"But, Draupadi, you can't let them go unpunished!" he exclaimed "Why are you being hesitant, sister? I had thought you would be longing to ask me for this—"
"I am not saying that I have forgiven any of them, nor am I saying that they should go unpunished" she answered, almost in a trance like state, "But...but..."
"But what?" he asked earnestly, "Tell me Panchal army and its allies are all on alert—"
"But...because if you go on to take revenge, there will be war and carnage, and...and I don't want to be remembered as a villainess who created a war for her ego—Aarya is right, why let innocents die and tell me why should I crave for vengeance. But don't see why I should want such a destruction, I have a stable life now...I should be happy and satisfied, isn't it Bhratashri?"
She paused to take a deep breath, her eyebrows crumpling under confusion and uncertainty. Dhristyadyumna could only look on quietly, he had no answers to his sister's questions.
"I don't want to be seen as a woman who could not be satiated with five men before and another one after that..." she continued, deciding not to mince her words, "I don't want to be seen as a woman who despite of being given a proper life after the one insult meted out to her, still clung to her vengeful ambitions and uprooted the stable and proper lives of millions of innocent women and children..."
"Bhratashri(elder brother), I want to be more than that, but..." she said in a breaking voice, "I don't want to be silent and passive either... but I don't know what to do, what to speak, I don't know..."
"Sush, my sister, it is alright" he said, gently holding her trembling shoulders, "This was not the right time to bring up all this...I became too impatient..."
"Bhratashri, I have always been called impulsive and quick tempered but I have never felt more unsure and confused before in my life" she said, shaking her head, "And you are talking about punishment, but what will implement the punishment? What will be the punishment? What will be the outcome?—"
"We won't know until we start... something" was all Dhristyadyumna could reply as he held on to her tormented yet blank gaze.
"I can't think of anything now" she gasped "My life is now like an empty boat rafting an uncharted course in the ocean of uncertainty...this boat has nothing in it nor does it know where to go, it just rocks with the waves the water creates..."
Dhristyadyumna kept quiet while putting his sword back in place which he had unsheathe in the heat of the moment. His sister was now looking down at the floor, in these few months of her remarriage she had gained so many new emotions that he found it hard to keep up with.
"Bhratashri" Draupadi called after some time had elapsed in this manner, with a new resolute look, "Bhratashri, take care of Pitashri(father), he seems to be..."
"He is becoming crankier with age" Dhristyadyumna completed for his sister, "He is still grappling with...the many changes, and with age it becomes difficult to adjust to what you have built and been used to over a lifetime...it takes longer time..."
A cool zephyr from the north balcony of ruffled through the stillness of the chamber, the fire born twins stood facing each other, a silent understanding passing through their eyes, setting in a warm embrace between the brother and sister.
"Draupadi, we may leave tomorrow at dawn" Dhristyadyumna said, gently stroking his sister's hair, "I do not think father will stay any longer...he may leave without even telling you..."
"I understand, Bhratashri..." she replied quietly, "Take care of yourself and also father and Shikhandini Jiji...I will always pray for your well being..."
"And this time, my sister, don't think twice before asking me for help...should any such situation arise..."
Draupadi felt his embrace tighten around her, she looked at him and brought a pleasant smile to her lips, etching out in her memory the understanding smile her brother reciprocated to her.
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Draupadi walked through the royal corridors of the palace at a relaxed pace, dinner was over and she had given the last instructions of the day to the domestic staff. The night was clear, the pace and its gardens were lit in the silvery moon light of the half moon.
She was nearing her bed chambers when she sensed a movement near one of the distant bushes. She watched carefully, trying hard to make out who could possibly be in the gardens at such an hour when the figure turned around and called out in a soft, strained voice,
"Putri (daughter)"
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Hello everyone
I hope you liked the conversation between the twins. I tried my best to bring out the conflicts in her mind and also pave way for possible courses of action in the future.
And what do you think Drupad has to say to his daughter?
Do drop in your views and suggestions! It is always a delight to go through your comments:)❤❤
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Elements of Fire
FanfictionWould the story of the Mahabharat have taken a different course if Karna had stood up for Draupadi in the dice hall? Will two of the characters of the epic both having elements of fire and having suffered most humiliation for no fault of theirs find...
