DRAUPADI
He kisses me then fixes himself and went out of the room. I try to suppress the smile that's forming on my face. So we do end up together. My yearning for him prove stronger than any obstacle that came in the way. In this happy moment I could not stop myself from crying but it was neither of sadness nor happiness, my tears are of relief. My mind feels relax but my heart is still afraid of what could have had happened. Karna didn't comeback till late night, I wonder if he slept somewhere else. I try to sleep but couldn't. Then I hear slow footsteps approaching. I close my eyes tight and pretend to sleep knowing who's it is. His cold arm wrapped around my body as he lies down behind me. "Sleep my dear." Karna speaks softly. The room is dark with all the candles burned. I can feel his hand near my face and couldn't help myself to kiss it.
"Sleep, we have to wake up early." He says kissing my face. I close my eyes imagining our future, getting lost to it hoping to dream about the same. My worries vanishes when he is next to me, I don't want him to get out of my sight ever.
When I wake up in the morning he was not there next to me. 'Was it a dream? Did he comeback to my chamber yesterday?' It cannot be.
"Maharani, you need to get ready fast." Malini's tells me.
I rushes to the hall and sees everyone there. All my husbands. Karna, Yudhisthir, Bheem, Arjun, Shahdev, Nakul, Krishna, Matashree, Duryodhaan, all the wives. But it doesn't look like a casual gathering. They are all armed except for Yudhisthir. Karna looks at me apologetically. No one said anything for some time, the wives weeps silently.
"Panchali, we had to keep it from you but we knew a war was coming and late night yesterday we got to know Jarasandh along with his army and the kings under him and Keechak with the Virat soldier and some kingdoms who are against us are approaching us. I have to stay back to protect the palace and the kingdom but my brothers have to go." Yudhisthir explains.
Matashree holds me, "Putri, telling you didn't seem right. You were already worried about many things and that led you to have nightmares. We thought to tell you after sometime but who would have thought that they will wage war like this without even giving notice, breaking Kshatriya dhaarma."
Krishna hands me over the pooja thali, "Sakhi, it's your duty to send off your husband." I hold the thali, the vermillion looks devasted in the thali, the same vermillion I applied on my head with hope and happiness. But I am Kshtriya woman, I am the wife of 6 brave maharathi, my feelings shouldn't be their weakness.
I took the thali to Karna first and put the tilak on him. He doesn't look worried for the war but rather disappointed. "We will comeback soon." He says. "You better." I warn him, my voice shakes.
I went to Bheem to do the same but matashree stops me, "Yudhisthir before Bheem, putri."
"But he is not going to the field." I ask.
"He won't be here, bhabhishree He will stay outside the palace, we don't know where they have disposed the army. I wanted to accompany him but they said they will do this themselves." Duryodhaan tells me. "We can't take you to war without Jyesth matashree's permission." Yudhisthir explains.
I gather myself and applied tilak to everyone. As the queen and eldest daughter-in-law I applied the same to Krishna. "I am not going to fight the war. I will just guide, that's my purpose." Krishna says.
"Don't worry, Panchali." Bheem pats my back.
"After this war we will do the Ashwmedha yagna, Panchali. You will be the empress of the entire Aryavart, not just ours. We will put all the kingdoms at your feet. No one will misbehave with you anymore." Arjun says and his word broke me. I just want them safe, I don't want anything else anymore. I just wanted peace.
We walk them to the palace gate, "Go inside now. Don't come out unless it's very necessary." Karna says to me and turns to Duryodhaan, "please take care of everyone in the palace." But before he goes to his chariot he gives me a tight hug.
"Govind, please bring me all my husbands back. I am trusting you." I plead.
The wives weeps louder as soon as they leave our sight but I know no one is as devastated as me. I am sure they all love their husbands a lot but while they pray for one I am praying for 6. If anything happens to any of the 5 pandavs my heart will break. And if anything happens to Karna then I will lose myself.
