The Calamitous End

Chapter 4 - Affliction Malady

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. We are made of our thoughts, we are molded by our thoughts

-Gita Shlok

With each passing minute, the situation in the royal hall is turning tense. No one spoke a word the whole palace is eerily quiet. Dhri and Subha were looking at the Pandavas with a questioning gaze while the brothers were continuously gazing at the ground. All their efforts to break the gates of their common wife went in vain. When the silence became unbearable the Yadav princess decides to break it but before she utters anything an angry voice boomed making everyone stops dead on their tracks.

"Anyone going to speak something regarding what happened in Hastinapur with my sister. Since the moment you all arrived from Hastinapur she is locked in her room and you guys are physically here but mentally somewhere else." shouted Dhristydhum

"Yes, Arya kindly tell us what exactly followed? How is Jiji hurt and bruised? Her sari is torn and her hairs open. She also didn't wore chudamani. You guys are also deprived of your jewelry and weapons. My concise is telling me that something dreadful must have happened there." The Yadav princess asked all the questions rising inside her in one go.

"Dreadful I guess this is more than this. My sister is a fire born. She will handle something dreadful with ease but this is something worse. She is not the one to accept defeat and here she is locked in her room not ready and we all mighty warriors can't even able to break it. Since the moment I arrived, I requested you all to change your decision of visiting Hastinapur but nobody listened now looks like my fear came true. I want answers so better speak something." The Panchal Prince shouted making the innocent Subhadra jump in her place.

The mighty Gandivdhari forward his hand concerned to hold his afraid wife close while the other looked at the poor girl concerned. But before anybody react a serene yet strong voice fell in their ears. Two pairs of eyes looked hopefully towards the owner of the voice while another five pairs of eyes look down drowned in guilt and shame but somewhere relieved about the upcoming.

"Bhrata Krishna" Subhadra almost sprang towards her brother. Since her marriage and her arrival to Indraprashth, this is the first time she is scared. She was praying to Narayan for some miracle to happen so that one of her brothers arrive and provide some security and strength.

"I was praying Narayan to send either you or dau today. Look like he heard my prayers." The mighty Dwarkadhish smiled at her sister's innocence holding her close to his heart. He was the illusionary Sudarshan wielder who provides solace to the world but his solace lies in two halves of heart one is in her embrace his Yogmaya while another is busy in handling his share of responsibilities a thousand miles away in the enchanting Vaikunth on Earth.

"Where is Sakhi Subha?" he asked his sister in a cold voice.

"Jiji is locked in her room and she is not ready to open the door. We tried every mean but it's neither opening nor breaking.

He looked at the brothers with a blank expression and left towards the room the mighty fire born.

"Sakhi open the door won't you let your Sakha enter also," He told in a painful voice standing at Draupadi door. After a few seconds, the door open slightly opened only for him to enter. From the gap of the door, the messed and darkroom is visible portraying the inner torment of her.

With each passing moment the people outsides that large mighty door is getting impatient. No one knows what is going on inside that locked door while the outside environment is eerily quiet. There is a storm blowing tormenting everyone from inside but no one is ready to speak a word. After a few more minutes passed one by one all the mighty Pandavas left the door and went. But two peoples are still standing lost in their world. Their trance broke when Subhadra felt a tug at the end of sari pallu. In turn, she found a pair of innocent eyes looking at her in confusion while the ruby studded corner of her sari pallu is in his fist.The fire born looked at the little Shrutksena with affection.

Fresh tears brimmed in Subhardra's eyes looks at the poor soul whose birth mother locked inside that grand door. He is completely clueless about everything. He forwards his arms towards Subhadra to pick him up. A 3 year's old little child never understands the graveness of the atmosphere all he wants is his lovely choti ma to pick him up. Subhadra picked him hugging him tightly and keeping him close, she ruffled the child's hair with adoration. She looked towards her right only to find that the other fire born is looking at her amused. She conveyed to him through the eyes that she is leaving to tuck the kid in child and will return later. Sometimes two people don't need words to convey everything all they need to look at each other and they understand whatever the other is going.

He looked at wonder to the leaving woman holding his nephew close to her heart. The past flashed in front of his eyes. He remembered the moment when he got the news of his sister's husband's return with his new bride that too non-other the famous Dwarka princess. He was disturbed and angry after this information. He knew that this incident will impact his sister's tender heart. She loves all her husband but the mighty Gandivdhari holds a special place in her heart. After all, it was he who won her hands in the swayamvar for the first time. After this news, he was disturbed and decided to visit his sister in Indraprasth. When he reached the palace scene in front of him made him smile. His sister was instructing the maids about the chores and the new bride is walking beside her like a scared cat. She stuck to her sister like a small kid, her sister was smiling fondly at her antiques. That smile was a real life indicating her happiness.

When he greeted Draupadi she hides behind her and after she introduced them, she peeked at him above his sister's shoulder still behind her. Those innocent eyes made him believe that this girl can never be a typical co-wife for his sister. That was the day and now everything changed for good. She took all her sister's responsibility from taking care of the kitchen to raise her children she did everything with utmost devotion. She raised the kids like her own. They are too attached to her; even they can't stay away from her for one day.

The same thing is with his sister and Abhimanyu. This reminded him that he hasn't seen him for a few hours now. This elder son of Arjun is the apple of the eyes of his sister. She just let him stay away from her sight for a long time. Even while being busy with the palace duties she fulfills each responsibility towards him. That little warrior as his sister calls him affectionately is a charmer without a doubt. Born with Arjun's charm and Subhadra's innocence; the kid is a perfect mixture of valor and illusion of his parents. His eyes are the same as Arjun full of spirit while the smile of Subhadra full of innocence. One look at him and you will be held captive in his charm forever. He very well knows that his fire-born sister is wrapped around the little finger of the adorable boy. His trance of thought broke by a faint voice of banging. After looking around he found the little warrior of his sister is banging at her closed door in an attempt to open it and get pampered by his mother.

His heart melts at the innocent kid who is on verge of crying; taking two large steps towards him he picked the little boy up. He looked at him with his big copper eyes and asks about her mother not talking to her. He hugged the child in an attempt to soothe his racing heart. How was he supposed to answer a question which he was himself unaware of. The little boy patted his face in an attempt to play with Dhri but this gesture of his soothes his aching heart a lot. He realized today why this mother-son duo is called enchanters or illusionary. Meanwhile, Subhadra patted the kids' heads one by one with all her love and feed them dinner. Shrutsena was sitting in her lap as she was feeding them one by one while Prativindhya and Sutosam are eating on their own.

She knew that prativindhya has a lot of questions but he loves her a lot and doesn't want to worry her so decided to remain quiet. She looked at him a lot of thought passed in this silence. They just decide to not speak about it and broke the barrier of patience others created. After dinner, she tugged the kids and patted him while singing them a lullaby. Kids slept wrapped in the blanket of love and comfort by their soul mother unaware of its momentary existence. Subhadra took the way towards the chamber of the empress to check on the ongoing situation and result unaware of the steps that are following her. The moon is shining spreading its light through the big window but everyone failed to notice that it is one size smaller today indicating the upcoming night is of Amavasya.

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