7.
The night deepened slowly around them.
Beyond the open balconies, Vanga shimmered beneath silver moonlight and drifting river mist. The louder celebrations from the outer courtyards had softened into distant music now—veena strings occasionally rising above the wind before fading once more into the night.
Somewhere farther below, near the riverbanks, temple bells rang softly through the sleeping city.
Inside the lounging chamber adjoining the royal gardens, however, warmth lingered stubbornly.
The room no longer resembled something prepared for royalty.
Silk cushions had shifted carelessly across the carpets. Jewelry lay forgotten beside goblets. Half-burnt incense curled lazily upward near the marble pillars while servants moved quietly through the chamber replacing empty trays no one seemed to notice disappearing.
Bhima had somehow migrated dangerously close to the desserts again.
No one had actually seen him move.
One moment he had been seated beside Yuyutsu discussing wrestling.
The next—
he was beside the sweets.
The young palace attendant standing nearby looked visibly distressed each time the Pandava prince reached for another sesame confection.
Bhima noticed eventually.
Pausing mid-bite, he looked toward the poor servant with genuine concern etched across his face.
"Why are you staring at me like I am committing a crime?
"
The servant lowered his head immediately.
"Forgive me, Rajkumar."
Near the balcony, Arjuna's calm voice drifted across the chamber before the attendant could flee.
"You have eaten enough for three men.
"
Bhima turned toward him slowly, deeply offended.
"I am a large man."
Resting one shoulder against the carved pillar behind him, Arjuna lifted his goblet lazily.
"You are becoming a larger man."
Yuyutsu nearly laughed into his drink beside him.
Across the room, Dushala failed entirely at hiding her own laughter.
The sound escaped softly before she covered her mouth out of habit, lowering her face immediately afterward.
Dyumsena noticed at once.
The sight softened something across his expression almost unconsciously.
Devasena caught it immediately.
Leaning closer toward Dushala with widened eyes, she whispered dramatically—
"Bhabhi... my brother has started looking at you like wandering poets describe in songs."
Dyumsena closed his eyes briefly.
Across the chamber Bhima burst into loud laughter while even Arjuna lowered his gaze hiding the beginning of a smile.
Dushala's cheeks warmed instantly.
"Devasena," she murmured helplessly.
"What?" Devasena asked innocently, leaning back against the cushions. "It is true."
Dyumsena finally looked toward his sister with exhausted betrayal written plainly across his face.
"You behaved properly for exactly one evening."
"That is a lie."
"You asked my wife whether she snores."
"That is important information for palace living."
Yuyutsu outright laughed this time, turning away slightly while Bhima slapped the carpet beside him dramatically.
Even the attendants standing near the doorway struggled visibly to remain expressionless.
Dushala meanwhile had lowered her face completely now, shoulders trembling faintly with quiet laughter she could no longer hide.
And somehow—
watching her laugh only softened Dyumsena further instead of embarrassing him.
Devasena noticed that too.
Of course she did.
"Oh no," she sighed dramatically. "He likes her already."
Across from her, Dyumsena looked genuinely tired now.
"I married her."
"That did not answer my statement."
Bhima immediately pointed toward Devasena.
"She is dangerous."
Beside Devasena, Dushala finally looked up again, smiling softly now instead of hiding it.
"She is observant."
The chamber quieted just enough for everyone to notice.
Devasena blinked once in surprise before gasping dramatically.
"Bhabhi defended me."
"You were technically correct."
"That is enough. I shall remember this forever."
The room dissolved once more into overlapping laughter.
Outside, cool winds stirred the silk curtains near the balconies while moonlight spilled pale silver across the marble floors. Somewhere beyond the palace walls, the river continued glimmering quietly beneath drifting lamps.
The conversations drifted naturally after that.
One topic melting lazily into another.
Bhima began recounting increasingly dramatic stories about palace cooks fleeing from him in Hastinapur while Yuyutsu corrected details patiently from beside him.
