Duryodhan's Daughter : The Forgotten Princess

Chapter 54

" Rajkumaari, few orphan children have came to ask help from you " Bhargavi's statement made lakshmana pause in her actions, as she was feeding medicines to Indumati. " Bring them to palace and give them enough food to eat. Let them take some rest in the soldier's quarter, once the war ends, we would see to it, that they are given proper education and training in weaponry, understood? " She replied, bhargavi nodded and left with other dasis.

" How are you feeling now kaki? " Lakshmana asked touching Indu's forehead carefully, the latter just nodded in a yes with a faint smile. Indumati caressed lakshmana's cheek with her pale hands, " Take care of yourself too lakshu ", lakshmana nodded and went back to her chamber, biting her lip to control tears. The journey from corridors to her chamber was hard as she could her giggles and laughs of her brothers and missed that pampering of her uncles.

How hard was it for a pampered princess to hold herself, knowing that her whole family was going to die! A sarcastic smile played on her lips, thinking how cruel was to her , only because she was born to kuru yuvraj suyodhan. She entered her chamber, wiping her tears, as she doesn't have time to sit and cry now, she has to be there for everyone now, look after everyone and take care of everyone. As she opened her cupboard, a small note fell in her hands, ' I love you beyond limits - only yours sambh ' the note read.

A small smile crept on her lips, wondering how he managed to show his love towards her, even in such times. As she was going back to her bed, something pricked her foot, looking closely, it was a doll. Her doll, her eyes immediately welled up, this was gifted to her by Vikarna, when she had returned from anga. " Kaka! " She mumbled holding the doll close to her heart and trying hard to control herself. " Who kept this doll here! " She asked as few dasis entered her chamber.

" It may have fallen by mistake rajkumaari , we are sorry " A dasi apologised. " Why can't you all do your work carefully , I don't like my things scattered " Lakshmana spoke with rage, it was only her frustration and pain that she was leashing out. She curled her fists to control her anger as she felt a hand over her shoulder, " This isn't right, you shouldn't vent your anger on them " Chandramukhi spoke softly and lakshmana's eyes again welled up.

" Rajkumaari, your horse is ready, you are going na? " Bhargavi asked entering the chamber. " Where? Kurukshetra again? " Chandra asked and lakshmana nodded in a yes, " Ok, take care and come early . And yes " She removed a ring from her finger,
" Give this to arya and tell him I miss him " Lakshmana took the ring and went inside to change her clothes.
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Lakshmana sat in the tent of her father, her hands fidgeting with chandra's ring, the smell of flesh and blood making her stomach churn. As she saw few injured soldiers were bought in, she kept the ring on a nearby stool and rushed to tend them.
She along with some other soldiers was applying herbs, oil, cleaning wounds of the injured and giving water to the thirsty. People were thanking as tears were continuously flowing from her eyes.

There were many men, some of her father's age, some of her brother's and some even her grand father's, but they were fighting with all their might, though they knew they were going to die anyways.Her heart wrenched looking at those corpses, injured soldiers their separated body parts, her stomach churned in nausea, she ran to a corner immediately to vomit. A dasi went to her with a glass of water, " Please stop this war rajkumaari, our sons, husbands, brothers are getting killed, please do something, I beg you " Lakshmana moved couple of steps behind as the dasi fell on her feet.

Lakshmana kept the glass aside and hugged the woman, " I am sorry! Only thing I can do is apologising, if it would have, been in my hands, I would have stopped this war long ago. But still if you need anything, you are always welcome to the palace " She said separating her. That was when the counches blew, announcing that the war had stopped for the day. Lakshmana joined her hands, as her rather in - law's image came in front of her closed eyes. Mentally preparing herself to face whatever or whomsoever's dead body comes in front of her eyes, she walked back to the tent with trembling limbs.

A loud scream escaped her lips as she was dusshasan's dead body. It wasn't even a body, just a face, no arms, just one leg and a torso and that too had a hole as if someone had broken and removed something from it. Her head spun, the sight in front of her was enough to scare her to death, she was about to lose her balance but chitrsen held her from behind. Turning behind she saw her father walking in along with others. She ran and hugged suyodhan tightly, as if her life depends on him now! However bad dusshasan was, a niece seeing her uncle's dead body, blood drenched, limb, arms, torso broken was enough to scare her.

" Don't leave me pita please! Stop this war, I don't want to lose you all, don't leave me pita" Lakshmana cried in suyodhan's arms. Suyodhan slowly wiped his own tears, without anyone's notice, before separating his daughter, he saw pain and fear in eyes of the girl, he loved the most. Her tears broke him, somewhere he held himself responsible for all the pain she's being going through. He just held her shoulders staring at her dull, pale, tear strained face, his mind had apologised thousand times, before a sigh left his eyes.

Lakshmana then stood in front of karna and ashwatthama, " Kaka, you both have always saved me from pitashree's scolding, please tell him to stop this war! He would listen to you " She cried as karna pulled her in a hug, " Shant lakshu shant " He murmured rocking her head. " You all know the condition of your wives, sisters! They are like living corpses, they have lost the will to live, you men would never understand their pain. You all are fighting a war here, but women are fighting a war in their mind, fighting with themselves " She held her head biting her lips.

" Lakshmana go home back now, it isn't safe here " Vrishasen told her, lakshmana had held karna's hand tightly, " Go lakshi, take care of everyone at home, don't know whether we would be alive or not " Suyodhan said with a sad smile, lakshmana's heart broke into pieces, she closed her eyes swallowing tears. After touching everyone's feet, she stepped out of the tent, just then chandramukhi's ring on the table caught her attention. Closing her eyes in despair, she wondered how chandra would be feeling after hearing the news of her husband's death. With heavy heart she sat on her horse and started her back to the palace .
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Hey, my lovely readers the next part is here.
I sometimes feel loss of words to explain grief of these women, in my heart I salute to their bravery and inner strength.
Hope you liked reading it, let me know through your comments, they are, much important for me💖 .