A Bride To The Five

Chapter 12

The sun rose and set a few times, like the flickering flame of the lamp that was struggling to keep itself alight.

The days passed in an haze, almost like they never existed. An eternity of darkness, and no light in sight.  Mata Kunti had left, to get Pitahmah Bhism leaving Panchaali alone in this huge palace.

There were guards, servants and maids, all luxuries and comforts.  Anything she desired would be hers,  an explicit order of the pandavas.

Yet, nothing was same. She found herself, sitting on a swinging wondering about her life. The stark mess that it had become, was too much apparent to sign it off as not her fault.

Depression seemed to be knocking on her doors, making her sick to the core. "Yuvrani, you should eat something." The distant feminine sound of her handmaid, was laced in worry.

She felt bad for making them concerned, she wanted to go about her day as if nothing had happened. 

As if nothing was her fault, but insecurities slithered in her mind like a deadly dark snake, that spat the poison of thoughts, which killed her a little everyday.

The ache intensified, but now the tears too had refused to leave the doorway of eyes. Time heals everything they say, it was a sick joke that she now had realised.

Time doesn't heal everything, it just makes you adjust to the pain. The way she had accepted it.

The heart crushing pain. . .

"Yuvrani." Dhara called once again, her heart breaking for the new bride. Where there should have been showered with joys and celebrations,  all this palace had gifted her was darkness.

It was like a funeral rite that was about to be performed. No one, not one women of Kuruvansh had yet come to acquaint themselves with the new bride.

"Leave me alone Dhara. I shall eat. Please." Her words were hollow,  Dhara sighed defeated, weight of the new princess' words settling heavily on her shoulders.

She couldn't do anything to help her, and felt really bad about it. She wondered, what the poor girl had done to deserve this treatment.

As she walked out, deep in the thoughts, her heart froze, as her eyes fell on the sight before her.

The heavy tinklet of anklets was like an ominous calling, darkness seemed to have settled heavily on the palace.

Decked in the heaviest of jewelleries, and the most precious stones necklaces,  the finest of deep blue lehnga, that hugged her body like a second skin, flaring at the end.

With heavy makeup, and best of hairstyle,  everything made the first wife of Prince Duryodhan shine like a gem. But the malicious murky brown orbs showed the ugliest of her realities.

Head held high, posture straight,  the woman walked with an arrogance that was unlike any other.

Terror masked the features of the servants and guards, they bowed.  Four maids flanking behind her, their eyes lowered heavily, like the weight of dread set on their lashes.

Their bodies taut with tension. Air cackled with a fear so strong, it's non existent pungent odor stiffling breaths of many.