Indulekha: The Sister of The Pandavas • Mahabharat

25.

As the morning sun rose over the kingdom of Matsya, Satya and Indu went to one of the rivers for a short stroll.  "Today is the day you'll be leaving, Indu. I'll visit Indraprashta twice, every month."
"Yes, Aarya. But it is best that you only come when I ask you to."
"Why so, dear?"
"Just because," He sighed. Lately, Indu was always frowning, zoning out, and being ever so mysterious. Once she zoned out so bad, no one even noticed she was there, as if she was just a rock sitting there,  ignoring people and ignored by people. "I will write letters to you every month, and with one special letter, you'll know when to visit me."
"As you wish, Indu."

----------------------

"Indu!" Squealed the Panchal Kumaris.
Indu, with a small, almost-forced smile, climbed down from the palkhi and walked towards them. "Did you miss us, Indu?" Draupadi asked, almost tears in her eyes. "Of course, Krishnaa-" She stopped abruptly. 
Krishnaa. 
"Indu?"
"I want to leave for Dwarka." She whispered, her eyes meeting theirs. "Oh dear, you arrived today and you want to leave us today itself?" Asked Agni, teasing her. "Rest today, you can leave in a week. There is still much time for your brothers to return." Indu smiled and walked over to Yudishthir. She touched his feet and said, "Pranipat, Jyeshta."
"Kalyanamatsu Bhava," He looked at her. Her eyes full of worries, with dark circles underneath and lips barely forming a smile, her eyebrows knit up in a frown and her hands fidgeted with her lehenga's skirt. It probably wasn't a big deal, he thought. "I should just give her time, after  all she's grown up now. She can handle her problems." He thought. 
"Had fun?"  She fake-smiled. He nodded, patting her back. "If there's anything troubling you, your brothers are there for you."
"Yeah, I know."
"Good, I was just reminding you."
"Yep, I know." 
This is awkward. She thought. "I-I-I'll go in."

-------------------

In her chambers, she slept. Almost midnight and yet, she didn't sleep. The last time she slept, nightmares again, again and again.  

These deaths of soldiers-married and unmarried with families, are because of you. 

She shut her eyes close, in fear, slowly drifting off to sleep. The same nightmare occurred every time and it did this time too.

Black. It enveloped a her body into nothingness. The body floated along the silence, all the way to a white light where echoes were audible. Echoes of soft and subtle voices that made her skin crawl in fear. As she gained consciousness, she looked around in search of help. It was worrying- being in the middle of nowhere and not remembering where you last were. "Again?" Indu fell to the ground. 

"Indu! That's enough" A heavy voice ordered.

She turned around to see her mother, again.

"Enough?! It was you who started this! I don't want to live with some random guy I don't even know! " Indu walked across herself, screaming.

"You're not living with a random guy! You two played when you were kids!"

"Yes, as KIDS! Its been about 10 years since we last met! How can you expect me to spend the rest of my life with someone I don't even properly know!"

"Me and your father-" That was the last straw, she stood up and dashed towards her room. "Indu! Come back here, right now!"

Indu felt as if she was stuck in a loop. The worst one possible for her.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Indu dashed towards her mother, raging. "Indu," The voice was heavy, "How are you?" She slightly smiled. Indu sighed, hopelessly. Her mother repeated those words in every dream, every.
The lady chuckled and hugged her. She asked her to follow her as she moved towards the nothingness. "I can show you the way out." 

"More like the way to hell" Indu said, rolling her eyes.

Maa extended her hand out, hoping Indu would hold it. She groaned and took a step forward. Screams of agony filled her mind and cries of despair surrounded her when all she could see was bodies.

Dead Bodies. Many dead bodies. Soldiers laid on the ground, many women crying over their bodies. She saw herself, her brothers,  Vrushali,  Radha maa and Kunti maa, who was crying over Karna's body. She ran over to him. "K-karna?"
She struggled to scream. She screamed again and again but there was no voice audible, making her feel helpless. Tears swelled up in her eyes and she moved around helplessly. 

Again, this dream got the control of her. 

She woke up, tears in her eyes and sweat across her face. Again, a severe headache. She rubbed her hand over her forehead, trying to calm it. A suppressed her scream, turning around in her bed. Her memories were coming back.

Karna is Mata Kunti's eldest son? Karna is- Karna is our b-brother! 

She cried, and cried the whole night till she fell asleep, without nightmares.