"It was one cook," Bhima argued firmly.
Resting comfortably against the carved pillar nearby, Yuyutsu shook his head into his goblet.
"It was four."
"One was already resigning."
"That still counts."
Across the room, Arjuna had somehow become trapped answering Devasena's endless questions about archery.
Not because he volunteered.
Because she refused to stop asking.
Frowning thoughtfully, Devasena twisted one of her bangles absentmindedly around her wrist.
"But how do people even see targets from that far away?"
Near the balcony, Arjuna lifted his gaze toward her.
"You train your eyes."
"That sounds inconvenient."
A faint smile touched his face briefly.
"You dislike effort greatly for someone who argues constantly."
Immediately Devasena straightened against the cushions looking scandalized.
"I possess natural talent."
Bhima snorted loudly before Arjuna could respond.
"For what?"
"Winning arguments."
That finally earned a proper smile from Arjuna.
Small.
Brief.
Yet enough to completely change his face beneath the moonlight.
Devasena pointed at him immediately.
"There. That expression."
Arjuna lifted a brow faintly. "What expression?
"
"You are one of those quiet people who become dangerous after smiling.
"
Bhima nearly dropped his goblet laughing.
"Finally someone else sees it."
Arjuna looked entirely unsurprised by this betrayal.
"You both speak too much."
"And you speak too little," Bhima replied instantly.
"Together we create balance."
The warmth within the chamber deepened steadily afterward.
Not loud.
Not dramatic.
Just easy.
Comfortable.
Dushala slowly relaxed further into it all, listening more openly now instead of weighing every word carefully as she had earlier during the formal ceremonies.
Every so often Dyumsena leaned slightly toward her during conversations—not possessively, never forcefully—simply making space for her naturally beside him.
The tiny gestures did not go unnoticed by Devasena.
Nor by Yuyutsu, whose quiet smile appeared briefly each time Dushala laughed again.
Eventually the conversation drifted toward Hastinapur itself.
Court politics.
Military training.
Diplomatic meetings.
Bhima complained loudly about all three.
"Half the ministers enjoy hearing themselves speak."
Seated near the balcony rail, Arjuna rotated his goblet slowly between his fingers before replying calmly—
"That is because you interrupt them constantly."
"They speak slowly."
"You threaten them."
"That improves efficiency."
Dushala shook her head softly beneath her laughter.
"Maharaj once banned Bhima from speaking during an entire council gathering."
Bhima looked deeply wronged.
"That happened once."
"It happened twice," Yuyutsu corrected gently.
The room erupted again.
And amidst the laughter, Arjuna leaned back slightly against the balcony pillar, his gaze drifting outward toward the moonlit gardens below.
"Madhav once slept through one of those meetings," he remarked absentmindedly.
The atmosphere shifted softly.
Not suddenly.
Not sharply.
Just quieter around the edges.
Devasena noticed immediately.
Bhima's grin faded into something fonder.
Dushala smiled before she even realized she was doing it.
Even Yuyutsu's expression relaxed subtly at the mention of the name.
Curious now, Devasena studied them carefully.
"You all become different when speaking of Dwarkadhish."
Bhima exhaled quietly through his nose before leaning back against the cushions.
"That is because life becomes strangely dull after he leaves."
Arjuna's fingers turned the silver goblet slowly once before he spoke again.
"Madhav listens properly," he said simply. "Most people do not."
The chamber quieted slightly around that answer.
And near the small temple alcove adjoining the room—
Devasena's sacred flame flickered suddenly.
Once.
Sharp enough for her breath to still.
Her eyes lifted instantly toward the diya glowing quietly within its carved shrine.
The flame bent sideways despite the still air surrounding it.
Then steadied once more.
No one else noticed.
But Devasena did.
Of course she did.
And when the conversation slowly continued around her—
stories of Vaasudev spoken softly beneath warm lamplight and drifting moonlight—
she found herself listening far more carefully than before.