Krishnaa~The Princess In Making ✔(To Be Edited)

39: Her Past

A bright sunny day, the sky was clear. The birds were chirping. It was overall very cheerful.
Arjun had been training the newer recruits tirelessly, the entire morning. They were capable, but needed improvement.

It midday by the time he was done with them. And now, he was terribly bored. Not knowing what to do, he decided to go and meet Krishnaa. He hadn't been able to sit down and talk to her peacefully, admist all the wedding preparations.

A soft smile played on his lips, just thinking about this. A wedding. His and Krishnaa's. They would finally be one. Although they did consider themselves as one, it would now be official. She would get the title of Yurani of Indraprasth, and he couldn't wait for the moment.

He couldn't wait to go to sleep by her side every night and wake up to her every morning.
Lost in his thoughts, Arjun didn't realize when he reached Krishnaa's house. The kind-of-small but spacious two storey house which was her home.

He entered without knocking.
"Krishnaa", he called out, crossing the threshold of the house.
Drishtdyumn emerged from his room. "Rajkumar", he said. "How come, you are here? Do you need anything?"
Arjun shook his head. "No Bhrata Drishtdyumn. Where is Krishnaa?", he asked.

"She isn't at home", was the reply. "She has gone to run some errands".
"Oh", Arjun was a bit disappointed.
"You should wait here", Drishtdyumn offered. "She should be back any time soon".
Arjun nodded and sat down.

This is his first time, being alone with Drishtdyumn. Usually Krishnaa is around. Or his brothers, when Drishtdyumn visits the palace.
"Are you comfortable at Indraprasth?", he asked awkwardly, attempting to start a conversation.
Drishtdyumn nodded and smiled. "Of course we are", he replied. "Why the sudden question?"

"Well, I have asked Krishnaa several times, if she is fine or needs anything, but she just smiles. Doesn't give a proper answer", Arjun explained.
"Krishnaa", Drishtdyumn sighed. "She isn't someone who would voice her troubles. I am sure you've noticed this by now".
"I have", Arjun replied. It was true. She would just endure things silently.

"But there is nothing really to be asked", Drishtdyumn continued. "Her life can't be better. She has just been through a lot."
"I understand", Arjun spoke softly.
"You are the best thing that has happened to her", Drishtdyumn stated. "She has never really been happy. Never known what joy is. You have given her that, and I am grateful."

Arjun frowned. He knew Krishnaa's life hadn't been easy, but Drishtdyumn's tone suggested something deeper.
Not much was known to people about the colony, other than that refugees from other kingdoms lived there.
Aryavrat, in general, was ignorant about what exactly goes down there.

"What do you mean?", Arjun was a little worried.
Drishtdyumn blinked a few times. "Krishnaa didn't tell you?", he asked. "I assumed she did, but I wouldn't be surprised if she hasn't."
"Hasn't told me what?", Arjun asked, in a more serious manner. He wanted to know what she had hidden from him.

Drishtdyumn sighed. "Ever since our Mata-pita passed away, she has been broken, even more than me", he stated, pain evident in his voice.
"She often woke up in the middle of the night, screaming for Mata. Until now, she hadn't recovered from the trauma of seeing our parents being killed."

Arjun's eyes brimmed with tears.
"But that's not it", Drishtdyumn continued. "Matters got worse, when I fell ill. I was weak and couldn't help her much. There are any vaidyas at the colony."

"Things became progressively worse. She was the only one left to look after both of us. She worked hard to make things work. We didn't have enough money for meals."
"She would go days without eating much. I tried to make her eat, but she didn't, she just said that I needed to eat more than she did".

Arjun couldn't help but feel guilty. The world was so ignorant of others problems and for a while, he was a part of that world too.
"She used to be stressed out and troubled. The colony wasn't a safe place either. We would live in constant fear. She was good at masking her emotions, but I could tell when things were wrong. The burden of carrying the household on her shoulders, was too much. There were no facilities there, no one to help."
"Over time she wasn't herself. She was really broken and burdened and I was helpless. And Since she never expressed herself, I had know way to find out what was going on in her mind."

Arjun felt devastated. Why didn't she ever tell him? Doesn't he deserve to know?

"But that was until she met you", Drishtdyumn continued, bringing Arjun out of his thoughts. "She started getting better. And she is now genuinely happy."

Arjun felt upset. She should have told him before. He would have done something to help her. He realized how good she was at putting up a convincing act. He would have never guessed that this is what her life really was like.
He felt helpless. As if she didn't believe in him enough to let him help her.

As he kept thinking and wondering, he started to get more and more angry at her.

He had to talk to her and clear things. As soon as possible.