Kairavi

Chapter 14

2 days later:

Kairavi hadn't come out of her room in two days. She read, slept all day, ate and did everything else in there itself. Chandraputri tried her best to avoid seeing any pandav or their mother because she knew they would apologize on Nakul's behalf, and she didn't want that.

Sahadev had tried to come inside her chamber many times but everytime she saw him, she was reminded of Nakul's harsh words. The princess wanted to prove a point by not meeting him; but her resolve was killing the youngest prince from inside. She was the first woman he had ever felt so strong for, and nothing seemed pleasant in her absence.
True that it had been just a day, but still he couldn't help his emotions. On the other hand, Nakul was a mess. The ever-so-handsome kuru rajkumar, who was very particular about his appearance had somewhat forsaken taking care of it.

He had mugged up many apologies, but his feet refused to take him to her quarters. He sent out multiple letters but Kairavi sent them back without reading them. She didn't want any apologies, she just wanted to be away from him.

Meanwhile Kunti too, had been immersed deep in her thoughts about the marriage. She used to be lost when the six gathered to talk or discuss something.
"Mata." Yudhishthir was standing outside her room. "Can I come in?"
"Yes, son." she said in a weak voice.
"You haven't eaten or spoken to us properly in two days. Did the Ashwinis say something distressing?" He inquired.

"The sea goes silent before a violent storm, putra. It cannot dodge the destructive aftermath by growling or wailing." A single tear rolled off her left eye. "Tatparya?" He quizzed.
"A similar storm is lurking on my morality, Yudhishthir." She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. "And it will sabotage my ethics and the fruits of my good deeds in one go. But the worse part is that, I'm the one who's going to bring it upon myself and your father's reputation." the broken mother wheezed.

Yuvraj was dumbfounded by her words. He held Kunti by her shoulders and asked, "What did they say, Ma?"
"Kairavi's fate has a huge blotch, son. Ashwini Kumars did show me a way to end this turmoil between your two anuj, but that would require the poor girl to turn her life into a living hell.

She will have to marry Nakul and Sahadev both." she disclosed. Yudhishthir's hands slipped off her arms in shock. "Marry both of them? How is that possible?" he asked her, eyes widened with the blow. "Yes my son. They said she's destined to marry both of them."

"How can devtas suggest us to do adharm?" he wasn't ready to believe it. Rajmata then proceeded to tell him about Rambha and Jatila who had also married multiple men, but were still worthy of worship. Dharmraj didn't have anything debatable against her point.

"But what about her, mata? History has been witness of the fact that women have always been the subjects of repercussions of sins that men commit.
Nakul and Sahadev might not face as much criticism, but Kairavi? She would be looked down upon until she's mentally torn. How selfish is it to ask for such an enormous sacrifice from a person we hardly know?" He argued.

"I don't know putra. But do you see some other way out?"
"Yes, send her away. She is the root of this hostility. There wouldn't be anything to fight for after she's gone." He perked up an answer.
"Do you think they will not blame each other? Or see us as bad guardians? What is the point of her departure if the sons of Madri don't harmonize again?" Kunti said in a stern voice. Yuvraj didn't have an answer to that.

"The Gods of medicine also said that you five would be the reason for the establishment of dharm on Earth. If you fall out, that purpose would be left unfulfilled." Dharm had always been the 'Achilles heel' for Yudhishthir. Somewhere in his mind, he had calculated that Duryodhan wouldn't give up the throne of Hastinapur; not so easily as long as Gandhar Raj was with him.