Natyam | A Mahabharata Fiction

7.

"Good lord. She is bloody staring at him." I blinked.

Darting from one end of the massive and lavish hall, where Draupadi stood, my eyes shifted to the other, where Karna stood among the Kaurava contingent. I can swear that for five whole minutes, her eyes followed him wherever he went—practically drinking in the sight of him. The Queen's face was a mixture of longing and stoicism as she gazed at my friend. Whether anyone noticed is a mystery to this date, but no one said a thing.

I had watched her watch my friend with immense patience. And I only looked away because I found her actions slightly...unnerving. Throughout the night, she would glance his way whenever she possibly could. And while I couldn't possibly put a number on all the times she looked—I caught her looking at Radheya a lot. Even the prospect of her seeing him that way made me shudder.

"If you're worried your beauty has been outmatched by hers, don't worry. Your beauty is graceful and fierce. It's more than enough to blow over all the men of Aryavarta!" Arjun came up behind behind me.

"Are you always such a mischievous flirt?"

"Oh," Arjun stood before me, "I wouldn't know. No one has ever given me a chance to be amusing."

"What a tragedy! They seem to have missed out on your wonderful humour."

Arjun nodded, glee decorating his features as he motioned me to walk. We headed towards the lush garden, ambling among the fresh marigolds, roses and lilies. The perfume of lotuses filled the air. The palace was, indeed, a marvel. And we chatted away amiably, discussing things that I never thought the prince would be interested. Arjun was fascinated by the art of dancing and healing. He loved discussing philosophy with his eldest brother and Kanha, who always challenged his beliefs with that beguiling smile. He brought up the same topics with me as well. He was courteous and patient yet somehow, restless and anxious to know my opinion. His head tilted sideways a little as be thought over my words and spoke with fervent energy after he had finished understanding my views.

Eventually, silence settled upon us. He popped the question as I inhaled the chilly night air.

"I did not get the opportunity to ask earlier: did you miss me too?"

I remember opening my mouth to answer but my foot stumbled at the foot of a bridge (yes, the same one Duryodhan would fall through soon enough.) Before I could fall, however, a slender arm curled around my bare waist, hoisting me up, up and up.

I can still feel the delicious shiver and thrill I felt as his arm tightened around my waist and I looked up to find his face inches away from mine. Our eyes widened and from where my hand rested on his muscular chest, I could feel his heart racing underneath his skin.

What is that phrase modern people use? Caught like a deer in the headlights. Yes, that is exactly how I felt. Except the headlights were replaced by Arjun in my situation. Arjun and the vast entirety of him. That I struggled to move out of his embrace. And apparently (as he would confess a few years later), so did he.

I could feel my heart heating up in my chest and beating wildly. We shared breaths before I recalled his question and answered. "Yes, I missed you too. Terribly. It was unnatural, how much I missed you."

There was no expression on his face, sending me into a frenzy of panic. He gently let me go before clearing his throat.

"Well, I am glad to know that."

A red blush scrambled over my cheeks and I looked away. Never had I felt so....shy. It was a new experience for me. No one said a word as we continued strolling through the garden, moving away from that illusion of a bridge.

When I finally gathered the courage to peer his way again, I found his concentrating on the ground. And I could have sworn a red tinge had bloomed on his sculpted cheeks as well.

*****

I was lost in my own world as Radheya stepped into my line of vision. Once more, he had caught me on my way back to my chambers.

"Honestly, woman, where do you keep slithering off to?" He questioned, agitated.

I grimaced, shaking my head. "Sorry."

Radheya exhaled sharply before asking. "Well, did you notice?"

Oh right! Karna and Draupadi.....

My cheeks flushed of their own volition. "I did, sakha. She looked at you a lot. Too many times for it to be considered polite and proper. It was truly...alarming!"

Karna hissed, the only sign of his inner turmoil.

"Do you think she—she...?" He asked quietly.

I lowered my gaze, silently contemplating. To believe that Draupadi had feelings for Karna... It was too early to tell. And to even plant such a doubt in one's mind would be too scandalous. So I placed a reassuring (as much as I could manage) hand on his forearm and told him, "Let us not dwell too much on this, Radheya. It will only pain you."

He pondered over my words before silently nodding and escorting me back to my rooms.

*****

Do you recall that infamous accusation Duryodhan laid against Draupadi? The one callous remark she apparently made which acted like a minute flame caressing a barn of hay when it came to Suyodhan's anger and frail ego?

WRONG. She had encouraged no such cat-calling or rowdy remarks, neither did she indulge in them herself.

I was sitting with Rajmata Kunti, Maa and a few other royal ladies when we heard the loud splash and a frustrated yell. And there he was, Suyodhan, drenched in the stream; glaring as though he would set the palace ablaze with his eyes only. He had walked on the same bridge I had narrowly missed the night before. But I had had a Pandava—a resident of this illusion-spinning palace—by my side. The eldest son of Dhritrashtra couldn't say the same. Some the girls my age snickered silently. An elderly woman hushed them sharply. Dead silence ensued.

As Karna and Sushasan helped him up, the loud cackle resounded in the palace grounds. The sound was grating and uncouth to the core, no royal lady would laugh that way (not even by accident). Everyone's eyes darted to the source of the laugh. Draupadi's window. An eerie silence settled over the palace as the cackle cut through the shallow, static noises around. Even the ladies that I sat with had muted themselves.

And then came the damning statement—another reason for hate that would lead to the war and Draupadi's humiliation.

"Oh, the blind son of a blind father! He cannot even see where he is going!"

That was a maid's voice. The words had a regional twang to them as they were spoken. But no one cared. Logic had gone out the window as the men practically glared at the netted window with smoldering hatred.

Duryodhan huffed haughtily before turning around and walking away, leaving behind a wet trail. His train of followers went after him.

Looking away from the scene of the mishap, I saw the displeasure on Kunti's face. Her lips were pinched into a straight, strict line and her eyes had hardened. Gracefully, she arose and excused herself. All of us watched her go. There was no doubt she had gone off to admonish her new daughter-in-law. 

*****
Here are the two chapters! And here is the first major development in the story.
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