•|| Arjun~ Becoming the Peerless One ||• (II) ✔

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟺𝟷

Hastinapur, Nagarasahrya

Arjun's POV

"Look! Prince Arjun is finally here!"

"Prince Arjun, the son of Lord Shakra! He is just as illustrious as him!" 

"Look, he is the one who is famous for shooting the bird's eye alone!"

My fingers gripped upon the bow firmly, as I strode in the arena and at once the entire gallery was spread out in view for me. There was no longer the restricted visions, and in a moment I realized that there wasn't only a limited sect of people were watching but it was vaster than one could've imagined sitting at the tower. My gaze traversed around; there were people cheering their lungs out, waving at me with thrill plastered on their faces and showering florals-

For me.

Lakhs and crores of men hailing for me- and I don't even know them. Perhaps, they don't even know me; yet- I noticed the children who were yelling my name, lunging at the railing and desperately trying to grasp my attention-as if I am their everything. 

Even without knowing me, even then-

So much love? 

"Hail the righteous Phalgun!"

"Hail the Prince of good conduct!"

For what? What did I do for them to receive so much love? 

Their unwavered stance, that I am 'illustrious', 'righteous' and of 'good conduct' for them, even without them meeting me even for once? So much trust, do they have for me? They roar and cheer for me as if the Almighty had descended for them; for me?

"Prince Arjun! Hail to you!"

Should I laugh at my fortune or cry over the uninvited love?

My lips could just tug gradually into a smile with leaps of sighs, as I briskly began to enter, gazing at the lakhs of unknown faces waiting for me, and a tap on my shoulder hauled me out of the trance. Gurudev strode towards me, his eyes beaming with the same pride and love- 'You have earned that Arjun' he always used to say.

"Gurudev," I instantly crouched below to seek his blessings, but he held my shoulders and lifted me up, "Today, not me but thousands of those you don't even know shall be blessing you, Anagha!" His palms quivered in joy over my shoulders to caress them, his lips attempting to bloom into a smile yet faltering yet his face shown with such a vehemence of pride I had perhaps seen for the first time. 

"Are you witnessing the love people have for you, my son?"  Gurudev was grinning wide, scanning the gallery of the arena were people yet were yelling out my name without a tire, "Are you seeing, Arjun? This, you have earned it!"

"And I am so so proud of you, so proud of you!" With those words, I barely thought I could suppress the grin that was forcing to etch itself on my lips for it did nothing but seep in an unknown sense of comfort and confidence in my heart at the same time, "It's because of you, Gurudev, it's because of you!"

I crouched below to finally touch his feet which he had prevented me a while ago, and smeared the dust on my tresses, "If Arjun is anything, it's because of Guru Dron....and my every achievement if to bear a name shall be of my elders and you." 

Gurudev appeared to have been taken aback for a while at my words, he stared back at me with a sense of astonishment, "What, what are you even made of, Arjun?" 

I responded him with nothing but a warm smile, and bowed in front of him before striding into the arena, glancing at everyone-with a thud in my heart as my eyes fell upon Pitamah, Kakashree Vidur, Kunti Maa and Gandhari Tai. Pitamah stood up and descended a few staircases, a wide grin etched on his face, those azure eyes perhaps swiveling with thousands of untold emotions bottled up since these years. The only thing that was preventing me to rush towards him and embrace was probably the situation— and so was Maata.