The calm before the storm: The sanguine Krishna-Arjun journey

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟛: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞

Arjun's pov

Like a coward, Arjun got Madhav and Subhadra to break the news to Abhimanyu had he was apparently engaged. It was a right everyone was entitled to, Arjun reasoned with himself--to have their best friend and wife carry out unpleasant tasks for them.

Arjun stood two steps behind Madhav and Subhadra when they brought the topic up.

"Princess of Matsya?" asked Abhimanyu, intrigued. "She is your student, Father? Is she smart?"

"Yes, she is quick-witted and smart." Arjun felt a hint of pride that Abhimanyu had asked 'is she smart' and not 'is she beautiful'; Subhadra exchanged a smile with him. His son would grow up a much better person than him. 

As a father, it was his duty to add, "Though the wedding is mostly fixed now, you and Uttara will take the final call once you two have spoken."

Abhimanyu laughed.

"What?" Arjun asked, alarmed.

"Don't mind him," said Madhav, "he laughs at everything."

"No, it just seemed funny to get married, Father," explained Abhimanyu. "I am sure I will like Uttara since she's your favourite student."

It was the sort of thing he would have told his mother, Arjun reflected, and his jyesht, who had for all practical purposes been their father. If children trusted their parents blindly by default, even if the parent had been absent all his childhood, parenting would become a much more gratifying job that he had foreseen.

"We shall leave soon for Matsya, then," Madhav said. "Subhadra and I will let the others know. And Parth, send word to Panchal, Kuntirastra, Chedi; your allies must start gathering immediately after the wedding. I think you can form your base in Matsya itself."

"I will protect my cousins in the war, Father," put in Abhimanyu.

"You--you're thinking of fighting in the war?" said Arjun, shocked.

Abhimanyu looked equally shocked.

"Of course I will fight in the war, how can I not fight your war? I am already a Maharathi, Father, you need not worry about me at all."

Arjun glanced at Madhav, who nodded, and Subhadra, who shrugged in resignation.

"That is what they maintain," she told Arjun. "I have tried to dissuade them just about long enough to know it is impossible."

Suddenly the war they had been contemplating upon for thirteen long years seemed a lot bleaker. With their children fighting--their children's lives in danger--

"But why should the war happen so soon, Bhratashree?" Subhadra asked. "They have served thirteen years of penance, can they not have half a year of peace before the war?"

"No, Bhadra," said Madhav. "Precisely because they had been tricked into serving thirteen years of penance, and went along with it to honour righteousness, they must not wait a single day to declare to war, ideally."

"You mean we declare it now?" asked Arjun.

"Guests from Hastinapur's would be coming for the wedding, Parth. Discuss the matter with them. Make your intentions clear."

"Guests from Hastinapur?" Arjun frowned. "Apart from Maa, only Pitamah and Kakashree Vidur are coming."

Madhav bowed his head. A stone-cold weight dropped inside Arjun's stomach.

"You don't mean," he whispered, "you can't mean Pitamah will side with Duryodhan, Madhav. Pitamah cannot side against us--he always said he wants jyesht on the throne--he always said I am his favourite--his favourite grandson--"