𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 || ArDi ||

38. Chamber of Darkness.

~ PEOPLE YOU KNOW ~

Draupadi could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She squeezed Arjun's hand tighter, the lamp in her other hand leading their way. Arjun's brothers fell in step behind them.

Draupadi stopped mid way, focusing in the silence as she looked for some clues.

Silence.

Dead silence.

She did not like it.

The silence was eerie.

The scariest sound.

Dark fear crawled up her heart, staining her skin. She gulped down her fear. It tasted stale on her tongue. Slowly, she moved around the room, lighting every lamp that fell in her vision.

The scene became clear.

Bile rose to Arjun's throat. Nausea eloping his body. His eyes watered as he pushed down the lump of feelings. Warriors are used to blood, to bloodshed, but not when the blood is of the person so dear to you. The room had turned upside down as if a hurricane had stuck it. Vases tumbled down from their stands, flowers crushed worse that they would in a mortar, the sheets were crumpled and furniture was broken. But what was most shocking was blood. Blood to Arjun had been nothing more than red sweat, but the blood that was splashed over the walls, curtains, bedsheets, carpets, practically everywhere did bother him. It was doing much more than just bothering him. Tears pricked his eyes. He frantically looked across the room in the hope of catching a glimpse of his brother. But no avail.

No No No No No!!!

Arjun's heart constricted painfully as if an invisible force was clawing at it. Squeezing that organ like a lemon until all its emotions gushed down its walls and all that was left was a null cavity.

"Sahadev," He heard Nakul's numb voice before Nakul fell on his knees. The sound of loud sobs echoed in the room, "Sahadev, my brother," He wailed, and wrapped his arms around Arjun's waist when he reached closer to console him, "Bh-bhrata, I-I don't kn-ow what I'll do w-without him-m," He sobbed and hid deeper in his brother's embrace.

"Shh," Arjun, patted his brother's head in an attempt to soothe him, his own eyes brimming with unshed tears. It felt as if he had lost a part of his body. Where was his brother? What had even happened to him? Why has that person taken him? Who was that person

How is his brother being treated there?

Is he being tortured?

Starving or bleeding?

I-Is he even alive?

Arjun shut his eyes close and let a single tear escape at the last thought, no matter how had he tried it was always a possibility. A possibility that he had already lost his family member. His heart clenched painfully and his throat tightened until it became difficult to breathe anymore.

"Arya!" Draupadi called out, her eyes wide with horror as she looked at the mutilated body.

Arjun's eyes shot open. He looked at his brother who sobbed in his arm and then at Yudhishthir. Yudhishthir nodded softly, allowing Arjun to leave as he took Nakul in his arms. Patting his back, and trying to calm his baby brother.

"Krish- O' Heavens! " Arjun's horrified gaze was set at the body Draupadi was kneeling beside. A feminine body was laying in the balcony on her stomach. Her long hair blood stained and sticky as they stuck on the bloodied marble floor. A pool of blood forming about her body. Multiple stab wounds on her back were bleeding as if the killer as taken great pleasure in deflating her body numerous times even after she had died. Draupadi turned the body around and gasped, "Oh my god," Her eyes widened as she glanced at the familiar face. Blood tricked down her hairline in an unending stream.