I stay in my chamber all the time praying, forgetting to sleep or eat most of the time, I don't cry anymore. How can I when I haven't heard anything from them. A week passes by and one army who returned due to severe injury told the staff that many other kingdoms joined the enemy's alliance. Devika, Subhadhra, Karenumati and Vijaya often comes to me and shares their worries but I couldn't tell them how I feel. I love one more than the others doesn't mean I don't care for them. But I couldn't hold back my tears when I saw matashree crying. If I am worried for 6 men, my 6 husbands then she's also worried for her 6 sons. Family members from Hastinapur also came, worried but cannot go to the battlefield. Rishi Vyas has made it clear that they should do this themselves. Like that another week passes by but it felt like years.
I lay down on the floor spreading my hair to dry, the cold marble sooths my tense body. I miss him. I miss them. I close my eyes remembering that evening on the hill with Karna.
"Jiji!" Karenumati comes running.
I sit up, worried with tone of her voice. "Is there any news from the battlefield?" I ask.
She looks at me with pity.
"Tell me." I demand.
"Jiji, the war with enemy is over. We won. But now we are fighting amongst ourself. How can we win that?" Her words confuses me.
"What are you saying. Tell me properly."
"It was difficult but we won the war. Your husband, Yuvraj Bheem killed Jarashandh with difficulty and Keechak too. We didn't tell you but Keechak was misbehaving, sending marriage propasal for you."
I remember Arjun saying no one will misbehave with me anymore before going to the war. "What is the problem then?" I ask.
"Jiji, everyone contributed equally to the war but after the war a fight broke out between Jyesth Karna and bhratashree Arjun."
"What? Why?" why would they fight after winning such important war. We should be celebrating.
"I don't know the details, jiji. Bhratashree Duryodhaan is leaving now."
I get up and run towards the gate, Karenumati runs after me and brings me my odhini. I take it and wrap it fast.
"Where are they?" I ask Duryodhaan who is getting on his chariot.
"They are nearby, bhabhishree. I'll go and stop." He replies.
Matashree cries, "But they won't. I know my sons. They have made the matter bigger by taking it as an insult to their pride."
"A fight between two of the greatest archer is written by the Gods, we tried to avoid it. Let's hope it will just be a test of strength." Rishivar Vyas says.
"I'll come with you." I tell Duryodhaan. I know the fight won't stop at testing strength.
He refuses, "It's no place for a Royal lady, bhabhishree."
"I am coming." I tell him.
"I'll also come." matashree says.
"Matashree, I cannot wait. I have to go fast." I cannot waste anymore time.
Duryodhaan speaks, "Choti maa, I'll take bhabhishree. Dusassan will come with you."
On the way I ask Durodhaan, "Do you have any idea why the fight is about?"
His silence tells me he knows.
"Duryodhaan, if you consider me your bhabhishree, please tell me." I cry.
"It started the night of your wedding with bhratashree Karna. Arjun didn't like that he was staying with you. We called him out to drink and when we were drinking together Bhrata Karna tried to go back to your chamber. Arjun stopped him saying he need not. Things got heated up as Arjun said bhrata Karna is taking you away from him. Arjun challenged him and said the one who lose will back off. But the news of armies approaching came and they stopped."
"Why would they challenge like that?" I ask.
"Bhabhishree, they both have very much pride in their skill. It's 50% you, and 50% to show who is the better archer. Bhrata Karna is defensive when it comes to their skill. He was not allowed to learn archery by guru Dron, he was refused to participate when we were showing off our talent. Even if he know now that he belongs to our clan, his wound just got deeper that he war stripped off all his rights from birth by his family only. So he is determined to show his talent that even if he was raised in poverty, he still have all the talent Arjun has. He got cursed by his guru Parshuram for hiding his identity, but he wasn't hiding. Yes, he lied first but when Parshuram asked him to tell him which king his father is, he couldn't tell because he didn't know. The angry sage cursed him that he will forget his learning when he need it the most."
"What? And he still went for war?" I cry.
"Not only that bhabhishree, he was also cursed by another sage for killing his cow. But he didn't killed the cow on purpose." He tells me.
"Duryodhaan, do something. I need to be there fast." I cried more.
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I will leave the detailing of the war out because Bheem killed these two bastard of a king and others who were killed by the rest was mainly in the Mahabharat war which won't happen anymore.
Btw, the story is coming to an end so please leave your vote and honest feedback.
If you guys like this story should I try another historical story? Any suggestion?