Indulekha: The Sister of The Pandavas • Mahabharat

49. One, And Not Separate

"Privacy," Satyadev announced as he entered Indu's chamber. The servants swiftly exited as he glanced at her. "Indu, guess who's here?" He smiled, as she kept down the scrolls in her hand. Turning around, she raised her eyebrows.
"You tell me," She walked away from the table, towards him.
"Guess?" He smiled.

"Do I get something if I'm right?" She smiled, hinting at sweets.

"No,"

"Then I'm not guessing." She rolled her eyes as she went back to sit on the bed.

"It's your brother, Arjun."

She immediately jerked up, her eyes widened in shock.
"You're kidding me, right?" Satyadev chuckled as he signalled someone to come in. It was her brother, Arjun. He looked at Indu with moist eyes. Guilt was written all over his face and she could feel his regret from across the room. She quickly walked up to him, wrapping him in a hug.

"I don't know what I was thinking,"

"You never think straight, do you?" She hit his shoulder, half-mockingly and half-angrily.

"I thought I couldn't trust you,"

Indu signalled her husband to give them some space, to which he smiled and exited the chamber. "Come, sit."

The siblings made their way towards the bed and sat. Indu took a breath in, trying to not cry. "I have been with you since I was born. What do you mean you couldn't trust me?" She looked at him, hurt. She had been trying to release her anger through meditation, but it had returned.

"You weren't who you told us you were." He kept his bow down; it felt heavy for the first time.

"I remembered incidents from my past lives. I was still, and will always be, the same Indulekha." She sniffled, looking away from him

"Are you trying to justify yourself, Bhrata?"

He smiled, ever so slightly, upon hearing her call him Bhrata after a long time.

"No, I'm not, Indu. But I came across a secret. It's about Angraj," He took a breath in, unsure of what he was supposed to say.

"We all know, Mata told us. Were you the one who got the letter?"

Arjun nodded as silence surrounded the two. Arjun, unsure of what to say next, looked at her in a daze.

"You changed, Indu."

"When, Bhrata?"

"After the Dyut Sabha."

"Anyone would lose themselves after that, I'm surprised I still know who I am."

The silence was back, but this time, it was more comfortable. Like when they were eating, and Yudishthir would scold them for talking too much. That silence, the one after getting scolded. Like when their stomachs would start paining after laughing too much. That silence. Like when they would prank Nakul every day, hiding beneath his clothes to scare him. That silence.

'I miss those times when we used to be one, and not separate.
We used to think alike and not against each other.
It was us against the world, but now it was us against each other.
Sorry, Indu. I couldn't be a great brother. But I will be, from now on. I will, no matter what, always be there for you. For your happiness and your success.'

The archer, lost in thought, looked at his dear sister and realised that her trust was the only target he couldn't achieve.

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Before y'all bash me for the short chapter, I'll explain myself. I wanted the chapter to solely be about Arjun and Indu, so it had to be of this length.
Plus, I have been spoiling y'all by updating a lot these days, so you don't have the right to complain :D
I have some question and recommendations, please answer them and listen!

1. For the war sequence, I have a lot of changes and it might get confusing. If there's any confusion with anyone, please comment it and I'll clear it up.

2. Soon, the part entailing the Bhagvad Gita will be coming. I'm thinking of skipping it as it is too long for me too include in the book. What do you all think?

3. I might be missing out on some details, so always fell free to correct me! It is always appreciated!

4. From now on, we all know that a lot of deaths are coming. So, try your best not to cry!