"Get married to Arjun."
Drishti was staring at the floor when Krishna said that and didnt even look up. That was her reaction- nothing. Because there was nothing left to feel now. She could simply accept whatever was happening to her because it was lesser painful than fighting the fate and ending up broken hearted.
"Okay." She whispered. That was it.
Krishna stood up regretfully after a while knowing there was nothing even he could do to protect her from what awaited her. He hated to do that to her. He nodded with a shuddering sigh knowing that the extent to which she was broken was beyond imagination.
He left the room to meet the whole family standing out holding weary looks. Ever since Drishti had come from god knows where, she had locked herself in and hadnt even let anyone talk to her or come in. It worried them extremely.
"What has happened, Govind?" Draupadi asked immediately as she saw Krishna step foot out of Drishti's room while the doors were locked again somehow, "Is she alright?"
"I talked to Drishti about something important," Krishna began looking at everybody, his gaze specially settling at Arjun who was the most worried amongst them, "And I have decided something for her to which she had agreed to."
"What is it Bhratashree?" Subhadra asked as curious as everybody not liking how tensed the whole aura seemed.
"It is my decision as well as my wish for Drishti," Krishna announced, "To get married to Parth."
The silence that prevailed after that was deafening. Everyone stared at one other in confusion while Arjun had completely stopped breathing, "W-What?"
"Will you marry Drishti, Parth?" Krishna asked moving towards him with a hopeful look, "For my sake?"
"Ofcourse, he will Vasudev!" Bheem exclaimed erupting in a cheerful laughter while his other brothers smile some genuinely while some in doubt. Meanwhile the two ladies didnt believe what was actually happening.
"Tell me, Parth, will you?" Krishna attempted once again because afterall men's choice mattered as much as women's.
"Did she agree to it?" Arjun asked again as he believed Drishti could never say yes to marrying him. While it worried him even more now as he couldn't stop thinking what has actually happened that compelled Drishti to take that grave decision.
"She did." Krishna nodded and it was hard to believe for Arjun and many others. It was all just too out of the blue. Arjun slowly turned towards his wives because he obviously would never agree to anything without their permission. But at the moment he just was too, too confused, what was even happening.
"I-If Govind has decided this," Draupadi said with a crack in her voice, "Then it must be for a reason which is good."
"You say, Parth?" Krishna turned to Arjun again placing a hand on his shoulder, while Arjun still couldnt believe anything, "S-Sure."
"Wow! I always knew such a day would come!" Nakul exclaimed extremely delighted on the news accompanied by the cheers of Bheem and Sahadev whereas Yudhistir didnt seem much pleased to the idea of a girl like Drishti being added to their family.
Meanwhile Draupadi and Subhadra were staring at the two men standing together whom they always had their whole faith in now being hurt by them in cruelest way.
"Let's send the news to Hastinapur as well," Krishna smiled looking at all of them, "That Drishti is getting married to Arjun."
****
"Open the door, Drishti!" Draupadi banged at the large wooden door mercilessly but there was not a single sound that came from inside.
"I cant understand what has happened to her," Subhadra spoke furiously, "Why would she agree to marrying Arya?"
The whole day went down and there was not a single time Drishti herself came out or let anyone in. She sat in the same place by the wall, hugging her knees as her eyes concentrated on absolutely nothing. She had long forgotten what was happening, had happened or was going to happen.
The only thing that played in her numb mind was his voice, picture, laugh and just everything related to him. He let her go. He didnt choose her. He didnt really love her more than anything because clearly there was still something that was more valuable to him. And, oh, how it kept on breaking her.
She was amazed by the capacity of pain she could take and still breath. How was she even still alive? Well she technically wasnt. Breathing and being alive are two different things. Yes, the heart organ still worked and yet she felt far from being alive.
She still couldnt believe that now it had all really come to end. It was all finished between him and her. Now it made her wonder that everytime he smiled at her, called her beautiful, held her hand and said he loved her, was that even real? Or had she been dreaming all the time.
It was hard to believe that what she felt so strongly could be a lie too.
****
Two days later when the news reached Hastinapur and all the royal family members who had gathered in the assembly hall to hear curiously what information had come from Indraprastha. Vidhur got up unrolling the scroll to be read as he began.
