Kirti Kriti Aur Kartik Ki

Chapter 10

A/N: Idk... did I cover whatever I wanted in this chapter... I'll never know I guess. As long as it hits the mark, I am happy. It did turn ut shorter than I expected but at this point I am nearly drained cuz there's an event week happening this week and I have 9 fics to write for that. *sighs* And apparently college is reopening offline :/

In the first few weeks at the gurukul, Kritika found it hard not to roll her eyes at the obvious bias Drona seemed to show her way. Often "forgetting" she was present in class, sending her around to do errands... basically making it like he still was in the world of 'girls cannot fight and should not fight.' Well, considering the fact that she was on one...

So she made her own schedule and started learning as she had like to call it "Ekalavya style". She woke up early, earlier than the most along with Kartik, did some meditation and practiced some moves and stretches with Kartik, who was more than ready to be her punching bag as neither wanted to forget what they'd learnt in the future and wanted to find ways to create their unique styles that combined the present and the future.

And the cousins usually woke up just in time to witness the K duo doing sit ups and push ups before Drona had to disperse them to start their own day.

So Drona was naturally surprised when he saw that Kritika managed to defeat most of the cousins 3 months into the start in hand to hand combat and had achieved the basics of most of the weapons, she just struggled in archery and mace fighting a tad bit, and had to reluctantly admit that she had some talent and started to focus on training her a bit more.

6 months into gurukul and Drona promised Arjuna that he would make him the greatest archer in the world, a promise that slightly sickened the duo as they knew what would happen due to the promise made and honestly, weren't looking forward to the outcome either.

That being said, while the studies went on in one front, they sure had fun playing around too, roaming around the forest or the ashram, causing mischief here and there... just a normal day.

Sometimes Kartik wondered what it would be like if they were all to have books for studies before scratching the idea off his mind. Mass producing was not a thing and replicating books that are huge and heavy for everyone in the gurukul... he had to suppress a shudder. Yeah, oral teaching was the best way to go for the time being. Especially since most of the stuff they were being taught was more practical than theory.

A year passed and Ekalavya arrived, passion and admiration brimming in his eyes as he asked Drona to teach him but Drona refused stating that he was a tribal.

"Doesn't talent come before anything gurudev? He's still young and has amazing talent. Is it not necessary for someone to guide him in the right path?" Kartik asked.

"That may be the case from where you came from putr, but it doesn't work like that in here" Drona said and left the place. He had a point though... These caste stuff was deep rooted, even in their times. That didn't mean he didn't feel bad for him.

But Ekalavya had returned when they found the dog with arrows sticking out of its mouth without hurting it and the look in Arjuna's eyes were one of glee, that he had found a challenge, a person who may equal him if not exceed his skill.

Drona had to ask for the guru dakshina, the dominant thumb of Ekalavya, the thumb without which his life itself will be destroyed... and Kritika wasn't one to stand by injustice but before she could question the decision, Ekalavya had willingly sacrificed his thumb and everyone was sure that the sight of the severed thumb at Drona's feet would definitely give nightmares. Ekalavya just politely bowed and left the place.

"Wasn't it just unfair that you technically destroyed a person's life by asking his thumb?" Kritika seethed.

"I'd promised Arjuna that he had become the greatest archer, and I'm just fulfilling it" Drona said with a nonchalant shrug and the duo just lost it.