Natyam | A Mahabharata Fiction

1.

"Halt! Who goes there?" I called out.

The rider immediately brought his horse to a halt and turned back to me. He wore a gilded, golden dhoti . The long cloth that draped his shoulders was rich. It was a deep blue, as beautiful as the night sky, sprinkled with white stones that darted under the blazing sun. He must be royalty. His physique and looks were....well, I had seen those sort of features in aristocratic men before—sharp and accentuated. But there was a different beauty gracing him. He seemed impatient like the waves that couldn't be caught by the shore or the sunlight that you couldn't trap in a container. The man's molten brown eyes glimmered with irritation. That made two of us.

I watched him tug his bow closer to himself.

"I'm in a hurry." He explained roughly.

I raised an eyebrow. So this fellow believed he is the most important man in the whole world.

"And I'm in a hurry to end this conversation. If His Holiness Magnanimous would tell me his name, we could both get on with our lives." I replied, flashing a sardonic smile. And indeed, I was in a hurry. I'd spent the whole day helping the farmers plough the fields. Papa was waiting for me. If I didn't show up in time for his lessons on monarchy, he'd never teach me again.

His eyes flashed at my haughtiness. The haughtiness that my mother had begged me to conceal before strangers.

"Do you not know who I am?" He asked.

Oh my my.

"Do you not know who I am?"

This magical question.....it always managed to plummet the egos of others to ground level.

I savoured the momentary look of surprise on his sculptured visage as he scanned my attire and face. Then, with utmost humility, he asked: "Who are you, devi?"

The smile I gave him was a real one. A princess hosting a refugee.

"I am Rajkumari Mrinali. Daughter of Maharaj Vrikant. And you are?"

The man almost toppled off of his horse. I held down a chuckle. Within a second, he lowered his head briefly and said, "I am Rajkumar Arjun. Son of Maharaj Pandu." Pride coated his voice.

Ah, one of the five prodigal sons. I'd heard of him. Him and his obsession with archery and his ambitions. I even remembered his first fiasco with Karna. When Karna had softly told me the whole story, I had been....mildly annoyed, to say the least. However, I didn't hold it against Arjun, the class divides were distinct and ruthless.

He gave me a sheepish smile that brought out the true beauty of his face. I smiled wider. "Rajkumari," he breathed, "may I be of any service to you?" For princes were supposedly gentleman, in all aspects of life. Especially when it came to women. At least, that's what they liked to think of themselves.

But his voice sounded earnest and I heard myself say, "If it's not too much trouble, could I ride with you? My father is expecting me. If I'm late, he won't spare me."

Prince Arjun chuckled, the sound melodious and clear. He held out a hand. I took it and heaved myself upwards, one leg on each side of the horse.

He stared at me.

"What?" I asked him.

Brown eyes shook out of their daze and the Prince shook his head. "I have to meet your father too. Bhratha Yudhishtir has sent me to speak with him about some urgent matter."