Indulekha: The Sister of The Pandavas • Mahabharat

50.

"And, if somehow in the future you can forgive me, please don't. All I have done to my eldest brother is unforgivable. And even the discrimination on the basis of your cast is something I shouldn't ever have thought of, Jyeshta Karn."

"It's not the treatment you've done that matters, Arjun, but the fact that you realised your mistakes is of greater importance."

The two archers smiled at each other, before embracing.

"Let's take a stroll. The sun is about to set, I've heard that, here, in Matsya the evenings are even more beautiful than their Queen Indulekha."

Arjun chuckled upon hearing Karn's suggestions.

"Is that true?"

"Yes, I heard many civilians saying that on the way here."

Chuckling, the two began their strolls in the garden. Karn looked up to the sky, painted in hues of orange and red, and bid goodbye to his father, Surya Dev. "Angraj," Arjun called out with a slight smile on his face.

"I'm not Angraj, anymore. I have given the kingdom to Vikarn. It was a way for me to cut ties with the kingdom of Hastinapur. And also, to end my loyalty to Duryodhan." He smiled, slightly, hoping that Vikarn was taking good care of his subjects. The subjects who had showered him with a lot of love. He knew that he should've given the kingdom to someone who could've administered it, perfectly, but also someone with whom he had no relation, that they know of.

"Do you think Vikarn can handle the whole kingdom?"

"He seems to be the only one who isn't brainwashed by GandharRaj. Seeing that he wasn't present in the Dyut Sabha, GandharRaj must've known that he would object to it. I think he was the best option." Karn replied, trying to convince himself rather than his younger brother.

"Indu always called me her brother, did Kunti Maa tell her something?"

"Oh, you people aren't aware of her truth, right?"

"What? Was she thrown away at birth too?" He chuckled at his own joke to which Arjun glanced at him, shocked. Karn, trying his best to explain the joke to him, kept stuttering while the younger one looked at him in horror.

"No, I'm fine that was just a joke.Trust me-"

*************

After hearing Indu explain her origin to Karn, Kunti and almost all of the wives of the Pandavas, Indu knew that she needed to get some rest. Walking towards her chamber, making sure to take the shortest route possible, she sighed.

'When will you come, Kanha?'

She pouted, after getting no response from him.

'Is this how God ghosts people?'

'Jeez, I didn't ghost you, Indu. I have a lot of things to do except talking to you.'

Hearing her Manmohan respond, she giggled to herself.

'So, when will you be coming?'

'Not now, sakhi. Maybe in a while.'

'Fine, but come soon.'

'Sure.'

'Promise?'

'Promise.'

The Queen of Matsya, feeling childish, made her way back to her chamber. A smile playing on her lips and her skipping towards the room made the older maids around her chuckle at her behaviour.

"Privacy," she said as soon as she entered her chamber and saw Satyadev sleeping beside their daughter, Smika. With kohl adorning her eyes and tint smeared over her cheeks, the mother smiled at her family.

Satyalekha, cuddling with her father as she slept, woke up after Indu's slight movement. Satyadev, waking up upon Smika's movement, smiled at the two.

"Go back to sleep, putri. There's time for the morning to come."

"Won't you sleep too, Mata?"

"Yes, I will."

"Come fast, before our daughter kicks me off of the bed," Chuckling, he made space for Indu and Smika filled that space, leaving the edge for her mother. She slept beside her daughter, who was in between her and her husband.

"Good night, putri."

***

"But, Madhav, how can we allow so many kingdoms to participate in this war? How can we risk the lives of so many innocent ones just to punish the few evil ones?", Arjun, confused, spoke.

"Parth, the war will happen to cleanse this world. To establish righteousness in Aryavarta. Anyone who will die will die to their karma and not because of you. You will simply be the means for the plan of fate."

Arjun sighed as he got the same answer upon asking the same question, again.

"If you ask the same questions, I will give the same answers." Krishna smiled at him, teasing him.

"You aren't leaving us with an option, are you?"

"Nope, you're going to be a part of this war! And yes, the war will happen! Anything else?" He grinned, knowing that this would shut his cousin up.

The archer sighed sitting down on the mattress, as he rolled his eyes at the God.

"I guess, you're right."

"I am right, Parth, always." He smiled at himself, proudly.

"Fine, we will announce the war, Vasudev. But is it right for us to battle our own family? Pitamah, Guru Drona and our brothers?" Yudishthir voiced his opinions, looking for advice. He knew he had to do it, but what would satisfy this? How could he feel like he wasn't committing a crime?

"Weren't they a part of the Dyut Sabha too? Weren't they a part of the adharma for all these years?" A short reply came, which soothed Dharmraj's mind.

"Kanha, I came here to stop the war, but that doesn't seem to be happening."

"No, sakhi, you never came here to stop the war. You came here to prevent unjustice done to others, things maybe not all deserved. And you did that. You brought Suryaputra Karn to the righteous side, you protected Draupadi from the humiliation. You have served your purpose, Indu."

Indulekha smiled, understanding that her work here was, maybe, done.

HAPPY JANMASHTAMI EVERYONE 🦚🦚!!!