Kshatrani - The Warrior Princess

Family, Always

Tenu chadd ke kitthe jawan
Tu mera parchhanvaa
Tere mukhde vich hi main taa
Rab nu apne pawaan
Meri duaa.....haaye
Sajda tera kardi sadaa
Tu sun iqraar mera
Main karu intezar tera
Tu dil tui-yon jaan meri

Main tenu samjhawan ki
Na tere bina lagda jee

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Except when he reached, she wasn't there.

Arjun's eyes widened in worry, as he began searching frantically for his wife. Where had she gone? She was just like her brother, disappearing randomly to quiet corners where no one could find her. Madhav you could always find thanks to the tell-tale sound of his flute- but what about his stubborn sister?

Maybe she didn't want to be found.

Arjun sat down on their bed, staring at the walls. He felt a pang of guilt; had he overlooked her loneliness in the chaos of their lives? Had he missed the signs of her silent struggles? What had happened to their playful escapades? Where had he lost his woman's laugh? Her beautiful laugh felt like a distant memory.

Nevertheless, I'll always come find you.

He remembered his own words; he had vowed that he would always find her, no matter where she went. He wasn't going to back down- not now, not today, not ever. 

The son of Pandu stood up, closing his eyes, allowing his heart to guide him. He coursed through the quiet corridors of the palace, glancing into every open chamber- still no sign of her- until he turned a corner and found her looking for him too. Her eyes found his, and she visibly took a deep breath of relief. 

They stood at opposite ends of the dark corridor, the figurative distance between their hearts stretching miles. Subhadra was the first to take a few shaky steps towards him. She almost cowered under his piercing gaze. Truthfully, he was angry with himself when he saw her red-rimmed eyes; a sign that she had been crying. In a few large strides he was right in front of her, pulling her into his arms.

Her hands automatically went around his waist, and she sobbed into his chest. It was stupid of them to fight, she realised. His hand stroked her hair, comforting her. 

"I'm sorry," Both of them said at the same time. Subhadra looked up at him, only to find his beautiful brown eyes brimming with tears. She wiped them away with her hand, which Arjun grasped in his, kissing it. His simple gesture spoke volumes. 

"I shouldn't have said you were demanding," he said softly. "I was wrong."

"You weren't," Subhadra argued. "You have a responsibility towards your kingdom, and it wasn't right of me to make it sound like you didn't care about me at all."

Arjun shook his head gently. "Without you, everything loses meaning. I need to find a better balance, and I need to listen to you more."

She smiled through her tears, sensing his sincerity. "And I need to understand the weight you carry, I know you do this for our future. I understand your duties are important, but......I just need you sometimes."

"I should've been there for you," Arjun replied, cupping her cheek and wiping her tears with his thumb. "I'm so, so sorry you felt like I was ignoring you, I should understand you more."

"Seems like we both should understand each other more," Subhadra said softly, leaning into his touch. "It was only one fight, and it caused both of us so much pain. I never want to fight again."

"Never," Arjun vowed. He would never, ever, make her cry again. He would never let his pride get in the way of their love and understanding. 

"I lashed out about you being absorbed in being Gandivdhari Arjun, forgetting how I fell in love with a part of the same Arjun." she said, searching his eyes. "I forgot how when I fell in love with you, I fell in love with all of you. Your flaws, your personality, everything about you."