✧ *✧･ 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐤𝐚 • ✧ *✧

23. This time, Ram will follow Sita into her Vanvas.

" Jyeshth. We apologize-"

" No. No. What do you mean you apologize? You are her brothers. She relied on you for her safety. I relied on you for her safety. " Karn said coldly as the brothers walked into his room later that day.

" I know Jyeshth. I am your biggest culprit. I am Jyeshtha's biggest culprit. I am very sorry. Please, I know I am not worth the forgiveness. But please forgive me. " Yudhishthir said, sitting by his Jyeshth's feet.

" Will your apologies turn back time? Will they make my sister not suffer? She is your eldest, she was disrobed in front of an entire sabha and you were unable to stand up for him? " He said, trying to free his leg.

" Jyeshth please -"

" No! Her insult, while I was not there haunts me. She told me everyday with guru Parshuram how her brothers were the strongest and most kindhearted people she knew. Is this the effect of the crown Samrat? " Karn added, when Yudhishthir looked up in surprise. He expected anger, disbelief, disappointment, but never distrust.

" Jyeshth? " The others whispered.

" Arya. My brother is asking for your forgiveness. Please forgive him? " Vrushali said, walking in with Karunika behind her. She was still extremely weak, but her brother's love brought her here.

" How Vrushali? How can I forgive them when they did such crimes against my own sister? " He asked as he walked up to his wife who kept a comforting hand on his arm.

" Because I have forgiven them Jyeshth. They have learnt their lesson. They have understood that whatever dharm they were following was false as it was without it's own karuna. Please Jyeshth. Forgive them? Your Kumari asks her brother for her brother's forgiveness?" She said sweetly, with big doe eyes.

He silently looked at her and she gave him a reassuring smile. Life may throw challenges at them, but it was one relation that it could not change. Her and her Jyeshth's, her gurubhai. He was her elder brother, the one she never knew she needed but had always wanted.

She hugged him as the others followed. A peace before long periods of struggle.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*

While Duryodhan was fuming in rage, Karunika had somehow managed to get Maharaj Dhritarashtr to wait for a year before they would go for their vanvas. Something which was rather easy as he was immensely scared of her power in Aryavart. She had Kuntibhoj, Yadukul and Vajji behind her and even though Pitamah Bheeshm was there to yet again uphold his 'dharm' to protect the throne, no one could go against an insulted woman. Not even god.

The first few months after her child's loss, were painful, but life had to move.

Each night she woke up, in hopes of keeping a hand in the middle to find a baby. All she found was an empty space. One where they would join hands. Their love would attempt to pick up the broken heart.

She found comfort in her family, her little nephews who would run circles around her, trying to get her to play in the mud with them. They were successful obviously, but her husband would spoil the fun by pulling her out, muttering things like ' Such a child. Playing in the mud. What would happen if you caught a cold. My wife is an
idiot. '

Her relationship with her brothers was different. They wouldn't meet her eye, no matter her repeatedly telling them that she had forgiven them. However, at night it was different. The dreams of the sabha would break her piece, each time she would close her eyes.

Once , as she rocked herself back to sleep, her husband, who was up with her trying to help her sleep asked, " Priy. You say you've forgiven your brothers. Yet you seem scared of them somehow. "