Mahabharata- I Wish This Lasts Forever(Editing)

Chapter-49|Agyatvas-8

All three—Karna, Duryodhana, and Shakuni—turned their gazes toward me, and in a moment of vulnerability, I thought, "Maybe I should just dig a hole and hide away from all this."

"Who is this, my dear Kichak?" Shakuni's smile felt both inviting and unsettling.
"Oh! I completely forgot! This is our Dhakshan, Uttar's trainer," Kichak said, a hint of mischief in his tone.

I cleared my throat, trying to steady myself.
"Nice to meet you, Gandharaj and Yuvraj Duryodhana," I managed to say, my voice quivering slightly.
"Tell me now, Dhakshan, may I proceed?" Kichak took a step closer, his tone insistent.
"Do whatever you wish, Mamashree. But let's go, Guru. We have so much to work on. Pitashree, excuse us," Uttar intervened, gently pulling me away.

I could feel the weight of their stares as we moved, Karna's expression was a storm of conflicting emotions. Duryodhana attempted to stand, but Shakuni subtly gestured for him to remain seated.

"Rajakumar Uttar, please slow down!" I said, trying to keep pace with him.
"Silence!" he snapped, his frustration barely contained.

He guided me to his chamber, and I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. "Ugh, it's alright; you don't have to hold me so tightly! Look, I even hurt my toes," I said, pulling my hand away from his grip.
He sank into a chair while I examined my wrist, where his fingerprints faintly marked my skin.

"Why are you holding on to me like that?" I couldn't help but raise my voice, partly in frustration and partly to mask my vulnerability.
"I helped you, Dhaksha. I thought you were feeling uncomfortable there," he replied
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. "Yeah, but you could have been a bit gentler. It's hard to keep up with you, Rajkumar," I said, my voice lowering.

He stood, retreating into another room. At that moment, even though he appeared cruel, I couldn't shake the feeling that he had also saved me.

"I'm going to my room now!" I called out, glancing back to see if he would hear me.
"I'm leaving!" I shouted again, needing to assert some independence.

Looking down at my feet, I saw the healed scars on my toes and knees; they reminded me of the struggles we faced in the courtroom—the pain and the humiliation. Tears began to stream down my cheeks as memories flooded back, blurring my vision. I wiped my tears and sank into a nearby chair, head hanging low.

"It's okay, Dhaksha. Don't cry. I can't bear to see you in tears," I heard Kanha's comforting voice in my mind.
"Bhaitya, I try to be strong and I do my best to forgive, just like you said. But sometimes, my feelings overwhelm me, Govindh," I sobbed.
"I know, my Dhaksha. It's alright to cry. Your brother isn't here to wipe your tears, " he comforted me gently.
"I miss you, bhaiya," I said, wiping my tears away.
"I'm always with you, dear," he promised.
"I just want to see your face again," I said, tapping the chair in front of me.
"Of course, ma'am," his voice was sweet and filled with warmth.

Suddenly, the sound of the door opening pulled me back to reality. I looked up to see Uttar standing by, holding a bowl in his hands.

I tried to muster a smile. "What's this?" I asked, peeking into the bowl.
"Medicine for your toes," he said with a genuine smile that caught me off guard.

"When did he become so kind?"

"Let me apply it," he offered, kneeling.
"No, no, Rajkumar, I can manage this. Just give it to me," I insisted, taking the bowl from him.

"Are you sure?" he asked, concern etching his features.
"Of course, just let me handle it," I assured him.

As I applied the medicine, feeling its sticky texture, he wandered onto the balcony, giving me some space.
"Is your pain better now?" he inquired, stepping closer.
"Yes, thank you so much!" I smiled sincerely.
"By the way, are you the slave they're searching for?" he asked curiously, kneeling to examine my scar.
"No, no, I'm not anyone's slave. I'm just a commoner from Hastinapur. I was afraid my brother would recognize me, that's all," I replied, standing up.
"Oh, in that case, take care, Dhaksha. I'm sorry about your wound too," he said, pointing at my toes.