Elements of Fire

32. A Decision

Draupadi sank into the little pool filled with diluted milk, scented and strewn with colourful flower petals. The daasis scurried about in her bathing chamber bringing fragrant oils and skin- nourishing pastes and rubbing it on her. Three daasis concentrated on washing her long and voluminous hair, meticulously combing and massaging through it with various oils and solutions.

She took deep breathes as her mind worked hard on sorting out the situation. She was never pleased that Arjuna had got Subhadra inside Indraprasth palace to live as his wife, breaking the vows of their marriage. And she was not ready to face to a similar situation again at this point of her life, nor could she accept it.

Moreover when she heard Karna's parents talking about the superficiality of their marriage and their relationship, she could not stop the self doubt from creeping in her dangerously. Perhaps, she indeed was not making any substantial effort.

"Arrange for several rose petals, long jasmine strings and scented candles" she ordered one of the maids.

Her mind fogged in shock, self- doubt, fear and even resignation had decided to act now. She had made them wait long enough. In their marriage of compromise executed to give her protection, her husband had given her too much of importance and rights but she had failed in returning them in equal degrees.

If only she had she waited to hear her parents-in-law complete the conversation, she wouldn't have been so perturbed.

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"Maharaj, should we ready the army?"

"Keep them on stand-by and alert, but don't make it too apparent, Senapati Mahish. It is afterall my father-in-law who is coming though the nature of his visit is certainly not befitting one."

"Maharaj this is indeed strange. You received the letter today in the afternoon sating that he has left Panchal yesterday and so far our spies have not reported anything substantial related to his travel, we don't know how far he is..."

"That's why we need to be prepared. He has not even asked me if he can come but simply wrote that he has left for Anga. It is certainly not a father's impatient concern for his daughter, not entirely. Maharaj Drupad is not one for that, I know it."

"Have you informed the Maharani, your majesty?"

"No, I will do it tomorrow. Anyway, you may leave now and look into the matter. Keep me informed of any new development."

Karna sent him a slight smile as the latter bowed and proceeded to leave. Karna walked to one of the tall windows of his study. The clear night sky was speckled with bright stars and half moon.

Dinner had been a pleasant affair, with his wife chattering with his mother, without a stop. Something about Draupadi's behaviour had puzzled him. He could sense an unusual giddiness in her behind her childish demeanour, a certain ovexecitement, but he had brushed the thought aside. He was glad she had not noticed the tension in both himself as well as in his parents.

He picked up a little gold bowl from a nearby table. He had managed to sneak out another helping of the besan ka halwa from the kitchen. His wife had not done a bad job at it.He put a spoonful of it in his mouth, relishing the taste, when suddenly a smile and a yawn tugged at his lips simultaneously.

He finished the remaining desert quickly. Now, he badly wanted to retire to his bedchamber and have a good night's sleep.

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Draupadi's arms ached faintly from all the decoration work she had chosen to undertake all by herself and the results were not displeasing.

The scent from the perfumed candles casting their golden light, whether in hidden corners of the chamber or in arranged beautiful patterns on the marble floor, wafted through the air mingled with the fragrance of the jasmines and roses and other little flowers.

Draupadi nervously fidgeted with a long and heavy necklace, inspecting the long strings of jasmine curtaining the majestic bed. She took deep breathes to calm herself, drawing some comfort from the flickering candlelight lighting up the darkened chamber

This was her decision- it was too late to assess its usefulness or hasty impulsiveness, neither could she run away now.

The stately doors creaked open. Draupadi sat up erect as her ears registered the sound of the slow steps of the King of Anga entering his private chambers.

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