Love & Betrayal

~ Conflict

"Where were you? I had died thousand deaths hearing your rumoured death. Where had you gone?" Yudhishthir asked as he broke the hug and held her face very gently like she is a flower. Draupadi had tears in her eyes. She was staring at him trying to absorb him in her eyes. He checked her from down to up and confused felt in his mind.
"What are you wearing? Where had you gone? You weren't in panchal and when did you come to indraprastha? Please tell me panchali. Say something." He almost begged trying to talk with her. Draupadi was unable to say anything. She was staring at him unblinkable.

"Maa!" The little voice broke his attention. He turned to prativindya and then to draupadi. The fact about him calling mother to draupadi wasn't digestible. He stepped little away from her as she sat down on her knees and looked at prativindya. "Go inside vindya. I'll come in some time." She told to her son but he didn't listen and clinged to her.
"Nahh!" He said and wrapped her arms around her neck. While draupadi was fearing more. Yudhishthir will definitely leave her the moment he got to know about prativindya, he will never accept them. Why was he showing affection seeing her then?

Questions were going in her mind. She decided to move away but yudhishthir sat beside her still shocked but this time his face holding the expression of realisation. His shaky hands reached over prativindya's head and his heart was beating rapidly. He looked at draupadi with watery eyes. "He is your son?"

Draupadi closed her eyes in fear and nodded her head in yes. Her answer broke him into tears and happiness and same time with guilt. He held on prativindya's shoulder bringing him before himself. His trembling hands held the little face of his dear son. How could he be so unlucky? He missed his son's birth, he didn't see him growing and more of that draupadi carried it whole alone. "My son! He.....is my son."

The words came out of his mouth. He embraced prativindya tightly in his arms. Prativindya held on his big shoulders looking at his mother with confusion. While his mother was more shocked now. What she heard was unexpected. It was completely opposite of what she thought. Did he just called prativindya as his? He accepted him?
She felt happy yet still doubts were going in. There yudhishthir broke the hug and kissed on his son's face. He traced his hands all over his body checking him all over. That's why he was finding him similar to himself. His son looks like him, like his childhood version.
"I can't belive, my son__!"  He was feeling awe. He had a son and all these years he never had any idea.

Prativindya was silent till then but after sometime he left out and hugged draupadi. Yudhishthir's smile fell as he looked at draupadi with blank face. She saw his face and then looked at prativindya. "Vindya! What happened?" Her soon peep to see the stranger and then at his mother. "Who is he maa?"
The question made him desperate as yudhishthir looked at draupadi who smiled and stood her son straight.

"You used to ask me about your baba. Now don't you want to meet him? He is near you." She told and prativindya looked shocked. He saw yudhishthir then at his mother for confirmation who smiled at him with yes. Prativindya came near yudhishthir, who held his palms and kissed on them. "I can't belive this." He cried and hugged him more tightly.

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The past never leaves. Whatever you do, whichever way you choose but the past never leave you and same happened with them. Meeting each other after years overwhelmed them both as they forgot about the happenings. Draupadi couldn't recall it before the happiness of her son and seeing the man she loves before her. But it had to come in notice. When yudhishthir asked her to come with him, she recalled those dreadful memories. She pushed yudhishthir away from her and completely disagreed to go with him anywhere. She questioned him by what relation he was claiming to go with him.

Yudhishthir came out from his thoughts as his minister told him about some serious matter he has to look in. He distracted himself and focused on his work and once finishing dismissed the court. He directly went to him chamber and decided to go and meet his family. He has to bring her to him, she isn't safe away from him. He was relived before that atleast she would have no harm in panchal but now he can't trust anything. What if getting know about her near him anyone harmed her? He would keep her near to himself and won't let anything touch her.

"Maharaj! Dwarkadish wants to enter." A soldier came informing as yudhishthir's eyes brimmed with hope. Could he get any help now? He immediately asked the soldier to let him enter.

"Pranipaat bhrata yudhishthir!" Krishna came folding his hands as he walked near the king. Yudhishthir smiled as he sighed in relief.
"Krishna! When did you come?" He asked.

"Yesterday only bhrata but you weren't present. You came so late in the night and went to court early. I guess you are avoiding me." The mischievous cousin said with a playful smile. "Not like that Krishna! I was just engaged in something."

"Ok, leave it. So what's your thoughts about marriage, maharaj? I guess it's time. You should also get married and it's for the future of your kingdom." The word marriage brought his face blank. How should he tell him now? He feels shame on himself for whatever he did with draupadi. He knows everyone will be disappointed with him but still he was so much in to bring her back. He decided to drop the conversation and leave.

"Don't know. Forgive me Krishna but i have to leave, there's something which needs my attention." The supreme lord smiled and looked at the king who was trying his best to not meet his gaze. He shook his head smiling knowing everything going in his mind.
"Silence will push you into more problems bhrata. Some questions should be answered on time, most importantly those which costs the happiness and misery."

Yudhishthir's posture stiffened as he fisted his palm into ball not reacting to what he just told. "You should look over for you happiness instead of someone's else. Your silence is causing you the misery. I don't have to tell you more as you are the dharmraj yourself. You should take the right call." Saying so he greeted him and went from there leaving a conflicted king there. Yudhishthir sat on the sofa with deep thoughts. He had maintained this silence for many years then how should he break it now? He would rather find another way, if draupadi has to wrong him then let her be. He just want her to be near him then whatever she thinks about him doesn't matter.

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How is the chapter? Which is your favorite part? And what will happen next? Tell me in comments.

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