Aahana's POV
I felt someone shaking me but I was too weak to respond. I heard maa calling me and I wanted to respond. It was like my whole body was screaming in pain.
"Aahana?" I heard maa and sending a silent prayer, I opened my eyes. It was very dark in here. Maa and Nakul helped me to sit and I took maa's support.
"Thank god you woke up. You've been unconscious for chaar peher putri. We all were so scared." Maa said as my eyes widened. Four peher which means twelve hours. I've been unconscious for this long?
"Jyesht!" I heard Nakul calling yuvraj as he rushed towards me and Nakul took his place in digging the tunnel. I felt myself in familiar arms.
"Aahana, are you okay? God, you scared me." He said cupping my face. Though it was dark, I could feel lines of stress on his forehead.
"I'm fine. Better than before." I said in a low voice. He passed me the pitcher of water and I took just two sips in order to wet my throat. We need to use water efficiently as we don't know for how long we'll be stuck here.
"It's been almost a day we've been digging bhratashree." Sahadev said as he took a seat beside maa. Jyesht was sitting beside Arya.
Arjun, Nakul and Bheem were still digging.
"Did Bheem take a break or not?" I asked to no one in particular.
"He did while you were unconscious. We have to say he's the most efficient one among all of us." Jyesht said making all of us nod.
We again sat in pin drop silence as the only sound that heard was of digging and breathing.
***
I don't know how much time has passed but we were extremely bored. Maa and I were sitting and making conversation now and then. I offered to help but was shut up by seven people.
It was completely dark in the tunnel and I sat there curled up in a ball with my knees close to my chest and my hands around them. I hate enclosed places. They creep me out. The burn on my hand is still burning like hell but I didn't tell this to anyone. I don't want to sound complaining or something. Moreover, they can't really do anything in this situation.
"Do you know since how long we've been stuck here Sahadev?" I asked as he was sitting beside me.
"I am not sure but according to me, it's been one day and three pehers." He said shocking me.
"What? It's been so long." I exclaimed at which he chuckled.
"Yes bhabhi. Also, how is your hand? You burnt yourself while saving me right?" He asked me.
"It's burning badly but can't help until we move out of this hell hole." I said.
"True. This place is no less than a hell hole." he said and both of us sighed.
We made conversations here and there. Arjun also joined us after sometime.
Soon all of us were again surrounded by silence as maa dozed off in my lap. She must be exhausted with everything. My hand was caressing her head. It's weird how a mother - daughter relationship is - so pure and different. Sometimes the daughter acts like a mother while sometimes just the opposite happens.
"Maa's decision of not going back to Hastinapur is so nice. At least we'll be away from those fake people." Sahadev said.
"Absolutely right. All we got there is conspiracy, deceit, insults and what not. I'm glad we don't have to go back there." Arjun added.
"She's right at her place. After Maharaj Pandu and Mata Madri, you are her only hope. She can't bear to loose you too." I said. They both hummed and we were again surrounded by silence.
"Ugghh, I'm hungry." We heard Bheem yell in frustration.
"Bheem, calm down. You go and take a break. Have the fruits that maa brought with her." Arya said and Bheem stomped towards us. I and Sahadev laughed at him while Arjun took his place.
"Careful bhrata Bheem. If you stomp your foot like this, whole tunnel will collapse." Sahadev joked that earned a smack on his head. I chuckled at their behavior.
Bheem gobbled down almost each and every fruit maa brought.
"Bhrata Bheem, leave some for emergency also. After five minutes, you will be the one screeming bhook lagi hai." Nakul said taking a seat and Sahadev saw it as a sign to join his brothers in digging the tunnel.
"Bheem looks like we've reached. The soil here is tiled and seems fresh." I heard Arya and all of us became alert. Maa also woke up because of the commotion.
Bheem quickly removed the soil and was met by a stone. He punched it mercilessly breaking it into pieces. All of us covered our eyes due to the light that pierced our eyes.
I helped maa to get up and soon Arjun and jyesht were by her side to support her. Arya came towards me and helped me stand. It took all my might to stand as I took his support.
"Thanks." I said at which he nodded.
Why are we being awkward all of a sudden?
Soon all of us moved out in an open area and crashed on the ground. I was breathing heavily, taking as much oxygen as possible at a time.
"We should thank lord Narayan that we all are safe and sound." Jyesht said and we all nodded.
"Where are Nakul and Sahadev?" I asked worried. They were not with us.
"We are here." They both came with some leaves in their hands.
"What is all this?" Arya asked them.
"We need to treat bhabhi as soon as possible. Her fever and burns shouldn't be left unattended for this long." Nakul said and they both started working. My heart warmed at their care for me. They did not even take a break and started working for me. I should thank god each and every minute for giving me such lovable family.
After five minutes, Nakul came towards me with something in a curled leaf.
"Bhabhi, take this. This will help your fever. It's bitter but is good for you." He said and I looked at him like a five year old child.
"This smells bad." I pouted at which everyone laughed except Arya. Now what happened to him?
"No behaving like kids and drink this now." Nakul said sternly and I huffed. I pinched my nose and gulped it down in one go.
That was the most terrible thing I've ever tasted in my life.
Soon Sahadev came with some weird paste.
"I'll apply it to your burns. This will give a soothing sensation. Nakul, first wash her hand." Sahadev instructed and Nakul brought water from the nearby river.
After cleaning my wound, we saw the first layer of my skin was gone. It looked horrible. Sahadev applied the paste and I hissed at the sensation. Soon the pain turned into a cooling sensation.
