Maharaj Dhritarashtra was seated at his living room. A dasi came to inform him about the arrival of Rajkumar Duryodhan and Gandharraj Shakuni. After coming inside and seating down, they expressed their desire in front of him.

"Pitashree, I've thought about it. It'd be a good alliance. And also by this Vasudev will be on our side." Duryodhan said.

"Yes Maharaj. My son Duryodhan is absolutely right. You should send a message to Dwarka as soon as possible." Shakuni added.

"But that girl is not right. Haven't you seen her audacity in the Raj sabha? After all of that how can you think of this alliance? She's nothing but trouble." Dhritarashtra said.

"Maharaj, I agree she caused some trouble for us. But after this marriage she'll be on our side. She won't cause trouble then. In fact help us in making troubles. She's very valuable Maharaj. We should not waste her." Shakuni said to Dhritarashtra.

"Okay. I'll send a letter to Dwarka. But if Vasudev refuses?" Dhritarashtra asked after thinking a little.

"Doesn't matter. She's here and even if he refuses, we'll get them married. Chal se nehi to bal se hi sahi. (By hook or crook.)" Shakuni said smirking.

Duryodhan had been hell angry on that Yadavkanya after the Raj sabha. And his anger had risen when Vikarna expressed his desire to marry her. He was a little naive compared to his other brothers. Vikarna was impressed by her. Her wisdom and fire combined with her beauty had mesmerised him. Two days later the Raj sabha when Duryodhan caught his brother talking with her, he got to know his brother's wish. They had an argument regarding her. He was hell bent on his decision and then Mamashree Shakuni interrupted before that argument could turn into something ugly.

"Mere bache, think carefully. What Vikarna wishes for, is not such a bad idea. That girl is a nausea because she's against us. But if she gets on our side, she can be a valuable resource for us. Moreover, have you ever seen Vikarna being stubborn for anything? He has always been stuck on Dharma and his first Dharma is to listen to you. Even though he doesn't agree with your ways, he still has always been with you. But for the first time he's ready to go against you, for that girl. Don't lose him in your foolishness. Think of her as a toy. You're giving a toy to your brother to play with and in return gaining his unquestionable loyalty." Shakuni said making him see the reason.

"But we don't know anything about her except that Vasudev called her his sister. She's not even his real sister. And what if she has some ulterior motive behind coming here?" Duryodhan asked.

"Even though they're not related by blood, she's as good as his real sister, mere bache. These people make relations rather easily and their Dharma doesn't allow them to differ much. And as for her motive, I think Vasudev send her here only for the stunt she pulled at Raj sabha. Nevertheless, we'll keep a close eye on her. Let some time pass, then if everything is normal, we'll talk to Maharaj about the alliance." Shakuni replied. Duryodhan nodded agreeing with the plan.

And now after keeping an eye on her for these past months, they thought it safe to talk to Maharaj Dhritarashtra about Vikarna and Drisana's marriage.

Unknown to them someone else had heard their conversation. The person rushed towards the living area of Draupadi's chambers where Drisana sat with Devika and Draupadi. Kunti was also present. The person came inside and jerked Drisana into a standing position. Before anyone could understand anything, the person slapped her. Everyone was shocked. Drisana looked at the person standing in front of her fuming in rage.

"Maharani Gandhari?" She whispered confusingly. She knew Gandhari didn't like her especially after the Raj sabha episode, but what could possibly derive her to raise her hand?

"What you thought? There's a lot of Princes in Hastinapur. You'll frame one or the other. That's why you came to Hastinapur, right?" Gandhari shouted at her. As Drisana watched her frozen.

"Jiji, what are you saying?" Kunti asked beyond shocked by her behaviour.

"Don't come in between Kunti. I'm not like you that will bring a Sootputri as my daughter-in-law. And she? She doesn't even have a caste. Vasudev has called her his sister that doesn't mean she moved up in caste. She should know her limits." Gandhari snapped when she heard about her son's marriage talk.

