Empire of Righteousness

Chapter 85 : Dharmraj's Test

Unfortunately for Draupadi, Suthanu and Bhanu needed to leave as Krishna asked them to. With heavy heart Draupadi bade her daughter and grandchild goodbye. But Shrutasena stayed. His brothers couldn't come even if they wanted to. So, Shrutasena will stay with his parents before they go to Vanvas.

"Maa," Shrutasena leans on his mother's back.

"What's wrong?" Draupadi smiles.

It's night already. And they are preparing to sleep. Sahadev very excitedly went to the other hut. He and Shrutasena is supposed to sleep together.

"Maa," Shrutasena calls like a child playing with his mother's achal.

"Do you wish to say something?" Draupadi smiles softly.

"Maa, can I sleep next to you?" he asks.

Draupadi caresses his face softly.

"You are all grown up. Why are being a child still?" Draupadi teases.

"Let him, Panchali. Sleeping beside our mother always made us at ease," Arjun ruffles Shrutasena's head affectionately.

"Give me Vrishaketu then. You three mother, son and father sleep on the other hut," Karna says.

Vrishaketu was sleeping wrapped in Draupadi's chest warmly. Karn takes him in his arms. As soon as Karn touched the sleeping Vrishaketu he began to wail loudly.

"Karn, why are you taking my son away from me?" Draupadi takes Vrishaketu back in her arms.

Gently rocking him back and fort making him sleep again.

"Karn, he hates to get away from me when sleeping. He always sleeps with me," Draupadi says.

"But Shrutasena wishes to sleep with his mother as well. Give him to me for tonight,"

Draupadi noticed the insecurity in Karn's voice. He was afraid as Shrutasena is elder than Vrishaketu a lot, he is taking Shrutasena's mother away from him.

"Karn, Vrisha is my son as much as Sena. Both my sons won't be apart from me," Draupadi takes him and enters the hut.

Shrutasena slept in the middle of Sahadev and Draupadi. Vrishaketu cosy in Draupadi's chest.

Shrutasena sighed carefully. This is the first time he had both his parents beside him. His heart had an unknown peace in his heart that he never felt, he felt as if no one can hurt him. Maybe this is what it means when people say the relationship between father and mother affects the children. In dark, Shrutasena wiped a few drops that escaped his eyes.

"Maa," Shrutasena calls.

"Hmm,"

"Tell me a story," Shrutasena asks like a child.

Both Sahadev and Draupadi chuckles.

"Let your father tell you a story," Draupadi says.

"What story do you want to hear?" Sahadev asks.

"About your childhood, Pitashree," Shrutasena says. 

Sahadev began to tell him a story about their childhood where they all went to play and they all got lost....

Draupadi looks at the father and son. The childhood Shrutasena never had, he is experiencing it. Draupadi knows Pandavas regret their behavior, their ignorance towards their sons the most. So even after everything ends, if they decide to go back to other women's embrace, her sons won't lack their father. It doesn't matter to her anymore if they decide to stay by her side or goes away. Because she has finally found the reason of her birth.