"Congratulations, jiji." Vijaya and Karenumati smiled innocently at her. "Thank you." Kairavi folded her hands formally and walked past them, towards her kaksh.
The second wives of Nakul and Sahadev exchanged a look of concern.
Chandraputri felt someone's eyes on her while crossing the hallway. She halted in her tracks and turned around.
Sighing, she was about to continue, but Renu and Jaya stopped her.
"You are definitely going to be a terrific mother, jiji. I believe in you." Renu said warmly.
"Really? Who kills children and eats them up?" Kairavi taunted, making their faces turn sour.
"The guilt has been killing us. We wanted to apologize."
"I forgive you rajkumari Vijaya. And you too, Chedikumari Karenumati." Came a snide reply. "Now if you'll excuse me-" "Please jiji!" They both begged in chorus.
Arni saw the sincerity in her eyes, but it was hard to overcome the built-up resistance in her brain.
"I know, what we said was harsh. I know we are not worthy of your forgiveness. But, put yourself in our shoes, jiji.
Wouldn't you be scared about your child too?" Renu put her argument forward. But an apology that comes with arguments, is never sincere.
"Yatharth, rajnandini. I would be scared for my kids as well. But did you two put yourself in my shoes?" Her voice was menacingly calm.
"Go ahead, do it now. And tell me how it feels." They didn't want to strike up a fight, so decided to keep mum.
"Kshama kar dijiye, jiji. That's all we can say right now." Vijaya's eyes were lowered to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Karuna ka dusra naam jaanti ho, sakhi?
Kshama.
Kshama ek aisa astra hai, jiska upyog yadi uchit avsar aane par kiya jaaye, toh wo sambandh dhridh bana deta hai.
Aur yadi na kiya jaaye, toh mann me kroorta janm leti hai.
Fir toh har apraadh ko kshama karna hi karuna hui na?
Nahi.
Jagat me jal sabhi sajeev praniyon ke jeevatva ka aadhar hai. Uski uplabdhta se jeevan saral aur sukhmay ho jaata hai.
Kintu,
Issi neer ki anupasthiti se vishva me trahimam bhi mach jaata hai;
aur atyadhikta se pralay bhi aa jaata hai.
Toh sakhi, kya har vipatti ka upaay Santulan nahi?
Vichaar karo."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Karenumati and Vijaya peered at Kairavi through their eyelashes. They looked like two guilty puppies, who tore a couch in their owner's absence.
Kairavi sighed. She wasn't being kind either, by dragging the issue unnecessarily.
"I will forgive you," their eyes lit up at her sentence. "But, you'll have to suffer punishment." Arni put a condition.
"Alright, jiji." Renu agreed hesitantly.
"You both have to make me the best dishes of Chedi and Madra; because I'm hungry." she smirked, making the two queens laugh.
"Awashya."
3 months later:
"Arya..." Kairavi groaned while turning around in bed. She used to get super thirsty early in the morning. Seeing Nakul peacefully sleeping beside her, she shook him awake.
YOU ARE READING
Kairavi
Historical FictionHow can she reap hope on a land where despair plants seeds of agony and sufferings? Whose destiny is written with the ink of misery, how can she rinse the stains with mirth? How can she put on the cloak of patience when life strips her out of it eve...
