Beyond Times

Chapter 22 - Welcomes

People stood by the side of the road to welcome their victorious princes. They chanted,

-"All hail Kumar Duryodhan"

-"All hail Kumar Yudhishthira"

-"All hail Kumar Arjun."

Etc. As the Kumaras entered through the royal entrance of Hastinapur.

A big grin appeared on their faces as they saw their family standing there to welcome them.

Kunti did the welcoming aurati of the Pandavas with a big satisfied smile. They touched her feet and she blessed them.

-"God bless you, my children. I am so proud of you all." She touched Arjun's cheek.

Gandhari did the aurati of the Kauravas. Her pleased smile brought peace in Duryodhan's heart. One by one all of them touched the feet of the elders of the Kuru dynasty.

Karna was standing behind all of them. Duryodhan went to him and they embraced, smiling at each other warmly.

-"Be ready, Mitra, Mitra Ashwatthama has invited us to Panchal to attend his coronation. We will be starting in two days."

Karna nodded, happy that both his friends were content with what happened at Panchal.

Duryodhan's eyes kept roaming around the faces, searching for someone. He hoped Sakhi Tiasha would also be present there to welcome him but there was no sign of her.

Karna saw Duryodhan looking around, "Are you looking for someone Mitra?", He smiled, fully understanding who he was looking for.

-"Where is Sakhi, why did she not come to welcome me?" Duryodhan replied disappointed. Karna laughed, "I don't know where she is Mitra, I haven't seen her since morning, yesterday she was running around the whole palace to arrange things for your arrival."

Duryodhan grinned. Gandhari heard Duryodhan asking about Tiasha, she smiled remembering the girl's enthusiasm when she heard the princes were returning back to Hastinapur. She called, "Putra, take some rest and I will call you for lunch when the food is ready."

-"Yes Mata." Duryodhan obeyed his mother and took Karna along with him.

He entered his chamber and was welcomed by a beautiful smell of various flowers. His chamber was decorated with many flowers. On the center table set a bouquet of blue and white flowers. A small card in between the flowers which said 'Abhinandan'.

Duryodhan looked around his chamber in awe. A wide smile appeared on his face. Karna stood beside him smiling at his friend's reaction.

-"Well, given that you are an unromantic war machine, no offence to you Mitra but you are," Karna fake pouted, Duryodhan laughed at his friend. "...Mama Shree having no eye for beauty and my mother being too busy in her duties, it boils down to only two people who can do this, all this arrangement and decoration. My dear sister or my dear Sakhi. but I highly doubt Dushala can come up with something like this by herself. So this is obviously Sakhi Tiasha's doing, but where is she?"

The Pandavas were just chilling in their mother's chamber, talking and joking with each other. Subhadra came dashing inside the room and hid behind Kunti. Kunti had an amused smile on her face, "Who are you running from, Putri?"

As if this was her que Tiasha entered the room panting. "Mata, don't you guard her, she never listens to me."

Kunti smiled, "What did she do now Putri?"

-"I was making the..." Her eyes fell on the five princes, who were smiling amused and stopped mid-sentence.

-"Pranam, Rajkumar." she greeted the Pandavas. Subhadra didn't notice them before, but now she did and her face became red in embarrassment. Tiasha saw her sister's red face and asked her sweetly, "Will you come with me now?" Subhadra slowly came out from behind Kunti and stood beside Tiasha.