Krishna! - Part 2

Chapter 2 - The heart-to-heart sibling conversation

As she lay unconscious, she heard them.

'Zzzhhhhgggmaa! Zzhhggmaa!', the voices were muddled.

'Rhhhma! Rkhhmaaa!', they got more distinct.

'Rakhma!!', and that woke her up.

Rukmini opened her eyes with a jolt and looked around. She was on the bed, with her four brothers looking at her worriedly. They slowly helped her get up and made her sit.

'What happened?', she asked, dazed, holding her head. Rukmamaali fetched her a glass of water while Rukmabahu and Rukmaratha sat beside her, gently pressing her palms and head. Rukmakeshi sat down near her, placed his hand on her knees and looked at her with a question.

'Rakhma, you had lost consciousness for easily one Prahara. What happened? This is clearly the result of some worry. The Vaidya came and confirmed that as well.', he asked.

Rukmini didn't know what to say. She was happy, but worried and she wasn't able to speak her heart out. She felt uncomfortable, started sweating, her eyes already teared up.

Rukmaratha knew that it was time he took charge.

'Kanika! Come here please.', he spoke, signing her to come forward.

Kanika walked to the four brothers fearfully.

'You have nothing to fear. Speak out. You clearly know what happened in Mathura that Rakhma is so agitated and that has something to do with Agraja Rukmi. What is it?', he asked her.

Rukmini shook her head at Kanika, to stop her from revealing anything.

'Kanika, you're not to listen to her. Go on tell us. Rakhma, you will not stop her (he looked at Rukmini, warning her not to stop Kanika).', said Rukmamaali.

Kanika took a deep breath and began,

'I am sorry Shree! I have to speak out. I can see some troubles that might come in the future. (Rukmini shook her head violently and shut her eyes, not wanting to see how her brothers reacted). Rajkumar, your sister has probably never shared this with you. She has been in love with this man, just having heard of his virtues and feats. She had never seen him. She saw him in Mathura. Our friend Sunanda and her husband and a new set of friends we made in Mathura, and I, we all feel that she has made the right decision by falling in love with him. He too, we discovered, likes her. But...'

'But what? Go on Kanika.', asked Rukmabahu.

'Rajkumar, he did something that the Yuvaraj was absolutely angered about. He destroyed the Yuvaraj's friend and ally, Mathuraadheesh Kamsa.', and when she stopped, all the four brothers were absolutely aghast.

'You mean Krishna!?!?', asked Rukmakeshi softly, not wanting the name to reach his eldest brother's ears.

'Yes Rajkumar.', said Kanika, shamefacedly.

The four brothers looked at each other and at Rukmini, finding her eyes shut. She found the grip of her brother's hands on her turning hard. She was scared they would react the same way as Rukmi did.

Rukmaratha opened his mouth and whispered into her ears, 'I am so proud! What a brilliant choice for a life partner!!'.

Rukmini opened her eyes at that, unable to believe what her brother had said. She looked at him in surprise and found him smiling. Rukmakeshi was smiling too, praying. Rukmabahu was so happy that he gave her a tight hug. Rukmamaali started laughing softly in happiness.

'Jyeshta, Bhrata Bahu, Bhrata Keshi, Sakha? Are you not upset?', she was surprised at their reactions.

'You know what! I do not like the fact that Agraja maintains relationships with Kamsa and Magadha-Samrat Jarasandha and Chhedi Yuvaraj Shishupal.', whispered Rukmaratha.

'Me too', chuckled Rukmabahu

'Me Three', laughed Rukmakeshi.

'Me Four!', piped Rukmamaali, softly.

Rukmini was excited.

'Had I known this, I would have asked your help to find him.', she said, making a face.

'Well, nothing too late. But does Agraja know about this?', asked Rukmabahu.

'I don't think so. But I have to tell him eventually. I just don't know how he'll take it.', she said, with her hand on her forehead.

'Hmm, that's why you are so tensed. You're afraid if he would get you married to one of his ally's', asked Rukmakeshi.

'Don't you worry about that. What are we here for? We're not brothers for namesake. We'll make sure you get married to Krishna.', winked Rukmamaali.

Rukmini was so overwhelmed that she just gave each of her brothers a bone crushing embrace which they all fondly embraced. Kanika could have sworn that she had never seen Rukmini this happy. She just hoped and prayed that this wish of her dear friend somehow just came true.

'Kanika, you mentioned that Rakhma met Krishna in Mathura. Tell us more about the conversation? How did they meet?', Rukmamaali was excited.

'Sakha! No, it's too late. I want to sleep. You all go and sleep. Agraja, Matoshree and Pitashree will be upset if you are all late.', Rukmini said, shyly.

'Rakhma, you are not going to worry about that. We'll manage. Go off to sleep. We'll listen all night and watch you pretending to sleep, trying hard not to react to every special moment that Kanika speaks of, between you and Krishna. Is that clear?', Rukmakeshi teased her.

Rukmini turned red. How did Bhrata Keshi know that she wouldn't be able to sleep that night?

'Don't try, my Sakhi!! Try to sleep. Go into your dream world with your Krishna.', chuckled Rukmamaali.

'By the way, do you have any special name for him?', winked Rukmabahu.

'Maybe, Priyatama?', suggested Rukmaratha, laughing softly, looking at his sister's reaction. Rukmini was visibly looking for a place to hide her face. She had no choice but to cover her face.

'Kanika, why don't you tell us the special name she has kept?', asked Rukmakeshi innocently.

'The same name by which he introduced himself to us Rajkumar, his exact complexion, Shyam', giggled Kanika, her hands over her mouth.

'Ohooo! ', exclaimed all of them, with a 'Not Bad!' Expression and they all burst out into laughter.

'Ahaaa! Ghana Shyaama and our little Sundari here. Wah, what a pair!' Rukmamaali made an expression that people would normally make, when they are lost in the beauty of something.

Exasperatedat all the teasing, Rukmini made a face and went off to sleep. And she heardKanika explaining every single thing they had experienced in Mathura and everytime she heard Krishna's name, his charming face kept coming in front of hereyes and she couldn't stop blushing. And she drifted off to sleep, thinkingabout him.