Love Across Time : Mahabharat

One Hundred Four : The Unquiet Heart

~𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓤𝓷𝓺𝓾𝓲𝓮𝓽 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽~

Aanya sat by the window, her hair whipping in the wind. It had been a day since they returned to Matsya. Draupadi's joy at seeing her five sons again was evident. Kanha had also come along, while Balaram, due to the Yadavas' ties to both Pandavas and Kauravas, chose to remain neutral. Kanha wouldn't be raising weapons, but he would serve as a guide for the Pandavas.

Aanya hadn't spoken to Arjun. Anger simmered within her, perhaps because he hadn't even attempted to talk to her, which only fueled her resentment. Sighing, Aanya closed her eyes, resting her head against the cool wall.

The creak of the door opening shattered the silence. Arjun stepped inside, his entire focus seemingly on a scroll in his hand. Aanya watched him for a tense second before turning her head away, the movement a deliberate dismissal. Arjun looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face before he became engrossed in his work again.

"Aanya," he finally said, his voice breaking the icy silence.

Aanya looked up at him, her eyes questioning, guarded. "Yes?" she replied, her tone cool.

"I wanted to talk with you about Aashvi," he began cautiously.

A curt nod was Aanya's only response, but the set of her jaw spoke volumes.

"Jyestha was thinking about her marriage," he continued, unaware of the storm he was brewing.

"No," Aanya interjected curtly, her voice laced with steel. Before he could continue, she shot him a glare that could curdle milk. "There will be no discussion of this."

Arjun's brow furrowed in confusion. "But we were just talking," he said, his voice defensive.

Aanya sighed, the sound heavy with exasperation. "And what is the motive behind this sudden urge to discuss Aashvi's marriage, Arjun?"

Arjun's jaw clenched under the force of her accusation. He tucked the scroll under his arm, finally meeting her gaze with a mixture of defiance and something deeper. "No, Aanya, there's no motive. But Aashvi is our daughter, and her future matters. We can't avoid these discussions forever. The future is uncertain, especially now."

Aanya's voice remained laced with ice, but a new edge of fear crept in. "And what future do you envision for her? A life as a political pawn, married off to some unknown prince to secure alliances?"

The anger in her voice, sharp as a blade, cut through the air. Arjun flinched slightly, a flicker of pain crossing his features before it was quickly masked by a sigh.

"That's not what I meant," he said, his voice softer now. "Jyestha simply expressed a concern, and I thought..."

"Thought you'd make a decision for her without even consulting her mother?" Aanya interrupted, her voice tight with barely contained emotion. "Just like you always have, for us?"

The accusation hung heavy in the air, a painful reminder of past wounds. Arjun's face paled, his eyes filled with a mixture of hurt and frustration. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

A beat of tense silence stretched between them, punctuated only by the distant sounds of the bustling palace. Aanya stood up, her movements stiff with suppressed anger, yet radiating a quiet strength.

"I won't discuss this any further," she said, her voice cold. "Aashvi is my daughter. I've raised her, alone for many years. Her future will be decided when she wants it, not a moment before. Until then, the topic is closed."

"Aanya, I haven't made any decision," Arjun said, his voice strained as he reached out towards her, a hesitant gesture. "I just needed your input."

Aanya's eyes narrowed, her gaze unwavering. "And you have it," she said, her voice laced with finality.