Sojourn : mahabharata's era

CHAPTER 11 : The Punishment

Coming back to the ashram, I saw much commotion there. Students were already up doing their daily chores. I felt lethargic, and getting up early made me douzy, I extended my arms to release some indolence, the sunlight was warm making the atmosphere cosy, and I wanted to sleep then and there. I studied my eyes around the ashram, to look for Gurudev. Incapable to find them, I determined to go inside my tent and sleep once again for a while.

Marching towards the tents, I saw Duryodhan and Ashwattama Coming from the opposite direction, but my eyes were fixed on him, he looked distinct now. I felt a hasty bounce in my heart when I saw him, I stood there staring at him like a fool, he walked and talked with his best friend, Duryodhan. He wasn't wearing that silly orange cloth upon his forehead that he usually wore, his pink lips held up a faint smile upon them, and his cheeks were turning red, what are they even talking about I thought-

"Nihira-" a voice interrupted me from far away, I peered towards Devpriya didi, and unexpectedly Ashwattama and Duryodhan too looked at Devpriya didi, who stood there with a new earthen pot in her hands, along with tushti. She had a pale utterance on her face, and that upset me from my hair to toe.

"W-What-?"

"Where were you since morning, least you can tell and go." She said placing her hand upon her slim waist, her eyes were crammed with kajal, and she looked gorgeous when she acted dramatically, I could see Duryodhan and Ashwattama staring at her continuously. Three of them were primarily of the same age, then me. I was the smallest among all, except Nakul and Sehdev.

"I-I went to the lake to refill the pots," I said mashing my lips together.

"Refill-? I could not see any pots here and the one kept in the kitchen is not there, tell me now where were you." She said with more acting and a severe tone in her voice.

"Oof-forget it, let me just go and sleep," I said in frustration, all of them glanced at me with utmost disarray, as I strolled towards the tent.

"Why is she behaving like that?" Let out Devpriya did, I could sense her perplexed stare from behind, transversing Ashwattama and abruptly the soft part somewhere in my chest began to jump and a shudder went down my spine, crossing Ashwattama I felt distant, he glanced at me through the corner of his eyes and I strolled away ignoring him, strongly.

* * *

"Nihira, wake up" I heard a faint sound in my dreams, as I lay upon the soft green grass around a lake with him, and his fingers brushing my hands.

"Nihira-" someone called once again, I looked here and there to look around the citation, the luminous sunlight dwelled upon my face.

"Oh God Nihira, Gurudev is calling you-" A sudden splash of water fell upon my face, I woke up immediately all wet and saturated in water, my hair came out unkempt and I peeked at everyone in the tent who gazed at me with most traumatic looks, I rumbled my eyes through the tent Devpriya didi stood in front with a bucket of water in her hands, Tushti escorted her with almost erratic expressions, and then there was none other than the troublemaker Duryodhan, There he stood, with bitterness, fury and all of those synonymous of anger written upon his face.

"You seriously slept,-" said Devpriya didi, with her hands upon her waist and her pallu tucked in, her loose hair was coming out and she made an awestruck face glancing at me, meanwhile I sat there, befuddled with almost no clue of when did I sleep after coming from the lake-did I just dozed off-well yes!

"Now, go and get ready because you've been summoned by Gurudev, I don't want you to sleep again so dear Duryodhan, it's your responsibility to look after her." She said turning around to address him, she stared at me with bellicosity in her eyes, whereas Duryodhan gave side eyes to her, when he was almost on the rim of speaking out, she spoke again, meaner this time.