Hello my lovely readers... How are you all???
Lots of love ❤️❤️❤️.

Thank you for your patience and support and sorry for slow updates.
But got job and hectic life schedule.

Please re-read the last chapter and continue with the chapter.
And also, please bear with the slow motion of the story.
*Making puppy eyes*

***
Just friends!!!

I'm going to kill him, thought Shikha with a frown.

He is such a moron. How could he not feel something for her. Did he not feel anything for her other than friendship?! She continued looking at him as if trying to figure out how to beat some sense into his mind.

Gangaputra saw her angry face and felt like laughing. To make her even more furious, he jibed at her; his tone teasing.

Gangaputra- Am I not right saying we are Just friends??? We are friends, no???

She went angrier. Taking a breath she quipped.
Shikha- Yep.

She walked away from him but he tagged behind her. He has not felt like this for ages. Like a teenager. And he is thinking about it over and over again.
Gangaputra asked deliberately.

Gangaputra- why are you looking angry??? Is your head still aching?!

He knew why she was angry. Angry little kitten. Now he has to see if she is going to retaliate(make even/Revenge) or fight right now.

She gave him a fake smile.

Shikha- Nope. I'm not angry at all. And my head is absolutely fine. Now, go and do something what a Mahamahim do.

She left from there thinking how to retaliate with him.

Gangaputra couldn't help himself from grinning like an idiot. She is going to take Revenge, he was sure. But he wants to see how creative she is in taking her Revenge.

Also she sounded just like him when she excused him saying to do what a Mahamahim should do. He has given his mother Satyavati the same statement when she was nagging him to get married.

Talking to himself.
Gangaputra- Now what should I do now???

He grinned again and left to see the decorations. Also thinking about Shikha's new plan.
***

Karna was going to the rehearsal hall when he saw Shikha. He smiled.

Karna- Princess Shikha... What are you doing here??? Let's go... Everyone is waiting for you.

Shikha smiled quizzically at Karna.

Shikha- Go?! But where Radheya???

Karna made a comical face making a pout; seeing which Shikha couldn't help herself from giggling. 

Karna- If I will tell you everything here; and by the time I will explain, it would be evening. Now let's go. I'll explain it when we reached there. Hurry up, please.

Shikha chuckled seeing her Radheya's childish antics.
Karna held Shikha's wrist and drag her like a child.

They reached the rehearsal hall where everyone was rehearsing for today's sangeet ceremony.

Shikha was awed by seeing the princes and princesses rehearsing for their act. Many of them were practicing dance moves, many of them were singing, many playing instruments. 

Shikha- Woah... Today is sangeet ceremony. I almost forgot.

Karna grinned. He jested.

Karna- Luckily, I haven't forgotten about it. Today is sangeet, tomorrow Haldi ceremony and finally, finally, finally the wedding ceremony. It feels like ages.

Shikha laughed on his jest.
Shikha- You are too much, Radheya.

And then a wistful expression came on Shikha's face.

3 days. Only 3 days are left including today.

She would be gone by then. Would she ever be able to see Gangaputra again?! Would he ever took the time and effort to come Panchal and visit her?! Would she be able to live away from him?! Even if everything return back to normal, and Gangaputra still wouldn't feel anything for her, would she be able to face him?! And if Panchali will get married to Arjun and she will meet Gangaputra in the near future, would he be her friend just he is right now with her; and nothing more?

So many questions and no answers at all. What should I do. There is only one option left of revealing her truth and knowing what his decision is. Am I supposed to tell him the truth?! Shikha asked herself in her mind.
Yep but she needs time.

Karna saw Shikha's expression and he knew what is going on her head. Since he already knows that she is Amba and that she has feelings for his Pitamah on both her births, he felt a tug in his heart seeing her angst. He also knew that Pitamah have affection for her and he needs to show his affection to her properly.

That would make everything clear and this whole tangle would unwind. He will fix everything.

Karna spoke in an exuberant tone.

Karna- Princess Shikha, everyone is doing something for my Sangeet ceremony. You should also participate.

Shikha tried to deny.

Shikha- Let these kids perform, Radheya. You know I'm not suitable for it.

Karna jibed playfully.
Karna- You are sounding just like Pitamah when I asked him to do something for my Sangeet ceremony. Come on, Princess Shikha. Everyone is doing something. It's not prohibited here. Rather it's a celebration which is meant for fun.

Shikha- Radheya, you know that I cannot do anything like they all are doing. I know swordfighting, that's it.

Karna- Then think about dancing as Swordfighting. But instead of trying to kill your opponent, just try to engage with your opponent. Let's think the clinking of swords as music and move your body with its rhythm. Just go with the flow, Princess Shikha. Simple. Try it.

