It has been a week since Arjuna has accepted the invitation to visit Ramapur and bizarrely enough he was convinced to attend the swayamvar too. According to Abhiras's minister of Rural welfare: Ratan Khatri, visiting the palace of Ramapur can give them a closer chance to watch the behaviour of the king and moreover attending a swayamvar of a beautiful princess can do no harm. However, Vikram was not happy with this conclusion, he strongly believed that king Indradas is using this invitation as a bait to trap Arjuna and his chances of protecting his king outside their kingdom might be weakened.

Arjuna was not sure if this decision of visiting Ramapur was wise or not but these two were the only ones Arjuna can trust his life with and sending them on a mission with no military power to Ramapur kingdom was not wise. Ratan has always been a close friend, the one he grew up with and he could confess the same about Vikram but he always has high walls built around him, dodging away any sort of emotions he might receive.

A soft knock on the door of the chambers interrupted his flow of thoughts.

"Come inside, Vikram." Arjuna said, gesturing him to take a seat by the cot placed by the end of the balcony. He had requested Vikram to find out information about the Ramapur and the swayamvar to get a clear view about what he was getting into.

Right behind Vikram, walked in Ratan with a huge grin on his face. He turned out to be the most excited one about these talks of the princess.

"My greetings, your Majesty. I have successfully accomplished the task I have been assigned and-"

"For heaven's sake," Ratan screamed at a high pitch halting Vikram, "Stop acting as if we are handling another royal court, Vikram! We are here to discuss about a princess, a woman! Can you not be a little informal to lighten up the mood?"

Vikram's lips tightened hearing him, which slowly followed with an eye roll making Arjuna stifle a laugh at his friends.

"Alright. Coming to the point, princess Priyamvada is the eldest daughter of the eastern king, Indradas." Vikram spoke, sitting down slowly.

"Eldest?" Asked Ratan with a surprised expression, "We believed he had only one Princess?"

"Yes, Ratan. It was a surprise indeed, the king has two daughters and one son. The king's second wife was a royal dancer and hence she was never given the treatment of a royal wife but their daughter is respected and is given the same status as princess Priyamvada." Vikram took a break, giving time for them to process.

"It was very effortless to learn about princess Priyamvada." Said Vikram in a monotonous tone, "She is said to be a beauty with brains, the princess is also called as the queen of fine arts for her mesmerising dancing and singing skills, and has always been the kings favourite for her righteousness. "

"If it was me, I would never marry such a woman." Snorted Ratan with a smile making Vikram genuinely wonder why.

"Why, minister Ratan?"

"Oh Vikram, you are aware of my talents, aren't you? People might be overwhelmed if I get a talented wife like myself and moreover, no woman can be beautiful like me, right?"

Arjuna couldn't help but burst with roaring laughter hearing his words and this time Vikram too, broke down laughing along.

* * *

The journey to Ramapur kingdom has finally come to an end. It was a tiring two days trip, the evening darkness surrounded them as they reached the eastern kingdom. All the way to the palace there were very few people around in the villages and it was almost clear that the villagers were instructed not to be seen around when the king arrives.

The moment his feet touched the eastern soil, his troop has received a warm welcome. Huge drums and trumpets playing in the background had told him enough about the old king's desire to make Arjuna marry his daughter.

This kingdom was no different than his, lush green plants and tiny mud houses with busy markets almost looked familiar to him.

"king Arjuna!" The rough voice of King Indradas has reached his ears making him turn forward, "I am gratified by your presence." He kept speaking with a bright smile bowing a little, making a Namaste.

The entrance of the palace had itself intrigued Arjuna by its craftmanship. Gates of a palace were always built with sharp iron to prevent any attacks but the entrance of this palace was different, and even from this distance, he could tell the difference of the material.

"The pleasure is mine king Indradas." Arjuna replied with a small smile and returned his greetings with a curt Namaste, while all his attention remains glued on the palace.

A beautiful flower shower greeted him from his following step making him sigh, why was this old king wasting too many flowers? He was not even fond of flowers.

Soon they were all led to the resting chambers. All the way long, king Indradas kept talking about how beautiful the palace of Ramapur is, and how their ancestors had an eye for beauty. Arjuna could tell that to an extent it was true and all the palace pillars were built with a unique stone which he couldn't point out and the palace was grandly decorated, and it was too gaudy at a few places.

The palace has a rich vibe which didn't settle well with Vikram. Ramapur kingdom faced a famine a few years ago, most of the villages were still facing food and water crises and we're struggling to pay their taxes, so such a wealthy interior of the palace was a questionable aspect to him.

"Please have some rest and fresh up, king Arjuna." Said Indradas with a huge smile halting in front of a huge room, "We will send our minister to guide you back to the dining area for dinner."

"We appreciate your assistance, king Indradas." Replied Ratan who was standing right beside Arjuna, the king was doing a great act trying to impress Arjuna with their treatment. Onset, the king's behaviour was impressive but the more attention he was paying to Arjuna, the more annoyed he was.

The quarters had small rooms in it, probably for his misters and soldiers to rest inside. Arjuna stepped inside his room, scrutinising the cleanliness of his compartment. At the centre of the room was a huge window with a view of the royal garden and the garden was more than beautiful with various flowering creepers and bushy plants, and he happened to notice a several set swings being attached to the trees around, must be for the Princess to play with.

"Wah! It's so beautiful, Arjuna!" Ratan said, rooted to his spot near the window as he was mesmerised by nature's beauty.

"Beautiful?" Scoffed Arjuna, "This is just an invitation to all the mosquitoes and bugs around." Shaking his head in disapproval he walked away from the window.

Ratan laughed out loud clutching his stomach for breath, "Such beautiful scenery and all you could think of is bugs? God, you need help!"

"You are so funny at times," Ratan said, wiping the drops of tears around his eyes still laughing,

"Whatever." Arjuna shrugged his shoulders as he ordered Ratan, "Stop fooling around and go clean up."

"Sure, my king!" Ratan replied, faking a bow in respect.

* * *

Arjuna stood by the window taking in the beauty of the dark sky filled with stars. For a minute he forgot why he was in Ramapur, the king seems to be rich enough so it was a questionable aspect about why he would threaten Abhiras and about marrying the princess, he has to see her himself to decide whether she was fit to be a queen or not.

His flow of thoughts was interrupted as he heard faint sobs of a woman making his eyes search for the source of that noise and shortly his sight settled on a woman sitting on one of the swings under a tree which happens to be near the window of his chambers. The night's darkness didn't allow him much view rather than her dull silhouette. If there had been anyone else other than him, they would have run around the palace screaming ghosts but he knew better.

"Princess!" A desperate, shivering voice called to the crying woman and he could see a dark figure moving towards her. It must be an old lady judging from her movements and walking style.

"Please don't be upset, we will find a way out of this." The old lady spoke up, trying to reach out to the princess but she kept sobbing. Her slow sobs turning into overwhelming cries as she leaned her head by the thin rope of the swing.

All at once, a sudden thought struck Arjuna, can this be princess Priyamvada? If she was, then why was she crying? Or Can this be the other princess?