Anuragaanjali ~ The Eternal Love ✅

Chapter 8 : The Rejection

The Burden of Expectations

The palace was alive with the hum of activity, servants rushing from one task to another, and the occasional laughter of children echoing through the halls. But in one secluded room, far away from the noise, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Ashwatthama paced in front of his father, Dronacharya, his face grim and set with determination.

Dronacharya, seated in his meditation chamber, looked up from the scriptures he had been studying, his expression calm but weary. The sight of his son's agitation immediately drew his attention. Though Ashwatthama rarely showed his emotions outwardly, today was different. His eyes, usually so calm and composed, were clouded with a storm of conflicting thoughts.

"Father," Ashwatthama began, his voice low and intense, "I need to speak to you about something important."

Dronacharya raised an eyebrow, setting aside his scroll. He knew when his son had something on his mind, it was never a trivial matter. "What is it, Ashwatthama? Speak freely."

Ashwatthama stood still for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before walking to his father's side. "It concerns Arjuna and Aaradhya."

Dronacharya's gaze sharpened. "Arjuna? What about him?"

A tense silence followed. Ashwatthama's fists clenched at his sides, his thoughts a whirlpool of emotions. "They... they have become close, Father. Too close." His voice faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. "I cannot allow it."

Dronacharya's brow furrowed. "Close? What do you mean?"

Ashwatthama's words spilled out like a dam breaking open, the emotions he had been holding back for days finally bursting free. "Aaradhya and Arjuna... they are in love with each other. They..." His voice cracked as he said it. "I cannot let her marry someone like him. I cannot let her marry anyone other than Duryodhana."

The room seemed to close in around them as Dronacharya absorbed his son's words. A heavy silence followed, broken only by the quiet rustle of paper as the wind passed through the open window. Dronacharya, though unmoving, was thinking deeply. His mind was already going through the implications of what his son had just said.

"You know why Duryodhana must marry Aaradhya, Ashwatthama," Dronacharya finally said, his voice steady but cold. "The alliance with the Kauravas is essential. It will ensure our place in the kingdom, ensure our survival in the political landscape of Hastinapur. This is not a matter of love, but of duty."

"But Father," Ashwatthama interrupted, his voice rising in frustration, "you saw what I saw. The way they look at each other, the way Arjuna holds her, the way she... she trusts him. You can't let that happen! She's our sister, Father. She belongs with Duryodhana. He is the only one who can protect her. He is the only one who is worthy of her."

Dronacharya's expression darkened. He understood his son's feelings. He too had witnessed the bond that was forming between Arjuna and Aaradhya. It was undeniable. But he had long ago made peace with the fact that duty must always come before personal emotions. If Ashwatthama's fears were to be realized, if Aaradhya were to choose Arjuna over Duryodhana, the consequences would be catastrophic for them all. For the Kauravas. For his own family.

"You do not understand, Ashwatthama," Dronacharya said, his voice tinged with a sternness that made his son pause. "We have all made sacrifices in the name of duty. You and I, especially. Our family has already chosen a path, and that path is with Duryodhana. If Aaradhya marries Arjuna, it will destroy everything we have worked for. Everything we have fought for."

Ashwatthama's chest tightened. His father's words, though logical, did not sit well with him. He had seen the tenderness between Arjuna and Aaradhya. He had witnessed how his sister's heart seemed to bloom in Arjuna's presence. He could not, would not, allow that to be taken from her.