Shikha(sarcastically)- Radheya... Do you really think it's a good idea. I'm not a good dancer. And please don't say me to try on singing. I don't want everyone in your Sangeet to fall asleep and never come out of it which literally means death. And also not to play any instruments.

Both laughed on her jibe.

Karna- Okay, do not sing. But please consider on dancing. Please, please, please.

Shikha laughed.

Shikha- Alright, baby boy. I'll do it only because it's your Sangeet. But who should I partner with???

Karna laughed on her endearment of saying him baby boy.

Karna- That you have to choose on your own.

Karna and Shikha both scanned the crowd.

Karna already knew who she should partner with, but pretended that she needs to choose by herself.

They saw Prince Nakul who was still trying to be in peace with Princess Karenumati. Renu behaved like she is angry on him for his pretense on his disguise as a princess on Bachelorette party. She was happy on getting Nakul's undivided attention on her as he was trying to woo her.
Nakul- Renu, just listen to me. How long you are going to be angry with me???

Renu felt like laughing...

but then she made a stern expression.

Renu- I'm not talking to you, Prince Nakul.

She left him. And he was there sulking like an angry boy.

Karna and Shikha both saw this.
Karna- My poor little brother. He is still trying to woo the girl but little does he knows that if he would make her jealous, she would come to him automatically.

Shikha got the idea, all thanks to her Radheya.

Just friends, he said to me. Now Gangaputra, I'm back in action.

It's time to make her rule no. 8- MAKE HIM JEALOUS.

And who could be better than his own grandson? She remembered when Gangaputra got jealous when they heard Shikha's mother saying that Shikha will get married. But Gangaputra never grasped the statement on his rage that these kuru kids(princes) are like her little brothers.

Shikha was only interested in the big kuru prince. This will work, thought Shikha.

Shikha- Prince Nakul... How are you?! We haven't met lately.

Nakul came to her and greeted her.

Nakul- I was otherwise occupied Princess Shikha. How are you???

Shikha- I'm crazy, actually.

Both Karna and Shikha laughed. Nakul looked a little bit confused.
Nakul- Is everything alright???

Shikha- Yep. But this adorable but stubborn boy, my Radheya wants me to perform for his sangeet.

Nakul nodded.
Nakul-That's a good thing. How can I help you on it???

Shikha smiled with a child like devilish grin.

Shikha- You will perform with me.

Nakul exclaimed.
Nakul- What I??? I don't know how to do it.

Shikha- Same here. But on the day of our sword practice, you lost and have to face the penalty now.

Karna said laughingly.

Karna- Princess Shikha... You really want to perform with my kiddo.

Shikha smiled at him.

Shikha- off you go now, Radheya. I will see you in the evening.

Karna left from there with a smile on his face. He exactly know what is she doing. She is trying to make Pitamah jealous by making herself see more with another man.  And what more than his own grandchild. Disaster. Pitamah you are totally gone. Princess Shikha has turned savage. 

Shikha saw Nakul and felt for him.

Shikha- You know what Prince Nakul... Make her jealous. Then she will give you her attention.

Nakul eyes widened and his cheeks hued.

Nakul- Princess Shikha. How do you know about it???

Shikha said mischievously.

Shikha- Come now. Even a blind can see what's going on between you two.

Bemused, one corner of his lips and brow lifted.

Nakul- Just like you and Pitamah.
It was now Shikha's turn to turn pink. Is it that obvious?!

Shikha- How do you know???

Nakul quipped the same statement she said to him.

Nakul- Even a blind can see it, Princess Shikha.

Shikha was not still not that familiar with Nakul and the other members of Kuru family to know how they think about her.

Shikha- You must resent me for it???

Nakul smiled.

Nakul- Absolutely not. It's time that someone should take Pitamah out of his obstinate mind. My Pitamah is the best but he is also stubborn as hell. I'm with you in it. We are going to make them burn. So are we game???

Shikha replied him laughing.
Shikha- Absolutely. Now let's make our strategy.

Shikha and Nakul both were determined to make their stubborn-like-hell partners jealous. Also, they decided what to perform for the ceremony.

While they were going through the corridor when they were making their strategy, they saw Karenumati. Shikha instantly played her part to make her jealous. She entwined her hand with Nakul's and also entwined her fingers snugly on his fingers.
That's all. Renu's eyes widened and her mouth went angry. She stared deadly at their entwined fingers and went furious like a hell. She narrowed her eyes and left them with an accusing glare.
Shikha and Nakul did a hi-fi.

Nakul- Oh god Princess Shikha, we haven't even started and it worked.

Shikha grinned widely. Chuckling, she said.

Shikha- I saw that too, Prince Nakul. It really worked. Now we should get ready for our performance too.

Nakul smiled.
Nakul- Sure. Let's get started.
♥️♥️♥️