Mahagatha

Surrendering to Fate

Arjun could scarcely comprehend what was happening. No comprehension was a matter of understanding. He understood what was going on but his heart wanted it to be wrong with all that he had. Alas fate wasn't a matter of choice rather of chance. And Arjun had already spun the wheel once. Thus, here he stood surrounded by who knows how many servant bhaiyas and didis as they did ..................whatever royal servants did for royalties. Oh, and did he mention that, he- he!- was a royalty. Oh, and not just any royalty he was the hundred and third prince (heavens brother did say that parents were granted children by fate if they were good enough but wouldn't fate get tired of delivering so many children) of the Kuru vansh.

The Kuru Vansh!

The one whose praises his father will (would) never get tired of speaking. But well maybe that had something to do with the fact of him being a king of this very kingdom. Was a king! His father and Ma were .....dead. Having his gloomy mood return a hundredfold Arjun this focused his thoughts on the activity going around him under the supervision of his grand uncle.

Woah! He even forgot to mention that! He had a hundred and one cousins (so cool) and two uncles and one aunt and of course his personal favourite (don't tell Kakishree that she'd be upset she wasn't his favourite if she knew) grand uncle. He was the sweetest and the bestest ("That's not a word, Aru." A voice that sounded a lot like Jyesht said. But oh well what Jyesht doesn't know wouldn't hurt him.)

After knowing of his sweet tooth grand uncle arranged for several sweets! All for him! He even stopped Bhrata Bheem from eating it!

While Arjun's thoughts reflected his childhood curiosity. His "sweetest and bestest" grand uncle's were thoughts of an exhausted mind and weary spirit.

After getting to know of all the facts from Yudhishthir Bhishm was .............less than pleased. As soon as Kunti and her five sons (his grand nephews) arrived he had observed the tention in Yudhishthir's expression and the anger Kunti held when addressing her own third and youngest son. When news of Madri and Pandu's demise had reached Bhishm's ears through the spies he had allotted for their protection he had (needlessly it seems now) worried for the treatment the youngest two of the Pandvas would receive from Kunti. And now all of that worry had been transferred to Arjun instead.

Knowing that five of your nephews were the sons of Devs themselves was not an easy fact to digest but knowing one of them (a child of mere six summers old) was the incarnation of the Lord of Time himself was a lot to take in at once.

Needless to say the less the number of people who were aware of this fact the better. Thus, he hadn't even mentioned it to the Maharaj and Maharani. After all his loyalty was to the Kuru Vansh if he believed that some facts were better not heard by the Maharaj then it was something he had all right to do. Thus so far only Arjun, himself, Yudhishthir (though he wasn't aware the extent of his younger brothers power yet due to the fact that the Lord of Time was not a much talked about character in the scriptures) Kunti, and Vidhur were the only people who knew about it. Less damage control then.

Though how could Kunti treat her own flesh and blood like some sort of unlovable freak was beyond him. No child should be subjected to such neglect, especially his grandson! And oh he'd been completely besotted with the idea of grandchildren. Yes Duryodhan was a bit too arrogant but then which sixteen summers old teen wouldn't be? That too a prince.

But oh! Arjun was simply someone to spoil. Those squishy cheeks, not that he, the protector of the Kurus would do something so uncivilized as squishing a child's cheeks. But anyway, so he pampered upon his sweet and adorable grandson ( did he mention cultured and mannered though a bit shy.) Just like he deserved. Getting a million sweets was nothing!

But alas he had other duties to attend to. It was tiresome being a grandfather, father, protector of the Kuru clan and a royal adviser all together.

"Come, child. Let's put you to bed shall we?", beckoned Pitamaah as he pulled Arjun out of his daydreams of sugar and sweets.

"This is the room assigned to you, Aru. I shall commence a tour for you tomorrow. But you best get some rest, now. There are servants stationed outside the doors. Call for any if your needs. Sweet dreams, my child." , were his Pitamaah's parting words to him as he was laid to bed and covered with blankets that would put clouds to shame.

Sleep soon overtook the young prince, as the moonlight visible through the slightly parted curtains lulled him to sleep. But peace is a mere illusion created by the hypocrisy of human beings. And thus the young royal awoke throat hurting and eyes burning with unshed tears.

He quietly slipped out of his sheets and stood in front of the majestic mirror his chambers were equipped with. His pale face, sweaty forehead and silky wavy black hair were familiar features that greeted him. What wasn't so familiar was the unnaturally eyes of crimson shade that were associated with the Lord of Time.

While Phalgun certainly had incarnated upon the mortal realm as the Pandu Putra Arjun, his memories as the Lord of Time hadn't been lost, just his perception had dulled as per his mortal age in order to not overwhelm him.

All of that had been possibilities taken into consideration when he had taken the decision of coming here. What he hadn't considered was his powers evolving so quickly. And with the vision he just had he knew it wasn't getting any better any time soon. Fate sure loved making a mockery out of him making him witness everything he could never change.

Not by some moral duty towards maintaining the balance of the cosmos, he'd never been capable of detaching himself from other people. That was Keshav. He on the other hand suffered from an excessive amount of empathy. Another reason he'd never once intervened with the flow time was that in doing so the penalty wasn't just a personal grievance. He'd give up his soul if it would save people.................no the cost was much greater.

These were the thoughts that rummaged the archer to be's mind as he surrendered to fate yet again.

Dissolving into gut wrenching cries as realities came crushing in devouring any shred of hope he had left