अर्जुनप्रिया - Arjuna's beloved.
They had dreamt of a life with each other, for each other, and in each other, but the said life made them face the reality that they had to stay apart from each other for twelve long years. Those young hearts who cou...
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"I'm indeed honoured to know that, Duta, and I would like to take some time to draft my response to the King of Pandya," Yudhishthira uttered in his characteristic regal tone and continued, "Meanwhile, I request you to enjoy the hospitality of Indraprastha for a few days. We would also like to read what our brother has written to us, and after that, we'll entrust you with our messages back to Manalura."
"Yes, Maharaja, it will be as you say!" The messenger stood up and took out the scrolls from the sack he was carrying and walked towards the couch where the four Pandavas were sitting. "These are the six letters sent by Rajakumara Arjuna, Maharaja!"
Yudhishthira stood up on his feet and secured the scrolls in his hands as the messenger bowed down respectfully. Then the latter was led out of the chamber by the royal attendants.
The eldest Pandava checked the names on the backside of the scrolls, as for whom they were addressed to, and distributed them among his three brothers, mother and wife, keeping the one addressed to him with himself. All except Yudhishthira and Krishnaa opened their scrolls in the meeting chamber itself and began reading through them with smiles.
The king and the queen were too emotional to be able to open their scrolls without privacy. Yudhishthira was still haunted by the memory of that fateful night that caused the exile of his brother. It was a different emotion that only he and Krishnaa felt, to be at the epicentre of this disaster that changed their lives forever. Though they knew it wasn't their fault, that fact did not help them feel any lighter.
Yudhishthira walked towards Krishnaa and she looked up at him, coming out from her chain of thoughts regarding the message sent by the Pandya King. She was not at all expecting a marriage alliance to be the reason behind the arrival of the messenger from the Pandyas' capital city. But she was true to her composure and didn't let her shock show up on her face.
Moreover, though she was shaken by the suddenness of the news, her belief and her trust in her husband was unshakeable. He wouldn't take a wrong decision, she knew, and he wouldn't do something without considering her, ever. She knew her Arjuna, he wouldn't do something in which her honor or her happiness would be affected.
"Read the letter, Maharani, it might clear your mind," Yudhishthira advised, noticing her disturbance. That's when she noted that all except him were busy with reading their own letters.
"It's been five years since you heard from him, Svami," Krishnaa said softly. "You too read the letter and lift the burden off your heart. We will talk about the reply to PandyaRaja later."
They looked into each other's eyes with understanding, fully knowing what was going on in each other's minds, then left the chamber in the directions of their respective chambers.
_____
She had mixed feelings swirling within as she stared at the red-colored scroll that lay on her lap. She had been so joyous when she got to know that he had sent a letter for her, finally. But the news of his another marriage that followed was perplexing. She did not yet know the details of his marriage with Ulupi, so the news of his marriage with Princess Chitrangada was making her feel more left out from his life than before. She didn't have any control on the nervousness that she was feeling.
