Elements of Fire

43. A Talk

"Pitashri will you take anything else?" Draupadi inquired softly, "Bhratashri (elder brother)?"

The men fell silent from their crisp, formal talks laced with sarcasm and irony. She had not said a word till now but had been quietly sitting on her seat, a little, unimportant figure behind her large plate, across from Karna who was sitting at the head of the table.

"Aarya?" she continued, glad of the break in their cold conversations, serving her brother and husband more kheer while Drupad refused to take anything, "Pitashri, how is JIji(elder sister) Sikhandini?"

"She is well. She sent you some gifts. I had them sent to you through a servant" Drupad replied.

"Yes I got them" Draupadi said smiling, recalling the pretty little things that had arrived in the elegant golden box, her sister was rather a tomboy and the fact that she had gone on to choose even the tiny exquisite hair pins, had touched her, "Please tell her that I love her gifts. She chose them so well."

"I will tell her" Drupad said calmly, "At least she is focused on her purpose."

Another uneasy silence fell on the group. Everyone knew what Shikhandini's purpose was and also that Drupad would go to any extent to fulfill his agendas and he did not even spare his children.

"Draupadi do you know Sutasoma (Bheema's son) has already managed to lift a standard sized mace?" Dhristyadyumn said with the intent of lightening the situation but immediately regretted.

"Is it? That's great" Draupadi began in a quivering voice, blinking noticeably, "How are his brothers?"

"They are also doing great. Bhabhishree Subhadra tells me that Shrutsena (Sahadeva's son) is learning to speak longer words and sentences."

"And Prativindhya, Shatanika, Srutkarma?" She continued rolling the syllables of their names lovingly after such a long span of time.

"They are being raised well by their fathers and their step mothers" Drupad answered before his son could, his voice dangerously calm "You have no need to worry, my daughter."

Karna lips stretched into a thin line while Dhristyadyumn shifted in his place uncomfortably. The air was thick with tension. Drupad himself didn't look all too pleased, his shoulders stiffening slightly as he looked on coolly.

"Panchali, you should go to your chambers now" Karna finally spoke up turning to his wife, her eyes glazing, her lips set expressionlessly, "Panchali please go."

"Aarya, I want to—"

"Panchali leave now" Karna cut her, his voice a tad louder than what he had intended.

"You have chosen your own husband" Drupad added in "You have to obey him now."

Draupadi stood up, slightly out of balance. Her vision was blurred. Her neck heated with anger and pain. She wished she had listened to her husband earlier, at least she wouldn't have had to hear her father's cutting remarks. She walked to the doors and vanished behind them leaving the men to resume their talks.

"Maharaj Drupad 'now' we may speak without censoring" Karna began, not caring to hide the sarcasm this time, "Please let us get straight to point."

"Angraaj you stood up for my daughter in the dyut sabha (dice/ gambling hall) " Drupad began with equal derision "I don't know what your intentions were and –"

"You may rest your fatherly concerns, Maharaj Drupad, that my intentions were nothing but honourable and remain the same" Karna interrupted.

"That's spoken by every man" Drupad muttered but ensuring his son-in-law heard before continuing "After that incident there has been an unrest in Aryavart. A rupture has formed in its internal order—"

"Alliances are shifting. Minor rulers earlier under bigger kingdoms like Panchal and Hastinapur are rebelling or declaring independence. And most importantly you now have no real staunch ally on your side particularly one good enough to defeat Dronacharya, one who would even care to take your revenge. Am I right, Maharaj Drupad?"

"Yes absolutely" Drupad said nodding vigorously like a man who had finally hit upon what he had been long searching for, "And now that my daughter is married to you, there can be a stronger allian—"

"MAharaj Drupad, I am sure you will agree, that this is not what can be spoken over a dining table" Karna stated firmly, rising up "Tomorrow after the court assembly we can negotiate on this matter with my high counsel members."

Drupad nodded in agreement, also standing up. Dhristyadyumna followed suit. Karna watched his guests leave and then too proceeded to his bed chamber. Truth be told, he himself was unsure about the type of relationship he should forge with Drupad if at all he should forge one.

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