Empire of Righteousness

Chapter 15 : Fathers Love

Yudhisthir couldn't nod his head as yes. How much he wants to tell her he is her father. How much he wants to embrace her. But what right he has to say it? Only from birth someone doesn't become a father. And he was so ignorant that his daughter even forgot how he looks like.

"Answer me," Suthanu asks again.

Yudhisthir nodded his head. He was ready to hear her scream and accuse him like his sons did. But it never came. Instead what happened caught him totally off guard.

Suthanu jumped on his arms crying hysterically.

"Pitashree," Suthanu called her voice filled with pain and longing.

Yudhisthir was too stunned to react. His hands were trembling. Suthanu is crying? For what? He should be the one crying. He should be the one begging forgiveness. Not her. He also embraced her tightly. Finally letting all his emotions flow.

Father and daughter cried together. They finally found one another.

"Pitashree, where were you all these years?" Suthanu cried.

"I am sorry,"

"Why did you leave us?"

"I am sorry,"

"Why did you abandon Mata?"

Yudhisthir could only apologize but her last question made him jerk back.

"Putri, who said we abandoned your mata?" his voice was dead serious.

"Then why maa lives like an widow? Why Mata isn't living with you all?"

"Abandoning your Mata from us is like abandoning our soul, Putri. We never did such thing," Bheem said.

"Then why are we living away from you all?" Suthanu asks again.

"Putri, we made a mistake so terrible God decided to snatch our soul from us," Nakul said next.

Suthanu was clinging to her father not letting him go. Finally reality struck her. He father is the Chakravarti Samrat as well. She shouldn't be so informal with him like she is with her mother.

She immediately broke the embrace and stepped back. She bent down and touched his feet.

"Forgive me, Pitashree. I was too excited," Suthanu says formally.

Yudhisthir smiles in his tears. This girl is as silly as her mother.

"You don't have to be sorry to hug your father. I am first your father then Samrat," Yudhisthir says softly.

Beside him his brothers got the shock of their life. They never thought they will hear their Jyest say that in their life. Their Jyest always said he is Samrat first then a brother or husband or father. He changed it today. They smiled at each other. They must say this change is for good.

Later Suthanu was in their chamber as they talked about lot of things in the past.
Yudhisthir isn't leaving his daughter for a second. Suthanu also was unwilling to part from him.

Suthanu looks at each of them. Who is who? Should she ask directly? No wait, Mata has described them a lot of times. She should try to recognize them at least. Pandavas grinned looking at her confused.

Suthanu looked at the really well built woman. So tall and muscular.

"Are you Pitashree Bheem?" she asks.

"How did you know?" Bheem asks amused.

"Mata told me you are really strong and handsome," Suthanu answers.

Bheem smiled and hugged her tightly lifting her off her feet. Suthanu giggled and hugged him back.

"You are Pitashree Arjun," Suthanu says to the next one.