Draupadi

CHAPTER XXVII

Me and my husbands walk through the forest. Quietly. We have nothing to say to each other for the moment. My feet drag against the forest floor. Silently, my husbands sigh every once in a while before Nakul murmurs "I can't bear to hear the dragging of your feet without your anklets." I have no reply to something like that. I am scared anything I tell my husbands will be so bitter, it will break everything between us. So I stay silent. We walk like that until the thunder of a chariot fills the air, the flag of Paanchal snapping defiantly in the wind. My father, Dhri, and my sister emerge, and Dhri leaps down, fury radiating from him as he glares at my husbands. My father stands beside him, tears streaming silently down his face, while Shikhandhi tries to comfort him. 

"She has five for one husbands and yet you couldn't protect her,"

"Dhri" I say

"I thought you truly loved her. I guess I was wrong,"

"Dhri"

"My sister was brought up to be a true kshatrani. She knows that even death is better than dishonour."
"Dhri"

"If things had went wrong I would have lost my sister due to your folly,"

"Dhri"

"Arjun, answer me if she was Subhadra would you have let this happen. You call yourself warriors."

"Brother, that is enough. These are my husbands you're talking about," I snap, my voice sharp with pain. He turns to me, tears streaming down his face, and I see the hurt reflected in his eyes.

"Brother," he whispers, his voice cracking like fragile glass. "Never before have you called me that."

I can't bear the weight of his sorrow, the vulnerability in his tone. I step forward, wrapping my arms around him, and in that moment, all our unresolved feelings spill over. We hold each other tightly, brother and sister, together in our grief.

"I thought they loved you," he murmurs, his words breaking into a sob. "I thought they would protect you." I cling to him, holding on tighter, unwilling to let go. "I love you, Dhri," I whisper, the weight of my emotions pouring out. "I love you, Drau," he replies, his voice thick with feeling. We hold each other like that for what feels like an eternity, our hearts aching in unison, the world around us fading into a blur. Finally, I let go, and a bittersweet smile touches his lips. "My sons," I say softly, "I leave you in charge of them, okay? Take care of them. Prepare them for war." His smile holds a flicker of hope, and I can't help but mirror it, even through my tears. "I'll come and see you, okay?" he adds, the weight of his words heavy with promise. "My little sister, only we will ever know the grief we'll endure. Born out of fire together, resigned to our fates." His voice trembles, and in that moment, I see the bond we share—one forged in pain but strengthened by love. My heart aches, knowing our paths will diverge, yet I also feel a deep comfort in his presence. "Together, we'll carry this burden," I vow, knowing that no matter the distance, we'll always find a way back to each other. In this moment of shared sorrow, I find a flicker of hope that we can rise from the ashes, stronger than before.

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Dhri truly is the world's best brother, embodying strength and love in the face of adversity. His bond with his sister is so poignant and touching, and it's heartwarming to see their connection shine through even in the darkest moments.

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