WEAPON OF GOD :: Mahabharat

CH.19. RIFT

As Shikhandini and Evi dropped Lady Nainavati in her designated room, both were ambushed by Draupadi and her questions.

" I CANNOT BELIEVE you two left me alone and went on a journey!" Draupadi whined making Evi chuckle.

" We were on an assignment Drau, plus the bride isn't supposed to participate in these things. You should try to stay as free and happy as you can. Soon your married life will begin and-" Shikhandini stopped herself. She wasn't going to demotivate Draupadi when she had a promise to keep.

Thankfully, Draupadi was too lost in her world to even listen to Shikhandini. She had started tugging at Evi's arm for some company.

" FINE! I will go with you to the market. You two sisters won't let me rest it seems" Evi huffed making the two sisters look at each other and shrug. " Anyways Shikha, what are you doing later? We can then go together."

" No Evi, I need to go and command my troops. The swayamvar is tomorrow, and we need everything to be perfect"

" I cannot believe Draupadi is being let to be this free to be honest. As far as I remember, pre wedding rituals take up the whole day before the wedding right?" Evi asked.

" Well tomorrow is just the competition. Pre-wedding rituals will start AFTER the competition. After the swayamvar, almost 5 days will be required before Draupadi can go to her in laws" Shikhandini replied.

" Ahhhh okok" Evi replied. " Well then, Draupadi and I will leave in two hours?" Evi looked at Draupadi.

" YES! I will go and start preparing then" Draupadi scurried away.

" Preparing?" Evi looked at Shikhandini who also shook her head.

" She's so unpredictable. I feel so bad for her" Shikhandini's face dropped.

" huh?" Evi looked at her quizzically.

" She's just two years old Evi... I cannot let her go and destroy her life like this. There's so many things for her to do. To roam around in forest, to play with animals, to watch waterfalls, to sing songs." tears welled up in her eyes. " She hasn't even started living her own life... and so soon she is just supposed to let it be owned by her husband. She.. and Dristhdyumn... both were born because of my incompetence. Both of them are suffering because of me" 

" But you're the one who promised the Pandavas-"

" Yes I know. Because I need to fulfill my destiny. You don't know how angry father was from me. He had to do that yagna... because I was incapable of fulfilling my purpose. I failed to avenge myself even in this life. I cannot compete with those Kuru royals. They are too strong. If I couldn't even shake Prince Arjun when the Pandavas attacked a few years ago, how am I supposed to compete against Devavrat?"

" Devavr- Bhishma? THAT'S the person you're worried about?" Evi exclaimed.

" You don't know about my past?" Shikhandini asked Evi.

" No no... I know. But... beating Bhishma in battle should be your last priority" 

" WHAT? What are you saying? That's literally the reason of my being. To destroy Gangaputra Bhishma. To make his life miserable, to make him beg for death" Shikhandini's eyes reddened in anger.

" Yes. Yes... I know. But Bhishma is not the kind of person who would beg for death in a battle-"

" THAT'S WHY I HAVE TO BECOME STRONGER-" Shikhandini interjected but suddenly found Evi grabbing her by her shoulders and shaking her.

" SHUT UP AND LISTEN TO ME!" Evi shouted making Shikhandini back up a bit. The surrounding maids and soldiers stopped too, wondering if they should do something or not. Evi looked around before pulling Shikhandini into a corner.