•|| Arjun ~ Rise To Power ||• (III)

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟾

Outskirts of Paanchaal, Battle Camp

Arjun's POV

Rushing outside, I steadied myself by leaning against a wooden pole, breathing out deeply. My heart was thudding wildly, not ready to lessen its pace any soon. 

It was true, I had in a day, seen many lose their life within a few moments. But those were.-those were so- I didn't imagine that someone would give up their last breaths right in front where I was sitting; hoping for his speedy recovery. I sighed deeply, pushing back my tresses and leaning my head as my throat went dry, but I had no urge to drink to quench my thirst. 

There was still the din of the cries and shouts, and everything was appearing to dissolve slowly with the atmosphere. 

"He had a mother back at home." Those words didn't seem to detach from my senses, the vision of him practically breathing his last.....desperately clinging on to whatever moments he had. What must he be wondering that time? How would it feel like, to feel in his last moments that he would never be able to witness his family again? Never witness his mother's smile or tears, nor sleep peacefully on her lap? That lingering feeling, of trying the best to be alive to see his family again, yet knowing very well he won't be surviving?

How gruesome must be that feeling? 

I rested the heel of my palm on my forehead sitting on a rock nearby, when the liquid-feeling over my head alerted me; it was blood, that youth's blood. Fresh and thick, sticking on my palm...and splattered over my angavastra. I didn't knew what got me but, but right then I picked up a pot rushing nearby, and poured it over my palm.

The cold water trickled over my fingers as I began to rub it aggressively, "Go....please go." 

"Please." My jaws clenched as I began to rub my angavastra rashly, my teeth gnawing with each other.

"Go....why isn't it being removed?" I didn't knew when my eyes began to water, as I began continued damping my garment in the urge to remove the blood stains. But it was stubborn, the lingering stain was stubborn.

Very stubborn. 

The faint redness was lingering on my white garment, even though I was trying to wash it with all my might. It was....it was refusing to budge and my heart was sinking than ever before. The cloth almost came apart with the aggressive washing, right through were the stain was; a drop of tear trickled down my jaw.

"Arjun? Arjun where are you?" The distant voice appeared familiar, but my gaze was fixed on the pot and the stains.

"Arjun.....?" Bhrata Bheem's voice deepened.

 "Arjun, what are you-"  

I almost threw the water pot away, causing it to shatter into pieces instantly, wiping my mouth and glaring at it as if it was the reason for my miseries. 

"Arjun?!" He grabbed my shoulder and instantly spun my around, my eyes blankly staring at him for a few moments, lost and dumbfounded. His brows were furrowed, his lips parted worriedly as his rough palms began to caress my shoulder, shaking me, "What happened?"

"Phalgun?"

"Hmm?" I blinked twice, gazing around and breaking from the trance. 

"This...what are you doing?" Bhrata Bheem confusedly glanced at the broken pot and then at my wet garments. 

I was clueless what to answer him. For the first time, words didn't register in my mind of what explanation I was going to give to Bhrata Bheem. There was never, never a case that arose which I kept secret or didn't share with my brothers. But today, I felt my mouth was sealed by an unknown force, as my eyes stared at my brother helplessly.