Soon their little moment came to an end when a loud voice reverberated, "What is happening here ?"
Aryan and Dusshala's head turned towards the voice, only to find the new bride standing with a frown.
"Panchu, where were you ?" Aryan asked marching towards her as Dusshala's eyes spotted his actions.
"I was in the east wing garden. But tell me what were you doing here ?" She answered and then again asked him her question.
"I came to find you. I was scared you know, if you do something wrong as you are too hurt." Aryan sounded as he was worried about her but only Panchali knew he mocked her.
She rolled her eyes, when Dusshala asked being genuinely concerned about her new sister-in-law. "Bhabishree, aap swast toh haina ?"
(Sister-in-law, are you okay ?)
Panchali passed a disappointed look towards Aryan who was trying to control his laugh, and assured Dusshala, "I am fine Dusshala. And strike that shree. Call me just Bhabi."
Dusshala blinked her eyes twice being utterly confused, "I will call you bhabi ? But wouldn't that be disrespectful ?"
"No dear. It won't be because I told you to do so." Panchali voice came out with affection.
If anyone else was in her position, then they would have been smiling but there she was Panchali Rathore who really, genuinely didn't know how to smile.
That's what Aryan thought when Panchali spoke in 'not in her usual' voice.
Dusshala smiled brightly, "Okay then, Bhabi it is. You know Bhabi, I liked you from the first day I have seen you. You are so good, so caring, so soft -"
"What ! Good ? Caring ? And you were going to call her soft hearted, right ?" Dusshala nodded in confusion at Aryan's question. "No Princess, you are too naive to understand this complicated matter. Panchu is nowhere near soft. Huh ! I am damn sure you won't find anyone cold like this woman."
Dusshala could just blink in utter confusion. Till what she knew, Panchali was the kind hearted woman who showed the true colour of Jayadrath, whom she had to marry.
The only Princess of Hastinapur always thanked the Princess of Panchal who saved her from being imprisoned in the so called marriage with that lusty king of Sindh.
Her marriage with Sindh-raj Jayadrath was arranged by her eldest brother, Duryodhan. Obviously that would benefit Hastinapur kingdom as Sindh was a prosperous kingdom and her marriage with Jayadrath would secure a lifetime trade relation with Sindh.
She couldn't oppose her eldest brother as her family seemed to be more important to her than her life. Because she was not at all interested in marrying that man who was double her age.
But that was a tradition for all the women of that time, wasn't it ? To remain silent and let the the society play whatever they want with a woman's life.
And only because of Panchali, she could live freely in her home. Free from the shackle called marriage with Jayadrath.
Dusshala's reverie broke when Aryan shook her, touching her upper arm.
"Welcome to this world, Princess Dusshala." Aryan joked as Dusshala became red in embarrassment.
Dusshala turned towards Panchali, who was busy in her mobile, "I always used find an opportunity to talk with you, Bhabi. But couldn't get anytime. There was many time when I tried to send letters to Panchali. To you."
Panchali frowned in the seriousness that laced in Dusshala's words.
She then continued, "From the time in Kalinga, I started admiring you, Bhabi and till the end of my life I will remain grateful to you. Because you are the one who showed us the true colour of Sindh-raj and because of you only I am breathing freely as my wedding was called off with that man."
"Thank you so much, Bhabi. I know that a mere thanks couldn't be enough for what you did for me. If I had to marry Sindh-raj then I would have been a living corpse because no one can be happy after being married to that man." Dusshala said while a lone tear fell from her eyes as she took a hole of Panchali's palm.
She just don't want to think about her life with Jayadrath as that will surely give her a shiver in her spine.
She wiped the lone tear and promised, "I promise to dedicate my life to you, Bhabi because-"
"Dusshala, what are-" A shocked Panchali was interrupted by Gandhari-suta.
"No, Bhabi. Please let me say. I am dedicating my life to you because you gave me a new birth. You showed me a new ray of life, you may not know this but when the alliance was fixed, I saw myself going through a eternal darkness."
"Every day, every minute, every second I used to ponder about my life after my so called marriage, thinking that Jayadrath will make my life a living hell. He would torture me every day and then I had to act like I am a happy queen. No, happy ninth wife."
