Soraya-The Changer of Mahabharata

CHAPTER 3

In Dwapar yug,

Soraya woke up when she felt a rough yet warm hand caressed her cheek.

She saw Yudhishthira sitting near the thin mattress on which she was sleeping.

"Soraya, Mata told me to wake you up as the food is ready. You also haven't eaten anything for a long time. Freshen up, then come out to eat, hmm?" He said lovingly to her.

" Okay, Bhaiya." She said gently.

" Bhaiya?" Questioned a confused Yudhishthira.

" Where I live, younger call the males who they respect and love  as older brothers, Bhaiya. Can I call you Bhaiya? It is okay if you don't want me to call you Bhaiya. How can I be so stup-" She was cut of by Yudhishthira.

" It is okay, Anuja. You can call all of us Bhaiya. Calm down. I am not angry. Okay. Freshen up and come out . Okay?" Yudhishthira said gently and went out.

" Okay." Saying this she stood and go to the place where a bowl was put and washed her face and went out.

She realised she had been asleep for a whole day as it was really bright outside.

She saw the Pandavas and Mata Kunti sitting on the ground and they had a huge amount of fruits in front of them.

She went near them and sat between Bheem and Nakul.

She looked around trying to find a way to ask Mata Kunti the question which was in her head.

" Putri, you can ask anything you want ask. You are my daughter." Mata Kunti said lovingly noticing her nervousness.

" Mata Kunti, can I call you Mumma? I used to call my Mata, Mumma."Soraya asked timidly.

" Of course, you can. You don't have to ask." Kunti said, overwhelmed with the motherly love in her heart.

"Mata, can we talk later? Right now I'm hungry. All this working has made me so hungry, I could eat 10 mountain full of fruits." Said Bheem impatiently.

"Bheem. Here eat this. You all also start eating." Said Kunti while giving all the fruits to Soraya and the Pandavas and then lastly herself.

Kunti looked at her sons and her only daughter who were laughing and eating, while talking with each other.

Her eyes then travelled to the bruises on her children's body. Her eyes became moist thing the princes who ate Chhapan Bhog are eating fruits and are in pain.

Soraya realised what her Mumma must be thinking.

"Mumma,please don't cry. Think. If you had not come here then you would not be get such a beautiful,intelligent,kind,innocent and lovely daughter. Now , could you?" Soraya said with her chest puffed out and then dramatically flipped her hair back, making Kunti and the Pandavas laugh.

"Why are you laughing? Mumma, say something to these monkeys." Whined the only daughter of Kunti.

"Me and monkey? I don't know about these 4 but I certainly am not a monkey. Have seen my beautiful, extraordinarily handsome face!" Nakul exclaimed, acting offended.

"Stop now. Don't tease my daughter." Kunti said while trying to oppress her laughter.

"You daughter? Then what are we? Look Jyeshta, Mata has forgotten us after getting a daughter." Arjun said while whipping his imaginary tears.

"What can we do Bhrata Arjun? Betrayal at its peak, Bhrata, betrayal at its peak." Said Sahadev while dramatically patting Arjun's arm.

Yudhishthira, Soraya and Kunti were just looking at the five amusingly. And then burst out laughing with the other 4.

Soraya stopped laughing and smiled fondly looking at the 6 laughing figures.

'May they all remain happy.'

Her smiling fondly was noticed by Arjun.

He felt as if she was hiding something.

But chose to ignore it.

Time skip to night,

Soraya was sitting near the river and was playing in water.

When she heard footsteps and turned around and saw Yudhishthira standing.

He just walked towards her and sat down beside her.

"Bhaiya?" Soraya said.

"Hmm?" Asked Yudhishthira.

"Do you trust me?" She questioned.

"Yes, I do trust you. But why are you asking this?" Asked a confused Yudhishthira.

"Will you promise me something?" She said, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"I will, as long as it is according to dharma." Answered Dharmaraj.

"Then promise me, you will not touch dice in your whole life and will not play the game of dice and the day you break this promise , you will bathe in fire. Promise me." Said Soraya with shiny eyes indicating tears were threatening to fall out of her eyes.

Seeing the seriousness in her voice, he frowned.

But said ,"I , Dharmaraj, am giving you a vow that the day my hands touch dice, I will bathe in fire"

A beautiful smile made its way to her pink lotus like lips.

She hugged him tightly, well as tight as she could .

She was sure Yudhishthira did not even feel a little bit suffocated.

"We should go Mumma and the other Bhaiyas would be waiting for us." Said Soraya in a happy tone.

Yudhishthira was confused about why Soraya asked for such a promise.

But did not ask any questions regarding it after seeing her so happy and assumed there must be a reason.

Thank you for reading.