Both husband and wife embraced each other and not letting go in fear of losing what is present to them. Duryodhana was caressing the hair and back of his sobbing wife while Bhanumati seemed like merging herself with her husband. The couple moment broke when maids came to the room with food for them. The couple then left the embrace and took the thali from them. Bhanumati let the maids go and she began to feed Duryodhana with her own hands and he too did the same. Till now no words were spoken between husband and wife but there seems no need for it. Just their presence to each other was enough to convey the love, longing etc for them. It's not like they don't want to talk but the problem was how to open up the conversation. The couple ate in comfortable silence.

Rest of palace was also in happy atmosphere because of recovery of Duryodhana but the royal members were sceptical about what to think of “guests” who came suddenly. No matter what, all of them were worried and guilty at the beginning when they left Hastinapur but with time it subsided and only a feeling of abandonment was left. Especially the females thought so because one they consider mother, sisters had left them and aftermath of what they did was very devastating. For five long years they saw how their husband was like and how the eldest were. For the first five years it was like fate itself had abandoned them along with them. They could understand their anger, disappointment etc but not their abandonment. How easily they flung their sleeves and left. If mother of Pandavas could support their children after what they did then why can't their own mother support them. They got to know what exactly happened in that sabha it was Pandavas who gambled and lost but everyone still feels like they were victims. They have seen how strongly the mother of Pandavas still supported their children in all these years but they can't say same for their own. These feelings and thought slowly deep rooted in them but they didn't say it because it was only hope and reason for their eldest who was luke parents and guardians to them to live on. They remembered despite being weak and vulnerable how elated he was when he came back after meeting his wife on the battlefield. A new ray of hope shimmer inside of him and through him to rest of his family but back on their mind they knew that the eldest was just continuing on living in hopes of reuniting with ones who left him. Nearly eight years have passed now Hastinapur has changed and progressed in a way that couldn't be imagined. True it was just grandsire who was back bone of it before but now even without him Hastinapur stood proud facing almost entire Aaryavrat and they knew it was because of effort of everyone but none more than king Duryodhana himself. They felt devastated seeing his condition after the fight . There was no prayer in which they didn't wish his well being and mere thought of him dying was unacceptable to them but what was more heart wrenching was the long cherished wish of their Jyeshtha, which is also something they couldn't fulfill. The wives understood the feeling of Kauravas brother when they left the battlefield on order of Jyeshtha because for them it was not less than words of trimurti themselves it was this reason Charumati could let go of behaviour of Dhussan because he was following what his jyeshtha said. If Kauravas were lustful they could have married multiple times but none of them did. They know their husband loved them and them only. Now that they have returned there was anger inside of everyone that no doubt would befall on them but now was not the te as Jyeshtha just has recovered but one thing is really hard to say that whether their relationship would be like before anymore. The relationship which was of respect, trust, love was broken by them is what family of Hastinapur feels. The happy atmosphere in palace was tainted with doubts.

The “guests'' could obviously feel the animosity of their family members and could understand their feelings too and there was no excuse that they could give them would be enough to justify why they left because like them rest were in similar situations but they fled like cowards and left the rest of them to deal with everything. They were escorted to their chambers by maids and were given food in their chambers too but none of the family members came to talk to them. The exceptions were of course the lakshmana, lakshman and Apoorva. The children of Kauravas came to meet their oldest and youngest siblings to spend time with them and to get to know them. Despite Lakshman being there for a few days there was no chance to talk because of circumstances but now it changed.

Bheeshma was in chamber after eating which seems very difficult task for great Gangaputra as entire time he was remembering how gis entire family ate with each other before everything went wrong. He still blame himself for not being able to stop whatever has happened has he been slightly more attentive towards everything then he would have seen the glory of Hastinapur while being present here. Had he let go of notion of Pandavas were good and Kauravas were evil truly from his heart everything would been different. Had he not just abolished the hard work of Duryodhana thinking yudhishthir was one to rule Hastinapur the situation wouldn't have turned out as it did. He was roaming around in his chamber because he couldn't gather the guts to go out and face his family whose expression held grief, anger, betrayal and hurt on their face. Suddenly a knock was heard on his doors and a guard came inside to inform him that mahamantri Vidhur was here to meet him. His face lit up with this news and he told the guard to send Vidhur in.

