Krishnapriya Devashree

106. Hell

"I still can't believe I am here with him..." Lalita murmured, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were still flushed from the joy of seeing Krishna again.

"How many nights did we stay awake talking about this moment? I had begun to think we would never see him again."

Vishakha laughed under her breath.
"I used to tell myself I didn't miss him that much. But the second he stepped into Vrindavan..." She shook her head. "My heart felt like it would burst out of my chest."

"Oh, all of us felt that," another chimed in softly. "The way he smiled... it was like we were girls again."

Their laughter faded into silence.

Sangita glanced toward Krishna, sitting quietly, far too quietly — and her brows knitted.

"He isn't speaking much today."

"Mm." A sigh. "It's strange, isn't it? He was happy to see us. I know he was. But something feels... heavy around him."

"Do you think it's because of her?"

A few of them exchanged uneasy looks.

One gopi frowned.
"She was so angry when she left. Her voice— I've never heard her sound like that."

"Who speaks to her husband like that? She was shouting at him!"

"Do you think he did something?"

Lalita hesitated before responding, her voice dropping.

"...Krishna must have done something. She wouldn't shout like that for no reason. You know how Kanha used to tease Radha and make her angry."

"But we don't know what happened," Vishakha countered, though even she sounded unsure.

Sangita folded her arms.
"Perhaps she misunderstood him."

"But he didn't mean it," the younger gopi said quickly, defensive. "He never means it when he is upset."

A soft hum of uneasy agreement passed around the group.

"But still," Lalita added gently, "whatever happened... it hurt him too. Look at him."

They all did.

Krishna laid sideways, his head supported by his hand with a serious look on his face. His eyes were closed yet his brows were furrowed. He hadn't said a single word to them since they reached the palace.

"He hasn't taken a bite of food..."

"He wouldn't even taste the sweet I made."

"That's not like him at all..."

"Should we... say something?"

"Or sing for him?"

"Maybe tease him a little, like old times? He always smiles them." Vishakha whispered hopefully

"No," Sangita said softly. "He won't even hear us. He's somewhere else entirely."

Finally, Lalita gathered the courage to try.
She leaned in a little, voice barely above a whisper.

"Kanha...?"" 

Krishna's eyes didn't open. It was as if their voices couldn't reach the place he was drowning in.

The gopis exchanged helpless looks.

Before any of them could try again, hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor.

A palace servant stumbled into the chamber, breathless, bowing deeply the moment he caught Krishna in sight.

"Dwarkadish," he gasped, "I— I have... news."