Empire of Righteousness

Chapter 112 : Evolving Relationships

Draupadi smiles as she reads the letter. What's happening with Arjuna? A few days ago he exclaimed that he still feels both of them didn't experience enough romance in their story. So he is writing love letters to her everyday.

Hridaya,

Next time I want to be born as a blue whale. I pray that you will be the same. This life is messy, fragmented. Multiple lesions in heart, stomach, brain. Darling next time be homely, friendly like a blue whale. I will swim in the deep sea with my family. I will be very close to you. Then one day, if you are lost, I will go to the shore and die voluntarily. Then there will be no opportunity to call me selfish.

Yours
Phalguni

She smiles as she putting it safely in a box. His words touching the core of her heart. She will reply it later.

"Nalini, draw my bath. Poojan will start in the afternoon," Draupadi orders.

Nalini goes to prepare her bath.

"Maa," Vrishaketu enters her chamber jumping on her lap.

"Vrisha! Why are you running?" Draupadi ruffles his head.

"Maa maa...Pitashree will come today?" he asks playing with her hair.

"He will. Shouldn't you get ready and prepare like a prince you are in order to surprise him?" Draupadi asks.

Vrishaketu nods aggressively. Draupadi shakes her head smiling. Abhimanyu and Vrishaketu are the exact copies of their fathers. Always eager to prove themselves.

Draupadi baths Vrishaketu and gets him ready in silk royal garments and jeweleries.

"What a handsome young man you are!" she places a tilak of his head.

"Here you are!" Shrutakarma enters her chamber.

"Maa, you aren't ready yet? Vrisha, I told you the maids will get you ready," Shrutakarma bonks his head lightly.

"It's fine. You know how Vrisha is. Look at you!" Draupadi holds Shrutakarma by his arms.

He is as tall as Arjuna. His dark skin represents his father as well. He looks exceptionally handsome today. Like the night sky adoring with gold ornaments.

Draupadi kisses his head with affection. Caressing his face lovingly, "Take Vrisha and go to your father. I will be out shortly. Is your Bhabishree ready?"

"I don't know Maa. Bhabishree Maya and Maharani Sonakshi are there for her. Maa, I wanted to tell you something," Shrutakarma looks a bit troubled.

Draupadi smiles nodding.

"Maa, Pitashree was informing Jyest Pitamaha and Pitashree Yudhisthira that he is going to entrust me with Gandhiva today. Maa, I don't want it," he says in one breath.

Confused Draupadi asks, "Why Putra?"

"Maa, there was a time as an archer I was enormed by Gandhiva. I dreamt of wielding it one day. Making my father proud. You know even if Gandhiva always stayed with you in Indraprastha, I was forbidden to enter that room by Pitashree. He always talked about making bhrata Iravan weild it. Now all in a sudden his decision changed,"

From the corner of her eyes Draupadi looks at her husbands weapons which as always is in her chamber.

"Maa, why am I treated differently now? Because we build a kingdom of our own? Or because of the prophecy of me being more valorous than my father? He never paid attention to it before,"

Draupadi's face saddens because she has no answer to his queries today.

"Maa, will you please tell Pitashree to not make me weild it. It will seriously hurt my self respect," Shrutakarma finishes.