Kairavi

Chapter 44

Draupadi and Subhadra sat beside a crestfallen Chandraputri. 
The rajsabha was clouded by an uncomfortable silence, with Kairavi's quiet screams ringing in Nakul and Sahadev's ears. 

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Arjun inquired. "Jyeshth, if she heard about the marriages in our absence, things would've ended up on worse notes." Nakul tried to reason.

"Well the shock isn't pleasant either, is it rajkumar Nakul?" Draupadi's scornful tone was strict. 

"If Maharaj allows, can I say something?" Karenumati piped in. Getting Yudhishthir's approval, she continued. "Jiji, a second marriage doesn't mean that Arya's love for you will falter.
Sometimes it is necessary for the sake of a kingdom, and the subjects. That's-"

"Don't teach her civics, rajkumari. Get to the point." Panchali snapped. She was furious with what the twins did. 
"There is no point, jiji. It's not their fault." A lifeless voice escaped from Kairavi's throat. 

"I have nothing against Karenumati, Vijaya or their sons. Not even you, Aryaputron." 

Unexpected.

"You don't?" Sahadev scrutinized her face to guess what was going on in her mind. But who has been successful in making sense out of a woman's emotions? 
She shook her head, giving them a despondent smile.

"Gurudev Parshuram's curse had to reveal it's consequences sooner or later." The pandavs recalled the day at Varnavat, when Sahadev had promised her to not marry anyone else in the future.

The court fell silent again. 

Subhadra broke the ice by pulling the plump cheeks of Nakul's son. "What have you named your sons?" 
"This is Shatanika. And that's my nephew, Shrutsen." He replied.

Young Shatanika was perplexed when his father mentioned his name. "Shatanika. Those are your tatshrees." She pointed at Yudhishthir, Bheem and Arjun. 
Karenumati ushered him to touch their feet, but the nervous prince clung to her knees, refusing to go.

"Putra-" "It's okay, rajkumari. He will warm up to us." Bheem reassured her.

"Do you know who this is?" Subhadra asked, alluding to Chandreya.

Kairavi's lips stretched to a smile when his big, curious eyes stared up at her. Pointing his tiny index finger at her, he replied, "Jiji." 

The whole family laughed at his innocence.
"If Kairavi is choti ma to Ghatotkach, Vindhya and Som; then she can definitely be jiji ma to these pumpkins." Subhadra ruffled his hair.

Chandraputri's temporary happiness faded away, when a thought invaded her brain.
'All I shall ever be, is a step-mother. Never a 'ma' in its actual sense.'

She stood up. "I need some sleep. Aagya, jyeshth." Yudhishthir looked at Panchali, who nodded and allowed her to leave. 

She entered her chamber and locked the door from inside. The tears that she had swallowed this whole time started wrecking out of her eyes.

And the waterworks were indeed not because of the new additions in the Kuru family.

Something told Nakul that Kairavi shouldn't be left alone. He marched towards the room and politely knocked. No response.
He called out her name but got nothing in return. 

"Are you okay, Kairavi?" 

He pressed his ear to the wooden panel and listened carefully. "Are you crying? Open the door!" He banged and tried the handle, but it was locked.
Arni's dejection soon transitioned into anger. She swept the contents of the table, sending them crashing on the floor. "Open up!" Nakul pushed harder.