Dhi

Old Wounds and New Blisters

Tempted fingers lingered, just shy of touch, over the soft cheek of the asleep owner of seemingly all the innocence in the world. He really shouldn't disturb her. A mocking soft breeze blew in from the window and let a few rebellious strands of hair fall over her angelic face. Nakul was not a strong man before the beauty of his wife. The wind merely provided an excuse for justifying his need to touch his wife to his conscience. He slightly grazed his fingers over her face letting himself savour the sensation of her delicate skin before removing the hair from her face.
Her eyebrows scrunched as she smacked her slightly parted lips and turned sideways. It drew an amused chuckle from her admirer.

Abhijishya burrowed her face deeper into the pillow. He clamped his mouth berating himself for his unmindful action. She had come to sleep late into the night looking more peaceful than the past few days. Nakul was silently grateful to his brother-in-law and cousin for providing counsel to his wife. He should really let her sleep and get on with his daily duties.

It was an hour past dawn. Mohini's handmaids had come sometime ago but he had sent them back. Abhijishya needed rest after the hard days. The coming days too would not be easier by any means. Even though Dev Vishwakarma was giving them infrastructure, it was upto them to set up a successful capital and run their kingdom. Knowing her as Nakul did, he knew it would be futile to bar her from doing any work. So he would try to make her take care of herself and their growing child within her.

His child! The giddy feeling had not passed yet. It was a matter of nine months only and then he would cradle his own child. A son or a daughter. He would teach them everything he knew and take them horse riding. Washed out memories resurfaced in his mind. Pitashree's incredulous yet fond face when he had said he liked swords because they reflected his face best. Then there was that time when he had cried because Ojas's mother Vanya liked quiet Deva more than him. It was almost as if he could feel his Maa pick him up and console him; her fair young face and soft brown eyes, the way she shushed him while Pitashree promised him that Vanya would like him soon too. He just needed to patient ane put in effort.

An almost inaudible distressed sound made him look at Abhijishya. She seemed agitated and mumbling something incoherently. Nakul quickly caressed her forehead humming the tune his Maa used to sing to them before- . He bit his tongue in reproach. Why was he getting lost in meaningless ponderings today? He tried to focus on his wife and block out the persistant memory his mother singing the soft notes of a tale from ancient Madra.

A stray tear treckled down Abhijishya's temple as her face scrunched up. She blinked open her eyes looking confused at Nakul. He noted the momentary lack of recognition before she relaxed. "Arya," she murmured. Nakul craded his fingers through her hair. "Go back to sleep, love," he whispered. Still sleep drunk, Abhijishya hummed as she snuggled closer to him and closed her eyes. Nakul waited for her breaths to even out.

He spared one last glance at his Mohini before walking out of the hut. She was having those dreams again. His talk with Sahadev couldn't be put aside anymore. Nakul took quick purposeful strides towards their makeshift cowshed. Sahadev generally started his day after offering food to cows.

As expected Sahadev was feeding a calf while petting it's head with one hand. "I need your help, Sahadev," Nakul said stopping a little distance away from the shed.

Sahadev turned towards him. "Come in here, Bhrata. What help do you need?"

Nakul gulped feeling agitated suddenly. Nonetheless he stepped inside the shed. "Mohini... your Bhabishree is having strange dreams for quite sometime. As far as she has told me, she first started having these dreams and visions in Dwarka. Then she feel unconscious one day during our visit," he started pacing. "I know I should have told you all earlier but- but we came back from there and with all the chaos in Hastinapur it slipped my mind. She wouldn't wake up. She was trapped in her own mind in illusions. Now, she dreams of her previous lives. Mohini said she had children and a husband. The name of her son was Sakra. You didn't see her that day, Deva. When I entered the hut after the nursemaid announced she was pregnant, she looked so lost and distressed. I can't bear to see her like this. What if she falls unconscious again and doesn't wake up this time?"