Natyam | A Mahabharata Fiction

10.

Rajkumar Arjun's brown eyes fluttered with irritation. Especially when he saw my palm in Karna's. No one moved a muscle as we all stared at the prince.

"Rajkumari," He seethed. "What is this neech doing in your chambers?"

"Indeed, Mrinali. What is this neech doing in your chambers?" Karna retorted, not even looking at me.

"How dare you, you suta–"

"Enough!" I yelled. Yanking my hand out of Karna's grasp, I stood between the two archers, glaring at them.

Then turning to Arjun, I spoke plainly. "Angaraj Karna is a dear friend of mine. He and I are very close but there is nothing going on between us. I know you despise him and he despises you," I turned to address both of them, "but both of you are wonderful people! Can't either of you see that?"

It was Radheya who replied, cool and curt. "It is too late to make amendments, sakhi." The declaration rang through the room, cool and clear. No one contradicted it.

It is never too late to make amends. If I could have, I would have banged a mace against their heads and yelled at them to let go of their fragile egos. But I couldn't. So I closed my eyes and tried to think. Think, instead of letting my annoyance overwhelm me.

"This man," my betrothed ground out, "is a sutaputra and he shouldn't dare to affiliate with a Kshatriya princ—"

"Silence." I sneered.

Arjun's eyes widened, his mouth sealed shut as I gazed at him. My head was ringing with his words. My betrothed's entire posture was almost limp when I took one step towards him. I was the mistress with a whip. And I intended to lash out any so-called authority and dharma Arjun felt he should uphold for me.

"I am a Kshatriya Rajkumari," said I, in the tone of a goddess—high, mighty and powerful. "I can befriend whoever I wish, go wherever I wish, do whatever I want and get away with it. And no one," I pointed a finger at Arjun, "not even you can hold me back. Do not pump out your need for honour on those who do not want it, Rajkumar. Especially me. I will not tolerate it." I stepped towards him until there was an arm's length of distance between us.

The prince did not look away. He stared right back. Our tempers flaring around the other, enveloping both of us.

I raised my chin high, regal and proud. "Do you understand, Rajkumar Arjun?"

He did not answer. I do not know whether he was too proud to say something or just humiliated.

Behind me, Karna cleared his throat. "Sakhi—"

I raised a hand, still glaring at Arjun.

Then, in the most even yet threatening tone I could manage, I asked again. "Do you understand?"

"Yes." He breathed.

Upon hearing his words, my physique loosened from its tensed framework. I inhaled deeply.

"Rajkumar, Angaraj Karna is a dear friend of mine and there is nothing going on between the two of us. Neither will there ever be. As for your enmity, you can settle it on the battlefield or when I am not around; I do not care which. However, if you think that I will throw away my friendship because you love me and are marrying me, you are mistaken."

Arjun exhaled sharply.

"And if," I shut down any bubbling emotion of reconciliation or softness, "if you cannot stomach my friendship with the man you have sworn to defeat, you shall have to find someone else to marry."

Yes, I said it. I threatened him. Arjun had everything in life. The status, the skill, the looks, he had solid friendships and a wonderful family. He could not have me at his will. Friendships that last a lifetime are more important than love (as Arjun himself would prove repeatedly). And Karna was the sakha who'd last all my seven lives. My sakha. So why should I give up his solid friendship for love?

I watched Arjun's eyes flare up and something akin to minute sadness crept onto his visage.

I did not enjoy his sadness but men, these days, need to be dealt with a strict hand. Otherwise, they think they can get away with anything!

"Is friendship more important than love?" He asked me quietly.

Hai bhagwan! It was a difficult question! A loyal friend or love? I have never understood why it is even a conditional question where you can have one only. The correct answer is both!

"Would you never speak to Kanha if it meant you could marry me?"

Arjun sucked in a breath. He looked...horrified. I remember the way he looked at me, as if I had asked the unthinkable. I recall waiting patiently as his eyes wandered to the floor. As though the ground could give him an answer. But the floor did not inspire a reply. He looked at me again.

"But you like Madhav! I cannot stand this man!" He countered weakly.

"Neither can he stand you! How does it matter if you do not have to entertain him at all times? If you barely have to speak to him?" I exclaimed.

His eyes flashed. "It—!" And the miracle happened. The prince stopped to think. Everyone watched him with quizzical and pleading eyes as Arjun pondered over my question.

If my heart was a paper, then in that moment, it was crumpling around the edges—in anticipation of his response. My heart was still hopeful and yet crumbling.

"It-it does not." Arjun did not even look my way while confessing. He concentrated on the floor. "It doesn't matter."

I sighed out of sheer relief.

"It will not matter, sakhi, as long as you swear not to be a mule bearing information to the other party." Karna piped up.

I raised a brow, whirling around to face him. He met my stare head on.

"I agree, Mrinali. No sensitive information should be leaked." Arjun reinforced.

Well, that was a fair request. It was a request that would only benefit me and make the two warriors resent themselves for asking me to swear such a thing.

I shrugged.

Nihaar came up to, standing abreast and handed over a small dagger. Taking it from his hand, I lifted one open palm and sliced the blade across my palm. It was a light graze. Blood loomed on my palm. It stung.

"I swear to not gossip about either one of you to the other in turn for your cordial behaviour towards each other in my presence." I declared as a drop of blood splattered on the floor before my feet.

My parents rushed ahead to salve the cut.

"Also, if either one of you ever try to insinuate that I am a gossip, I will never forgive you." I hissed.

Nihaar chuckled.

"Oh, no one would ever dare, sakhi!" Karna gasped dramatically.

My family burst into laughter. So did I. Eyeing my betrothed, I watched him observe all of us; I saw him crack a smile. A smile that lit up his whole face.

*****
Well, the problem seems far away now. I assure you, the next chapter is special! What can it possibly be? Let me know!

Love.