I suddenly felt fit and fine, like I didn't have fever a few minutes back.
"Nakul, your medicine is really affective. I feel so much better now." I said honestly.
"You are feeling better now?" Sahadev asked shocked. I nodded.
"Bhabhi, if you are feeling good just in few minutes, either you are lying or your body heals quickly." Nakul said and I squinted my eyes.
"I don't lie." I stated.
"Ya ya. Whose wife is she after all." Bheem commented and all of us laughed. The twins then treated Bheem's bloody knuckles.
"Listen everyone, we need to be careful. We are still in the borders of aryavrat. Anyone can identify us in our royal clothes. We need to get changed and start our journey as soon as possible." Arya said seriously and all of us nodded.
"But we don't have any money or anything. How will we buy the clothes?" Bheem said.
"Take my jewelry. Anyways, it's of no use now." I said.
"No putri, you can't give away your jewelry. You are the daughter in law of our family." Maa said and I smiled.
"Maa, where is it written that if I don't wear any jewelry, I won't be the daughter in law of this family. What matters is the feelings and responsibilities and not ornaments." I said honestly. She looked skeptical but nodded nonetheless.
I took off all my jewelries and gave it to Nakul and Sahadev. Everyone else did the same and I looked at them confused.
"You are not the only one who will do all the sacrifices. Give some credit to us also bhabhi." Arjun said playfully as all of us laughed.
"Nakul, Sahadev, go quickly and see if there is some place you can get the essentials. By then, all of us will carve out some weapons. Also, avoid people as much as you can." Arya said.
"Yes jyesht. Nakul, come on, call your friends and ask." Sahadev said patting his back referring to the animals.
Soon all of them got busy in their tasks while I moved towards maa to look for any injury. Thankfully, she had none. I refilled the pitcher from the nearby river and made maa drink some water and searched for some fruits for her. Luckily, I found some on the ground. Now, I can't climb up in this heavy lehenga to get them.
After feeding her, I sat there with her. No one spoke anything. She was still shook by everything. Soon, all of them returned from the assigned work and maa went to change near the river side.
"We found a nice brahmin who provided us with all the essentials in exchange of the jewelry." Nakul said and we all nodded at him.
"Here, always keep this dagger with you for safety purposes." Arya said handing me a stone carved dagger. Before, I could thank him, he walked away.
Is this man bipolar?
As soon as maa came, I took it as a sign to go and change. I sat on the rock and looked at my reflection in the water. I looked bad. My hair were disheveled, my face had mud here and there. My body also had some bruises here and there but nothing serious. I shook my head as I washed my face, hands and legs properly. Then moving behind a tree, I wore the clothes given to me and honestly, they were much better and comfortable than those heavy ones that I wear regularly.
I left my hair open and covered my head with a drape that also covered my hair. I joined everyone and soon we started our journey.
It was decided that after finding a nice place, we'll build a hut and live there for a day or two and then resume our journey to move out of Aryavrat.
Though I was happy that I was with my family but the thought that I might not meet bhaiya and my family made me want to cry. I can't live without them. Maa, Nakul, Sahadev were walking together in the front followed by Arjun, jyesht and arya. At last, it was I and Bheem.
"Bhabhi, people call me grumpy but here, bhrata Yudhishthir is behaving like a five year old child." Bheem whispered as I chuckled.
"I know right. I don't know what has gotten into him. He's being a grumpy old man." I scoffed.
"Well, you are the only one who can find this out. By the way, he was very scared when he saw your condition. I've never seen jyesht so worried. Maybe because of that." Bheem stated.
"Okay, maybe you are right but what's the need to stop talking?" I asked confused.
"That only jyesht can answer." He said and both of us sighed.
We soon found a suitable place for building the hut. We made maa sit at one place while the boys started building the hut. I on the other hand started picking up fruits for everyone because after the work is done, everyone will be very hungry.
After a lot of hardwork and efforts, the hut was ready and all of us entered. We sat in a circle with fruits in the middle. No wonders Bheem started and we were gawking at him.
"Bheem, calm down. Fruits are not running away." Maa said making all of us laugh.
"Maa, right now nothing matters to me as I am dying of hunger." We shook our heads at his behavior and began eating. After everyone had eaten properly, maa and I laid hay on the floor so we all could sleep properly.
" Aahana, Yudhishthir is not here. Go and see where he is." Maa instructed me but I didn't miss what she was trying to do. She must've noticed that arya was not talking to me. I nodded at her and moved out. I saw Nakul and Bheem talking.
"Umm, have you guys seen your elder brother?" I asked them.
"Yes bhabhi. Bhaiya is there." Both of them pointed behind them. I saw a silhouette of a man, rather my man at a far corner.
"Why is he sitting so far that too all alone." I mumbled to myself and moved towards his direction.
"Arya?" I called him and noticed his shoulders tensing.
"Arya?" I moved closer to him.
"You are not talking to me." I stated as I stood in front of him. He avoided my gaze.
"What's the matter?" I asked him again as I bent in front of him taking his hands in mine.
"Talk to me please." I pleaded but he didn't respond.
"Aahana, I am fine. You go and sleep." His words irritated me to core. I huffed and got up.
"Fine. Do whatever you want. I'm not crazy to always run around you, requesting you to talk." I said irritatedly. The whole day I've been trying to figure out the issue, I've been trying to talk to him and here he's behaving like a baby.
As I started moving back, I felt a tug at my wrist and the next moment I felt familiar arms around me. His head was in the crook of my neck as I felt my shoulder getting wet.
"You are not allowed to do that. I...I almost lost you." He said and sobbed.
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