Arjuna: Each Scar Narrates A Tale...

Episode 3

"Partha..."

"Who's it?" I replied, turning around.

But there was no one except a glimmering white light, out of which, a peacock feather flew towards me however the shine of this light increased to the the strength where my eyes couldn't resist it. I had to use my hands to block it's path. All of a sudden, everything was engulfed by it and that's when I woke up, realising it to be a dream, though didn't seemed to be one...

Standing up, I walked out of the cottage, stretching my hands. My eyes wandered around the scenery, looks like rain has been pouring since yesterday night and as if the rain had just stopped. I realised that it was the first rain of monsoon though I missed it, else me and my brother's would have been rolling around in mud right now.

"Bhaiya Arjuna! Manjhle bhaiya took all the laddoos and ran into the forest!" Nakul rushed towards me.

After a moment of silence, Nakula spoke. "Are you also thinking what I am thinking, bhaiya?"

"Hmm..." I replied.

We two shared a mischievous glance and smirked together, crossing arms near our chest.

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Between the two crooked trees, Bhrata Bheema sat with a plate full of laddoos on his lap. Staring at him, I was, while hiding behind bushes though it was not much of a problem because when he's busy eating, he would only focus on food.
It was about half an hour since Nakula went. Yawning, was the only thing I could do right now but to my relief, Nakula arrived and passed an evil smirk. A smile adorned my face, with eyes gleaming. We two weren't twins but we did understood each other's gestures, the same goes on with all of us five.
As the Ashwineya sat down beside me, we two begun looking around the passage. In less than 5 minutes, we saw the silhouette of Pitashree coming towards bhrata Vrikodara and telling him that Arjuna is missing. As it was to be, second brother left all his laddoos there with a light bang on the floor, and rushed towards the cottage, not even caring about his beloved food anymore.

Should I laugh on his innocence or cry tears of happiness at the fact that he loves me that much?

That shouldn't be a question but my mind couldn't resist these unnecessary thoughts popping in. Nakula pulled me towards the plate, and we two sat down, eating laddoos.

Pitashree burst out laughing, shaking his head. "I can protect you two in front of Pritha and Madri, but if your mothers got to know that I helped you prank Bheema, then who will protect me?"

Right! Pitashree helped us prank them, he should be rewarded too! And that's when I stuffed his mouth with laddoos, "Your reward, Pitashree!"

He had to hold his breath for a second and place a hand on his mouth to chew it all. After engulfing it all, he glared at me angrily though I am also his son, how could he fool me to believe that he is really angry at me.

———————

Quite quickly, Bhrata Bheema realised it to be a prank. What made him more angry than his laddoos being eaten, was that the anxiety he got, hearing the fake news of my disappearance.
I had just came back to the cottage after finishing the laddoos, to rinse my face and hands, however I didn't expected that as soon as I would turn, a furious Vrikodara would be standing behind me with his wooden mace.
His agitated gaze made me drop my angvastra, with which I was wiping my face.

I gulped, blinking rapidly, "Brother, are you sure that you are going to beat me up with that thing?"

"What thing! It's my beloved mace, that will help me spank you today, Phalguna!"

I rushed out my way to the forest, not caring about the directions anymore. With brother chasing after me with his mace, all ready to spank me. I didn't bothered looking behind him, until one point when I realised that his yells were no longer audible. I halted, turned back, only to notice that I have come very far, running. I couldn't even see traces of the brother nor our cottage.

I have never descended the mountains of Shatasrunga earlier, even our playing spot was around the cottage as mother wouldn't allow us to run far.
I decided to go back to the way I came from but it felt as if someone had took me here purposefully as I couldn't even remember the direction I came from.

For once, a strange thought came to my mind. What if my family is not with me? I don't enjoy loneliness much. I could see the hues of setting sun engulfing the sky. Neither I know for how long I am here, nor I know when my brothers would come.

Mother Kunti used to tell me that holding patience and maintaining your calm during a problem, in itself, is a talent.

If I try to walk, thinking that it will help them reach me quicker would be a kind of ignorance. For I don't know if the direction I chose would only take me away from them?

"Those words aren't restrained to your current situation, O Kaunteya."

Isn't that the same voice from my dreams? I stood up rapidly, searching as far as I can.

"Are you searching for me?" Arose a voice, behind me.

I turned towards it only to find a strange child staring at me. With his half of his hairs tied in an head-knot that was adorned with a peacock feather. Draped in yellowish orange angvastram and dhoti, with a bamboo flute in his hands. Of a colour like the dark clouds and a divine aura, his lips adorned by an enchanting smile that left me spell-bound. He seemed to be about my age, maybe some months elder to me.

"Who– are you? Am I dreaming again?"

"Desperate and lonely nights, with a mind full of unanswered questions," he said, wrapping an arm around me, joyfully. "Don't you need a friend to understand you, Partha?"

I still carried that perplexed look. Was the dream I saw today, not really one? However, as I stared at him, his glaze made me feel like all my questions were answered, though I still don't know the answer. It was a different type of feeling that I had never felt, neither with my parents nor my brothers. Is that how it feels to have a friend?

"Who are you? And what are you doing here?"

"What? Can't I meet my eternal bestfriend?"

"Whom?"

~Arjuna...          

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=D MY MADHAVVVVVV!!! *When writer is more excited than readers*

=> Idk what to say, so just a "cya!" Aur haa, vote kardena -_- warna pitoge

~Parthvi...