Journey to the Old Era (Drisana's Mahabharat #1)

Chapter 42

Nakul got up breathing heavily. Sweat trickling down his forehead. He had the same dream again. Where Drisana was surrounded by danger and he could feel her fear, almost taste it. It was so palatable. He felt suffocated. His throat was dry. As he moved to drink water, his muscles protested, reminding him the exercise he got from Rajkumar Dhikshit. After drinking water and calming his heartbeat, he sat. He could still see it vividly. Feel the snake sliding upwards on Drisana's body. See the fear in her eyes. Hear her screaming his name. Was it just a nightmare? Or was something bad going to happen to her? Was it a premonition of some upcoming danger? He wished Sahdev was here. He could help Nakul in figuring it out. But Sahdev wasn't here and Nakul was freaking out. He needed to see Drisana, right now.

It was past midnight. He last saw Drisana at dinner. But they weren't able to talk as others were present too. Now after this horrible nightmare, he wanted to see her, talk to her and most of all take her in his arms to assure himself, she was alright and just here. Though he knew it was just a dream, he couldn't shake it out of him. Without farther thought, he left his room. It was quite a struggle with his beaten up body to get into Drisana's room unnoticed.

Drisana was sleeping on her bed. There were only a few lamps alight, providing dim lightening. The moonlight coming from the windows were glinting on surfaces and gave the room a serenely atmosphere. Nakul went near the bed that was surrounded by dark blue curtains. He could make out Drisana's feature inside, lying on the bed. He pushed the curtain aside. There she was. His Hridaya. Looking so heavenly and beguiling. She was laying on her back with her hands on both sides of her head. Her open hair created a dark halo around her tilted head on the pillow. Her dark and long eyelashes shadowed her high cheekbones. Her rosy pink lips were slightly parted. There was a faint blush covering her cheeks. The moonlight that crept through the window behind, fell on her. Her skin was glistening, bathed in its illuminating brilliance. She wore no jewellery. Her uttariya (shawl used as upper garment) was kept at a side. The curve of her delicate neck, shoulders and stomach was bared without it. Nakul averted his face. A blanket covered her from hips down. He glided it upwards till her collarbone. He sat down beside her then and took her one hand in both of his. He placed it on the left side of his chest and savoured the feel of warmth radiating from her hand. It soothed his unsettled nerves. He looked at her calm face. Some hair strands had fallen on her eyes. He swept them slowly behind her ear.

Drisana's sleep got disturbed as she felt someone's presence. She slowly came to her senses and felt her hand held over someone. Even though she hadn't come fully into consciousness, she knew who it was.

"Nakul?" She muttered and curled around him. Nakul smiled running his fingers through her dark curls. After some peaceful quiet moment, Drisana opened her eyes and looked up at him smiling. Her smile quickly vanished as her eyes travelled towards the long incised wounds on his upper arm and stomach caused by her brother's sword.

"Nakul!" She got up quickly to examine him. She hadn't been there to watch their fight and later only heard from Dheemant that it was a tie as both lost their swords. At dinner both of them looked quite beaten up. She understood Nakul gave as good as he got. Dhikshit didn't seem angered rather said to her that she at least chose someone who knew how to hold a sword. That was a huge compliment coming from him as she had heard him call poor attempts even to the best swordsmen of their army. Well, he was appeased at least. Dridhaksh wouldn't dare to do something severe, she hoped. She doubted her quiet and peaceful brother Devajyot would do something. As for Daiwik, she had already threatened him with not solving any of Dhritimat's riddles for him anymore. Now only Dwijendra, Dheemant and Dhritimat remained. The dangerous three. Specially Dheemant. He would take revenge of sending him to Chedi from Nakul, she was sure.

She touched the wound on his arm lightly. It had started healing. It would be gone in two to three days.

"Drisana?" Nakul called her looking at something beside her pointedly. Drisana followed his gaze and realised it was her uttariya. Well. More than her, Nakul's cheeks reddened. Drisana chuckled thinking his reaction on a beach full of women wearing bikini. She placed the uttariya around her.