THE DARK FATED KANYA

CHAPTER 10

Yudhisthir and Nakul were sitting on the diwan in Yudhisthir's kaksh. Nakul was quite calm now, while Yudhisthir had a letter in his hand. Arjun entered the kaksh, followed by Bheem and Sahadev. Arjun looked at Nakul and felt a pang in his heart. He shouldn't have sent his younger brother in his place. Yudhisthir noticed Arjun's gaze and nudged Nakul, who came out of his thoughts.

"I have a news for everyone here," Yudhisthir said, getting up from his place. Nakul too got up with him.

"What is it, Jyesht?" asked Bheem.

"Madhav is coming to Hastinapur, along with Bhrata Balram," Yudhisthir replied.

"Is he?" Arjun and Sahadev asked simultaneously, with hope – filled eyes. The other three smiled a bit at their reaction.

"Actually... I had sent him a letter... and... and asked for his presence... Maybe... maybe he'll help Chanda better than us," Yudhisthir said, with a hesitant tone.

"That's great, Jyesht. I guess, only he is the one who can help us here now," Bheem said, relief filling his voice. Though he was more attached to Vrishketu, he still loved cherishing Chandrika as she was the only daughter of the Pandav household. Even he had lost his appetite since that dreadful day, a week ago. Never ever had he seen this fierce daughter of his elder brother so motionless.

"Anyways... who is with Chanda, right now? She left the room alone and... I and Nakul were... not in... not in the state to be with her."

"I met her on the way to the arms room. She starred at me for a moment or so and then just ran away to her room," Arjun replied, with a dejected sigh.

"She is alone?" Yudhisthir asked, panic creeping in his voice. His heart clenched at the very thought.

"I had seen Subhadra going in her room a while ago," Bheem replied, suspicious at the panic in the voice of his elder brother.

"I'll check on her, Jyesht. Don't you worry about her," Arjun said briskly, and turned to leave when he saw Sahadev looking at him.

"What is it, Anuj?" He asked.

"Will you... will you just... just give her that concoction?" Sahadev asked, his voice coming out in a whisper.

All the five brothers had a pained look on their faces. Chandrika had just refused closing her eyes, let alone go to sleep after coming out of coma. She just shivered at the very thought of sleep. However, looking at her fragile mental health, Sahadev and Nakul had reluctantly brewed a sleep concoction, which they had to force – feed her so that she would rest.

"It's still dusk. Why give it to her now?" Arjun asked, worriedly.

"She didn't... didn't take it last night... I couldn't... couldn't make myself to force her... She was pleading terribly..."

Sahadev just closed his eyes, as tears slipped past them. Bheem kept a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll accompany you, Arjun," Yudhisthir said, in gentle yet firm tone. "Bheem, send someone to Panchali to tell her to send a plate of food. It's not good for Chanda to sleep empty stomach."

Bheem nodded and left with Nakul and Sahadev in tow, while Arjun stayed back, looking a bit lost. Yudhisthir placed his hand on Arjun's shoulder, who looked at him with teary eyes.

"Just one day more," Yudhisthir whispered.

"Yes... just one day more," Arjun replied back.

****************************************************************

Chandrika was resting her head in Subhadra's lap after crying her lungs out. She had reached her kaksh and found Subhadra already present there, ordering the daasis to clean the room. As soon as she saw Chandrika entering the kaksh, she asked all of them to leave. They left and Chandrika, unable to control herself any longer, flung her arms around Subhadra and broke down. She kept on blabbering apologies for her insolence towards the entire family. Finally now, she had quietened down and was lying on the bed, with Subhadra caressing her hair gently. Her eyes were drooping, but she refrained from closing them at all.