Elements of Fire

70. Conditions?

Draupadi rolled on her side, a plush pillow choked across her face. She squinted her eyes open trying to adjust them to the light flooding in through the tall windows, curtains drawn apart.

Yet she felt a strange suffocating sensation clamp over herself. She stepped down from the bed, something soft pressed against her feet. She looked down, a cloth doll was lying on the floor, the ones sewn for infant girls to play with.

Draupadi nervously picked it up, it had long black, unkempt hair and an eerily familiar smile, she shivered suddenly, a distant gurgling of a baby echoed through her ears.

She looked up from it, a heavy sensation clawed against her face and chest. Something glinted in her peripheral vision, she walked to the little table nearby. Her hands shook as they reached for the silver rattle gleaming unusually bright. She breathe heavily, the sunlight inundating through the room, was almost blinding. A chimming sound broke out as she pushed the rattle with a finger.

Draupadi tensely brought up the end of her uttariya (upper garment worn by females), dabbing the glistening beads of sweat that had sprouted uncontrollably on her forehead. Then, she felt a solid and cooling touch from the saree. Her eyes widened at the special jade stones of Panchal embroidering the silk cloth.

Draupadi heaved, stumbling back, her knees collided with the edge of the bed. She sat down heavily, toys and Panchal craft was scattered all over the place. She felt her pulse quicken as she clutched at the mattress, a claustrophobic veil seemed to wrap around her, when a strong steady voice called out from behind her.

"Panchali dear"

She spun around instantly, a handsome chiseled face, giving out a golden aura gazed back at her. She breathe a sigh of relief, as her husband's thoughtful black eyes met hers.

"What happened Panchali dear?" his deep baritone questioned softly.

"I woke up and I stepped down and..." Draupadi's voice trailed off as two cold hands wound around her shoulders.

"And?" his voice seemed to echo through the chamber.

"And so many toys" she stuttered, shivering imperceptively under his under his cool touch, mentally assessing the possible explanations for the oddity.

"Children play with toys, dear" Karna laughed softly, "Those are from Indraprsth."

Draupadi gaped in astonishment, her eyes brimming with questions, as Karna's grip around her tightened.

"You were missing your children and your siblings, so to lower the affects of the absence I arranged for all this" her husband explained, the strange smile on his lips no way comforting her.

"But I wanted to see them at least my children" Draupadi muttered bewildered and frightened at the eeriness of the morning.

"Sure you will" he replied pulling her near him, while her shoulders stiffened, "Give me my children—"

A cold suffocation whirled through her as her husband's almost emotionless frightening eyes moved near her.

"Simple, Panchali dear, you fulfill me my conditions and I fulfill your wish"

The words rang out clear and disjointed clanging against her heart like cool steel shards, while her eyes widened despite the blinding light filling the chamber, her husband's face blurring away from her vision.

Draupadi gasped, breathing heavily, as she sat up abruptly, the sheet winding around her in constricting manner. She sighed, wiping the sweat at her forehead with a rather ungracious swipe of her hand. Her eyes darted from left to right, taking in her surroundings— everything was how it had been the night before except that the few damages she had done yesterday.

"Such a strange dream" she mumbled to herself before continuing in a more melancholic hollow voice, "Conditions—what else is left in my life now other than minding my limits— whatever did I do to deserve this..."

She stared blankly for sometime at one of the majestic windows, the scenery outside becoming visible every now and then with the curtains being blown apart by the strong winds.

'I should have heavier curtains brought out soon' she thought to herself, when her ears registered some distant sounds of laughter and excited chatter of girls mixed with a strong male one, most like from the corridors, drawing nearer slowly.

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