She remained silent when Duryodhan made that Sootputra his friend as her brother explained it was for her son's wellbeing only. Sometimes we have to make sacrifices for the bigger picture, Shakuni had said. So, for her son she tolerated Karna. She purified the whole place after every visit of Karna though. Then Yudhisthir brought that Sootputri into her household as his wife. She again remained silent as she couldn't say anything after accepting the girl as Kulvadhu unknowingly. Moreover, Kunti herself was okay with it. Though she hadn't kept a Soota even as her maid, she had to bear Devika. She avoided her as much as she could. But now, she couldn't remain silent anymore after hearing their conversation. A girl who had no caste, no shame, no etiquette, no manners, no family could never be her daughter-in-law. No way she would allow this disaster to happen.

"Jyesth mata!!! what's wrong with you? You're not only insulting a royal guest but also Mata Kunti and Devika jiji." Draupadi said.

"Keep quiet Drupadkanya. This doesn't concern you. When the house gets dirty, it is the duty of the woman of that household to clean it and today I'll clean this dirt too." Gandhari said. "You. You dream of becoming Kuru Kulvadhu? Tell me, have you learned to seduce men from that nonexistent country and people of yours?"

"Jyesth Mata, you please don't use such ill words. Drisana is like a daughter to Mata Kunti, a royal guest and before that she's a woman. You don't have any right to point on her character." Devika said folding her hands. She didn't care of Gandhari's hatred for her. But Drisana was a sister to her. She can't see her humiliation like this.

"How dare you? Now I'll have to know my rights from a Sootputri like you?" Gandhari shouted at Devika.

"Jiji, you're taking her wrong. She's only -" Gandhari didn't let Kunti finish.

"You don't dare to open your mouth Kunti. All of this is happening because of you only. You only let your son marry this lower caste girl, you tainted my household by bringing this Soota here, you brought this characterless girl as your daughter and now she framed my son." Everyone was speechless after hearing the poison spreading from her mouth.

"Enough." Drisana said in a deathly calm voice. She knew Gandhari had anger issues and could sense her disapproval of her and Devika, but she never thought she contained so much poison for them.

"I won't listen to your meaningless accusations anymore, Maharani. You can't talk to my Mata like this. It is not her fault that she doesn't contain poison inside her for those who are not born in higher stations. It's not her fault that she saw Devika jiji as a human not an object to be classified with caste. It's not her fault that she values humans and not empty arrogance. It's not her fault that she carries kindness and affection in her heart." Her voice never rose as she said all these.

"Stay in your limits. I don't need you to tell me who is what. You talk about yourself. How dare you to dream of becoming my son's wife? I'll never let Vikarna marry you." Gandhari snapped.

Everyone was confused hearing that including Drisana. From where Vikarna had come between? They were suspecting it was Nakul she was talking about probably.

"Marriage to Vikarna? You're surely mistaken Maharani. Because I'll never marry any one of your hundred sons." Drisana said calmly again.

"Don't do this innocent act in front of me. I know very well girls like you who seduces men to get luxuries and wealth. If you are so eager for those, why don't you go to a brothel?" Gandhari said. Draupadi gasped, tears were freely falling from Kunti's eyes and Devika looked at Gandhari with glistening eyes thinking how could she have so much hatred in her. Drisana was a ball of restrained fury.

"Because my thinking is not so dirty like you. I feel disgusted by your thoughts. How could you point at my character? How could you say those words being a woman yourself? Have you forgotten you also have a daughter? How would you feel if I say your daughter seduced Sindhuraj Jayadrath to become his third wife?" Drisana gritted the words in anger.

"Drisana!!!" Gandhari raised her hand to slap her again. But this time she caught her hand in mid air.

"Don't make this mistake again, Maharani." Drisana said.

"You'll have to bear it's consequences." Gandhari said and left.

