Mending Broken Ties

Hastinapura

Arjun POV

"Then let's go!" I said getting up with a smile on my face.

"Well, why do you think I came here?" He said also getting up with a cheeky grin.

"You planned this?"

"What do you think?" He said avoiding my question and starts walking back towards the camp leaving me to chase after him.

"You planned this! Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked catching up to him.

"You weren't ok before. What do you think you'd have done if I told you?" He said looking at me with a pointed look.

"I would have wanted to see him!" I exclaimed. Why didn't Madhav tell me?! I was devestated! This would have been so helpful! Finally, a way for me to fix my mistakes... then why did he keep it from me?

"And you think he wants to see you?"

I froze... he was right. Why would Vrishketu want to see me at all? After all, I killed his father and his brothers. He probably hates me... but even then I can't just not see him! He's the last connection I have to Jyesth Karn.

"I-... I'm still gonna see him Madhav! He's the only connection I have to Jyesth Karn..." I said stopping. He stops in his tracks too and turns towards me.

"And you will see him... there's always a way Parth. But if I had told you then you wouldn't have waited to find it, you would have rushed there and made him even more upset."

'Always so vague Madhav. Why must you make every answer a riddle to be solved' I think to myself shaking my head while he just chuckles as if reading my mind. Thinking of that even after all these years it is impossible to know if he really can read my mind.

"What do I do?" I ask.

"For now go to camp and head to Hastinapura... you'll find your way to meet him soon enough."

I sigh but nod. He just smiles and grabs my hand taking us both to the bustling camp with people scurrying around preparing for our departure.

"Bhaiya!" Dev calls seeing me.

"Deva!" I said smiling which made him pause for a second. I roll my eyes, I know what's coming.

"Dev! Dev I think I'm dreaming" Nakul chuckled putting his hand on dev's shoulder who also burst out laughing.

"Really?" I say raising my eyebrow.

"What else bhaiya! I have got to be dreaming! You're here! And talking to us! And not crying!" He exclaimed dramatically.

"You done yet?" I said trying to hold my own smile.

"Nah I was gonna do a couple more," He said pulling me into a hug. I hug back with a chuckle. Honestly, if someone didn't know us well saw this they'd think Nakul was being insensitive joking about all of this. But the truth was his jokes are kind of the only bit of normalcy we had... they kept us sane when all we could really do was cry.

"Ouch..." Dev said giving us a blank look. "And to think I thought I was the favourite."

I shook my head, and pull him into the hug as well.

"You're not idiot! You're second!" Nakul laughs making Dev punch him lightly on the shoulder. 

"Arjun..." Mata says as we break the hug. They both look at me the atmosphere of the area suddenly changing as our smiles drop. I touch her feet out of respect but other than that ignore her. It's hard facing her, each time I do I'm reminded of her lie... of Jyesth Karn. "Putra listen I-"