Samragyi Draupadi to Priya Panchali

13. Uncertain Gift

Arjun's POV:-

After an enchanting day, slowly and silently the melancholic evening grabbing the eternal sky. Yellowish shades of sky are attacked by deep blue thunder clouds. In between the tattered deep clouds, the last orange-red rays of sun are bidding farewell in hope of something new hope for Panchali.
With the setting sun, I am also with a hope of happiness.

Today, Nakul told me to give the ornaments of Panchali, which she left after the Dyutsabha. And not only I, we brothers also decided to give them back. Before leaving the Hastinapur and Indraprastha, I collected those hers ornaments.

After completing all her household chores, I call her in the room.
The room was quite gloomy. The last ray of dusk is also erase out on the west and expecting a bright gibbous moon to come out tearing the black clouds, but it seems that, today the thunderstorm has created another plam.

"Arya-"
"Come and sit here"
"Hmm, Arya Nakul-", she pauses.
"Hmm what?"
"You have- have taken-"
"Yes dear, that's why I call you here", I give her reply, while I am kneeling in the corner of the room and opening one of the bundle which contains the essential things which we brought with us.
"Arya-", she come near to me and rest her palm on my shoulder.
"Hmm".
"Arya, I am sorry", her voice is turning soft and shrill.
"For what?"
"Arya, I dropped those-", her voice shivers and words became hazy.
Tear drops began to run. The tears also drop on my shoulders.
I stand up. Wrapping my arm around her shoulder, I say, "Krishnaa, dear, it was not your fault. We are sorry that we couldn't make them stable with you."
"Arya", she breaks my hug and wipe her tears.
"Look Panchali, as we love you and a symbol of re-establishment of trust, we wanting to make you to wear it again", I replies.

"Ok, let me wear", a gentle smile peep through her lips.
"Give me your hand"
"You already got", she says with a prominent smile.
"Krishnaa-", I smile back.
She stretches her hands towards me.
I handover those to her.

"Arya, day after tomorrow, after offering prayer to Mata Gauri's temple, I will wear it"
"Yaa sure dear. We will take you to there".
With a smile like monsoon sun, she left the room.

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Wounded and Shattered Panchali was endlessly crying and screaming in pain with a low voice, sitting beside the foot of the bed, on the ground. Her red attire was drenching with blood. Her veil is opened and tattered. Her hairs were excessively messy and her beautiful black doe eyes were filled with tears and turn red due to torturous pain. Only a few ornaments are left over her body. Her uncovered hands were just trying to support her body to make her seat.

I couldn't control my tears. My soul wanting to wrath with anger and only wanting to hold the Gandhiv, take the arrows and destroy the Kauravas in one go. But I couldn't. Only I have one option, holding my love into my arms and console her. I sighed.
I ran towards her as fast as I could.

"Don't touch me, You are not mine now", she shouted loud and opened her five sacred bangles which we gifted her during our marriage as a symbol of eternal love, and release towards me and says, "I don't lo-o-v-v y-o-o-u".
She bursted in tears and begin to sob. Her hands lost its efforts and her body lost all her control and looking like the creeper that hurt in the thunderstorm.
I tried to hold her and she, loosing all her strength, just fall over mine. Her half-open jaw touched my chest and I felt her painful scream. With her intense pain, she couldn't have efforts to move her body. With her last stamina, she cluched the cloak of my back with her fingers and wrapped me with her arms as tightly as she could.

"Aa-ry-a"
"Ssh, don't move".
Her voice wanting comfort from pain and I know I can't, but I also knew that I can help her. I ran my fingers through her hairs. She began to rub her head on my neck due to a little relief. She was breathing heavily. I didn't know whether it was with pain or comfort. I bow my head to touch her cheeks with mine. Her cheeks were wet, totally wet and there were several cut marks on it, I could feel those. My tears also lost it's control. I didn't want to show it to Panchali. I didn't want to make her more weak. I lift my head, looked up. She was still sobbing cluching my back. I just madly kissed on her head, over her hairs as I lost all my words to console her.

"Aa-ry-a", her hazy voice spoke and look at my eyes.
I kissed on her forehead, "Don't cry dear, no", I tried to wipe her tears.
She again leaned her head on my shoulder and closed her eyes.

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Outside the cottage, I can hear that the huge sound of thunder, the dripping of rain drops. And the mad south western wind shaking the woods like our hearts.

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