ARYAVARTA

chapter 13

The gaurds informed the royal family that they had spotted the chariot of king pandu . The entire family aligned to welcome Pandu after his visit from Madra. But they were schocked when the chariot entered. In the chariot with pandu there was a young beautiful woman and from her attire it was recognisable that she is a princess. Pandu helped the woman to get out from the chariot and together they greeted the elders. For a brief moment he looked towards kunti with a expression of guilt and begging for forgiveness. Before anyone could question him pandu answered the question that was playing in everyone's mind

" Everyone , this is Madri princess of Madra and now my wife. I will explain everything but now let her rest we had a long journey"

Ambalika welcomed her new daughter in law and everyone dispersed . Pandu looked at the retreating form of kunti hoping that she could forgive him

Maharaj private chamber (satyavati, bhishm, dhitrarashtra, vidhur, kripachariya)

"I had no other option other than to marry her. Shalya was so adamant. He rejected every plausible deals unless I marry Madri. I didn't a war to begin so I choose the only path I had " said Pandu

" You did the right thing putra, War would have only caused destruction,but now we have Madra as an ally, it really was a great political strategy" said satyavati

" What about kuntibhoj, by marrying Madri you had insulted kunti and thus kuntibhoj too" said dhitrarashtra

" Kings marry more than once, it's not a insult. Even I was your grandfather's second wife" replied satyavati

" With all respect grandmother, grandfather married you after the death of his previous wife, not when she was alive. Kings marry other women while their wives are still alive, but not soon after their first marriage, how many days had passed after his marriage with kunti" replied dhitrarashtra

Satyavati didn't said anything because she was hurt to hear from her grandson that she would never had married king shantanu if ganga was alive, and deep down in her heart she knew it was true

" Stop it, Mind your words dhitrarashtra putra Pandu I can understand what you are feeling but dhitrarashtra is right. You had hurt kunti through your action . Go and have a chat with her ask for forgiveness. It will ease your mind" said bhishm

Chamber of kunti ( kunti, gandhari)

"Kunti, If I say I understand what you are feeling it may be a lie but I hope that you could overcome think. Listen to Maharaj and then decide. I am sure there may be a reason for why he did this" said gandhari

"Jiji thank you for your wisdom. I know my husband well .I had seen how big his heart is. I am sure there is a reason for what he did. Thank you for supporting me and being there for me . I appreciate it" replied kunti

At this moment Pandu entered the chamber . Sensing the presence of a third-party both the woman looked towards the entrance of the doorway

" Jiji I wish to talk to kunti alone" asked pandu to gandhari. After confirming that the third-party is Pandu gandhari left the room so they could patch up.

" I know what I did was wrong but I had no other choice all I could do is to beg you for forgiveness. I am sorry kunti if I had hurt you throughy actions. You don't deserve this" said Pandu

" You are right I don't deserve this. I don't deserve to be the maharani of hastinapur but yet here I am, because of you. After knowing everything you choose to marry me thus saving mine and my father's dignity. As a king you did the right choice and as a queen I accept it. By the way where is Madri" said kunti