Her eyes were shading tears as she spoke out her heart, "Every time there would be a competition among the queen-consorts of Sindh-raj, they will degrade me for not satisfying their husband. I-" Her voice broke as a lump formed in her throat.
Panchali looked at Aryan who too looked back, both feeling bad for Dusshala.
"Thank you so much, Bhabi. I promise you, I will do everything you say in my life." Dusshala sealed a promise with Panchali, who didn't know what to say. So, she just nodded.
"Okay let's go. Panchu, you are told to take rest. In the evening there will be your post wedding rituals." Aryan reminded Panchali whose mood turned off in a lightning speed.
She marched off the garden and went to the west wing of the palace where her room was allotted.
"It's already lunch time and you haven't yet cleaned up the dishes. Go and clean the dishes, you stupid girl." A young girl in her late teen shouted on the other girl who seemed to be on her early twenties.
The poor girl flinched and the pot which she was cleaning fell from her hands, making it break into pieces. And that made her scare more.
"What the hell ? You broke the pot. Don't you know that Mata bought this yesterday and you broke it today only ! Wait, you girl, let me call Mata. Now she will only give you punishment." The rude girl said in a pure hatred.
"N-no, no please sulekha. Don't call Mata. I am sorry, I didn't break it purposely. I am so sorry." The poor girl begged joining her hands and falling on her knees.
Her plea fell into deaf ears as the rude girl went inside the house, screaming, "Mata, Mata, look what that idiot did."
In the front yard, the poor girl bent down and tried to join the broken pieces of the pot while muttering as the tears fell from her eyes. "N-no, th-this - how it happened ? Mata will again punish me. Oh God, how it- what will I do now."
"Hey Bhagwan, kya kiya tune yeh, Nandini? Tune humare naye matke tor diye ?" A woman in her late forties uttered in shock as her new pot was broke.
(Oh my God, what you did ? You broke my new pot ?)
"Ahhh!" Nandini screamed as the woman caught a hold of her hair, and pulled her up.
"From the first day only I told your father, Sulekha, not to bring this nasty girl in our home. But he was being generous seeing her crying in a forest." The woman uttered in hatred to her daughter, Sulekha while Nandini struggled in the hold.
"Don't know which parents left this illegitimate girl in the middle of night in a forest and we had to take up her responsibility." The woman spatted out the words.
"Mata, please leave me. It's hurting." Nandini begged the woman.
"You are such a fool, ain't you? I am deliberately hurting you, idiot. By punishing you I am trying to rectify my mistake of taking up your responsibility." The woman tightened her hold on Nandini's hair, making her sob more.
"Mata, this girl still haven't cleaned up the dishes. I am starving, when will we have our lunch ?" Sulekha tried to pour some more ghee into fire.
"What ! You haven't cleaned up the dishes ?" The woman asked being shocked but her emotion turned into pure anger.
The step-mother pushed Nandini on the floor, and immediately blood oozed out from her elbow, making her cry hard.
"Wait, let me show you the consequences of not doing the work." The woman said finding something while Nandini looked at the woman in fear.
The step-mother found a hard stick and soon Sulekha enjoyed the scene, where her step-sister was beaten up by her mother.
Soon after Nandini was left alone in the front yard, on the hard floor, crying over her fate.
Is there no end of this misery ? Nandini thought as she got up sobbing and went to clean the dishes as soon as possible.
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Dear Readers,
Guess who showed up after so many days - yes, your lazy author !! *smiling sheepishly*
I am so sorry about this late update but please bear with me dear readers.
Important Announcement : I can't update for two months, I guess. Because my ISC rehearsal test is going to start in January and my 12th boards are going to start in February.
Okay, so please tell me what do you feel like about this chapter ?
What about Dusshala ?
And Nandini ? The new ill-fated character ?
What do you think Nandini's role is going to be in this story ?
The questions are listed above, so give your answers accordingly as you wish.
Oh yes, I forgot to mention, hehe Happy (belated) Christmas and Happy New year (advance).
May this new year is filled with only happiness in all of your lives, dear readers.
Thanking You,
Hiya