Vrishaketu's cries woke Draupadi up. She hurriedly went to his cradle.
"Putra, what happened?" she touches his chest.
Vrishaketu was afraid hearing the jackals and couldn't sleep. Draupadi picks him up.
"So, my brave son is scared. Let's go punish those jackals, okay? My lion son shouldn't be afraid of anything," Draupadi cooes at him.
Vrishaketu snuggles in her chest finding the warmth he desperately needed. His wailing turned into sniffles soon.
Draupadi exited the hut carefully so her husbands don't wake up. She looked back in the hut and Bheem has rolled on her side. Thank God she is up otherwise she would be under his huge body by now.
"So, Putra where are the jackals? See they are afraid now that you have come out," Draupadi talks in her baby voice.
Vrishaketu also looks around scared. What if those jackals come out? What if they attack his mother?
"See, they aren't here," Draupadi walks to beside the fountain which has become her favorite place.
Vrishaketu felt safe in her arms. No one can touch him. His mother will punish anyone who dares to harm him anyway.
"Waaa," he made sounds to make his mother look at him.
"Yes, Rajkumar. What has happened?" Draupadi kisses his small fists.
He giggles throwing his hand and legs up.
"Seems like you are in very playful mood. I am too. Let's play, okay?" Draupadi sits down and lays him on her thigh.
She covers Vrishnaketu's eyes, "Where is my Vrisha?"
Vrishaketu giggles as Draupadi removes her hand from his eyes.
"Here he is. And look how handsome he has become!" Draupadi cooes.
Vrishaketu bursts into giggles. Draupadi tickled his tummy by her nose.
"How energetic my son is! In a few years he will he taller than me. Then you can't lay on my lap anymore," Draupadi says.
Vrishaketu stops and looks at his Mata. Why won't he be able to lay on her lap?
He catches the thing close to him which was a fistful of his Mata's hair. He was hungry and began to chew on it.
"Ewww....don't eat my hair, Vrisha," Draupadi removes her hair from his mouth.
Vrishaketu couldn't speak. So he touched her chest and looked at her.
"You are hungry, Putra," Draupadi says.
Under the moonlight, Draupadi fed him as she sat down under the tree. Her minds going back to the times when her sons took birth. She herself didn't know much about pregnancy and children when Prativindhya was born. She was so nervous. Yudhisthir guided her lovingly. He was experienced because he took care of his brothers. He helped him take care of Prativindhya.
"Panchali," Sahadev calls from behind.
Draupadi immediately became self conscious. She wrapped the odhni around her chest. Fortunately Sahadev sat on the other side of the tree in her relief. He didn't even try to come near her.
Sahadev smiles. Her modesty is one of her best qualities that made him love her more everyday.
"I am sorry, Arya. Did I disturb your sleep?" Draupadi asks.
"I couldn't sleep. I was about to consol Vrishaketu when you took him out," Sahadev answers.
He didn't lie. He was following Draupadi. She was coaxing Vrishaketu so lovingly. Then she played with him. How mesmorizing the sight was! Maybe that's why children are the most befitting on their mothers lap. Sahadev wasn't around her when she gave birth. But he can tell his sons has received their mother's love immensely.
"Arya, I had a question for you," Draupadi says.
Sahadev immediately became alarmed.
"Ask me, priye," he says.
"Is it right to leave a child in fear of reputation? An infant?" Draupadi voice shook.
Sahadev always said he can't answer directly about the future. But if anyone asks the right question, he can answer.
"No, Panchali. It is Adharm," Sahadev answers.
"So, if someone wants to make up for the mistake and reveal the misdeed now, is it possible to go back as before?" Draupadi asks.
"It depends, Panchali. Some truths change everything. A lot of lives, trusts, relationships. Depends on how your present it. How others take it," Sahadev answers.
Draupadi sighs. All these years she has learned to read Sahadev more than anyone. She is familiar with his uneven breathing when something bad is going to happen, when a problem is about to arise, his eyes shone with desperation. His stiffen body posture. Right now, he is scared. Scared of the truth. How is everyone going to react to it and everything.
"It's late and Vrishaketu has slept. Let's go, Panchali," Sahadev stood up.
"Arya, will you accept it?" Draupadi asks.
Sahadev gently brushes his fingers on her cheeks, "I accepted it long ago, priye."
Karn watches in surprise. The huge training ground and Satanika is standing in the middle blindfolded. What is it going to do Karn thoughts. He isn't moving. It felt like he isn't even breathing. He stood there silently.
"Don't go in Tatshree," Shrutakarma whispers and holds his hand.
"What's he doing?" Karn whispers back.
"Bhrata is training. You will see soon," Shrutakarma goes and pulls down the rod.
From every direction thousands of arrows were launched by the automatic machine towards Satanika in tremendous speed. Karn gasps in surprise.
Satanika cuts down every arrow in inhuman speed. His hands were too fast for ordinary people to see. His eyes were blindfolded. He was following only the sound of the arrows cutting the air and his instincts.