After her departure, Drisana went to her room too without saying anything to anyone. Devika and Draupadi went behind her, but she said she wanted to be left alone. She was too angry to think clearly. Kunti immediately called her sons except Nakul as he was away from Palace. Yudhisthir sent him with Pitamah to visit a pradesh for some work and he would return in two days. After hearing everything the Pandav's were angry and hurt too. They couldn't comprehend how their Jyesth Mata could say all that.

As Drisana was trying to cool her head, guards came to inform her that she had been called to Raj sabha and was to be presented immediately.

The Pandav's were also informed that Drisana had been taken to the Raj sabha.

Maharaj Dhritarashtra and his son's were angry on Gandhari's behalf. Gandharraj Shakuni was angry too. But he was also disappointed at his sister's outburst. As Drisana came into the Raj sabha, Dhritarashtra started with anger.

"How dare you to insult Hastinapur's Maharani?" He shouted at her.

"Maharaj, putri Drisana must have lost her mind in temper. Otherwise she wouldn't have dared to insult my priye behen (my lovely sister). As she's a royal guest and Hastinapur has always been generous with their hospitality, I request you to give her a chance to seek forgiveness." Shakuni said folding his hand to Dhritarashtra.

"I'll not ask forgiveness as I've not done anything wrong." Drisana said firmly.

"Drisana, ask for forgiveness from Jyesth Mata." Yudhisthir said. He understood that this matter would get out of hand if she didn't apologise. Dhritarashtra was too angered combined with his previous distaste of her. Only Pitamah could talk some sense into him and he was not here.

"I will. But first tell me one word that I said wrong. You heard everything, right? Tell me why should I apologise? To prove that what she said about me is right?" Drisana asked Yudhisthir looking at his eyes. Yudhisthir looked away.

"It was Maharani Gandhari who insulted not only me, but Rajmata Kunti and Devika jiji too. She threw false accusations at me, pointed fingers at my character. I will not apologise to such a woman who values humans on their birth status, disrespect relations and have no regards for the dignity of a woman." Drisana said still angered. Duryodhan was fuming hearing her.

"And what wrong she said. Who are you? What is your identity? Nothing. And what character are you talking about? You're the girl who stayed with five unknown men for over a year without any relation." Duryodhan said standing in front of her. Pandav's were hell angry hearing him, but before they could react, a tight slap landed on Duryodhan's cheek. It was Drisana who gave him his due.

"How dare you!!!" Before Duryodhan could reach her, the Pandav's surrounded her with Bheem standing chest to chest with him blocking Drisana.

"Don't even think about it." Bheem gritted out.

"Enough!!! I've tolerated enough from you Yadavkanya. Now you'll bear punishment for your defiance. Guards, arrest her and whip her 20 times." Dhritarashtra ordered. Everyone was surprised by his order. Shakuni slapped his forehead realising there's no point arguing with him right now.

"But Maharaj, she's a royal guest. You cannot punish her like this." Mahamantri Vidur said coming out of the shock.

"If she had stayed in her limits as a guest, I won't have to do this Vidur. And I only said 20 times remembering that. Otherwise the punishment for insulting Maharani Gandhari and raising hand on my son won't be so light." Dhritarashtra said.

"I'm sorry Maharaj. But you cannot punish her when the fault solely lies on Jyesth Mata and Duryodhan." Yudhisthir's voice rang out in the sabha.

"Are you trying to go against my order Yudhisthir?" Dhritarashtra snapped.

"I'll have to if you do this injustice. I've sworn to protect Drisana. As long as we, Pandav's are alive, not even a hair of her head will be hurt." Yudhisthir said calmly.

"Maharaj, putra Yudhisthir is saying the truth. You should reconsider your order. It's not necessary to hand over such harsh punishment. Let's send her back to Dwarka, to her brother." Shakuni said, trying to bring him back to sense. That andha (blind person) was hell bent on bringing Vasudev's wrath on them.

"That won't be necessary. I've come myself to take Drisana her home." Krishna's voice was heard from the entrance.