A Journey To Mahabharata

Chapter 28

"Aare aapko pata nahi? Rajkumar Duryodhan ka vivah Rajkumari Bhanumati se ho gaya." (Don't you know? Prince Duryodhan has married Princess Bhanumati) and my entire world came crashing down with that sentence.

She continued, not noticing my plight, "Suna hai apaharan karke laye hai Rajkumari ko. Pandav Kumaro ki asamay mrutyu ki vajah se ab vahi yuraj banenge. Gaon main davat hai Shiv mandir ke samne, sab vahi hai. Tum bhi ho aao mera pota gaya hai mera lane."

(I've heard that he had abducted her. After the untimely death of Pandav Kumars, he will be the next in line. The feast is in front of Shiva's temple; everyone is there. You should also visit; my grandson is bringing it for me.)

It took everything in me to smile and reply, "Accha dadi, hum bhi ho aate hai." (Okay grandmother, we will also visit.)

I quickly turned and started walking. How could he do that to me? Why would he do that to me? After a few steps, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned as I held my tears back. I won't cry here, in the middle of the market. I just want to go home.

"We can go back home." He whispered.

"My home is not here." I held back my tears and smiled. I won't cry. Not again. "Let's go and get some food for everyone. It's been days since we had proper food."

"There's no need for that. We should return." He whispered.

"I insist." I smiled back.

"As you wish." Saying that he held my hand and walked in the other direction. How foolish of me to think that the temple was in this direction. Of course I was wrong. How can I be right? The entire way I watched as he held my hand, not thinking anything, just following. Hoping at least someone is right.

Yudhisthir alone carried food for everyone. I offered to help but he denied, saying there was no need. Normally I would have fought, but today I had nothing left in me to fight. I walked with him till we reached the tree house and then said that I was going to my car. He nodded in reply, knowing I needed some personal time.

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Alexa was well hidden under the bushes. She was in her normal form. I opened the back and started frantically searching for it. I had hidden it in the corner of the bag. Alcohol was something I desperately needed right now. Maybe I was addicted to it I laughed inside.

I found it in a few minutes. I didn't gulp it down. I took the bottle and went towards the river. The sun had almost set by then. It would be dark soon. I smiled at that thought.

The river was calm unlike my mind. But this time the calmness of river gave me anxiety. I sat down against a tree and had my first sip of alcohol. It was not mine. I had snuck it from Hastinapur. Hastinapur, I thought and took another sip. I had really bad coping mechanism. I took another sip. Who cares? Another sip. Another sip. Another sip.

By the time I realized I had emptied half the bottle, it was already dark. There was a bit of moonlight and a lot of luminous insects around. This place is so pretty unlike my mind, playing battles with itself. God knows who'll win today. But in either case I am the one who had lost.

I heard footsteps behind me. Looks like someone will accompany me now. I had no strength to get up and go somewhere else. Coming back without showing any emotion was tough and hiding emotions with alcohol for me is nearly impossible. I hate him for doing this to me.

Keeping the bottle to my side, I turned to look behind. It was Yudhisthir. He had a regal air about him. Whenever you see him in whichever form, he looked like a king. This doesn't feel like a boon to me at all. Being a king restricts you. You are the most vulnerable person. At least he has his brothers.

Our eyes met. It felt like it was his intention to find me. Maybe sitting here in the open I had hoped someone would find me. How does it feel when you are not with the person you want to be with? How did he feel when he found out? Was he as much in pain as I am now? He never blamed me for it. Will I blame Bhanumati? No, I'll blame Duryodhan.

He sat against the tree next to mine. We were quiet for a while. I took a few sips of alcohol thinking he would object. But he didn't. After a few minutes, I offered him alcohol. He smiled and politely declined.

Curiously I asked him, "Are you not going to object?"

Yudhisthir questioned, "Object to what?"

"Me drinking alcohol." I replied.

"Are you going to listen to me?" he asked back.

I looked at the bottle took another sip and replied, "No."

"Then it doesn't matter. Anyways, I don't think in your world it is considered taboo." He spoke.

"You speak of my world as if it is different from yours." I smiled.

"Is it not?" He asked, still looking forward.

"Promise me you won't tell this to anyone." I said, ignoring the question.

He didn't hesitate, "I promise."

I turned towards him and looked straight in his hazel eyes as I said, "I am not from this time." I really was drunk, wasn't I? Or else why would I tell him that. We haven't even talked a lot. He just finds me at the wrong time.

He wasn't shocked by my answer, "Let me guess you are from the future."

I laughed, "How did you know that?"

"Just a lucky guess." He answered. It felt different talking to someone who never lies. Maybe he might twist the truth. But even then, it's the truth.

"How far from the future did you come?" He asked.

"Three thousand years." I answered taking a sip of alcohol. I should stop now before I say something worse. But I couldn't and I didn't want to and he won't break a promise that is what he is known for and I actually just want to talk to someone.

"What is future like?" He asked.

"Don't you wish to know the past? I mean your future." I asked.

"No good comes from that and what will I get from knowing future? If I change my future, by knowing my future, then the future is still unknown and I like it that way. It is good mystery." He answered.

We were quiet for a while. Just sitting silently. How peaceful. But it broke again as soon as he asked the next question. "If you don't mind, can you tell me what had happened in Lakshagriha during fire?"

My breath quickened as the memories surfaced of the past which I always snubbed with alcohol. I could lie to him right now. But I didn't want to. Hearing my past in this era might make him dislike me. At least he would move on knowing I'm not the one for him or maybe this is just the alcohol speaking.  

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Next update will be on 26/09/2024 or after 37 likes. Whichever takes place first.