Draupadi
"Pardon me, but I still can not fathom the fact my daughter is going to have five husbands" My father declared firmly his usual calm voice held a hint of agitation while my mother nodded her head.
The very next day of my Swayamvar we were brought to the royal palace of Panchala. My father was beyond delighted knowing the mysterious Brahmin was Arjun, his cherished son in law after all.
But his happiness soon was replaced by abashment when the eldest Pandava disclosed their decision.
"Exactly! Who has ever heard of a woman having more than one husband?" Dhrishtasyumna fumed and tried to continue before my father stopped him through his eyes.
"If a man can have multiple wives why can't a woman?" Prince Yudhishthir questioned.
"Yuvraj, will my daughter be able to marry any other men in future just like you and your brothers will be free to wed anyone anytime you want?" My mother questioned back with a dry smile.
They all fell silent and looked visibly uncomfortable. I knew no matter how much they try to prove a man having multiple wives same as me marrying the five brothers, it wasn't in the case.
I would forever be criticised, mocked and laughed at for having five husbands. Every move of mine would be ruthlessly judged. My life would be a tight rope walk no matter how easy they tried to make it sound.
My eyes landed on the curly haired man, sitting there right beside prince Nakul. He appeared lost as if he wasn't part of the conversation at all, as if all these didn't matter to him, as if I didn't matter to him.
"Queen Prishtati I-"
"Matashri, Pitashri" I rose to my feet and walked toward them "I request you to stop this conversation right here. I've accepted whatever the eldest Pandava has ordered"
My father's eyes narrowed "Dear-"
"Please" I whispered while fighting the tears back.
He stared at me for a while before placing an affectionate hand on my head and nodding his head.
Without waisting anymore time I darted out of the room. I walked through the silent hallway while tears blurred my vision.
There was no point in arguing or fighting when the person I'd fight for didn't give a whit and it would just complicate the already complicated matters. At least my Panchal would be secured, my father would have his enemy's best student as his son in law.
Amidst all this chaos and uncertainty I knew I could never forgive him or his silence. Those golden eyes that I expected to love and adore me betrayed me in the worst way possible.
But was my heart ready to follow my mind?
Third Person
"Phalgun, are you going somewhere?" Kunti narrowed her brows as she entered in the chamber alloted for her third son.
"Yes Mata" Arjun answered throwing the sky blue upper garment on his left shoulder.
"Where? And what have you done to your hair?" Kunti went closer and observed her son.
"It just too difficult for me to manage" Arjun ruffled his own hair.
He wore a sky blue upper garment of fine silk and paired it up with a white dhoti. His unique dark complexion shone against those light coloured clothes. His untamed cloudy hair was hanging over his shoulder making her son look like chandra dev himself.
Kunti took some kohl from the corner of her eyes and marked his left cheek "kahi nazar na lag jaye"
Arjun laughed throwing his head back and hugged his mother with one hand "Rest assured mata no one will find your son worth of their nazar, especially at this hour of night"
"You're not going anywhere Phalgun. It's our first night at Panchal, what would King Drupad think if you miss out the very first dinner?"
"He won't mind"Arjun assured and searched for the white robe, the only thing that could kept his curls off of his forehead "I have already asked for his permission. I'm going to the forest"
"No you are not!" Kunti declared sternly and took his hand "Phalgun you're now married, you've a wife. At least think about her"
Arjun remained silent. Yes he had a wife he betrayed with his silence, a wife who probably loathed him, a wife who he hardly had any claim on.
Would she ever understand the kind of heart wrenching pain he was going through? Would he ever be able to explain why he remained silent?
He didn't know. He was never really good at explaining or expressing himself like his brothers.
"I don't want Bahu to feel bad" His mother's voice broke his chain of thoughts as she continued.
"She is a new bride and has every right to expect her husband-" Kunti stopped as her eyes crossed Arjun's amber ones. An awkward silence prevailed over them as she corrected herself "husbands"
Kunti cleared her throat before smiling "Let me manage your hair first, it's giving me anxiety"
Arjun smiled he knew his mother's weird obsession with his hair. She would spend hours on it, he didn't even know what she did with his hair but it felt good.
"Alright, but after that I'm leaving" He made Kunti sit on the lavish couch and sat near her feet.
Kunti started parting his hair, it was so thick curly yet silky that it was really hard for her to get it done. And her son didn't even let anyone else touch it.
"Dasi, call the princess here" Kunti ordered, her eyes fixed on Arjun's curls
Arjun immediately protested "Mata let her rest, she is probably tired" He wasn't ready to face her and what would his brothers think, he didn't want any kind misunderstanding, at least from his side.
The maid had a confused look on her face. She waited for the mother and son to conclude.
"Phalgun, It's high time your wife takes over this difficult task of managing your hair"
"Please Mata" There was a plea in his voice which made Kunti halt in her track. Her hand lose its grip from Arjun's curls instinctively.
"Ekant"
After all the maids left the room. Kunti caressed her son's curls. She was a mother and knew every pore of her sons. Arjun's silence had always been misunderstood by many but not her. She knew what her son was going through.
But she had no other choices. All her sons were attracted to that divine beauty of Panchal princess. Moreover, her third son was the pillar of Pandava strength, without him her husband's dream to see Yudhishthir as a King would never be fulfilled.
If Arjun married Draupadi alone, there was every possibility of him getting settled in Panchal. Why would he even bother going back to Hastinapur where he was not only treated like an intruder but faced multiple murderous conspiracies.
"Putra... " She began but stopped, noticing his even breath.
Her Gudakesh fell asleep. She smiled to herself. Her son needed this sleep after everything he went through, physically and mentally, he needed it.
Arjun is such a mama's boy 🤭❤
I hope you liked this one. Let me know what you think in comment section.
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Ps. I've updated an OS on Brihannala-Sairandhri, you'll find it in my book "Jayagatha" .
Jay shri Krishnarjun
Arjunaradhika