WEAPON OF GOD :: Mahabharat

CH.24. KNOT

Shikhandini had already accepted her fate as she sat down at the mandap, with Yudhisthir at her side. The Pandit kept narrating shlokas, but Shikhandini's mind did not comprehend single one of them.

She was shocked herself, by how calm she was. Her head was empty of thoughts, her heart was at a normal rhythm, her breathing regular. " Is this the fruit of my long periods of practice to keep calm during dangerous situations?" Shikhandini chuckled in herself that did not go unnoticed by two men, Yudhisthir and King Drupad.

" Why is she smiling? has she gone crazy?" Yudhisthir thought.

" Why is she smiling? Don't tell me she had been in love with Prince Yudhisthir" Drupad whispered to Krishna, who was also witnessing the ceremony.

" How should I know the matters of heart of your eldest daughter? Shouldn't you as her father know about it better?" Krishna teased Drupad whose head hung in shame. He loved his daughters, but never took time out of his life to know about them. His love wasn't unconditional, but it wasn't fake either. However, his greed and thirst for revenge had pushed away his children from him, and he was himself to be blamed.

His heart sank as the realisation dawned on him, that his daughter was getting married. The daughter he had known for the past 28 years. The one he had brought up, along with his oldest son Satyajit, and cherished his fatherhood.

As the duo stood up for the Saptapadi, Shikhandini froze for a second as she realised every eye was on her. " This is why brides keep their gaze low" She wondered as she felt too light to walk. Without her armour and sword, she felt naked and alone, but soon a nudge came from forwards, as the sacred knot pulled her.

She looked upwards and realised Yudhisthir staring, almost pitying her. And that enraged her. As blood rushed through her again, she took the first step, and then the second, then the third... and soon the seven pheras were complete.

The four Pandavas witnessed the ceremony, expressionless and emotionless. They didn't know what to think or say when they would be introduced to their new Bhabhishree. Commander Shikhandini, against whom they fought a few years ago, the one against whom they raised their voice just a few days ago, how could they ever act normal with her? 

None of them even registered her as a woman, just like Evi. But they couldn't treat her like that, could they? Bheem used to thrash around Evi, the younger three Pandavas jumped onto her as pranks. They would eat and sleep side by side, carry out messy work with one another, but commander Shikhandini was now their sister in law. A position as respectable as an older sister and a mother. How could they suddenly see her like that? 

Little did they know that their Jyesth was going through an even bigger turmoil. He just wedded his Pitamah's sworn enemy. He made her the Kulvadhu of Kuruvansh. This was not something to be overlooked. He could deal with having a loveless marriage, love was never his priority, but to bring a snake into his own family and to wait for it to strike? The thought haunted him.

He walked down the stairs of the mandap and looked back as Shikhandini was going to do the same. " That's my wife now" his inner voice said, as he put his hand forward.

" What?" Shikhandini looked at Yudhishthir. She was never shown chivalry, thus Yudhishthir's hand was making her panic. "Is there a ritual I am forgetting? What am I supposed to do?" she looked around to catch a glance of Nainavati, who had helped her through each of the rasm.

" Take my hand for support, as you come down the stairs" Yudhishthir whispered as he realised that Shikhandini was confused at his gesture.

"ah" Shikhandini discreetly nodded as she held his hand and descended the three small stairs. This made her laugh even more. She was still wearing her regular clothes, a dhoti, an angavastra and an uttariya, so coming down the stairs was the easiest thing for her. " So am I supposed to act weak from now on?" she whispered to herself.