The lightning and thunder showed no signs of ceasing, as if a deluge was imminent. The surroundings were saturated with water, accompanied by the chorus of forest crickets. The presence of wild creatures such as snakes, jackals, and foxes became a regular occurrence. Sleeping on the damp mattress and flooring became increasingly uncomfortable, leaving me feeling lethargic and irritated.
I twisted and turned around on the mattress, unable to sleep. When i saw a shadow crossing by, an overwhelming sense of fear gripped me, and I attempted to awaken Tushti, who was sleeping next to me, only to find her missing. Her blanket remained behind. The surroundings were dim and mysterious, evoking a strange sensation in my stomach, while my eyes struggled to stay open.
Where is tushti-? In this weather.
I stood up from the bed, pondering over what I had just witnessed. The figure I caught a glimpse of was indistinct, but it seemed to be that of a girl in a hurry. I could hear the faint sound of anklets jingling as she moved away from the tent. Taking a deep breath, I snapped out of my daze and realized I needed to follow her. It could have been Tushti, and I was determined to uncover the truth about why she was here.
The ashram was engulfed in darkness, completely abandoned. The lanterns had long been extinguished. The chilly breeze brushed against my face as I wrapped myself in a shawl and made my way towards the lake, where I caught a glimpse of her running. I pursued the faint sound of her anklets.
I observed her arrival at the lake's shore, while I concealed myself behind a nearby tree. The sound of her rapid breaths and tearful sobs reached my ears. The circumstances puzzled me greatly: why was she present at this late hour, in such inclement weather, shedding tears in solitude?
"How could you do this Krishna, i can't stay here any longer, i want to go back home." She cried, i felt a sudden pang in my chest when i heard her crying her heart out. She was really hurt by something huge.
"Enough of nonsense, i wanted to learn from gurudev, but it's getting worse, then i thought it to be." She let out crying, As I rushed towards the shore, I noticed her collapsed and gasping for breath. It was heart-wrenching to witness her in such despair. Startled by the sound of my approaching footsteps, she hastily wiped away her tears and sprinted towards me, a mix of confusion and fear etched onto her face.
"Nihira, what are you doing here-?" She questioned, her voice began to break in between. She tried to stood up on the ground, but eventually falling down again.
"It's okay tushti, I'm not gonna harm you." I said, gently making her sit again on the ground. She was shivering, and her gaze was fixed at mine. As her hands sought for mine, she collapsed into my embrace, gasping for air and weeping uncontrollably. I tenderly placed my hand on her shoulders, attempting to soothe her, yet I struggled to comprehend the true cause of her distress.
"It's okay tushti, sometimes crying heals too." I replied to her sobbing.
"I don't wanna live anymore." She said loudly, gasping and trying to drew breaths heavily.
"Why is that-" i said As I gently held her cheeks, I turned her face towards me. My heart broke into countless fragments as I witnessed her soaked in tears, her face moist and her kajal smudged, with strands of hair escaping her bun and her eyes bloodshot.
"Calm down, tushti. I'm here for you." I said hugging her tightly.
"What is happening, tell me." I said rubbing her back throughly.
Witnessing her vulnerability, tears streaming down her face, her trembling body, and her shattered state of mind, I could no longer bear to see her in such a condition. Initially, I suspected her to be a spy or some sort of agent, but she turned out to be something entirely different- a person yearning for affection and care.
"I hailed from a neighboring village. One day, while returning from my relative's place, I lost my way in the forest as dusk approached. Unable to find an exit, I was in a quandary. Thankfully, a kind-hearted gentleman came to my aid and offered me shelter in his house for the night. Although he lived with his parents, it was revealed that he belonged to a different clan, which led to people in my village doubting my character. Consequently, they insisted that I should leave the village. With nowhere else to turn, Gurudev came to my rescue and promised to provide me with an education. However, my already tumultuous journey faced further obstacles with the arrival of the Kuru princes at the ashram. They took pleasure in mocking and demeaning me." She paused for a moment, struggling to catch her breath.
"Kuru Prince- what are you talking about tushti." I questioned, wipping her tears off.
"Duryodhan and Dussassan, they made fun of me and my characters. They always insulted me, even yesterday they mocked me about being a girl who stayed at someone else's house." She let out.
"Duryodhan spoke to you like this-?" Filled with a whirlwind of confusion and anger, I was left to question how he could do such a thing. Nakul and Sehdev's judgments about Duryodhan proved to be accurate. He truly is Duryodhan, a person not to be trusted, Their words echoed relentlessly in my mind, and I couldn't shake off the guilt of placing my trust in him. However, a sudden realization struck me as I recalled Tushti. How did she come to possess knowledge about my birth?
