The Aftermath (Arjun-Draupadi OS)
This is another fictional piece that I've written. I've no intention of hurting the sentiments of fans of any other characters. This is specifically written for Arjun-Draupadi fans (on demand)
It'd been a month since the war. After the mourning period was over, the Pandavs along with Draupadi and Kunti made their way towards the ancient city of their ancestors--Hastinapur-- once a glorious city, envy of every other kingdom. As their chariots rolled in, they were all taken aback by the lack of splendor and ghostlike atmosphere in the city. Yudhishtra's face fell as he was filled with deep remorse and a sense of guilt. Bheem and Arjun placed their hands around their older brother, a silent gesture of support and much needed encouragement for Jyesth.
Dhritarashtra, Gandhari and Vidur greeted them at the gates of their palace. While everyone alighted and paid their respects to the elders of Hastinapur, Draupadi stayed back in her chariot, torn between her memories and responsibilities. It was 14 years ago she had walked into this palace as queen of Indraprastha, her majestic and royal demeanor had charmed everyone but the eventful dyut sabha had changed her life forever.
Life had come a full circle since her humiliation 14 years ago. While in exile, she had lived for this day, had dreamt about walking into the palace at Hastinapur with her head held high and authority over the Kuru kingdom but the death of all her children and Abhimanyu had tarnished the joy of her triumph. Bheem and Arjun walked back and helped her out of the chariot. Since the end of the war, Yudhistra had drowned himself in an ocean of remorse. It was left to the other two Kunti sons to keep everyone together as one unit. They were aware of Draupadi's barren and desolate state of mind. She had forgiven Aswatthama, the murderer of her sons, but the pain of losing all her children had drained her completely.
After paying her respects, Draupadi shut herself in her chamber and even asked the maids to leave. Weeks of mourning with the throngs of widows and childless mothers had parched her eyes and heart out. She needed some some time alone. Although, Bheem had fulfilled her desire to wash her hair with Duhshasan's blood, she hadn't braided her hair yet. Even Govind, her only friend who could understand the state of her mind, was away with the dying pitamah. She knew if he were there, he would have convinced her to focus on her responsibilities and not grieve any more. It was easier said than done. Without Govind, she felt lifeless and helpless.
The city was gearing up for the coronation of the new king and queen of Hastinapur. Draupadi was expected to get ready and present herself in the sabha as Vidur kaka didn't want to delay the ceremony any longer. Years of uncertainty and insecurity had rendered their kingdom without an effective leader. Duryodhan's last few years were spent in worry and preparation of war. The welfare of the kingdom and its habitants had been ignored. The sooner Yudhishtra took charge, the better it'd be for Hastinapur. The sabha was ready for the ceremony but the queen of Hastinapur was still missing from the sabha. A concerned Yudhistra glanced at Kunti who nodded gently. As she turned to leave, a tap on her shoulder stopped her from leaving.
"Mata! Let me---"
Kunti turned around and smiled at her son. She knew Draupadi would never refuse his plea.
A soft knock at her door startled Draupadi back to reality. "Govind?" She stood up to answer the door. Gently, she opened the door. For a few moments, she found herself in a state of daze. An iridescent aura sparkled at the doorway. Without blinking, she stared at the image. "Arya?" She was baffled. How could she have mistaken Arjun for Govind? "I-I'm sorry, for a moment I thought it was---uh"uh." She lowered her eyes.
"Madhav?" Arjun smiled at her. Something had changed since the first day of the battle at Kurukshetra. After having heard the song of God from Narayan himself, Arjun felt more liberated than ever before. Unlike Yudhishtra and Draupadi, he had dealt with the aftermath of the war with equanimity and composure. Only Abhimanyu's death had jolted him temporarily but now he was at peace with himself and the rest of the world. "Can I come in Panchali?"
"Yes, of course Arya." Draupadi stepped back, still dazed and confounded by Arjun's aura. They had been married for decades and in her heart, she had always sensed an inexplicable but intense attraction for the handsome Dhananjaya but today, he reminded her of her sakha, Govind. The same sense of peace and tranquility prevailed over her as he held her hand and guided her towards the royal seat in one corner of the room.
"Arya, do you need something from me?" While Arjun had always been there for her emotionally, she had never seen him reach out to her like he had today. "Isn't everyone waiting for you in the sabha?"
"Panchali," He clasped her hand between his palms and smiled at her, "Yes, they are but they're also anxiously awaiting the arrival of their new queen of Hastinapur."
"I'm sorry Arya, but right now I'm not in the correct state of mind to go down to that sabha. Memories of the past haunt me. How can I forget when I was dragged down the stairs to that very sabha? That dyut sabha not only robbed me of my self-respect but also stole all my happiness away from me. Abhimanyu and all our other sons would have cherished the moment when Aryaputra Yudhishtra would be coronated king today. No one is there to share our happiness today. I don't have the desire to sit on that throne any more."
"Panchali, did I lose you in the Kurukshetra battle too?" Arjun had a worried look on his face.
"Perhaps." A tear rolled down her face as she lamented her losses again.
"Panchali, years ago, when I won the swaymvar, I knew that was going to be the most memorable day of my life. That's because I met the two most amazing people in my life. Madhav and you, Krishnaa."
Draupadi was not used to being addressed as Krishnaa' by her husbands. Govind often addressed her that way, especially when he was in an extra friendly mood. She was pleasantly surprised, not only by the way Arjun addressed her but also by his body language. Once again, she confused him with Govind.
"You know, why both of you're so amazing?" Arjun asked with a glimmer in his eyes.
She shook her head. Just like Govind, Arjun had spun a web of words around her.
"Because I know, no matter what, no matter how tough the situation is, no matter how disheartened you are with the world around you, you'd never abandon your dharm and your responsibilities. You're two people I can always count on. Not only me, all five of us brothers depend on your strength Panchali. You're no ordinary woman. You're the strength and pride of the Pandavas and this kingdom. You're the reason we're all here, back to where we belong, amongst the people of this kingdom who need us more than we need them. Without you, this kingdom, this victory against injustice and our responsibilities towards Aryavarta are incomplete. If you don't accept your role as the queen of Hastinapur, I'll assume that you've still not forgiven us brothers for our sins in the dyut sabha."
"No, Arya." Draupadi placed her finger on his lips, "I've no right to be upset with my husbands. You all have more than avenged my humiliation. If there is one reason I'm still alive is because of my five valorous husbands. You're right Arya. I can't let them down. I'm being selfish in my own pool of sorrow. I can't let the people of Hastinapur down. They need their queen."
"And we need our wife" Arjun touched her long tresses and with his long, artistic fingers, braided them, handling them gently just like a sitar in the court of Indra.
"Arya," she finally smiled and wrapped her fingers around her tresses, "I think I can do the rest."
"Your wish." Arjun smiled and stood up, "Don't underestimate the beauty secrets of Brihanala."
"How can I ever forget that beautiful woman?" She chuckled, "Can you do me another favor Arya?" She asked as he turned around to leave.
"I'm sure all my brothers would be happy to know that their demanding wife is back to being herself."
After a pretentious glare, she broke out into a smile once again, an emotion she had all but forgotten since the war started. "Please ask mata to bring my chooramani to the coronation."
"We've had it ready for a while."
Pleased with his efforts, as Arjun left the doorway, Draupadi saw another tall, dark shadow fade into the corridors, almost overlapping with Arjun's. Once again, she was in a fix- was that Arjun or really Govind in disguise? Why, since the war did the two dark men in her life seem like the same person? Perhaps, she would never know the truth or perhaps, that was the truth?
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