Empire of Righteousness

Chapter 70 : Brothers Reunite

Arjun and Bheem were the most devastated.

Karn and Arjun were sworn enemies. Both vowed to kill each other. One couldn't tolerate the other for one second.

Whereas Bheem didn't waste a single chance to insult him for his caste. In his arrogance, he insulted his Jyest brother numerous times.

Kunti looks at Draupadi pleadingly. Her sons aren't even speaking with her. And Arjun and Bheem are the most devastated with this reveal.

Draupadi cups both their faces, "Arya, be strong. Don't break apart like this."

Arjun and Bheem both leaned into her touch.

"Panchali...I insulted him...so many times.. Panchali...Why would I? How couldn't I know? Panchali....Mata and his feet were the same...why didn't we notice it and fall at his feet?.." Arjun sobs.

"Panchali...our Jyest bhrata...even who's feet is reverend for us...instead of serving him...we only insulted him..." Bheem cries clutching her hand.

Draupadi cried with them. Sakha has followed Karn leaving her with a broken family.

"How could you do that, Mata? Why didn't you say that to us before?" Yudhisthir asks his mother in broken voice.

"Putra, I am sorry. My one mistake...."

"It was a sin! What you did was a sin Mata!" Yudhisthir shouts.

Draupadi flinched at his tone. Yudhisthir has lost his calm and serene self.

"Aryaputra Yudhisthir," Draupadi tries to warn.

"No, Panchali. Let me speak. How could you hide it from us Mata? Even if you couldn't tell us before, why not after Jyest Karn came in front of you? Why after so long?" Yudhisthir screams.

Draupadi looks at the scattered brothers. This is what she feared. This reaction is what she was very afraid of.

"Aryaputra Yudhisthir," Draupadi touches his arms.

Yudhisthir sobbed burying himself in her chest. His palms holding her waist very tightly. Draupadi gritted her teeth to not graon in pain. She let him cry.

"Why...Panchali....So many years...so many damn years Panchali...we were Infront of him...our eldest brother... Panchali he is the most reverend in our life...and we.." Yudhisthir sobs painfully.

"All these years, I wrote his name in my arrows. Panchali, I have sinned," Arjun sobs.

Draupadi became helpless. No matter what she says, they aren't at all calming down.

"Arya Yudhisthir," Draupadi forcefully took his head from her chest.

"Arya, this is a matter of great joy for you all. Your eldest brother has returned to you. Rather than going to him, making amends for your mistakes, crying embracing each other, you all are wasting time on crying in gulit," she wipes Yudhisthir's eyes.

"All of us should go to him now. Arya Yudhisthir you also have an elder brother. You aren't five brothers but six. Rather than enjoying this moment, you all are crying like someone died," Draupadi scolds them.

Pandavas calmed down a bit. Yudhisthir as well.

Draupadi wipes their tears with her achal. Kissing Yudhisthir's forehead for reassurance.

"Let's go to him. Then you can start your crying season part two," Draupadi teases making them smile.

"But where did Jyest Karn go?" Arjun asks.

"I know where he went," Draupadi says.

Meanwhile Karn was at the Ganga shore. His eyes no matter how many times he wipes can't stop those tears. Yudhisthir, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul, Sahadev are his brothers. His family. Arjun, is his reflection. The same Arjun he vowed to kill. He is torn between happiness and pain.