Empire of Righteousness ( The Beginning)

Chapter 135 : Her Anger that Burns Bright

"Maa,"

Draupadi sighs. God forbids. Did Bheema send someone with foods again? Sutasoma already made sure she finished the entire meal.

Draupadi turns to see Abhimanyu standing with a nervous expression on his face. Vrishaketu is asleep deeply on her bed. Arjuna's behavior scared Abhimanyu the most. Without ever meeting his father, Arjuna is his idol. After returning he only saw his father's gentle side. He never witnessed any quarrel in the family. Draupadi was desperate about it. She didn't want Abhimanyu a bit traumatized and distressed about the family matters. And now Arjuna's behavior has completely caught him off guard. 

Draupadi's heart bleeds seeing him this way. He didn't dare enter her chamber all these months. Subhadra was here before but now for Nandini's marriage she had to return. And Abhimanyu became helpless immensely. His one mother left and another is nowhere to be seen.

"Come in," Draupadi calls.

Abhimanyu enters her chamber after months. Draupadi pats her lap and Abhimanyu lays on the bed placing his head on her thigh.

Draupadi gets reminded of Shrutakarma. When she came back from Dwarka after giving birth of him there, she raised that boy completely alone. Shrutakarma is so sensible to the point of calling him a fool. He never asked for his father as if trying  not to exploit his mother's vulnerability. But Draupadi knew the way he looked at Bheema and others when they played with their sons. He wished for a father in his life. Thankfully Krishna filled up that void. Shrutakarma played on Krishna's lap more than hers or Arjuna's.

"Maa, will Pitashree stay angry forever?" Abhimanyu asks.

Draupadi ruffles his hair affectionately, "Your father isn't angry. Every family goes through some tough times. It's natural, putra."

Abhimanyu snuggles more in her lap. He feels like he is under a huge tree that's shading him from everything. His heart at peace with his mother.

As the night passes Abhimanyu sleeps peacefully on his mother's lap. Draupadi stays awake ruffling his hair. Her heart anxious. There's no letters from Satanika and those who went in Awanti. Bheema's increasing anger. Maya's due date. And cherry on top Arjuna's madness.

Suddenly her unease heart cools down as the mesmerizing tune of flute reached her ears. Just below her chamber, in the blue rose garden. He is playing his flute. But Draupadi didn't rush outside. She won't go to him. He finds it entertaining to push her in the abyss then comes to play flute. No, she won't go.

An entire watch passes. But his flute doesn't stop. Draupadi is resisting by harshly closing her ears with pillows. She won't go to him. Never.

But her heart accepts defeat. She goes to the kitchen and picks two pitchers. One filled with makkhan and one with water.

"Stop now," Draupadi sits down beside him placing the pots in front of him, "You may not wish to sleep. But I am tired. I left the poor Abhimanyu alone in the chamber. I need to go back."

Krishna stops his flute looking at her warmly, "Krishnaa, when I am this distressed how can you sleep?"

Draupadi stops her tears with difficulty, "You solve everyone's problem. How can a mere woman like me solve problems of Vasudev Shree Krishna?"

"How's Partha's love making you feel?" Krishna asks.

Draupadi raises her eyebrows in disbelief, "Are you honestly asking me that?"

Krishna bursts into laughter, "Why such hostility towards him, sakhi?"

"When you left, you said to let Arjuna do as he pleases. You said to not forcefully bend him to do anything. I followed your words. Sakha, his madness keeps increasing only. It's not lessening. Now he doesn't even tolerate me even glancing at his brothers. He doesn't even tolerate their shadows on me. Did you ask me to accept everything because you knew this will happen?"