The Queen - Story Of Draupadi

Chapter 5

*Unedited chapter. Kindly forgive the typos :)

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Waking up before the break of dawn, I gather my robes and pin them back earnestly.

"Good morning, Princess." A voice wishes me from outside the window of the hut.
Prince Sahadev.

"You're already awake, Prince?" I walk towards him and whisper.

"Couldn't sleep last night, so passed my time gazing the stars." He smirks.

His eyes shone bright. Out of what? I'm not sure, but they seemed very intriguing for me to ignore.
"And what did you count on our future?" I ask him, well aware of his mysterious connection with the stars.

"Aren't you satisfied by all the prophecies already?" He chuckles, leaving me stunned.

Smiling at my expression, he walks away.

...

"They said you're born to change this world. To change the course of history," my personal nurse ended the story I loved hearing the most. My story.

"But how?" I ask her.

"You'll know as soon as the time comes." She says.

...

We all had some wild berries, drank the cold water from the holy Ganges and walked our way back towards Kampilya.

My heart beating louder with each step towards the palace, which once used to be mine.
How will my parents react? I asked myself again and again, and made sure I'm prepared for every possibility. But at that moment, I was afraid, I will forget everything I prepared.

The palace gave us all a grand welcome with flower petals making our way, and drums and trumpets announcing our arrival.

"Welcome," my father said with open arms, to which I sincerely responded by hugging him back.

"The palace is extremely glad that you accepted our invitation." He joined his hands towards Mata Kunti.

"Our pleasure, your majesty." She returned the gesture.

For some reason, the palace I grew up in, felt forbidden.
You do not belong here anymore. My subconscious reminded me.

"Papa, I need to tell you something." I decided on making the first move.

"You don't have to, my child. We know everything." He blinked his eyes in assurance and smiled at Dhri.
That's when I knew that my twin was spying on me all this time.

"We're proud of you, my dear." My father caressed my hair but failed to hide the tension in his voice.

.

"Reluctant you are!" My mother shouted as she tried to convince me to give up my decision for the nth time.

"Why would you want to throw your whole life into a penance that wouldn't fruit you anything except shame and trouble?!" She questioned.

"I have been explaining you that for too long now, maa. Forgive me, but all I can say right now is that I was born to change the course of history and without any changes in the basics, nothing that's macro can be done!" I said with conviction.

But soon after my mother dropped the topic, seeing it didn't fetch her any result, I left for my room, surprised by own words and the confidence they had escaped my mouth with.

.

I was born to change the course of history and without any changes in the basics, nothing that's macro can be done.

I rethought my words for several times before I was convinced that I was right.
If the society had to be changed, if their thoughts had to be changed; breaking the rods that limited human beings had to be changed. Primary focus had to be changed.
Yes, there would be collateral damage but that's what happens when there is a revolution.
Didn't Mata Sati loose her life in a similar process?
I knew I was born for an important cause, and I was prepared to give it all it takes.
Marrying five men, was just my first step towards my goal.
But these men weren't ordinary, they were born for a cause too. I reminded myself before I left for the council where my marriage would be reconsidered.

.

"So the marriage of Panchali to the Pandavas would take place on five consequent days. According to their order of birth, Yudhishtir would be the first one to marry Draupadi. Then Bheem, then Arjun, Nakul and then Sahadev." Maharishi Vyas announced after hearing all our opinions patiently.

"The marriage is fine but what about my daughter's life after marriage, Maharishi?" My mother's voice rose. "She might be strong enough mentally but what about physically? She can't be present for all the five of them at the same time," she said.

After another half an hour of discussion, we came up with a solution that I'll be the wife for only one of the Pandavas for one year. The next year, it'd change.
Because a wife is also a friend, an advisor and at times, a nurturer; I was allowed to be anything for the others but a partner in bed.
No other Pandava could visit my room, when I'm with another among the brothers.
Though all the petitions were considerate of my opinions, it didn't seem like I was left with any time or, for that matter, any choice either to rethink everything. All I was left with was a nod and I repeated it every time I had to. Perhaps, that was the right thing to do.

"You need to wakeup before dawn tomorrow, Princess." The handmaids tucked me up before leaving but soon after they left, I found myself in the balcony, looking at the black sky.
Perhaps it blacked out to let the stars shine. I thought.

Tomorrow was my marriage with the eldest Pandava.
Dharmraj - he was called.
'With the kindest heart, he is known for being as patient as mother earth.' A crewman of Hastinapur had once told me.
In retrospect, I think I was attracted to him then but it was a folly that all the five of them were equally as great and desirable.

"I'm just very lucky I guess" I whispered into the air. "I don't even know what to think."

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(A/N) : 'tis the wedding next!!

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