The Unexpected Bride : Mahabharat

Five : The Bravest Little Explorer

Parthavi

The first sliver of sunlight peeked through the gap in the curtains, painting golden stripe across my eyelids. Time to wake the mighty warrior slumbering in our humble home. With a deep breath, I puffed out my cheeks and let out a mighty roar, "Maharathi Karna, prakata ho!" My voice, still thick with sleep, echoed through the room, bouncing harmlessly off the walls.

A groan, more dramatic than a wounded bear, rumbled from the other side of the woven screen. "Parthavi! It's too early for such theatrics," came his voice, laced with a sleepy annoyance that always made me giggle.

I stuck my tongue out at the screen, even though I knew it wouldn't do any good. "But Bhratashri," I called back, my voice adopting the most wounded tone I could muster, "isn't it a warrior's duty to rise with the sun?"

The groan deepened, followed by the rustle of straw. A moment later, hiss head popped out from behind the screen, his hair a mess and his eyes still half-closed. "A warrior's duty," he mumbled, "is to get as much sleep as possible to crush his enemies in battle."

I couldn't help but snort with laughter. Bhratashri might dream of becoming the greatest warrior in the land, but sometimes, even the greatest warriors need a gentle nudge from their pesky little sister.

Just then, Maa's voice drifted in from the kitchen, laced with a familiar exasperation. "Parthavi! Stop tormenting your brother so early in the morning. And who sleeps till so late, young lady?" The rhythmic clanging of pots and pans told me she was already hard at work preparing breakfast.

I stretched dramatically, my arms reaching for the thatched ceiling. "But Maa," I whined, adopting my most innocent voice, "little warriors need their beauty sleep to fight off evil glances."

A soft chuckle drifted through the doorway, and I knew I had won. Maa couldn't resist my theatrics for long. With a sigh of defeat, Bhrata Karna finally emerged from behind the screen, his sleepiness replaced by a playful glint in his eyes. "Alright, alright, little sister," he conceded, ruffling my hair. "But if you wake me up this early again, I'm using you for target practice!"

I stuck my tongue out at him. Even though Bhratashru sometimes pretended to be annoyed by me, I knew he secretly loved our little morning routine. Now, with the promise of an epic breakfast and a playful spar with Bhrata Karna, the day stretched before me, full of possibilities.

A pout threatened to erupt on my face as I spotted Maa scrubbing vegetables by the well. Pitashri was nowhere to be seen. "Maa," I began, my voice laced with disappointment, "where's Pitashri?"

Maa's smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of worry crossing her eyes before she quickly masked it with a gentle one. "He had to rush off to the palace early this morning," she explained, her voice strained.

My disappointment settled in my chest like a heavy stone. "But he promised we'd go together. I was really looking forward to seeing Dushala again," I mumbled, kicking a stray pebble across the dusty ground. There was another reason for my disappointment, one I didn't dare voice. Maybe, just maybe, I'd get to see Arjun again and find out if he'd managed to find his brother. He looked so worried yesterday.

Maa knelt beside me, her touch warm and comforting as she wiped away the traitorous tear that had escaped. "There seems to be a little trouble at the palace, Parthavi," she said softly. "It wouldn't be a safe place for a curious little girl like you today."

My eyes widened. Trouble at the palace? Did that mean no chance of sneaking a peek at the kitchens and their sweets? Disappointment battled with a spark of worry in my chest. "But what kind of trouble, Maa?" I pressed, my brows furrowed in concern for the grand place that seemed so far away.