"I, Vasudev Krishna," Vidhur began and everyone's eyebrows shot up on knowing the letter was from Krishna, "Feel the extremest pleasure and delight to inform King Dhritrashtra and his family that it has been decided with mutual agreement, Drishti will be marrying Pandava Kumar Arjun as soon as possible!-"
"WHAT?!" Duryodhan, Dushasan and Mamashree all stood up abruptly with the most perplexed, shocked and betrayed looks on their faces. "What is this nonsense!"
"The Pandavas have lost their minds!"
"I told you we shouldnt have let her stay with them for this long!"
"Let's go Dushasan, we'll bring her right now-"
"Stop, Duryodhan!" Pitamah stopped the eldest Kaurav who already started leaving the hall along with his brothers with rage filling his viens.
"We cant stay here any longer after hearing such an absurd news, Pitamah," Duryodhan snarled, "They have been torturing Drishti there, we need to get her back to her home!"
"Calm down Duryodhan," Vidhur attempted, "What is the need of this behavior? It is clearly mentioned by Vasudev Krishna that Drishti has agreed for the marriage, you cant do anything about it."
None of them could believe Drishti really agreed to get married and that too to Arjun. Gandhari, who sat beside Kunti and in front of her daughters in law, Bhanumati and Charumati stood up as stunned as everybody but still attempted a smile, "Then one letter should be sent to Indraprastha from Hastinapur to bring Drishti here because she'll be getting married here."
"As you say, Maharani." Vidhur bowed slightly while the hall still remained highly shocked from the latest news.
Duryodhan finally stormed out of the hall, hissing under in his breath, "I need to meet Mitra Karn right now."
****
The door of Drishti's room opened after total three days of being locked ever since her marriage was finalised. It shocked and worried everyone to core as she had been living without food and water all the time locked inside.
But on knowing that they all were going to leave for Hastinapur the next day, she finally decided to leave the room as crying to herself all three days, she had been suffocating with the memories of him being played in front of her again and again.
She needed fresh air. Just as she stepped out of the room, at night hoping nobody would be around or see her, she was met with a voice calling her name from behind, "Wait, Drishti."
Without turning around she stopped and in a few moments the man she would be marrying soon stood in front of her anxiously, "I need to talk-"
"I dont." She started moving further with a monotone expression but he stopped her yet again, "Why did you agree to it, Drishti?"
She knew what he meant by it but had nothing to say to that. Could the answer be, that she was letting her wretched fate play whatever it wanted on her because now she had surrendered. She wont be fighting it anymore. She had no energy to.
She tried to move again but he was quick to interrupt twice, "Dont leave without saying anything, Drishti. I need to know, why would you agree to it? What has happened?"
She remained quiet, not looking at him even once. He could see how dull her eyes and demeanor was now, she looked highly tired, the bags under her eyes indicated whether she was crying whole time or not sleeping at all and he didnt know that both the reasons were true.
"You have feelings for Angraj Karn."
That's when she finally looked up at his even though without any expression but still. He knew. But wasnt affected the least. The name was the only thing that managed to bring out the most of her reaction.
"Say something Drishti, please!" He held her hand abruptly as she wanted to leave very badly and saw how a dangerous glare dawned upon her eyes as she pried her hand out of his grip sharply, "What do you want me to say! Why did I agree to marry you? Its because I am testing how worse my life could get! I want to see what is the lowest of my life and trust me marrying you goes deep under the ground!"
He wasnt angry, not at all. The way she was yelling was making it clear that she was broken beyond repair. Those rageful eyes held something so traumatic which was out of imagination. He just wanted to hear her out.
"And just because I have agreed to marry you," She spoke suddenly her voice quietening down but still holding hate, despair and rage, "Dont think I have feelings for you or something. I have loved only one person in my life and wont be doing it again. You can call this marriage off if you want, you know I have some other man in my heart and you wont be there ever, not even close to it!"
With that she left, he watched her go strom down the hall furiously while he was left standing there with deep gash forming on his heart.
He loved her, very much. And hearing all of that from her was surely heart breaking. He would never have a special place in her life, like she had in his. The only reason he had agreed to put her through this after knowing the truth was because Krishna told him Drishti desperately needed someone to look after her what she had gone through and he trusted Arjun for it the most, who was ready to turn his life in a hell for her.
The next morning all of them had to leave for Hastinapur as on Gandhari's insistence, Drishti's marriage would take place there and she wanted to be the part of it wholly as Drishti was no less than her own daughter to her.
