The Great Indian Epic: MAHABHARATH

VOWS

Numbness was all she could feel, Nothing else...

She couldn't hear anything around her. She could not feel the breeze on her naked skin, or the ground beneath her feet. 

But all she could think was her friend, the one with a Peacock feather on his crown. Deep down in her heart, she knew only he could help her but he was not with them in Hasthinapur, Still, she believed him. 

Believe

That was the only thread she held on. 

After what feels like an eternity she slowly opened her eyes. She slowly took in her surroundings. 

The saree she wore never left her body, it was the same as before. Dushanasana was on the ground panting heavily for air in a half-unconscious state, beside him was a huge pile of saree pallu resting on the ground. Everyone was looking at her in a dumbfounded state. At the entrance of the courtroom stood Gandari and Kunthi with terrified look on her face. Gandari was pestering Varshitha with questions. She cannot hear anything and no one is explaining. 

Pandavas were quick to retract from their trance when they got up and moved towards her she held them back by showing her hand. 

She turned to look at them, there was only one emotion in her eyes,

Rage

Her eyes were red like a forest fire, consuming every fiber of her body with an uncontrollable amount of anger.

She took the chudamani out of her hair and threw it, making her hair flow like a raging river with the wind in the court. 

Bheema was the first one to make a move, "Panchali,"

Her ears cringed at his words.

"I am not Panchali or Draupadi. I am not the common wife of the great Pandavas. I am not the daughter-in-law of the legendary Kuru Clan. For, I born from the yajna, will burn down every one of you in this court of sin."

"Draupadi, don't"

Gandari stumbled towards her, "I beg you Draupadi, please do not do act in haste,"

Draupadi sneered at her words.

"Haste? You call my action haste when your sons, your brother your husband try to disrobe and humiliate me in front of an entire court!" Draupadi turned towards Dhritarashtra. 

"Maharaj Dhritarashtra, remember this day, for this day will be the beginning of the destruction of Kauravas. Not only the perpetrators will be punished but all those who kept silence will also be," she pointed her fingers out to everyone in the court. 

"Pitamaha Bhishma, Guru Drona, Guru Kripacharya, Minister Vidura, everyone of you. EVERYONE OF YOU WILL PAY FOR THE JUSTICE YOU FAILED TO DO."

Her chest was heaving, she could feel her rage getting out of control and the tears threatening to come back. 

She turned to leave the court, and when she reached at its entrance she turned towards Dushasana and pointed her fingers at him, "And remember Dushana until I bathe my hair with your blood. I will never tie up my disheveled hair."

With that Draupadi left the court with Kunthi and Gandhari tailing behind her. 

Duryodhana was the first one to come out of his trance, "Somebody stop that maid,"

"Duryodhana, you crossed the line way too far, if you do not stop right now I will stop your breath forever," screamed Bheema. 

"And remember my words, my dear cousin, for I Bheema will kill you with my bare hands by breaking that thighs of yours on which you dreamt to have my wife," his words dripping with a vengeance, If it not for the guards that held him he would crush his skull right away.

Karna placed a hand on Duryodhana's shoulder to calm him down, he turned to look at Pandavas and locked his eyes with Arjuna. 

Arjuna respected him for his kind benefactions to the people and his moral ethics. But today he tends to see the real man behind those masks. "Angaraj Karna, your death will happen with my hands, you will be begging me for that. Oh and do remember that, the wisdom you gained by lying won't help you."

Hearing that Karna sneered at him, "Do you want a duel right here, right now Arjuna? Bring it on." 

"Karna, don't lower your standards to fight these slaves," Shakuni commented with his signature wicked smile.

"DHRITARASHTHIRA," the sound was like a thunder boom in the entire court of Hasthinapur.

It was Pitamaha Bhishma, the sound of his voice made Dhritarashtra stand up from his throne. Never once Bhishma called him by his name in the court after he ascended the throne. This is the very first time. 

"Enough. Enough of all your sons and your brother-in-law's deeds to my Pandu's family. Return the kingdom to the Pandavas and send them off. " Dhritarashtra could feel his heated gaze.

Duryodhana and Shakuni's faces twisted with anger, no one is daring enough to piss off an already pissed Bhishma, but they could not let Pandavas off the hook that easily. Dhritarashtra's morale was in a haywire, he didn't know on whose side to stand. His late brother's family or his beloved son. But still, a King must act in just.

Meanwhile, Shakuni came up with smart solutions, "Maharaja Dhritarashtra, we agree to return Pandavas their Kin....." 

"No, uncle what are you doing?" Durodhana asked him in a pissed tone, Shakuni silenced him with his hand gesture. 

"We agree to return Pandavas  their kingdoms and also to set them free. But only if they win in the rematch of Dice. But if they lose.." he looked at Pandavas who were throwing daggers at him with their eyes. "If they lose the game again, we still return their kingdom and set them free only after serving  12 years in exile and 1 year in Incognito. If they were found in their last year of Incognito they have to spend another 12 years in exile and 1 year in Incognito."

"Shakuni, stop your wickedness ri..." Bhishma's tolerance reached its point with Shakuni.

"Enough. Pitamaha I am the King of Hasthinapur, for I am the one to give orders," Dhritarashthira said with a straight face making his elders dumbfounded. 

"Are you serious Maharaj, after all, they di..." Before even Nakul could finish, Yudhisthira spoke making them look at him with wide eyes. 

"We take it. Let's have another game." Yudhishthira announced. "Brother, you are a fool. You know they will win this one too. Why do you have to agree?  I swear brother if you touch the dice again I will burn your hands."  Bheema felt like a caged beast, all those powerful mighty hands yet failed to protect his love and kingdom. 

"Brother please listen to Brother Bheema, even Sahadeva warned before our departure, at least listen to us now." Arjuna pleaded.

Without any expression on his face, Yudhishthira sat down for the rematch.

It was a chilling breeze of evening wind, Subhadra was pacing on the balcony of her palace facing the entrance, since Pandavas and Draupadi's departure she had not felt well in her heart, even Shrutasena told her that his heart was filled with some uneasiness, like father like son.

Till now she has received no news from Hasthinapur, which means everything must be alright, right? Sometimes she feels she overthinks for every situation. Pandavas and Draupadi must be returning in 2 or 3 days. Till then she has to be patient. 

When she turned around to leave, she heard the palace gate opening, as she looked, a woman was riding through the air on a white horse with her hair like a unruly beast. 

Subhadra's heart skipped a beat, who could that be? Millions of thought ran in her mind taking her feet unknowingly down to the entrance of the doors. When she saw the woman getting down from the horse, her face filled with horror. It was her sister.