Another Chance for Lives

Tell Us About Your Love

"Now you tell us Bhanu, how did you guys meet?" Draupadi turn towards the shy couple. 

Bhanu couldn't so Duryodhaan tells the story. 
"We first met when I went to Kashi. It was a year before we came for your swayamvar. I fell in love instantly but that was the only time we met. After that I sent her letters but she didn't reply. Few months letter, a letter came for me to attend her swayamvar, but it wasn't from the Palace or king, it was from Bhanu herself. I waited for her swayamvar and it turns out her father didn't want me to marry Bhanu. So with the help of my friend Karna, I brought her home." 

"That's cute." Durshala smiles at the new side of her brother.
"Bhanu maybe cute, Duryodhaan is just annoying." Aswathama says annoyedly. 

Everyone burst out laughing. 

"I didn't expect to see Duryodhaan like this, all blushing like he's the bride." Draupadi teases Duryodhaan. 
Aswathama expresses his annoyance, "This is nothing dear sister. Our ears are about to come off listening to him talk about Bhanu." 

Bhanu changes the subject to us, she must be feeling embarrassed for my friend.
"Now its your turn."

"They don't have any worth telling." Duryodhaan tries to save us. 
But Durshala and Bhanu keeps pressuring me and Aswathama. I need to tell something, these girls won't let it go. I obviously can't talk about Draupadi so I look at Aswathama once, ask for forgiveness in my mind and use his story. 
"After the swayamvar in Kampilya, Aswathama and I were returning together as Duryodhaan had some work. And there I met a girl. We talked for few days and I was falling for her, but got to know she was engaged to a guy when she was a little girl only. And she was moving to somewhere far where the guy lives with her family. She probably doesn't think much of me, only I was building hopes." 

Duryodhaan looks shock. "Wait, I don't know about this. Why didn't you tell me? We would have done something." 

"It wasn't working out so I didn't bother telling anyone." I say. Aswathama looks like he will punch me anytime now. 

Bhanu looks at me with pity. "That's so sad." 

Draupadi looks at me with a straight face. "Indeed it is. Who in Kampiliya? Tell me, I will ask my father to talk with her family. They surely will follow the King's order."

"That's not needed. I am fine." I tell her.

"No. Tell me her name, whose family, where in Kampiliya, how she looks." She demands, her voice sounds angry. 

I don't know about others but Aswathama must have really sensed the tension. He doesn't help me out anyway. "Tell her Karn, let her help you. You were totally broken, tell her."
"Yes tell us how does she looks?" Durshala ask. I can't answer that, I did saw her with Aswathama but I didn't pay attention to her. "She was good looking..." 

But they want more. "She talks nicely." I add.

Not happy with my answer they turn to Aswathama now. Aswathama starts telling my story, but badly. "Well, I thought me and a girl had special connection, but when I went to her swayamvar she rejected me, her whole family preferred this younger good looking guy. I still can't recover from it but what can I do? I am just a loser." 

Everyone looks shock at the sudden confession. "Don't say that bhratashree." Draupadi says feeling bad for Aswathama.

Duryodhaan is not just surprise, he got pissed. "How come I didn't know any of these? Whose swayamvar? Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was a small swayamvar, not many people knew. I didn't tell you because you were so stressed with Bhanu's swayamvar." Aswathama replies

Draupadi looks confuse. She looks at me with anger and pity for Aswathama.
But she seems to see some loophole in our stories. 

"Bhabhishree, we will leave now. Please take care of Bhanu until the wedding." Duryodhaan request Draupadi as we leave for his chamber.

"I will come soon, make food for me too. I do miss Panchal's food." Aswathama tells Draupadi.
"Make food for me too." I say not very loudly.

"I am not the only person you know from Panchal, ask someone else to make it." She replies looking at my eyes straight. It was hard for me to take my eyes off hers. And her deep angry voice? The most beautiful voice I have ever heard.

To mama sakunee's disappointment Duryodhaan started talking fondly of Draupadi. "Let's hang out more when we can. She will leave after my wedding." I never forget that she will go back to Khandavprasth but every little moment, or a glance of her keeps my heart beating, makes my day better.

Before I drown in that thought, Duryodhaan started grilling us about the stories we said earlier.

ARE YOU GUYS LIKING THE STORY?

I HOPE KARNA AND DRAUPADI's POV IS NOT CONFUSSING OR IS THERE ANYTHING I SHOULD CHANGE?