Ghandhari was also in her chamber and in front of her was her husband. She has not seen her husband till now but can say he was lean as he is now. The sense of guilt, shame and self deprecation dug deeper as she understood now how her decision has affected others. The reunion of this age old husband and wife was tear jerking where Ghandhari was about to fall on the feet of her husband who stopped her and embraced her instead. These years made Dhritarashtra realise how important Ghandhari was to him and how horrible his life is without her. Ghandhari has seen the expression of her children and could feel the wall between her and them but atleast her husband accepted her which was slight relief to her. She could see them but couldn't distinguish among them because they didn't speak to her to recognise them from their voice. Their ignorance towards her felt like stab

There was one person more who was apprehensive of meeting his loved one and shockingly it was not among guests but one who stayed in Hastinapur palace and he was none other than Shakuni. No words described the happiness of Shakuni when he got to know his dearest sister was safe but nothing compared to when he saw her himself. He thought nothing could triumph that but low behold when his sister took off her blindfold he almost lost himself in happiness when he saw her eyes even from a distance. He knows he was the reason behind everything, especially behind the grief of his sister, so he just couldn't gather the courage to go and meet her. He the upcoming days would be chaotic in the palace because he wasn't unaware of how his nephews and nieces in law felt for his sister and others.

In chamber of Duryodhana,

There was comfortable silence there, the maids retrieved the platter from the room and again it was just two of them there. Duryodhana was smiling like an idiot,he couldn't believe how he got everything he wished for after waking up. Bhanumati too was happy but shy. Nobody could say that these two were a couple with children of the age of Lakshman and Lakshmana because they were behaving like one who just fell in love.

Duryodhana : You are still as beautiful as I saw you for the first time.

Bhanumati shied.

Duryodhana : Promise me you won't ever leave me priye. I won't be.....

At this time the hands of Bhanumati were on his lips.

Bhanumati : Never Aarya, never say this again. I promise you

And she started crying because the condition of her husband and the words of her brother Karna were still fresh for her. Duryodhana smiled and embraced her wife again.

Duryodhana : Till you are with me priye, i promise these thoughts would never even come to my mind. How and where were you in these years? I know after Digvijaya your news ceased to exist from Aaryavrat. How did you find mata, Dhushala and Pitamah? I saw my children priye, my pari has grown up to be a beautiful maiden and my son seems like a fine warrior, my misfortune I was part of it? My deeds snatched that happiness from me.

Bhanumati : Don't say this Aarya, it's my fault. I shouldn't be so rash and hot headed. Because of my decision our children had to grow up without their father. I am sorry to you and them as well. Please forgive me Aarya.

Duryodhana : Don't say this priye, I am responsible for everything because of my revenge and stubbornness everything is like this. Leave everything we can't change the past. I am glad you all are well.

Bhanumati rested her head on his chest, she began narrating how after five years she was in Kalinga then joined the kalisina as senapati then shifted to Brahamnagri along with them and queen of Brahamnagri Vrushali who became like sister to her. She told him how her children went there beforehand and from Vrushali she got to know the rest were there. She told him everything except Sahdev and Draupadi being there because of the trust Karna showed. She narrated everything and Duryodhana quietly listened. He was very shocked to know Pitamah, Mata and Dhushala went there, no wonder they couldn't find a clue of them. When he got to know that lakhman was a student of Pitamah he was shocked beyond words but was gratified that it happened. He listened to everything told him.

Duryodhana : I am indebted to brahmamgari naresh more than anything, he took care of all of you for all these years.

Bhanumati : Yes, Bharata Karna, bhabhi Vrushali, eklavya, almost everyone accepted is like family. You know Aarya sometimes I feel it would have been a blessing to have eldest siblings like Bharata Karna. You know you and he could become very good friends because you both have very similar thinking but unlike you he isn't hot headed.

She said the last part teasingly. Duryodhana too enjoyed talking freely to his wife, it's something that was so distant that he thought it would be only his dream but here it became reality.

Duryodhana : You may be right Bhanu, in fact since my trip to braham nagri, I have had nothing but respect for him. He is a great warrior, parshuram shisya but he is humble. Only if I had befriended him before. What he has done for my family I would always be in his debt.

Similar conversations were happening with whoever came to talk to the newly arrived.