It was early next day morning when they had reached the gates of Hastinapur. Duryodhana stepped down the horse he was ridding and moved towards the palanqin where Nandha is.

"Alaknandha we have reached." Duryodhana said.

Nandha drew the curtens of the palenqun and peeped outside. The last time she was a mere guest here and now she is here as the kulavadu of the kuru family.

"Here let me help you." Duryodhana said forwarding his hand for her to take.

Hesitating slightly she kept her hands on his and let him help her down the chariot. She felt a current pass through her body as she kept her hand on his. They stood in front of the royal palace of hastinapur.

Gandhari stood there holing the aarthi taali with a smile. Dritarashtra stood beside her with a warm smile. She asked the newly couple forward for taking the aarthi. She did the aarthi and welcomed the couple in. The newly wed couple bent forward and took the elders blessings.

"Putri tilt the pot filled with rice with your right leg and then step on the dish of alta then step inside." Gandhari instructed.

Nodding her head Nandha tilted the pot with her right leg. Duryodhan held her hands in his as she stepped in the dish filled with alta. She stepped inside the palace leaving auspicious red footprints. Once they had entered inside Nandha slowly took her hand out of Duryodhan's grip. He sighed quite dissappointed with her this behaviour. He gritted his teeth trying to control hisself fromdoing something stupid and end up hurting her again.

After completing the rituals Nandha was guided to Duryodhan's chamber. She turned and looked at Duryodhana one last time before letting the daasis guide her. Duryodhana looked at Nandha's dissappearing figure with a frown on his face.

"Mitr why are looking at her like she is leaving you forever? You look quite despirate. Seems like you can't wait for your wedding night." Karna teased with a smile.

"No it's nothing like that." Duryodhan stammered, his cheeks slightly turning red.

Karna wriggled his eye brows in a teasing manner clearly telling Duryodhana he has not believed his'nothing'.

"Come on mitr I just want to talk to her. Its just that whenever I try to talk to her something or the other comes up stopping me. Its not like whatyou are thinking." Duryodhana sighed.

"Oh You just want to talk to her. Don't worry mitr for the whole night she will completely yours and no one will come and disturb you. You will be able to talk as much as you want without any disturbance." Karna said in a teasing tune.

"Mitr Karna." Duryodhan groaned.

"Yes mitr Duryodhana" Karna mocked him.

Both burst out laughing. Sobbering up Karna brought Duryodhana into a hug.

"Congrats mitr. I am happy for you." Karna said smiling.

"Thank you mitr."

****

Nandha was getting all dolled up for her wedding night. She was adorned with heavy jewellaries making her feel suffercating. She wanted nothing more that to throw away all this and run back to her sister but she know it was not possible.

"Maharani yuvrani Alaknandha is ready." A daasi spoke her head bowed before Gandhari.

"Ok, you all can leave." Gandhari ordered.

The daasis bowed their heads and walked out of the chamber leaving Gandhari and Alaknandha alone.

"Putri I want to talk something important with you." Gandhari said moving towards Nandha.

"What is it Maharani?" Nandha asked confusion evident in her voice.

"It's Mata for you putri not Maharani. You are like Dushala for me putri." Gandhari said softly.

"Ji Mata." Nandha said smiling at the Queen.

"Putri I want to talk to you about Duryodhana." Gandhari said with a sigh.

"About arya?"

"Putri by now you must have heard many things about him. Mostly about how cruel he is and about his anger issues. Truth to be told if anyone was to be blamed for his this behaviour then it is me. I might have succeded in becoming a good wife but I failed miserable as mother. I failed. He was guided wrong from his childhood. No one was there to differentiate between good and bad. He grew up being taught to hate his cousins. He had done many sins in order to attain the throne of Hastinapur. He started moving far from the path of dharma. Putri he is not as heartless as people say about him. He is just like a small kid who was neglected of a childhood." She sobbed.

"Mata please don't cry." Nandha whispered softly keeping a hand on her shoulder.

Gandhari took a deep breath and wiped away the tears that were traling down her face before continuing.

"Putri he loves you so much. It is clear in the way he speaks about you. Please don't take it to heart if he speaks anything in his anger. He never think what he is speaking when he is angry. Now the future of my son is in you hands putri. You are the only one who would be able to show the path of dharma to my son. Promise me putri that you will heal all the scars of his past by your love. Promise me putri that you will never leave my son like I have done. Promise me putri. Please." Gandhari said forwarding her hand.

Nandha looked at her mother-in-law with teary eyes. She can clearly see her worry for her son. Maybe he was not as bad as she said. Maybe her marriage life not be as bad as she thinks.

"I promise mata. From today I will try my best to change aarya."

"May God bless you dear with happness putri. And it is quite late putri I should be going now. Hope you keep your promise putri." Gandhari said before leaving the room leaving behind a nevious Nandha.

Nandha stared t the dissappearing figure of Gandhari till she was out of sight. She don't know wheather she will be able to fulfil the promise but one thing is sure she will surely try her best to keep up the promise.

*****