𝕊𝔼𝕍𝔼ℕ 𝕀ℕ 𝔸 𝕎𝕆ℝ𝕃𝔻 {𝙼𝙰𝙷𝙰𝙱𝙷𝙰𝚁𝙰𝚃 𝚃𝙸𝙼𝙴 𝚃𝚁𝙰𝚅𝙴𝙻}

84. An unpleasant guest.

The past whole month was completely occupied, with Saag and Yudhishthir busy in their own problems... Madhu's absolute rebellious phase.

The ever calm Yudhishthir too had sat on the steps of his seat in the sabha, one hand holding his head, while his other was pressed against his lips in silent acknowledgement of just how much her daughter and wife were similar, in behaviour and in tantrums.

" What's up bro in law? " I asked him, sitting by his side. For a rather competent warrior, his daughter had rendered him rather tongue tied and oblivious to the world around him.

" Yudhi? My dear Jija! Yudhi boy, you know you're my man, Yudhishthir? Yudhishthir! " I finally exclaimed and he startled, head nearly hitting his knees as his hand slipped.

"What?" He croaked, before clearing his throat, " What happened? "

" Nothing brother dear, come, we need to go for a brother's day out, " I said, hauling him to his feet.

He needed a break, far too much had happened in the past few weeks.

" Is there - is there anyone else joining us?" He asked, eyes flitting, eager to draw the curtains of his tranquility.

"You do know you're lying everyday right?" I told him, just to throw him off.

" What? No, I have never lied in my entire life, never will. " He answered resolutely.

" Don't you know? Your eyes lie each day? Your face may be a hard facade of peace, nothing phases me, I am Yudhishthir. But your eyes betray you, well, oy in the presence of Saag, but they do. You try so hard to be completely unphased that your eyes are begging for someone to listen to the child in them, " I said to him as he chuckled a harsh laugh.

" That child died the day our father did Ajatshatru. " He murmured.

"There wasn't a reason for him to. "

" Why not? My father passed away, it was my dharm to look after my mother and my brothers," He answered, taking slow walks towards me.

" Was it? And wasn't it the dharm of Maharaj Dhritarashtr to look after you? The son of his younger brother? His own nephew? You sit there, excusing their behaviour, painting them as the older generations when you know full and well that their lives are hollow. "

" And what should I have said? They were the ones housing us. Had I been the only one involved, I wouldn't mind being sent away from the kingdom. But my brothers were there too. "

" I understand, look, it's fine, but you should know, suppressing your emotions like this is never good. " I reassured him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

" I know, come, we shall go on the ride you promised, " He smiled, changing the subject.

" Alright-"

"AJ! AJ! " I heard  Saag call as I snapped my head around to see her running into the room, panting, while her husband ran to her help.

" A-AJ! You need to go meet Devi — Go! " She shouted, hurrying me away.

Even as my feet took me away, my mind stumbled, " But where? " I asked her and she shoved me, " To your room you idiot. Now go. All the best. Don't faint. " She warned and I ran, her words ringing in my head.

Don't faint? It's not as if I faint anyways. Why would I faint seeing Devi —

I now realised why Saag warned me not to faint. I barged into the room to see Devika lying on the bed, a cloth to cover her as she snapped her teeth shut, withheld screams forcing their way through her as she panted in exertion.