Indulekha: The Sister of The Pandavas • Mahabharat

16. Swayamvar

It was morning. A cold one. The sunbeams peeked through the white clouds and the breeze was colder than any other day. It could freeze anyone to death.

Indu was coughing and sneezing. Her body felt light and her head seemed like it would burst open any moment. She was more than weak, and the moment she tried to move her whole body gave up. The moment she stood up, her legs felt like literal noodles.

She had a fever, for the first time in her life. She did have a good immune system, the reason she had never gotten a cold before. But this day wasn't that cold. It was a normal cold morning. So, why was she in such a state?

No one knew, not even Indu herself.

Indu was pretending to sleep while the 5 brothers left for the swayamvar . And it was more than difficult to convince them to go. Indu pleaded for about 15 minutes. They just didn't understand why they had to go to a place where people could easily identify them. But in the end, they are going.

As soon as they left, Indu slowly got up, saving her energy. She walked over the door and was about to leave when Kunti saw her. "Indu!  Where are you going? You should be resting right now."

She thought of an excuse and said, "Oh, I was just going to get some water from the river." Sorry for lying, mata. "Putri, you could've asked me. Come on, lie back down." Saying so,  Kunti grabbed a pot and walked out of the hut. She took this as a chance and ran out of the hut, with all her energy.

Indu POV

It was about fifteen minutes since I had been wandering around the city, aimlessly.  I knew what I had to do, but I had no idea how I was going to do it. 

The first step is to find Karn, which I haven't yet.  He will probably be in the palace, getting ready for the swayamvar.  I hurried as much as I could, but my steps were still slow. My body was draining its energy every moment, not helping me at all. 

'Damn it! The palace is really far.' 

All I had was 1 or 2 hours, which was enough for me to reach the palace.

Author POV

30 minutes later.

Lucky for Indu, she didn't have to walk all the way to the palace on her bare foot; she saw Karn, alone. Without any soldiers with him. 
Her lips, subconsciously,  formed a smile and her feet brought her closer to him.
He looked at her, and for a moment there was guilt in his dark eyes which was soon replaced by sparks of happiness. He rushed over to her, not thinking anything for a moment. 
"Indu?" She shushed him before dragging him by his hand.

There were at the backlands of swayamvar arena. There was no one here, no maids, no soldiers, no subjects, no one. It seemed restricted to other people, but these two have somehow gotten in. 
When she stopped dragging him, he looked into her eyes with guilt, regret and despair. "How-I-I.. I'm sorry.."
With a weak smile on her face, she said, "Don't be."

And now, she knew. Her plan would work; she just had to keep him distracted until the swayamvar.

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The arrow didn't only pierce through the eye of the fish, it pierced through Agnishika's heart. All of her plans, strategies, arguments, each and every attempt was in vain. But no, she wasn't going to simply accept this.

Hesitantly, she walked Draupadi to Arjun. While Aadhya was busy arguing with herself, Draupadi was trying her best to put the garland around his neck.  But her hands didn't listen to her. She held the garland in front of him, but she just couldn't put it around his neck. Her grip on the garland tightened. It felt wrong, as if soon the happiness of the subjects, the pride in her father's heart, the smile on her jiji's face would break apart. As if the stealth of her heart and the cheerful aura around her would disappear. She would no longer be Draupadi.

She took a glance at everyone. Arjun, who looked at her expectantly. Drupad, who had nothing but sweet happiness in his eyes. Shikhandni, whose eyes held calmness but her smile was evident. Agnishika, who seemed conflicted, her eyes held despair and her body trembled. 

"Draupadi, put the garland around his neck."  She heard Agnishika say. Gathering up all of her courage, she put the garland around his neck in an instant. It felt more like she was throwing it, trying to get rid of it.

A tear left her eyes as the crowd began to cheer and bless her. And so did a tear leave Agnishika's eyes.

----

Indu was back at the hut, waiting for her brothers to come. And she did her a little scolding from her mata Kunti, but that wasn't bothering her.

She was preparing for what was about to happen next.