Dangerous Life Ahead

65 : || An Unexpected Apology ||

"Pranipaat Yuvraaj. Pranipaat Yuvrani. Pranipaat Pandava Kumaro." A soldier bowed to them, getting into their study chamber.

"Rajmata has summoned you all. Rajkumar Duryodhan is spotted near the Palace gates and he's heavily wounded." He added, receiving frowned glances.

"Duryodhan is wounded?" Yudhisthir questioned again, not settling well with the news.

"Yes Yuvraj." The soldier replied.

"You can go." Arjun dismissed him and exchanged a glance among his brothers and wife.

"Well, it's good that he is wounded. That brat deserves it." Nakul commented rolling his eyes.

Panchali shot her eyebrows up, quite impressed by the compliment.

"Heck, why didn't he died at the spot? Another sinner would have been lifted off from the shoulders of Mother Earth." Bheem chided, while his beloved wife smirked secretly to herself.

"Bheem. Nakul. Behave yourself. Duryodhan is our brother." Yudhisthir scolded the two, his voice taking a note of seriousness and parenting pattern.

The smirk fell down from the side of her lips, hearing him as Panchali shook her head in disappointment.

"Yudhisthir, just answer my question." She started, gaining their attention while closing the huge piles of parchments.

"If someday your so-called brother comes and tells you to kill, let me remind you, kill your own four blood brothers, me and your mother, will you kill us with your own hands?" She asked, gazing dead at his eyes.

A deafening silence fell upon the room, as Yudhisthir felt his heart skip a beat hearing her.

A bile in his throat choked him as he thought about all the possibilities of his family getting hurt. That too, by his own hands.

The cold eyes of his beloved wife challenged him to speak, but as if all the words refused to come out.

How could he hurt his family, let alone kill them? That was something he would never dare to even dream.

"Let's welcome your brother who once tried to kill your family." Her cold sarcastic words worked as a stabbing knife.

His eyes dropped to the floor not being able to maintain an eye contact with Panchali.

And taking no time, they went to the Palace gate. Panchali's question surely shut their thoughts.

"ARYA..." Bhanumati cried, being horrified by the sight of her husband limping towards them.

His body depicted his physical weakness, his skin peeling off from his abdomen creating a horrible sight to the eyes.

However what went unnoticed to the spectators were the light mark on his wrists, that created a silent cry of his caged self for the past few days.

"Arya... Arya, how did you get hurt? This..." Bhanumati trailed off observing the burnt part, her lower lip wobbled as she muffled her cries.

"Putra... What happened to you, dear?" Gandhari asked, keeping her hands over her aching heart.

"Mata, I am fine." Duryodhan relied. His voice was exceptionally low.

He took a discreet glance at his tormentor, who stood between Yudhisthir and Arjun wearing an emotionless expression on her face.

As if she didn't torment him.

"Duryodhan, how did all this happen to you?" Yudhisthir asked, momentarily keeping his wife's previous question at a side.