A Different Destiny - A Mahabharat/Karn Fanfic

CHAPTER - 16 : BIG FISH SMALL FISH

It's been a few weeks since Isha was born and Panchal rajya is back to its happy self. Everyone in the palace were amused but filled with happiness whenever they were near Isha. She became the apple of their eyes. Her admiration for her siblings and father has no bounds. By then, everyone were aware that Isha's very well knowledgeable, not by the laws made by man, but by those made by the God. Her child-like curiosity has no bounds and she seems to be enjoying the nature, preferring to stay in the garden of the castle in her leisure time or meditating in the temple. Everything astonishes her and she wants to learn everything, including wielding weapons. That definitely sparked a lot of concern in her family. But after a lot of persuasion on her part, Shikhandini and Dhrishtadyumn took it upon themselves to teach her sword fighting with wooden swords. When she's not doing that, she's learning about Panchal and other kingdoms in Aryavarth and the political relations between them. 

Surprisingly, she mastered sword fighting pretty quickly and went to the point of disarming her two siblings while jumping around like a graceful cat. If she's not training, she's with Draupadi, with the latter becoming the mother hen. When Draupadi was born, initially she too was like a child, always curious having no idea of all the man made laws, traditions and regulations but she gradually matured. But Isha is a child in a full grown adult's body. There are times when she can act like a wise sage, not so surprisingly, yet surprisingly, but she has this inner child in her that's constantly in glee.

After being done with doing worshipping Matha Parvathi in her temple in Kampilya, she was sitting on rock by the river which a few feet away from the temple and watching the river with a smile on her face. Her smile dropped and a gasp of shock left her mouth when she saw a small fish which dived out of the water was swallowed by a fish that was larger than it when the latter too dived out of the water to swallow the smaller fish and went back into the water. Isha saw how the small fish struggled to get out of the big fish's grasp, wiggling away, trying it's best to save itself, but ended up being swallowed by the big fish.

She immediately stood up and took a few steps towards the river when a voice said "You are not going to jump into the water, are you?" making her stop and and turn around to look at the source of the voice and saw a man who looked divine.

He was tall, his skin was darker in tone and looked royal with a peacock feather on his crown. Isha slowly tilted her head to one side as the man approached her with Draupadi beside him. He had a pleasant smile on his face and Isha too involuntarily smiled. As soon as the man and Draupadi stopped in front of Isha, the man too mimicked Isha, tilting his head to one side. Isha then tilted her head to the other side and the man did the same while looking at her playfully. Isha immediately stood straight but grinned and he did the same while Draupadi chuckled looking at the two of them. 

"Isha, I was searching for you everywhere. Where were you? I was about to go to Pithashree and tell him that you were missing. You had me worried" said Draupadi, looking at Isha in concern.

"I'm sorry Jiji. I wanted to enjoy the morning. So, thought of sitting by the river and enjoy the cool breeze. I didn't mean to worry" said Isha, looking down at her feet.

Draupadi smiled and caressed Isha's cheek "It's alright. Just let me know before you are going somewhere from now on."

Isha looked at Draupadi and smiled, nodding her head. 

Draupadi smiled at her and looked at the man and said "Govind, this is my little sister, the ever curious Isha about whom I was telling you."

She then looked at Isha and said "Isha, this is my Sakha Govind."

"Oh, so you are my Jiji's best friend" said Isha, looking at Lord Krishna.

"Hmm... What did your jiji tell you about me?" asked Krishna, looking at Isha while playfully wiggling his eyebrows.