Mahagatha

Indifference

"I want King Drupad's head as gurudakshina."

The words which rang in the air, silencing the Pandavas and Kaurvas alike.

..............except one particular Pandav.

"As you say, Guru dev."

Came the voice of Pandav Prince Arjun as soon as his Guru Dev's demand was made known.

Shock (Nakul), indifference (Sahdev), eagerness (Bheem) and amusement (Yudhishthir) along with the cold calculation (Duryodhan) was the response received.

But those were not the people Arjun was seeking the response of the only one whose response mattered to him was the his Guru Dev's.

Whose eyes displayed pride.

A few minutes hence, the other Princes also burst into proclamations of giving the head of King Drupad to their Guru Dev.

Which were silenced when it was made known that their Guru Dev wanted not a dead but a very much alive King Drupad.

With promises and greetings the Princes made to leave leaving the issue of the guru dakshina for the next day seeing as the sun had already set.

"Aru?"

Yudhishthir's childhood nickname for his brother slipped out in the concern his face displayed.

He kept his hand on the shoulder of his silent younger brother.

Make no mistake his brother has always been a silent child but not an apathetic child.

And ever since the ceremony of the Prince's reintroduction to the people of Hastinapur the only emotion visible in those ever changing eyes was indifference.

It wasn't that he didn't joke around but there was something akin to an inherent disconnect.

"Bhratashri."

A cool polite reply so unlike his brothers usual warmth.

It just served to make the pit in his stomach even deeper.

"How have you been, Aru? Won't you talk to this brother of yours?"

As the two brothers walked side to side Arjun refused to meet the Dharma Raj's eyes.

Keeping his eyes firmly on the ground.

The concern in his brother's eyes was not something Arjun wanted to see. He preferred to be  indifferent and be cursed at rather than have such heartfelt concern directed his way.

"I'm alright Bhratashtri. Don't worry yourself. I hope you also are faring well."

"Come now, Aru. Is there such any reason for such a degree of formality between us? We are family are we not?"

"Family is not a guarantee of closeness, Bhratashri. And such formality is befitting of the Princes of Hastinapur. Now, forgive me for I must retire to bed."

With those words Arjun walked passed his brother.

Leaving Yudhishthir alone with his hand still where his brothers shoulder had been.

"It didn't work?"

Came Bheem's voice along with the concern in the twins eyes as they came out of their hiding place.

"No, it didn't ."

"Shall we ask Pitamaah to intervene, Bhrata?"

Suggested Sahdev as he tried to calm down his frantic twin.

"Yeah! We should ask Pitamaah to talk to Aru-d, Yu-da! He's the only person Aru-da wouldn't ever deflect."

A frantic Nakul said (shouted more so).