Another Chance for Lives

Battle Of Fate

DRAUPADI

He kisses me then fixes himself and went out of the room. I try to suppress the smile that's forming on my face. So we do end up together. My yearning for him prove stronger than any obstacle that came in the way. In this happy moment I could not stop myself from crying but it was neither of sadness nor happiness, my tears are of relief. My mind feels relax but my heart is still afraid of what could have had happened. Karna didn't comeback till late night, I wonder if he slept somewhere else. I try to sleep but couldn't. Then I hear slow footsteps approaching. I close my eyes tight and pretend to sleep knowing who's it is. His cold arm wrapped around my body as he lies down behind me. "Sleep my dear." Karna speaks softly. The room is dark with all the candles burned. I can feel his hand near my face and couldn't help myself to kiss it. 

"Sleep, we have to wake up early." He says kissing my face. I close my eyes imagining our future, getting lost to it hoping to dream about the same. My worries vanishes when he is next to me, I don't want him to get out of my sight ever.

When I wake up in the morning he was not there next to me. 'Was it a dream? Did he comeback to my chamber yesterday?' It cannot be. 

"Maharani, you need to get ready fast." Malini's tells me.

I rushes to the hall and sees everyone there. All my husbands. Karna, Yudhisthir, Bheem, Arjun, Shahdev, Nakul, Krishna, Matashree, Duryodhaan, all the wives. But it doesn't look like a casual gathering. They are all armed except for Yudhisthir. Karna looks at me apologetically. No one said anything for some time, the wives weeps silently.

"Panchali, we had to keep it from you but we knew a war was coming and late night yesterday we got to know Jarasandh along with his army and the kings under him and Keechak with the Virat soldier and some kingdoms who are against us are approaching us. I have to stay back to protect the palace and the kingdom but my brothers have to go." Yudhisthir explains. 

Matashree holds me, "Putri, telling you didn't seem right. You were already worried about many things and that led you to have nightmares. We thought to tell you after sometime but who would have thought that they will wage war like this without even giving notice, breaking Kshatriya dhaarma."

Krishna hands me over the pooja thali, "Sakhi, it's your duty to send off your husband." I hold the thali, the vermillion looks devasted in the thali, the same vermillion I applied on my head with hope and happiness. But I am Kshtriya woman, I am the wife of 6 brave maharathi, my feelings shouldn't be their weakness. 

I took the thali to Karna first and put the tilak on him. He doesn't look worried for the war but rather disappointed. "We will comeback soon." He says. "You better." I warn him, my voice shakes.

I went to Bheem to do the same but matashree stops me, "Yudhisthir before Bheem, putri."

"But he is not going to the field." I ask. 
"He won't be here, bhabhishree He will stay outside the palace, we don't know where they have disposed the army. I wanted to accompany him but they said they will do this themselves." Duryodhaan tells me. "We can't take you to war without Jyesth matashree's permission." Yudhisthir explains.

I gather myself and applied tilak to everyone. As the queen and eldest daughter-in-law I applied the same to Krishna. "I am not going to fight the war. I will just guide, that's my purpose." Krishna says. 

"Don't worry, Panchali." Bheem pats my back.

"After this war we will do the Ashwmedha yagna, Panchali. You will be the empress of the entire Aryavart, not just ours. We will put all the kingdoms at your feet. No one will misbehave with you anymore." Arjun says and his word broke me. I just want them safe, I don't want anything else anymore. I just wanted peace.