Kairavi

Chapter 18

"Why hasn't anyone from Hastinapur arrived here yet?" Kunti asked Yudhishthir, who was examining the mandap. "I have no idea mata. Purochan went there, so he might know." He replied.

Kunti's eyes looked around and she found him standing in a corner stuffing something in his dhoti. "Purochan." He jumped up in fear and turned to face her. "Pranam Rajmata" "What are you doing?" She inquired while leaning sideways to get a better look of what he was hiding.

"It's nothing, your highness. Don't worry about it. Something personal.."
"Alright, why isn't tatshree here with rest of the family yet?" She asked. The architect gulped, not having prepared an excuse in advance for the question. He laughed nervously and said, "They said t-they have to st-stay and go-" his words made no sense.

"What?" Rajmata's voice was strict. "They can't make it to till the vivah muhurat. " "And you're informing me now? When I came myself to ask you?!" Fury was evident on her face. She took a breath out of frustration and asked again, "Why not?"
"Your highness, Maharaj, Mahamantri and Mahamahim have to deal with some important political feud between Hastinapur and Sindhu rajya." He fabricated a lie quickly. "They said they will bless the children when you return back to the rajmahal."

"And why didn't you tell me sooner?" "Uhh, Raj-Rajmata I er-" "Arya has been under a lot of stress lately because of a family issue, Rajmata. It must've slipped from his mind, I beg your pardon." Renuka came to his rescue.
"Cut him some slack, mata. It seems like an unintentional mistake." Yudhishthir came forward to take charge of the situation. "Yes yes, yuvraj. Kshama." The couple scampered away hastily to avoid fueling Kunti's anger more.

"Doesn't it seem strange that everybody in Hastinapur agreed to this unconventional wedding? Without even a single question." She asked her son. "A person revolts when a misconduct presents itself before him mata." He smiled.
"So they think it isn't wrong?" "We'd see about that after reaching Hastinapur." He shrugged her question away.

Shortly after, prince Bheem and Arjun were seen walking their youngest brothers from one side while Renuka and another girl escorted Chandraputri from the other side of the pavillion.
She walked with slow heavy steps; eyes lowered to the ground and remorse heavy in her mind. Nakul and Sahadev took a sharp breath in as she walked past them and sat beside the pandit.

The rituals commenced and one by one, both the brothers performed their part with Kairavi, and soon it was their time to take their vows.

It seemed like Chandra had asked Suryadev to set faster so he could see his daughter set her feet to a difficult but glorious life.
"Kairavi, since you are cursed. We vow to the almighty that we shall provide protection, nourishment and happiness to you and the children you'll bear." Sahadev spoke up.

"We shall stand by your side through thick and thins. We promise Lord Chandra that his daughter will never find herself alone no matter what the circumstances may be." Nakul took the second vow.
He continued, "We brothers will move heaven and Earth to bring welfare and prosperity to our family."

"Bhagwan Chandra, your daughter has filled the void of a spouse in our lives. Nothing can repay the sacrifice she has decided to make for us, and we shall never lose respect for her valiant act.

We shall swim through the joys and griefs of life together. We will support and be there for her in sickness and health." Sahadev proceeded.

"We both pledge to be faithful to her and love her unconditionally till eternity breathes it's last. Nothing shall be done by us which would make her feel any less attended." Nakul completed his brother's words.

"Together, we ask you to bless us a healthy and jovial life. The three of us, bound to each other by this divine thread of marriage shall tread the paths of our lives cheek by jowl." They proclaimed in unison.

Chandradev smiled through his tears and held his hand out in the ashirvad mudra. A white beam of moonlight shone over Kairavi's head, indicating the completion of her kanyadaan.

"I vow, to never let the sons of Ashwinis break apart, they shall recieve equal love and care from my side. Favouring one over the other shall be a sin to me which I shall not commit even if death hovers over my life.

I will carry out my responsibilities towards them with all my heart and soul; and strive to nurture their progenies with pure and principled virtues.
I promise to abide by all the vows I've taken and be my husbands' source of courage and strength, rather than a boundation."  she announced in a lifeless voice.

Kunti placed a tray under the stream of moonlight that originated from her father's hand; and a silver chudamani, studded with opals materialized from thin air.
Two golden swans were perched on the top, heads turned to opposite direction accomodating a fawn's head in between.

Nobody had seen such a bizzare ornament ever before but nevertheless, Nakul and Sahadev put it in Kairavi's bun; officiating their unique marriage with the moon princess.