A Bride To The Five

Chapter 5

Her face a mask of fury. "Buashree?" Called Kunti, her eyes wide in shock. Panchaali's heart hammered in her chest, terror tracing down her veins.

"Buashree, why are you stopping Arjun's wife?" Gandhari asked shocked, "She is the ghrahlaxmi of this house. The kulvadhu of Kuruvansh." She continued on.

"Ghrahlaxmi?" Taunted the lady, "More like Kulaxini." She hissed, her voice dripping with poison. "Buashree!" Gandhari and Kunti gasped in shock. 

"What am I saying wrong?" She nearly growled, "Do not step ahead you who-" her words were cut off by a growl.

"Enough Tapasya! If I heard another word from you, I will be forced to do something that I may regret later. You maybe the daughter of this house, but Panchaal Kumari is now the daughter in law of Kuruvansh,  and insulting her is like insulting us!" Snapped Bhism, glaring at the sister of Dhritrashtr.

"Daughter in law? That your grandsons are sharing like a piece of cloth. A woman who has relationship to more than one man is known as what you know more than us!" She roared back.

The pandavas fisted their hands, anger burning deep in them. If it wasn't for their mannerism ingrained in them since a young age, they might have just murdered the woman for speaking such ill towards their wife.

Panchaali trembled, her eyes stinging with tears. She thought that after twelve days of mentally preparing herself, she would be prepared for this.

But the words of the woman pierced deep in her heart, shredding every last of her carefully guarded respect and self esteem.

Tearing through her soul.

A silence fell over after Tapasya's words, like someone had frozen everyone on their place. Surely he must have heard wrong, Bhism wondered. There was no way in heaven that the sons of his Pandu would ever do so.

The very sons that were brought up in the lap of righteousness, they could never do something so wrong.  There was just no way.

His heart hammered, as terror snip in his chest, he turned to the eldest of his great grandson. The one whom he knew would never lie to him.

"Yudhisthir, is it true?" The question was asked in an emotionless tone. Yudhisthir's heart trembled, not that he had done something wrong, but he knew his words would hurt the man who was more than a father to him.

"Yes. But Pitah..." his words were cut off by Bhism who raised his hand, a slight tremble visible in his hand, as for a moment heart wrenching agony flashed on his chest, before he hid it behind the emotionless mask.

"Pitahmah, this is all my fault." Kunti voiced out. "No Kunti, the fault lay in my nurturing,  and my fate, that this sin is now standing at my doorstep." He voiced up, his words laced in hurt.

Panchaali stumbled back,  stepping away from the staircase leading to the palace. Her chest flaring with an agony, that she failed to put in words.

And once again she was reminded, that no matter how correct her intentions were. That no matter that she followed the path of righteousness, she will get only harsh words and insults in her share till she lived, and maybe thousands of years after her death too.

This path of righteousness that she had followed would give her nothing but pain, nothing but insults. In her share would only fall the title of a slut, while the fruits of her sacrifice would only be enjoyed by the world and her family.

She had to be the candle, to give the world the light, she would have to burn and melt, till she was nothing. It was a fate that she had chosen.

Willingly. 

It took a great amount of strength on her part, Krishn had said that she was the bravest for choosing this path. The bravest to ever be born.

One who had made her entire life a war, a woman who was the fiercest warrior of all time. But than again, if what he said was true, than why didn't she feel strong?

Why did she feel so weak from within? Why did she feel like she would break now at any moment,  and shatter into nothingness.

Or maybe in the dark abysse of agony, where nothing but pain laid for her. A path of self destruction. 

Kunti explained to Bhism the situations, trying to make them understand that this was the only way. "Krishn and Maharishi Ved Vyaas has blessed this union. They have said that this is the path of righteousness for them." She concluded, her voice hoarse from the raging emotions in her heart.

Tapasaya scoffed. "What nonsense is this? So now you are trying to justify this sin?" Snapped the woman, gazing at Kunti with disgust in her eyes. "Enough Tapasya!" Shouted Bhism, his eyes blazing with fury.

"The elders of this family are still alive. I am still alive. So you will mind your tongue,  or I would be forced to send you back to your inlaws." Growled the older man, his heart and mind were at war, though the hurt had not disappeared, it had reduced. 

His children had not abandoned the path of righteousness,  that they had done what they thought was the path of righteousness.  Now if that is really the path, or just their misinterpretation remains to be seen.

And if this was indeed a misinterpretation on their part, than how do they retify this sin. His mind and heart were at war, Krishn and Ved Vyaas would never guide them wrong, but than how can this relationship be just and right?

He gazed at his grandsons, and back at Kunti. "Whether this is Dharm or no, it remains to be seen. And that will be decided in the royal court, and till than where you all will be staying in the palace, this girl would stay in the back guest palace. No discussion shall follow!" He ordered, his face set in grim determination,  as he ordered and marched out.

"This is sin! And I need to purify my house that has been impured by the shadow of this Kulaxini!" Grumbled Tapasya, swirling around and marching in, followed by others who were completely lost and still in shock, their minds trying to process what had just happened,  and whether everything was the truth. . .

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