Shrutkarma picks up his bow and takes six arrows all together. Karn watches in surprise. Even as a Maharathi he can do only three together. What is Shrutkarma doing? In his utter surprise, Shrutakarma launched his arrows towards Satanika.
All of his arrows hit their targeted mark.
"Karma, you cheated," Satanika yells.
Satanika wasn't ready for Shrutakarma's surprise attack. And definitely wasn't ready for six arrows. But Shrutakarma didn't intend to hit his brother so the arrows only surrounded his body and his sword fall off.
Satanika pulls off his blindfold.
"Bhrata, Maa always taught us unless your opponent has surrendered or dead, the fight isn't over," Shrutakarma smirks.
Satanika rolls his eyes.
"Unbelievable," Karn whispers.
"Pranipath Tatshree," Satanika touches his feets.
"Yasasshi Vaba, Putra. I am truly amazed with both of your skills. Satanika no man in Aryavarta is as great swordmaster as you. Shrutkarma you have overshadowed both your father and me, Putra. This is amazing," Karn enthusiastically hugged them both.
Karn doesn't know why but he feels like he is with his own family. They are his own blood. Maybe his bond with Draupadi is making him feel that. Whatever it is, it isn't a bad feeling at all.
"Tatshree, did you meet maa?" Shrutkarma asks eagerly.
"I did. She asked about you all. She misses you all," Karn says.
"How is maa living in a hut?" Satanika's voice was filled with sadness.
"Your fathers are making her life as much comfortable as they can. You don't have to worry," Karn assures.
"Wish they did it before. None of this would have happened," Satanika spoke.
"Fate is unchangeable, Satanika," Karn sighs.
Everything goes well, but the moment their fathers are mentioned, all the sons twist their face in disappointment, annoyance and anger.
"How are your preparations going?" Karn asks.
"Almost done, Tatshree. Still Mamashree told us to wait a bit more. And Shrutasena also said to delay it a bit. He was looking for the auspicious day for us to start our journey," Shurtkarma answers.
"Well done. Satanika, there's something that you need to know. Your brothers too. Come to my chamber after dinner," Karn says.
After dinner all the five sons and daughter in laws came to Karn's chamber.
"Kalyan ho, Putri," Karn blesses Siyaanshi and Maya as they touched his feet.
"Sit all of you. There's a matter to discuss," Karn says.
Karn asked Prativindhya to sit beside him.
"Putro, before anything I want you all to think calmly," Karn says.
"Whenever you say that, the matter is hardly a good one," Shrutakarma whispers.
Shrutasena only sat there annoyed. He knows very well what Karn is going to talk about.
"Putra Satanika, you have a.... marriage proposal..."
"Which foolish princess send it?" Sutasoma asks laughing.
"You wound me, bhrata," Satanika gasps in surprise placing his hand on his heart pretending to be hurt.
"Which kingdom, Tatshree?" Prativindhya asks not liking Karn's silence.
"From Hastinapur. Duryodhana's daughter Lakshmana's marriage proposal for Satanika," Karn says.
No one spoke for some time.
"I heard wrong, didn't I?" Satanika asks while flicking his ears.
"No," four of them chorused.
"Kakashree Duryodhana's only daughter Lakshmana?" Mata asks surprised as well.
"Wait a minute. Let me measure the audacity of that man first," Satanika growls.
"Sit quietly, Satanika," Prativindhya orders.
"Tatshree, does Maa know?" Sutasoma asks.
"Duryodhana will send the official proposal to her in some days. I am telling you beforehand," Karn says.
"Maa will reject it definitely," Satanika says.
"I don't think so," Karn says.
"What?" Shrutkarma asks in disbelief.
"Draupadi has thought about this very broadly. If Lakshmana marries you, she will be safe and away from society's pointing fingers. She will be safe under your mother's wings," Karn says.
"Maa agreed?" Satanika asked in shock.
"No, she said she wants to know both your and Lakshmana's answers," Karn says.
Everyone sighs in relief.
"This is so messed up, Tatshree. Look at our writsts. Lakshmana tied rakhi to all of us," Satanika shows his wrists.
"She did?" Karn asks surprised.
"Yes, she was here for Jyest and Bhrata Sutasoma's wedding," Shrutakarma answers.
"You realize that after she ties rakhi on you, there's on way this marriage can take place, right?" Karn says
"Exactly. Kakashree Duryodhana doesn't know it. Maybe that's why..." Prativindhya says.
"Yes, now wait for your maa to talk to you. She will handle it," Karn says.
"Oh God! My sister marrying me! Kaliyug is near," Satanika panicked.
"Calm down, bhrata. She knows better to not marry you," Shrutasena says.
Satanika looks at him offended, "Why would you say that? Women die for me. It would be any woman's dream to get married to me."
Karn shook his head. He felt like Nakul himself is sitting in front of him. People with their eyes closed will say he is Nakul's son. From his sitting posture to his walking everything is his father's carbon copy.
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