun: But why him with us?
Hanuman: I think your friend doesn’t approve me coming with you. Ill manage no problem
Saying this Hanuman walks away. As he goes he walks past the campaign. The palanquin stops suddenly and a hand gets out confirming a princess inside it
Ram: Who is it?
Varun: Definitely not Princess Jodha or Devsena
Ram: Then who will it be?
Varun: Nandhini? Will it be her?
Ram: Are you mad? How will Nandhini roam in Kekaya? Its our Prince’s in law nation. His enemies are theirs wont she get caught? And why is she with Kaurava Campaign from Mahishmati? If she gets there then she will be jailed
Varun: Then who else?
Ram: We will find it tonight. Come lets go to the palace.
Hanuman watches them from a distance. His eyes also fall on the palanquin. The scene freezes
Mithila
Draupadi is in her chamber. She is adoring a painting of Arjun.
Draupadi: Didi..you? Anything important?
Sita: Yes Draupadi. Come with me
She drags her and they reach a lake near the palace. A boat is waiting for them and they mount it
Draupadi: Where are we going didi?
Sita: To meet the astrologer
Draupadi: Why?
Sita: To find when you will get a cure
Draupadi: What?
Sita: Yeah…your love disease needs a cure right
Draupadi under her breath: His return is my only cure
Sita: That what we will be asking about, when the war will get over? When they will be back
Draupadi blushes and the scene freezes