Scions Of Kuru

||During the Cacophony-1||

Uttara mumbled a few inaudible things in her slumber as she changed directions to sleep well. This has been a routine since the past month as she was unable to comprehend her lack of sleep. She would sleep late at night, keep mumbling stuff till the crack of the dawn. Not to talk of the nightmares though- they were horrible. The scary part was that every morning Abhimanyu was much out of their chamber- practicing with the other warriors. She was very much known of the upcoming war ahead, but still, it felt unfair to not have your husband by your side- with just 4 months into the marriage. 


Uttara kept her feet on the cold floor, as she could feel an odd silence around the whole castle. 'Priyamvada!' She called out her handmaid. An eerie silence surrounded her eardrums as she got up and pulled a stole around her body. It was still 5 in the morning and she didn't expect much activity but it still looked surreal. Walking out of her chamber she found the guards missing. A few unmarried maidens moved in a hurry here and there, with armors. Not a new sight again, but she felt that they were in quite a hurry this morning. The morning was fresh, dewed, and extremely quite. Did the birds take a vacation?

-----------------
Draupadi rubbed her palms in the cold. Virat was an ambient kingdom but was a bit cold for her comfort. Comfort? who was she kidding? 'Maybe I am growing old' Panchali chuckled at her thought. She quietly stirred a few ingredients together and mashed the others. Jaggery-done. Til-done. 'Arya Bheem!' Draupadi called out for her husband who sat at the farther end of the room. He was fond of having sweets at any time of the day, - dawn as well. Yudhistir sat with Draupadi doing his stuff. He was cutting wood into small pieces and powdering Chandan. 
'Yes, dear!' Bheem literally shouted. Sahdev looked at his loud and lovely brother. He imagined Panchali saying I love you to his brother and then Bheem shouting back I love you too without a shred of hesitation. He chuckled. Draupadi raised a bow. If Bheem wants to play loud- then she is going to play loud as well. 'The last time I checked' Draupadi stood up, gaining the attention of all the five people sitting in the room- her husbands- 'I asked for Ghee.' She sighed. 'And now I see you, just eating. Where is the GHEEE ?' Draupadi crossed her hands across her chest.                  'Draupadi I was just going dear..' Bheem stumbled on his wife's fieriness, he was least likely accustomed too, but when she did get angry- she surely did. Yudhistir pretending to work on his own stuff, as if Chandan was the most important substance in the whole world. 'But sweets came my way..' Arjun mimicked his brother, ruffling his hair in a comical fashion. 'Indeed.' Draupadi nodded in affirmation. Nakul laughed clutching his stomach as he pointed fingers at his second eldest. 

'Aryaaaa Nakul..' Draupadi pretending to pester, as Nakul almost choked in his mouth. Finally, Bheem had time for revenge. 'You know we are performing a  Yagy, tomorrow you all have to leave for the war. It's important. I can tolerate any stuff, on any topic - but no TANTRUMS WHILE PREPARING FOR A YAGY. Did I make myself clear?' Draupadi raised her brows as Nakul mimicked zipping his mouth. Bheem steadfastly escaped the churning glare of his fire-born wife, as he found solace in searching for ghee.
---------

'Where are the children?' Draupadi slapped her forehead in confusion. She got up and walked hurriedly as she counted the ingredients subconsciously. As soon as she left, Bheem surrendered his work for a break of five minutes. 'Don't get started on me now- anybody! Draupadi has been awake since 3 in the morning- working like maniacs, and has successfully pulled us in the team.' Bheem unannounced all tired.

'She says its important to perform the yagy by 6. The nakshatras and the astronomy she loves studying all the time has resulted in us having a good fortune.' Arjun smiled to himself.

'Indeed.' The other 4 brothers agreed and finally gave a final touch to their job.
--------------------

Evening:

Uttara has been feeling dizzy for a while. In the morning she had almost forgotten that the troops are going to leave early; tomorrow morning. The yagy went uneventful for her, Mata Subhadra had tried to lift up her mood, as she cracked a few jokes. She eyed her Jyeshth Mata Draupadi with astonishment- as she saw the lady chant all the mantras with the priest. She supervised the mountain task so effortlessly and sometimes, talking to all her husbands in equal proportions. She was omnipresent. Uttara felt herself scanning the Lady-empress, in awe, and just for a millisecond- felt her walking towards the throne all decked up. If she wasn't a Queen then nobody on earth could be.



For now, her body gave her major tensions. Subhadra has prepared a questionnaire and - When did you get your last period- was the highlight.

Abhimanyu sat around his wife- laced in sweat. He looked like running straight to her after a long day of practice. 'Fell ill?' He moved his palms across her face. 'Stop blushing, honey.' Abhimanyu stealthily remarked. 'Oh Shut Up! will you.' Uttara was in no mood to mess with. 'You barely care about me Arya! You are going to leave tomorrow. And this is how you spend the most valuable moments- away from your wife huh?' Uttara's eyes glistened with unshed tears. She was scared. Very much scared. Her nightmares, were making her agitated at the drop of the hat. 'You know I am not perfect.' she sobbed down her throat. Abhimanyu looked at her and felt guilty. He kissed her forehead in a lazy fashion. 'Sorry, Uttara. Forgive me please.' His voice felt like a sweet hymn, as Uttara closed her eyes to store it. 'I shall forgive you, only if, you stay.' Uttara looked at his face, the unfinished mustache- the boy, who had become her man.

-----------------

Draupadi cleared her throat. 'Uttara's pregnant.' She announced to a small crowd of family members. Suthanu got up from her seat. 'That's amazing.' she exclaimed. Abhimanyu had left after a brief congratulations. Draupadi embraced Subhadra with a newborn excitement. 

'The kid is going to be an integral part of the future, Jyeshth.' Krishna talked to Yudhistir and his brothers. ' Congratulations Parth, you are already on your way to be a grandparent.' Krishna winked at his friend.

A gloom of sadness lingered in the corners of the chamber- as everybody knew that a few moments of merry, could elevate the heart for a great fall. When the fall was inevitable. But anyway- life goes on.

------------------

'Don't talk to me then!' Abhimanyu stomped his feet. Uttara's behavior was disturbing him. She cried like maniacs, with so much passion- that tears threatened to fall from his eyes too. 'I am going to be a mother. I don't know. But something is bugging my sleep.' Uttara closed her eyes in fear. Skulls, smoke, fire, and blood. The vision was horrible. 'It happens when we overthink about something - which may scare us right? You need to get out of this, for our child. For me?' Abhimanyu cooed his pregnant wife. He felt a lump in his throat- these things made him think twice. He was ready to shed blood without a second thought, but now an unborn has intertwined its fate with his. 

'You won't have any nightmares today. Promise.' He kissed her with all his will, passion, and guilt. He poured a plea of forgiveness. He tried explaining his love- as his lips moved around Uttara's skin. He revolved around her as if she were his shrine and the kid- his god. 'Sorry, Sorry, Sorry....'  he murmured it like a prayer, maybe it shall act as a balance when he was with them- no more.

------------------

Thank you so much for reading !!!
I shall be waiting for your reviews.

I read them all. Nowadays I just have an hour or so to write stuff. It's difficult to open the app due to the busy schedule- so apologies if I am not being able to reply to all your amazing comments!