✧ *✧･ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚 • ✧ *✧

2.Burnt wrists and raised fists

After an overly exhausting and mentally draining day, Karunika was not ready to fight with anyone, but her cousin brothers, Maharaj Dhritarashtr's sons, Suyodhan and Sushansan were aptly trying to get on her nerves.

" Your brothers will touch my feet, and mine will touch yours, but only if bhrata Yudhishthir touches mine. " Suyodhan proclaimed, haughtily. " After all, I am the Yuvraj of Hastinapur," he said, trying to show his superiority.

" How can you be the Yuvraj
Has your Yuvrajabhishek been done yet?" Asked Sahdev, already becoming wary of his 'brothers'.

" I am the Yuvraj. I don't need an abhishek. My father is the king. " Yelled Suyodhan.

" Putra Suyodhan, come over, your mother is calling, " Gandharaj Shakuni said, trying to save his nephew from the oncoming danger , Mahamahim Bheeshm.

Suyodhan stormed off, deciding to find a solution to this later.

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"Jyeshta, bhrata Yudhishthir, why didn't you say anything to Suyodhan. He was being very rude to you both. We will not listen to one mean and foul word about you. " Said Arjun, trying to understand the situation, despite the fierce anger in his mind at Suyodhan's actions.

" When someone is very angry, then there is no point in talking to him. Just like a guava cannot be eaten before it is ripe, similarly, we must wait for our brothers to become comfortable with us, before deciding to teach them anything. Be it me, or Jiji, we both have no greed for the throne. But if dharm dictates me to sit, then I'll follow it diligently. " Said Yudhishthir, trying to pacify his angry brothers.

" Yatharth Yudhishthir. We are new here, it will take them some time to be comfortable with us. Anyways, let's go and meet Pitamah Bheeshm. Mata had said that he was very eager to meet us. " Said Karunika.

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" So children, how can you eat without bending your elbows? " pitamah Bheeshm challenged the children."

Yudhishthir, being the only one to calmly think of the solution raised his hand to feed Suyodhan.

Bheeshm looked proudly at him, satisfied that they will manage on their own now, and left. Little did he know....

That day the 5 brothers were about to sleep empty stomached, if not for them colliding with their sister.
" Arre, I heard that the food here is very nice. Why are you still so sad? She asked them.

" It's because we didn't have any -" Said Bheem.

" Nahi nahi. The food was good." Said Nakul, trying to get Bheem to keep quiet.

"What do you mean ' you didn't have anything. ' What's going on? " She looked as neither of them answered her. Sighing, she said, " I know neither of you will answer. Yudhishthir. Tell me what happened. "

" Jyeshtha, we were asked by pitamah to eat without bending our elbows. The only possible way to do so, was by feeding each other. However, bhrata Suyodhan and the rest of Tajshree's son's did not want to feed us. Hence, all the food was eaten by them, and only Nakul and Sahdev were able to have some, as Arjun was sitting next to them. " He explained, unwillingly.

Her heart shattered. How could a mere child be so cruel. However, her priority was not to teach them morals, but feed her brothers. " All of you try to sleep. I'll see if there is anything in the kitchen, or I'll cook some kheer for you all myself. I'll wake you up when it's ready. " She said, controlling her rage.

" Parihar. " She told the attendants.

Entering the kitchen, she started cooking the kheer. " How can someone be so foolish. No one should be deprived of food. They are children, but this kind of act does not benefit the raajkumar of Hastinapur. I must speak with them post haste." She muttered, and absent mindedly, burnt her wrist at the edge of the kadhai.

" Eesh! I have to be more careful. " She exclaimed painfully.

Once the Kheer was ready, she transferred it to a big bowl, and took it to her brother's room. But on not finding them there, she assumed that they went to mata.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

" Mata, we cannot sleep. " Nakul and Sahdev said, coming to Kunti's room.

" Did Karunika and Yudhishthir sleep before you? Don't worry , I'll scold them both. You come over and sleep by my side " She said, comfortingly.

" Mata, we haven't slept either, " said Bheem, coming in with the other two brothers.

"You also couldn't sleep ? It's alright. All of you come over. But where is Karunika? " Kunti asked worriedly.

" She has gone to bring food for bhrata Bheem mata. " Arjun said.

" Why? Did you not eat your food today? " Kunti asked

As Bheem was about to tell Kunti about the situation in the food hall that day with the Kaurav brothers, Yudhishthir indicated to him to not say anything, as it would hurt their mother's feelings.

" Nahi mata. The people in the bhawan do not know yet that bhrata Bheem eats like 2 elephants combined, even though it shouldn't be hard, I mean, he looks like 2 elephants anyways. But that's all. They didn't serve him enough, so she went to get food for him, and then we also asked for some, to enjoy. " Sahdev said.

" Sahdev! Come here, I'll tell you what the weight of two elephants is. I'll sit on you" Bheem said, menacingly.

" Arre bhrata Bheem, Sahdev is right. If you don't believe us, then ask bhrata Yudhishthir, he doesn't lie. " said Arjun.

" I have told you all many times not to pull Yudhishthir into your fights. When will you learn. " Said Karunika, with fruits and kheer in her hands. Her burnt wrist was hidden by her odhani . I have already told them to make extra food for you from tomorrow onwards Bheem.

" Arre putri. Why did you trouble yourself. I would have helped you. " Kunti said.

" Nahi mata. I love cooking for my brothers. " She said, wincing slightly as she kept the bowl down. Unknown to her, Yudhishthir and Sahdev had seen her wince, and decided to enquire about it later.

" Come we'll all eat. Said Bheem. And they enjoyed the kheer, thanking the gods for their family.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

" Jyeshta, tell us the truth, how did you burn yourself, and where." Sahdev asked.

" Who told you I burnt myself? "she said, touching her cloth covered wrist.

" Sahdev, go get burn medicine. She has burnt her wrist. " Yudhishthir said, eyeing her wrist.

" How did you know I burnt my
wrist? " she asked, shocked .

" I doubted it. Your saying how I knew only confirmed it. Sahdev knew it was a burn because you had come from the kitchens, when we saw you
wince. "  Yudhishthir told her. " How did you hurt yourself? It must be paining. Why didn't you tell us? We would have asked for medicine earlier only. " He asked her, part worried and part angry at her hiding the pain.

" You all were finally eating happily. I didn't want to disturb you. " Karunika said.

" Here bhrathashree. The medicine. " Sahdev said. Panting.

" I'll apply it on my own. You should go sleep. " she said.

" Maun. Please let us do it. You look after us so much. This is nothing." Sahdev said, sitting down next to her. He knew, she was the strongest woman he knew other than his two mothers, and he would be her shield whenever needed.

After applying the medicine, they pulled her over to where the brothers and her mother were sleeping, and they all slept, peacefully, trying to make their ways in this world of politics and power.

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And that's chapter 2.
Please share your thoughts, and how I can improve. I hope you are enjoying this.
I'll see you next weekend.
Much love
Radhe radhe ❤