Another Chance for Lives

Just A Man

DRAUPADI

I bury my face in the pillow. I don't think I have never been this embarrassed. I don't think I can go out at all. I don't think I can face him anymore. 'Vrushali'. The name pops up on my mind. Till yesterday I didn't think much of it. I don't see any other reason for him to ignore my request. He must have moved on. How naive of me to think that after 2 and half year he might still have feeling for me. I could not forget him. Two and half year I spent wondering if he knows I miss him. I spent everyday feeling guilty. He is also a reason I didn't say anything when my husbands brought their other wives. I myself am lost everyday in the thought of another man, how can I stop them? Today everything seems useless. I have been lying to myself.

"Panchali?"

I turned back and look.
"Are you crying?" Arjun sits down on my bed.

"No, no." I say.

"I didn't see you all day. Are you fine?." He asks.

"I couldn't come out. I am mensurating." I tell him.

"Oh, are you fine? Do you need anything?" When I first got married, they took care of me a lot. They made sure I was comfortable, not having any pain, getting me all my cravings. But it changed after they got their other wives.

"I am fine, Arya." I say.

"This year was technically my year with you." He says stroking my hair.

"Arya, stop putting salt on your meal. What will you do if I don't choose you?" I do feel bad even though I act tough.

"Then its fine. I can eat like that my whole life. That will be my lesson for taking you for grated. The taste is growing on me, it's not that bad."

"Arya, go sleep. I am tired." I don't want to have this conversation again, especially with my mood swigs.

He gets up and kiss my head. "Sleep. Matashree wants to talk to us tomorrow early morning, if she asks about you I'll tell her. You just rest."

I think I know what matashree wants to talk about.

KARNA

Was I too rude yesterday? I need to apologise to her.

I sit with Duryodhaan. He's been constantly nudging me about this whole family thing.

"We should leave, mitra. Let's talk about this properly in Hastinapur." I tell him.

When we were talking about this, me giving him reasons to leave and he gives me reason to stay, the Pandavs family enters with their mother.

I start getting nervous seeing all of them come in like this. We all just look at each other without saying anything for a moment.

"Why are you all just standing? Go seek blessing from your jyesth bhratashree." Rajmata Kunti order her sons.

They come forward and touch my feet. I don't know what to do in this situation. I grew up being a single child. This week I got to know I have 5 grown brothers, one of them being my nemesis. I just stood there not knowing what to do.

"Putra Karn, bless your brothers." She tells me.

"This is very sudden. I am no one to bless them., they already have all the blessings." I say.

Yudhisthir really is persuasive and say things one cannot refuse. "If you don't bless us then we cannot get up, bhratashree."

It was weird to hear him call me bhratashree. I just bless them to get the awkwardness over with.

"I hope you will forgive us someday." Yudhisthir says. "Matashree told us today only and it is no excuse of how we have treated you in the past, but please forgive your younger brothers. Matashree told us you need time, but let us serve you while you take your time. We can wait."