Samragyi Draupadi to Priya Panchali

2. Wild Woods

Bhim's POV:-

Panchali, I love her very much. I never ever could imagine her in pain. But that sabha, wicked Shakuni (only Shakuni, I wouldn't call him mama again), greedy Dyurodhan and that evil Dushashan, what he did with my love, they shattered her life. I - We have no courage to look on her eyes. I always used to being overprotective towards her but when she need protection,I can't. I can't beg sorry from her. Her tearful eyes fracture my heart.
While walking through the stony-rough path,
"Aa-ah", she screams.
"What happened Panchali?" Arjun ask her. She said, "No-nothing Arya" but Sahadev noticed that her feet cuts a lot and a sharp stone pierce her foot. It was bleeding hard. I couldn't see her in pain, my anger grew and almost I shouted, "Just tell" .
But at sudden, I realise I am talking with her, I can't shout at her. I hold her at make to sit on my lap. Nakul and Sahadev took out that sharp stone from her foot and cleaned the wound. Arjun (our hero) torn a part of his cloak and wrap around her wound. I knew that she can't walk anymore. Arjun told me to took her in arms. I took her in my arms.
She was quite uneasy about it, might be she didn't expect it as it is openly or outside that heavenly palace.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Arya, I love you" she cried.
I couldn'tt gather any word to tell her. I cupped her face, wipe her tears and said, "I love you too dear"..
"You lied", she shouted. She never shouted at us before. But today we deserve it.
"Arya, you lied - you don't love me, I know- I - I kno..w" she turned and hug Mata. Ma with pain and anger enriched eyes, looked at us and tell, "Love grow where the trust is present, when trustworthy hurts, it makes one most wounded. She loves you, try to grow that trust again" .
We brothers remained silent.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

At dusk we reach in the shore of Ganga. On the other side of river is the woods, our destination. We took a boat to cross the river.
Panchali sit beside me. In the moving boat, I make a glance with her, it seems that she was in nightmare, and suddenly that breaks and that horror is still chasing her which feels like a trauma to her.
A gush of cold wind blow, she abruptly hold my left hand with both of her hand, lean her face near to my ear and whisper,
"Arya, please don't leave me"
"I will not, never" I assures her and rest my right palm on our holding hands.

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Yudhisthir's POV:-

What a evil thing I done with Panchali, she is my Yagyaseni, my Kalyani. My work hurt her most. I erode her trust, betray her love. But I had no other way. While protecting her honour, I humiliate her in that Dyutsabha. Leaving everything, they targeted Krishnaa. They knew, she is our strength and our love towards her is our weakness, we will hurt if they can hurt her. It was easy to hurt her. I don't know wheather she could mercy me or not. I don't want mercy from her, I just want she remain happy and comfortable and the punishment of those evils.
When they were pulled her by hair, dragged her to the court, I saw her. Her dress was full with blood, face, hands full with scars caused by Dushashan, she was tearfully looking at us and begging help. She knew that her Arya never turns anyone who needs help but we couldn't; We, I couldn't protect our own beloved. She cried for justice from everyone, they disrobed her, humiliate her and throw them in the deapth of eternal pain. I find that trauma is still chasing her.

After Dyutsabha, when we returned to Indraprastha, she was not letting me to come close to her. She got hurt a lot. When she came to know about another Dyutsabha, she came to me with her scared, hurted body and two sorrowful eyes. It was common to her that I will accept it again. Her eyes were shading tears. I tried to move towards her, but she turned back (she was trying to hide her tears), and ran towards Prativindya's room; I followed her. While entering the room, I pulled her outside the room. She detached my hand from her, came outside and cried,
"I am impure, whore" last word pained me a lot. I heard, they called her whore in front of us. I was motionless at that time but now I didn't. I grabbed her hand again and tried to pull her. Now, she don't let me to do so and I too can't force her on anything. She only told me,
"Don't let our sons to know about this, its my humble request..." And she went to the room. She sat beside our sleeping son and begin to cares his head as she was aware that we have to leave for woods as per the condition of upcoming Dyutsabha.

Coming down from boat, it become dark. Arjun and Nakul tell me that they are going in search of some fruits, wood and they will search for a good living place to spend the night. Bhim and Sahadev help her to sit in a stone because she got a deep cut on her foot due to the stony path we walked through. After that, they too move with Arjun and Nakul so that they could return fast. I and Panchali remain in the shore of Ganga.
She is quite afraid of this numb darkness. In that low light, I feel that she is looking at me. I come to her. When I come very close to her, she stand up. Due to her foot enjury , she loss her balance. I hold her both shoulder and make her sit and sit beside her (I know, she needs me). She slowly tells, "Don't touch me,as I am impure". I smile and say, "me too".
She burst out in cry and hug me tightly. So tightly that her fingers, bangles provoking my arm and back. But I don't let that hug break. My eyes too fill with tears and bursting out. I pull her more closer, wipe her cheeks and cares her scars which were made by that evil Dushashan and thinking that I would never let anyone to touch her. Now I am not that Samrat with vow, now I am only Jyest of my brothers and Arya of my beloved Panchali.

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