Elements of Fire

48. Negotiations -2

"I have committed no crime in trying to kill two birds with one stone" Drupad spoke up, his eyes set amidst some indistinct wrinkles, flashing in anger, "But you, Angraaj, you have tricked my daughter into marrying you, snatching away my biggest assets. I know this is one big conspiracy you have hatched with Duryodhan to diminish my strengths and alliances against Drona and the Kurus. And my daughter with her quick temper and impulsiveness simply walked into this elaborate trap."

Only the distant chirping of birds in the green outdoors and the tensed heavy breathing of the four occupants of the room filled the next few minutes.

"Angraaj, tell me" Drupad glared at his son-in-law, "Was that not your motive?"

Dhristyadyumna gently tried to whisper something into his father's ears who was now almost in a frenzied state. This didn't go unnoticed by Karna and Draupadi.

"Pitashri" Draupadi said softly trying to soothe him "What are you saying?"

Underneath the low table, she found Karna's hand gently clasping her own. She was about to send him a smile when Drupad spoke up again.

"You heard whatever I said clearly. You have been so terribly fooled. Panchal has been fooled."

This time, a lone traitor tear ran down Draupadi's cheek. Karna fists couldn't stop themselves from clenching tightly.

"Enough Maharaj Drupad!" Karna exclaimed, heaving angrily, "You have said enough. We were all keeping quiet out of respect for your age and the relational seniority that you have over me, and I still want to. I don't want to escalate this matter further. Please don't say anything else."

"Karna you have no defense for yourself now isn't it?" Drupad continued relentlessly "How can you? I marvel at how you managed to dupe my daughter into this—"

"Pitashri you are wrong" Draupadi interjected "You are misunderstanding. Everything that happened...that day... were completely unexpected and quick but everything happened at my will. I was free to take my decisions."

"And you took this decision" he said, his eyes making a pointed glance at Karna "You know what society thinks of even widows who even think of remarriage, it is not even permitted, and you...you broke ties with your husbands and married again and to whom I don't need to elaborate further!"

Draupadi gasped in shock. She could see her husband's handsome face drown in seething rage, his teeth gritting inconspicuously, his eyes narrowing the manner they did when he would take aim at a target. She could see Dhrityadyumna face whiten, as he tried to pacify their father.

"Pitashri everything I did, I did keeping your reputation in mind" she intervened trying to leaven the tense atmosphere, "If you have any other views, we can calmly sort them out."

She understood fully well that the situation could go out of hand any moment. Her husband could rightfully challenge them to a duel and easily win over them, her father and brother were no match for him. Or her father could thoughtlessly challenge Karna given the livid state he was in but the result would remain the same—death and carnage.

"Maharaj Drupad, so what are you suggesting Panchali should have done?" Karna asked giving his father-in-law an icy glare "But please know this, I shall not tolerate any ill word against my wife."

"If my daughter had followed her dharma that day" Drupad began coldly "Then I would not have been sitting here today. There would not have been so much confusion today—"

Draupadi felt as though she had been stabbed. How could her father say this? What had happened to her father?

"Dharma? Pitashri?" Draupadi questioned looking at him unbelievingly "You are implying that I should have gone back... gone back to... to the Pandavas?"

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Hello everyone

I know it is a short update, but I decided not to keep you all waiting longer till I complete it entirely :)

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please let me know what you think. I love going through your comments :) ❤❤