Pancha Prāna

3. The Sisters

Kampilya, Southern Panchal

" You do know who you are. Don't you, Shivanya Singh Oberoi?" Renuka asked with a smirk, shocking Shivanya out of her wits. They knew who she was. How, when, and what were questions she did not know how to seek her answers to.

"You know who I am?" Shivanya whispered as she was alert and taken aback at Renuka's words. Only one person could have dared to speak about her true identity, and it was Krishna, the man who always had his way. His speech appeared twisted when he was being straightforward all the while.

She believed it to be a matter of perspective. If Krishna had spoken about it, she knew it was a piece of information that was alright to divulge about. But what, how much, she had not given much thought about it in trying to wrap her head around the fact that she was instrumental in the politics of Bharatvarsha. Confusion clouded her mind, and the only way to clear it was to talk, she reminded herself.

"A parent knows," Drupad said, joining his wife and confusing Shivanya more.

"I know that. I'm surprised you know what I was known as back in..." Shivanya stammered as she fidgeted with the end of the quilt and looked between Drupad and Renuka, who exchanged glances between each other.

" You should not be, especially with a friend like Krishna, " Renuka teased her daughter, who scoffed playfully and looked away, earning a chuckle from the couple.

"Now that you said. I'm curious about what Kanha has to say about me, " Shivanya said as she clasped her palms, placed them under her chin, and looked curiously at her parents. Drupad chuckled at his daughter. Indeed, Krishna was right when he said his daughter would be interested 'in all the tea' about her.

"Curious are you?" Drupad asked with the same curiosity as Shivanya. It was true that daughters brought the inner child of fathers, an experience Drupad was thankful for every minute since Shivanya was born.

"Babies are always curious, Pitashree, " Shivanya said cheekily. The room grew silent as Shivanya uttered those words. It was the first time she had acknowledged Drupad as her father.

Ecstatic, proud, and perhaps overwhelmed. Drupad felt all those emotions when his youngest daughter called him her father. His lips stretched into a smile that touched the eyes. A few drops of happy tears rolled down his eyes. His daughter called him 'Pitashree'.

"Say that again, Putri, " Drupad requested as tears rolled down his eyes. He was emotional and wanted to hear the word 'Pitashree' on a loop in Shivanya's sweet and melodious voice.

"Babies are always curious, " Shivanya repeated, and Drupad pouted. Was she playing with him? And Renuka shook her head fondly at the two.

" Not that, what you said after that, " Drupad almost pleaded.

For Renuka, to witness the King of Panchal behaving like a kid around his daughter felt surreal. Drupad was a whole different person around his daughter. A childlike attitude took over his usual distant king-like demeanour. Her sons had not witnessed this side often from their father, but here was the newborn princess, bringing out the beautiful human hidden under that facade of arrogance and anger.

"What was it, Pitashree?" Shivanya asked innocently. Those innocent doe eyes can be deceiving. Those eyes held playfulness and innocence that could melt even a stone-hearted person. Drupad could easily give into those angelic eyes, especially to convince him.

" My sweet child. You are the most beautiful gift I have ever received, " Drupad said tearfully, delighted to hear the precious word again.

"And did I tell you that you are the best Pita on earth, " Shivanya squealed as she clapped her hands in child-like excitement. Drupad was elated and shared a look with his wife that said, 'I'm the favourite,' to which Renuka rolled her eyes.