Saga Of The Timeless (A Mahabharata Story)

55. A Heart Divided

I think he deserved it," Bheem muttered, his deep voice resonating through the stillness of Tvarita's empty room. His large frame sprawled across the cushions as though his body had collapsed under the weight of the unease that hung in the air.

The Rajkumars had gathered, but the usual camaraderie between the brothers was fractured, brittle. Even Varuni, always poised, sat quietly, her head bowed, her eyes clouded with worry that no one could dispel.

It had been three days since the incident.

Three days and since then Angraj Karna had walked through the palace with a dark bruise marring his face-a vivid mark of humiliation that told a story no one dared voice but all whispered about behind closed doors. The courtiers spoke in hushed tones, the gossip spreading like wildfire. But the palace felt emptier than it ever had, for the one everyone truly missed, the one whose absence haunted every corner, was Tvarita.

Bheem cast a glance at Varuni, her silence louder than any argument. "I'm telling you," he said again, his voice thick with certainty. "Devi Tvarita would've wanted that. Rudra did what he had to."

"Absolutely not." Sahadev 's voice cut in, calm but firm. He stood leaning against the wall, arms crossed, his brow furrowed. Nakul, who was usually distracted by his reflection in the mirror, even now adjusting his tunic, couldn't hide the flicker of intrigue in his eyes. "Angraj Karna's bruise is no joke. He has suffered because of what Rudra did."

Yudhishthir, who had been silent until now, finally spoke, his voice a measured rumble that carried the weight of a thousand thoughts. "Have you all noticed? In some strange, twisted way, Tvarita brought us closer together. Her absence... it's a shadow over all of us."

Bheem snorted, a sound of disbelief mixed with frustration. His fingers drummed restlessly against his thigh, the energy of his unease palpable. "Together? Sure, maybe. But Rudra did what we all were thinking. He struck first. If it had been me-well, I wouldn't have stopped at a punch."

The crackle of tension that had been building exploded in that moment. Yuvraj turned his sharp gaze towards Bheem. His voice, when it came, was low, cold, but laced with barely contained fury. "Bheem. Enough."

Bheem's eyes narrowed, his broad chest rising as he sat up straighter, meeting his bhrata's gaze with a challenge of his own. "What?" Bheem shot back, his voice defiant. "Tell me you wouldn't have done worse if you were in Rudra's shoes. Tell me you wouldn't have torn Karna apart."

For a moment, the room seemed to shrink under the weight of those words. Arjun didn't respond immediately. Instead, his gaze drifted to the window-Tvarita's favorite spot, where she'd often sit, lost in thought, her presence filling the room with a quiet strength. Now it was empty. Now it was him who sat there, staring out at the horizon as if hoping, praying, to see her return.

"Rudra..." Arjun whispered the name, as it felt foreign on his lips..

Bheem, never one for silence, spoke again, his voice filled with righteous fury. "It's hard to believe her own brother did that-punched Karna. Sure, he had the right, but if it were me, I'd have cracked his skull. Angraj got off easy."

"Bheem you have said enough!" Yudhishthir 's voice sliced through the room like a sharpened blade, the rare anger in his tone startling everyone. It wasn't often that their eldest brother raised his voice, but when he did, the world itself seemed to listen. All eyes turned to him, caught off guard by the sudden fury in his expression. "Angraj Karna has suffered enough," Yudhishthir continued, his voice now a stern, commanding presence that filled the space. "Do not make light of his pain."

Bheem blinked, the fire in his eyes dimming, his usual bravado softening in the face of Yudhishthir 's unexpected anger. "Sorry, Bhrata," he muttered, his tone more subdued.