Dancing Flames

19. Rescued

Jaydrath screamed at his charioteer to ride faster, again, just as a few arrows shot the soldiers walking around.

"He is the great archer Arjun, even from a few miles away he can sense his enemies and shoot accurate arrows." Shubhangini added, her voice was low and she appeared to be in thoughts.

It didn't take Arjun and Bheem more than a few minutes to reach Jaydrath.

"Sindhunaresh." Arjun spoke with anger, his voice sending shivers to Jaydrath.

Bheem threw a log of wood at the chariot breaking it's wheels. He walked quickly towards Jaydrath and pulled him out like a pulling a piece of paper.

Arjun rushed to Shubhangini, checking for any wounds, "You okay?" He asked softly.

Shubhangini cried, "I thought you would never come."

"I will always come for, no matter where you are how far you are, I will always be there." Arjun replied.

"But," Shubhangini sobbed, "He said that you abandoned your wife, Draupadi and let evil men harass her in front of you. I thought you would do the same with me."

Her words terrified Arjun, he gasped. He cupped her face, "Oh Shubhangini, I or us five brothers have never abandoned Draupadi.
We have wronged her, disappointed her, but abandon? No. How can one ever abandon their life force?
Draupadi is the fire of life in us five brothers. And we would rather die than to leave her."

Arjun's words calmed her down, "Then why isn't she living with us?" Shubhangini asked, tightening the grip on his hand.

Before Arjun could reply, Bheem yelled, "Arjun, let's go. Jyesth must be waiting for us."

Arjun nodded and helped Shubhangini get down from the carriage, "I'm tired," She mumbled. Arjun smiled and lifted her in his arms, "go to sleep." he softly spoke.

"Will you be there when I wake up?" Shubhangini asked with her half opened eyes. Arjun didn't know what to reply, Shubhangini didn't notice his expression as she closed her eyes whispering, "Of course you would be there, you just said that to me." 

Arjun wanted to say no, that he was going to Indralok, but he couldn't form words.

"I am leaving you alive because you are my sister's husband. But if you ever do something wrong again, I will be the one to kill you. Keep that in mind." Arjun harshly spoke to Jaydrath as Bheem shaved his entire head with exception of five small knots representing the Pandavas.

The next morning:

Arjun was all ready to leave, his brothers wished him luck. He tried to wake Shubhangini from sleep but she was too tired from yesterday and hence did not wake up. Yudhisthir calmed him by saying that he would explain everything to her when she wakes up.

Soon Indradev's viman came and Arjun left, for how long? No idea.

It was late afternoon when Shubhangini woke up, her body ached from the harsh handling of Jaydrath. She looked outside the window and was shocked to see herself sleeping till this late.

She got up on her feet and came out of the hut, the four Pandavas were as usual doing there work. She went and greeted the four of them, smiling brightly. Each one asked her about her health, and how she was doing. She smiled at their concern. 

"Where is Arjun?" Shubhangini asked, when didn't spot him.

"Shubhangini." The eldest Pandava made his way to her, "You know he had this great opportunity to learn from the Devtas themselves. He was invited by the King of Gods to Swarglok. He had leave this morning, we tried waking you up but you did not wake up."

Shubhangini's eyes filled with tears, Jaydrath's words rang in her ears.

Pandavas will abandon you.

They were the ones who gambled their wife.

They saw her being treated as animal and did nothing.

'Arjun abandoned me like he abandoned Draupadi' Shubhangini thought bitterly. 

No matter how much she tried to get rid of Jaydrath's words, they were still there.

"If you attach yourself with negative thoughts or people,

you are going down to their level."

Shubhangini let her mind be controlled by the thoughts of an evil mind, and hence was suffering. She felt like she was out of breath.

The four Pandavas rushed to her as she sobbed, Sahdev tried to check if she had fever, "Don't touch me." Shubhangini said, "You too will leave me, like Arjun did. You will do the same with me what you did to Draupadi."

Unknowingly Shubhangini opened the healed wounds of Pandavas. She ran back to the hut, crying pitifully. 

But neither of the four had strength to go look for her after they heard.

After all, she was speaking the truth, they had hurt Draupadi, and what if- they hurt her too?

»»--------------------------««

Ohhh-
The Drama and Trauma in this chapter-

Readers after this chapter:

Also, a fact:

Shubhangini will be getting justice for Draupadi-
It literally reminds me of Manjulika who returned as ghost to avenge the death of her and her lover.
NOT THAT OUR CUTE SHUBHA IS A BLOOD THIRSTY GHOST- just a small thought of my mind-