Draupadi

CHAPTER XXXV

"Powerful people come from powerful mothers."

"What is unconditional love." someone asked me. I looked at my mother.

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I was going to see my sons soon. My sons, who had cried when I cried, my sons who had held me, who had let me go, who hadn't expressed their anger when I left, my sons who I loved more than my heart could hold. I would see my brother, my sister and my father too. The family I had came from. The family that taught me dharma first. The family that made me the woman I was.

It was my father that I saw first. He looked at me, something undecipherable in his eyes. Was it pride, was it sorrow? He seemed more aged than the last time I saw him, but more in shape than ever. As soon as the royal greeting was over he came over to me "Daughter" he said, I smiled and fell to his feet to receive his blessing. My dad. I was Draupad's daughter.

Shikhandhi walked in next and gave me a full smile. A smile I hadn't seen in years. I was overjoyed and she looked pleased. My sister. Shikhandhi. Winner of mountains.

Dhri walked in next. Immediately after the greeting he walked to me and hugged me. "Dhri!" I said. "My little sister" he said. "How are you?" He shook his head and pointed towards my sons who were entering. My brother. Dhristhadyumna. The courageous one.

Prathivindhya looked like his father. My eldest son possessed his fathers tan skin that shined in the sun, the prominent nose, arched eyebrows. Anyone who saw him would see Yudhisthra in him. But his eyes, their was something in his eyes that looked awfully like mine. Prativindhya. The one who shines like the sun.

Sutasom was muscular, and possessed skin as fair as his father. His eyes were lively and his hair fell in waves over his head. He was like his name. Sutasoma. One who has the beauty of the moon.

Shruthakarma had coppery eyes and dark skin. He had the eyes of the man I fell in love with first. Shruthakarma. He who is known for actions that speak of goodness.

The crowd hushed, excited to see the result of the most beautiful woman and most handsome man of Aryavarta. Satanika was eerily beautiful with messy, wild, black hair. Grey eyes, unruly eyebrows, slight stubble, a jaw meant to cut and a scar that crossed from over his left eye to his cheekbone. He was tall and skinny. Satanika. He who has a hundred troops.

Shrutasena looked calm and collected, but he had uncertain eyes. Haunted eyes, the look I had seen in Sahadev. Eyes that could see through time. He had light brown skin and very shiny hair. Shruthasena. Commander of the army of celestials.

They came to me and fell to my feet for blessings. I was going to cry any moment soon. As a mother this was beyond overwhelming. 13 years of seperation and yet they hugged me with the same desperation they had years ago. My sons. I wanted to shower them with all the love I could, make up for the years I missed, take my heart out and show how much love I had for them, the thoughts that had whirred in my head everyday.

"Mother," Prativindhya said "You taught us everything exept how to live without you. We missed you so much." My other sons too murmured words of agreement. This was when the floodgates bursted. "I missed you so much my dear dear sons." More than you'll ever know. More than anyone could ever measure. My sons were my angels sent to soothe my ripped heart.

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I walked silently, careful not to make noise. I wanted to surprise my sons with ladoos and I hoped to rekindle the moments that I had cherished so much. These ladoos, hadn't we fought for these ladoos all those years back? These ladoos were for my ladoos only. My sons. I waited for a second outside the door of the room where they told me my sons were.

"Brother, can I ask you a question?" Abhimanyu asked.

"I'll try to answer it to the best of my knowledge." Prathivindhya said.

"I know it's a weird question, but do you think Mata Draupadi loves our fathers?

Prathivindhya sighed, "Of course she loves them." He knew me,

"H-How does she love them after what they did to her." Abhimanyu asked.

" Love is not trust. You can love someone without trusting them and trust them without loving them. Our mother loves our fathers, but that doesn't mean she neccessarily trusts them or has completely forgiven them. Your going to be married soon Abhi, you'll understand better then. Love is complicated." He knew my heart.

"No wonder your mom's favorite." Satanika said,

"I'm not, I just know mom better than any of you because I was born eldest, no offense bro." Prathivindhya told him. "And come on your Mama shree Dhrishtadyumna's favourite."

Satanika chuckled good naturedly.

"That's true Mama shree adores you." Shruthakarma said.

"Jealous are we now?" Sutasoma said.

"He must be, not being mom's or Mama shree's favourite is harsh. I would know." Shruthasena said.

"That's enough dear brothers and Shruthakarma your my favourite and Mata Subhadra adores you Shruthasena. You can't say stuff like that." Prathivindhya said in a commanding voice.

"That's because I always listen to what she says, unlike some people I know." Shruthasena said.

"Hey why are you looking at me?" Abhimanyu retorted. I bit my lip holding back a laugh. My sons reminded me so much of my husbands. They may not be children anymore but they were so cute. I walked in "Putro, surprise!" I said placing the ladoos on the table. Within seconds the plate was empty. They were still the same weren't they? My sweet babies.

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Hope you guys liked this chapter! I want to complete this book by early November, edited to perfection and then maybe write a book about Uttara, one of my favourite female characters from Mahabharatha. When I start editing do you guys want me to unpublish the book ,edit it and then republish it again or just mention that it's being edited in the overview of the story?

Please don't forget to read, vote and comment!