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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Arjuna picked up his clothes and articles from Subhadra's chamber, packing them in the golden chests so that the attendants could carry them to Krishnaa's chamber. Subhadra watched the scene with quite much of a shock as she hadn't seen that coming. She had witnessed the fiasco at the assembly but she didn't expect such a step from her husband on the same day. She didn't pose any question as since the day she had refused to leave for Dvaraka, he had stopped discussing anything regarding Krishnaa with her unless it's really needed.
"Subhadra, if there's anything important, you can send me a message. I also requested Rukmini to stay with you for the time being," he stated before taking her leave and stepped out of the chamber when he found Sauviri standing outside.
"Rajakumari, what are you doing here?" He could barely keep his tone calm. "If you can remember, your husband has been declared guilty for conspiring against Rajakumara Prativindhya. Since you are his wife, you do not have the luxury of meeting the Indraprastha royal family as if nothing had happened. You are not allowed into Subhadra's chamber!"
"You are being cruel, Rajakumara Arjuna!" Sauviri opposed. "I adore Princess Subhadra as much as her sisters-in-law do and you can't stop me from meeting her on the basis of my husband's so-called conspiracy which was but a brainchild of Hardikya!"
"I'm well aware whose conspiracy it was. If your husband was innocent, he wouldn't have agreed to such a conspiracy when Hardikya suggested it but he did, which makes him equally guilty. Subhadra's sisters-in-law are not like you, Rajakumari. Do not compare yourself with them at all. I know that you are the one who had transferred the news regarding mine and Krishnaa's personal life to Satyaki. You also have been insulting Krishnaa as if someone has given you the license to do that! Do not ever try to do that again!"
Sauviri was aghast as she had never heard him talking so harshly and she decided to quietly depart from there without further argument. Arjuna shook his head tiredly and left towards his destination as he didn't want to be late. Dhrishtadyumna was keeping an eye on him to make sure that he was following Drupada's word.
He reached Krishnaa's chamber when his attendants had already placed his belongings inside. The doors were wide open for him and the handmaidens who were standing outside the doors bowed down indicating that he was permitted to go inside. He was having a strange feeling in his heart as he stood there unmoving for a short while. He was going to stay with her in the same chamber after so many years and that itself was enough to overwhelm him but the matter of regret was that they were going to live together only for the sake of his father-in-law. She hadn't invited him wholeheartedly. Their relationship was still fraught with restrain and heartbreak. He didn't know how his stay in her space would be in this tension-filled scenario.
After a few moments of contemplation, he entered her chamber, glancing at every nook and corner with a new vision as he was supposed to live there for the days to come. As he was observing everything, his eyes finally came to an abrupt halt when they rested on her figure who was staring at the chests that he had sent with an unfathomable expression. He breathed deeply to relax his nerves and coughed lightly to let her aware of his presence.
She looked up at him abruptly and the enormity of the arrangement dawned on her mind at that one moment. She was not prepared. Not prepared for this. But she couldn't go back on her decision. Neither was she willing to let her apprehensions take over her courage. She could dothis. She could share a chamber with her husband who had risen above all his weaknesses, stepped beyond all the limitations, to choose his loyalty towards her and their son above any other social obligation. She didn't want to appear blank and nervous before him when she was the one who had accepted her father's order, not considering Arjuna's will. He owed it to her father. She never showed any selfishness when her own self was considered but if it's about her son or her father, she had no qualms in demanding something from Arjuna.
She could tolerate if she was hurt or neglected but she couldn't tolerate if her loved ones suffered. She would do anything to ensure their happiness. Holding her emotions in place, she walked towards Arjuna slowly.
"Do you want to arrange your things yourself or shall I direct the maids to do the task?" She asked him casually but he could sense that her casualness was not actually casual but it was forced. He remembered how she had arranged his chamber the day they had entered the palace of Indraprastha because he was not proficient in that task. He was not able to categorize that memory as sweet or bitter because the thought was making him happy but it was no more the reality of his life.
'No, Arjuna, don't go into the past. One cannot live in their past self!' He reminded himself. 'She is right before you in the present too. You have to cherish her in the present. She's the one whom you love, you do not love a memory, you love the person. Forego the past, leave the past memories!'
Krishnaa knew what he was thinking. Her gaze softened a little. It was no wonder to have such memories when they were together in one chamber after what felt like eons. She was no exception to them. The memories did not torment her any less. But it was no use in dwelling upon them. She wanted to focus on the present situation and on the future that they could build if they could make it there. Just like the way they had made efforts to form their bond as the third Pandava prince and the Panchala princess years ago, they need to go through process, that initial phase of marriage once again, this time as the Queen of Indraprastha and the Prince of Indraprastha who is married to the Princess of Dvaraka. It made a lot of difference and they need to fit that difference in, and achieve the ease and comfort of a married couple again. It was a difficult aspiration but their love for each other and for their families should be enough to reach the goal.
"I'll arrange if you tell me where I can," he responded. She nodded her head and guided him while he emptied the chests by keeping everything in the chamber in their respective places. When he was almost done with his work, there was a knock on the door. It was Vaishakhi who came inside as the doors were still open.
"Rajakumara Arjuna, Arya Satyaki sent a guard from the guest palace to fetch you!" The handmaiden said.
Arjuna frowned. "How did he get to know that I'm here?"
"Some tussle happened between him and Yuvaraja Dhrishtadyumna!"
"What?" Krishnaa exclaimed.
"They were arguing about something. Dvarakadhisha has been trying hard to stop them but it is of no avail," Vaishakhi explained.
Arjuna and Krishnaa looked at each other with petrified faces before rushing out of the chamber towards the guest palace. By the time they reached there, they were witness to the sight of Satyaki and Dhrishtadyumna at loggerheads with Krishna standing between them. There were also Kritavarma, Sauviri, Shikhandi and Dhrishtadyumna's wife present there, and the air was charged with hostility.