Draupadi who stood beside Subhadra watching Drishti standing aloof from all of them ready to get in her palanquin while holding a dull look, couldnt help but feel pissed. She couldnt understand the whole point of the thing and what irked the two women more that they'll have to share their husband more, even if it was Drishti, whom they had known and loved since beginning.
Drishti got in the palanquin with a sigh with a numb heart. Though there was still the anxiety that filled her as she knew she will meet him there again and didnt know how will she be able to cope with it. All she could do was, avoid him, if possible. But a part of her feared she wont be able to resist breaking down again if she saw him.
The long journey from Indraprastha to Hastinapur completed by the evening when the sun was yet to set as they were able to cover the distance without taking even a small break, as Gandhari had wished all of them to arrive within a day.
Drishti was the first one who knew instantly that they had arrived into Hastinapur as in her time over here she had loved the place so by heart that she couldnt miss any beat of it. It felt like she had come back to her home.
The loud music could be heard which indicated they have entered the castle boundaries and would stop anytime. Her heart leaped as the anxiety of seeing him again clouded her and surged through her whole body, filling the same weird bubbling feeling in her stomach but this time it was different after what has happened.
Her palanquin stopped followed by the others in line, that meant they had arrived and had to get down. How could she face them all? Karn? Duryodhan? The whole family? She didnt say while leaving that she would be returning for her marriage there one day, it felt highly absurd.
Slowly she got down and instantly her eyes landed to the large entrance of the castle, the elders could only be seen and all of them held extremely happy faces, Gandhari's being the brightest. Drishti just felt the sharp urge to run straight to that woman and hug her whole night and cry.
Moving along the people she had arrived there with, Drishti made her way with brimming eyes, the only thing she could think of was that if she hadnt left that day, things wouldnt have been there where they are now. A part of her believed that it could have been better than where she stood today.
Her eyes fell on the two young women, Bhanumati and Charumati holding beautiful greeting smiles, she almost forgot they existed. Their husbands and other Kaurvas couldnt be seen anywhere, there was just Yuyutsu, standing in background holding a small hurtful smile. Even Mamashree wasnt there and she felt somewhat relieved that Karn was not their either.
"Drishti?" Gandhari smiled holding her hand as she already knew Drishti stood in front of her and pulled her in a warm tight hug, "I cant believe you are getting married!"
Drishti didnt let go off the woman she felt herself melting and breaking, all the time there Indraprastha all she craved was someone to be there for her who could atleast give her a hug and if necessary lie, that everything would be fine, but she had nobody despite being surrounded with people.
"Now can I meet my daughter in law?" Kunti chuckled softly after blessing her sons and Drishti didnt like the sound of that but still slowly went forward to bring her in a short hug. Pulling away she placed a small kiss on her forehead whispering the words of blessings to her, while Drishti remained silent staring down at the floor.
The others met everybody, younger women introducing themselves to each other, while Pitamah held two of his great grand sons extremely happily as the whole attention was divided equally between the kids and Drishti.
"Why are you so quiet Drishti? It is so unlikely of you." Kunti asked cupping her cheek sweetly. Drishti didnt know if she had said even a single word in whole day.
"I guess she is just feeling shy." Gandhari laughed softly, Drishti could see how excited she was about her so called marriage. While her eyes constantly kept searching if someone from her friends would come. They didnt, she knew they must have been furious with the news.
All of them made their way inside the castle, Drishti didnt have the energy for anything but she had already grasped Gandhari's hand leading her to her room while she was glad the woman could not see the tears that were threatening to fall down.
"Drishti, where are you taking me?" Gandhari asked with a smile, Drishti didnt say anything until they reached her room which was exactly that same as before, totaly left untouched and suddenly all the moments spent here came flooding back in her memories making her weaker.
"Can I hug you again, please?" Drishti asked as steady as she could, Gandhari chuckled extending her arms forward for her with that loving motherly smile. It didnt take Drishti another moment to break in that comfortable embrace.
Afterall what she had heard was true, a mother's lap was was the most comfortable place for the child.
*Author's Note*
Those who are upset with Drishti marrying Arjun, trust me, in my opnion the story gets really exciting and thrilling from here, you guys will have a lot to say...
Q. Btw what about this chapter? What do you think will happen next?
And dont forget my other book!! Next part is published go check it out!!
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