Dhi

The Accused

"When a Royal lady nurtures a potential heir in her womb, it falls upon the rest of the members of the household to act as the sheild and sword against all enemies salivating to strike at any given opportunity. I believed that I didn't need to educate you on this lesson. But perhaps, I entrusted someone who couldn't be bothered enough to see through their duty."

"Jiji!"

"I am sure the Maharani of Indraprastha can find some other responsibilities at which she hopefully doesn't fail."

"Putri Draupadi, Kunti jiji is just terribly upset. She doesn't mean anything..."

"Sulabha, accompany me to the garden, wouldn't you? I wish to personally prepare for a proper ceremony in gratitude for Mata Parvati's graces upon Abhijishya and her baby."

The accusation underlying her mother-in-law's rebuke left blisters in their wake as the same conversation kept ringing in her ears.

Draupadi grasped a nearby pillar blindly through the sheen of tears to support her shaky form. She became distinctly aware of her undignified retreat from Kunti's chamber while she endeavoured to steady her breaths. Her ears burned from the rising shame of losing composure most probably exposed to every pair of prying eyes.

Faint chatter along with distant footsteps descending down the stairway to the right caught her ears. She instinctively curled closer into the lengthy shadow of the pillar- a parting gift from the setting sun as the evening sky slowly lost it's light. Draupadi pressed her forehead on the cool uneven stony surface. It was a reminiscence of her mother's soothing touch. She should really get going. The dasis would be here soon to place earthen lamps to subdue night's darkness. Pulling herself together, she blinked open her eyes. Draupadi hadn't even realized when she had closed them.

The corridor leading to Dhruvi's chamber laid infront of her. After giving herself some more time in the pretense of flattening invisible creases on her attire, Draupadi emerged into the deserted corridor. A spasm of guilt arose immediately as Dhruvi's wide-eyed stricken face swam up in her mind. She should have accompanied her back indoors then.

Making up her mind, Draupadi determinedly walked towards her destination. The jingle of her anklets sounded like a foreigner amidst the heavy footsteps of soldiers pacing along the northern end corridor. Draupadi could feel every minute alarmed look on their faces before they hastily muttered their greetings.

She halted a good distance away from the doorway. Between the guards stationed outside, the doors were now completely shut- most certainly locked from the inside. Her eyes caught sight of a few strings of marigold who had fallen victim to the hurriedly closed heavy hinges. Some others remained half crushed, scattered on the floor just like the flowers that had been crushed under the soles of soldiers' feet who had come marching led by a furious Nakul in the afternoon moments after Parnika's warning.