The palace had never felt small before.

But today, the air inside pressed down on her like a weight, the walls closing in, the corridors buzzing with whispers that she wasn't sure were even real.

Maybe no one was actually talking about it.

Maybe it was just in her head.

Either way, she needed to leave.



Hastinapura was still alive when she stepped outside, its streets moving with an energy that felt almost detached from the world she had just left.

The market was in full swing—merchants calling out prices, the scent of fresh fruit and burning incense mingling in the warm air. The sun was beginning its descent, casting long golden shadows over the stone roads.

It was a world that kept spinning, regardless of what happened inside those palace walls.

And for the first time in days, Rhea felt almost invisible again.

She walked aimlessly, weaving through the streets, letting the noise drown out the mess of thoughts in her head.

Marriage.

Vidura had said it so calmly, as if it were something she should have expected. As if, after everything, she could just be folded neatly into the world of alliances and expectations.

She hated it.

Not the idea itself, but the fact that she had never even considered it before.

She had always thought she was outside of all that. That people wouldn't look at her that way.

And yet...

Here she was.

Thinking about it.

About what it would mean. About how it would change things. About—

"You look like you're plotting murder."

Rhea froze.

Because standing directly in front of her—smirking, arms crossed, entirely too amused—was Dushasana.



Rhea groaned, already regretting coming outside. "Of all people."

Dushasana's smirk widened. "Missed me?"

She rolled her eyes. "Like one misses a thorn in their foot."

"Charming as ever." He fell into step beside her as she continued walking.

She sighed. "What do you want?"

"You're the one wandering around looking like the weight of the world is crushing you. Maybe I'm just curious."

She gave him a look. "You? Curious?"

"Fine. Maybe I'm just bored."

That sounded more like him.



They walked for a while in silence, the crowd shifting around them.

Rhea told herself she wouldn't talk about it.

She told herself she would just let the conversation die.

But of course, Dushasana wasn't the kind of person to let things go.

"So. What happened?"

She sighed. "Nothing important."

He scoffed. "Then why are you out here instead of holed up in the palace?"

She glared.

Dushasana just smirked. "You're avoiding something."

Rhea clenched her jaw. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Which means it's definitely something worth talking about."

She wanted to shove him into a fruit cart.

But instead, she exhaled sharply, staring ahead. "It's just—people talking. Nothing more."

"People talk about a lot of things." He glanced at her. "What's this one about?"

Rhea hesitated.

She knew if she told him, he would never let it go.

But if she didn't, he would keep digging anyway.

Finally, she muttered, "Marriage."

Dushasana actually stopped walking.

"...You?"

She rolled her eyes. "Don't look so shocked."

Dushasana grinned. "I just never thought you'd be the type."

"I'm not. That's the problem."

His grin widened. "So who's the unlucky man?"

"None of your business."

"Which means it's someone I know."

"Dushasana."

"Oh, this is fantastic."



Rhea quickened her pace, trying to lose him in the crowd.

Dushasana, of course, just kept up effortlessly. "So let me guess. You don't want to get married."

"It's not that simple."

"It's exactly that simple."

She stopped, turning to face him. "You think it's simple because you're a prince. Because you know exactly where you stand in the world. Because people expect nothing less from you than to fight for your family."

For a moment, Dushasana didn't respond.

Then, his smirk faded slightly.

"And you think you're different?"

She frowned. "I—"

"You walk around acting like the world doesn't touch you, Rhea. Like you exist outside of it. But guess what? You don't."

She stiffened.

"You're not a shadow. You're not invisible. People notice you. People expect things from you, whether you like it or not."

She opened her mouth, then closed it.

Because... he was right.

She had spent so long surviving, so long staying in the background, that she had convinced herself she was separate from all of this.

But she wasn't.



She exhaled, looking at him. "And what about you?"

Dushasana shrugged. "What about me?"

"You act like you're in control. Like you know exactly who you are and what you're doing. But what happens when you stop being Duryodhana's brother? When you have to stand as just yourself?"

Something flickered in his eyes.

She had never asked him that before.

She wasn't sure anyone ever had.

For a moment, he didn't have an answer.

And then, with a small, almost bitter laugh, he said, "I don't know."

Rhea stared.

She had expected him to argue, to fight back.

She hadn't expected honesty.

And in that moment, she realized—they weren't so different.

She had spent her whole life trying to stay out of things. He had spent his whole life trying to fit into them.

And yet, neither of them truly knew where they belonged.

Dushasana ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "Well. This got deeper than expected."

Rhea smirked. "Scared?"

"Never."

She rolled her eyes.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Dushasana nudged her lightly with his elbow. "For what it's worth... whoever it is, I pity them."

Rhea shoved him.

He laughed.

And just like that, the moment passed.

But Rhea knew something had changed.

She had come here trying to escape.

Instead, she had found an uncomfortable truth.

And maybe, just maybe—Dushasana had too.