"Tushti, can i ask you a question-?" I softly murmured, gazing at her with compassionate eyes.
"I know what you are about to ask." She replied.
She knows-
"We both hail from the same village, Bela, a small village near Hastinapur. Your parents had concerns about your future in their care. Being financially constrained, they were unable to shoulder the responsibility of raising you, so they-" before she could finish her sentence, I interrupted her.
"They drowned me in river Saraswati." I said water filling my eyes, as she told me about my birth parents.
"But- you are here now, born and bought up in luxury." She let out with a little smile, her eyes seemd to twinkle.
"Luxury can not provide you with everything, when all your heart crave for is love and care." Upon feeling a tear land on my hand, a wave of abandonment and solitude washed over me. I experienced a sense of uniqueness, but then I encountered Tushti, who had no one but herself. She possessed an incredible strength, surpassing any other girl I had ever encountered. Meeting her brought me immense joy, and a smile naturally formed on my lips when she gazed at me with her heartwarming smile. I embraced her tightly, assuring her that I would be by her side, regardless of the circumstances.
* * *
The following day was characterized by a sequence of various conflicts between the sons of Pandu and the sons of Dhritrashtra. Duryodhan, who appeared to be exerting influence over every other student at the gurukul, showed no signs of stopping. He conversed with Ashwattama about how their teacher, Gurudev, had failed to adequately educate him as a father figure. Furthermore, he expressed his discontent with the fact that Arjun, despite being just a student, was provided with comprehensive training in Dhanur Vidhya and matra uccharan.
Ashwattama who felt equally satisfied with what Duryodhan said, began walking towards Gurudev who sat under the shade of the night banyan tree, Ashwattama with a desire of getting more knowledge than Arjuna, came towards him.
"Pitashree. if you allow, may I sit here with you for a while." Said Ashwattama, anxiously.
"Ofcourse putra, come here." Let out Gurudev.
Ashwattama appeared noticeably more anxious and overwhelmed than usual, surveying his surroundings in search of an outlet for his thoughts. As a caring father, Gurudev had sensed that something has preoccupied his son's mind, prompting him to encourage Ashwattama to voice his concerns with unwavering confidence, free from any reservations.
"Putra Ashwattama, whatsoever is bothering you, speak up." Said gurudev, Gurudev, wearing a slight smile on his face, expressed, Gurudev's affection for his son was unparalleled. He was willing to go to any lengths for him and aspired for his son to become the greatest warrior in all of Aryavarth. Following Ashwattama's mother's departure into penance, Gurudev also assumed the role of a mother, desiring his son to excel in every domain.
"Pitashree, why are you so partial towards Arjun-?" Let out Ashwattama. Upon hearing Ashwattama's words, it seemed as though Gurudev's heart shattered into countless fragments. The shock left him speechless, unable to find the right words to express his thoughts. He was completely taken aback, rendered incapable of uttering even a single word.
"Drauni-how could you even think like that-!!" Let out Gurudev, completely shocked.
"It is true, I've seen you providing all kind of mantras to Arjun, is he more worth than me Pitashree-?" Questioned Ashwattama with a clear display of anger and frustration evident in his voice, while his face turned crimson.
"It's not about worth putra, it's about who is more deserving." Said Gurudev.
"So, that clearly means I'm not deserving-? Even after being your son." Let out Ashwattama.
"I must say Ashwattama, you should start avoiding your company." Shouted Gurudev with anger and frustration in his voice.
"Please don't change the topic pitashree."
"When you'll get better, I will impart all my knowledge to you, Drauni. At present, I am only teaching Arjun mantras," stated Gurudev, as he calmed down and gave Ashwattama a significant smile, sensing that he may have grasped the underlying message. Ashwattama remained composed momentarily, and Gurudev felt content knowing that his son was obedient. However, his satisfaction was short-lived as Ashwattama once again disrupted the peace.
"And how could you even feel I'm partial towards Arjun, putra-? That's an absurd thought. I believe in equality, and than you're my priya son Drauni, i will impart you with all the knowle-"
"Pitashree, give me the knowledge of Bharmaastra, before Arjun."
Hi everyone, so I'm giving face claims of nihira, Devpriya and tushti, feel free to imagine anyone you want. It's fiction, and it's totally upon you to imagine the protagonist. (You can imagine youself as well) And I've seen madirakshi in many many mahabharata fictions so let's just not make it common, c'mon.
Sajana sanghi as Nihira because of her buddly personality and being the yongest.
Devpriya
Tushti
Thankyou so much for reading :)
Q. What do you think about Tushti and her backstory-? And who would you like to see tushti with ???
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