Swayamvadhu : The Bride he Chose

22 : An Eternal Gratitude

The golden sphere sprawled their first radiants across, enhancing the mauve sky...After completing the morning devotion and taking a swift bath in the chilling waters of the river, arjun and karn set out their journey back Hastinapur...on  the way , they saw an envoy from Hastinapur approaching them... Graveness can be precisely visible on his face...upon perceiving him, karn and arjun curbed their horses and asked...

" Is there any crisis ? Let us know what message do you bring from Hastinapur?"
Karn asked eagerly as he noticed the staid face of the envoy...

"Oh the crown prince of Hastinapur and prince Arjun... there's a bad news from his majesty that the palace was  attacked by a troop of intruders yesternight...They captivated king and queen and endeavoured to attack Raj mata, but fortunately she's safe... "
The messenger conveyed the news... both karn and arjun felt the world around them was shuddering...Arjun and karn glanced at each other and tightened their grip on the reins...Their eyes got brimmed with the tears of wrath and helplessness...

Their mother, the pillar of their strength whom they considered as their most treasured bestowal given by the almighty which is more worthy than any of the jewels in this World , had a narrow escape from the hands of death yesternight... Agitation upsurged into their mind and they rode as fast as they could, to the royal palace of Hastinapur...

••••••••••*••••••••••

The setting sun scattered the hues of vermillion over the sky...
Priyamvada made kunti sat on the chaise lounge , giving her a tumbler of medicinal milk prepared by her twin sons...They observed her deteriorated health condition was slowly restoring.. besides,she also got delighted by receiving the news of her son's arrival after sometime...

Draupadi stood beside kunti, helping priyamvada for her necessities..just then , kunti's eyes fell on draupadi's right forearm which unusually got wrapped with the hem of her upper garment...

" What's this putri...seems like you clothe on your robes in a different style today?"
Kunti enquired Casually and instead of answering draupadi just passed a small smile...Just then , they heard the proclamation from outside the palace gates...

" Attention!! Attention!! Attention!!.. His highness , prince Karn and his highness prince Arjun, are arriving..."

A wide smile sprawled on kunti's lips as she heed the proclamation..but her Inner self agitated upon thinking how her sons will react upon hearing the attempt to assassination...she looked at priyamvada in anxiety and she assured kunti by blinking her eyes...

As karn and arjun passed the palace gates, their heart squirmed upon beholding the deserted courtyard of Hastinapur...They unmounted from the horse down heartedly...

Without bothering anything,they hastily paced towards kunti chamber...both karn and arjun felt their heart was beating in the same rythm... Reaching the chamber,they perceived kunti resting in the chamber on her chaise lounge, keeping her eyes closed... Arjun briskly ran towards her and placed his head on the lap of his mother, surprising all...kunti jolted up and glanced down on her lap to see a feeble Arjun and karn, weeping like toddlers on the either sides of her lap...hot water streamed down from their orbs...kunti ruffled their dark curls and smiled...She uplifted their dejected visages...

" Mata ...we failed to protect you mata...we fulfilled the duties as a warrior towards the country but became unsuccessful as a son "
Arjun said , letting his tears touch his cheeks...

" Yes mata... May be we were competent enough to fight in the battlefield..but we became insufficient to protect you...to take care of you.."
Karn too manifested his culpability,but kunti immediately forestalled them from saying further and made them stand on their heels...