Fire Herself; Panchali Draupadi

Chapter Five: The Broken Promise

6 months later. Dhrupad: Age 14, Hermitage of Sage Bharadwaj

"That's it Dhrupad, focus on that target. The black dot is the place where you want to hit. Don't think of anything else but the black dot. You will get it this time."

Dhrupad breathed heavily as his teacher Sage Bharadwaj, urged him to practice archery, his weakest subject from everything that he had been learning. He had mastered, every single skill. Yet for some reason he just couldn't hit the target. It would be lucky day when by accident, he would make it even an inch close to the black dot. 

"FOCUS DHRUPAD! You must hit the target. Tell me what do you see"-His teacher's words brought him back to reality. 

"ugh uh umm." He stuttered. When teachers usually ask you these types of straight-forward questions your first thought is that it is a trick question. They would never ask you anything this easy. Sage Bharadwaj interrupted again, "well???"

So being Dhrupad, Dhrupad gave the complex answer. "I see a haystack and onto of the haystack there is a board made out of hay and on the hay-board there is a black dot and I'm supposed to hit-"

"NO DHRUPAD NO!!" Sage Bharadwaj cut in. "You mustn't see anything other then the black dot that you want to hit. It is your goal, your target and your purpose at the moment." 

Dhrupad felt frustrated. "My purpose is to become King, and better the life of my people. So what if I can't do archery right. I will just always fight with the mace. The weapon that no one can beat me at."

"Well what will happen when an enemy kings challenges you to an archery duel? You know you can't refuse as per Kshatriya law. And it won't take long for spies to find out your weakness. The more weaknesses you have the weaker your kingdom is. You are the face of your kingdom Dhrupad. It's time you start acting like it no?" When Sage Bharadwaj got no response he sighed, "Go take a break. Come back when the sun hits the 2nd quarter to begin practicing again". 

Dhrupadput the bow and arrow down after bowing to it, and walked towards the hut. The very hut that he had been sharing with his best friend, his teachers son; Drona. As he looked around to see if Drona had come back from his archery practice, he sat down and just thought about what crazy two years he had been through. 

His routine had been the same. Wake up at the brisk of sunrise. Go bath in the nearby river and do your sun salutations. Practice using the sword, mace, bow and other weapons. Then have lunch. Then look at sacred scriptures. Then continue learning how to handle the kingdom's economy, military force, electing prime ministers, etc, etc, etc. Basically how to handle a kingdom. His friend Drona would be in most of his classes that related to weaponry. However he was alone during the kingdom specific lessons and on the opposite Drona learned about how to spread knowledge as a Brahmin. The boys were opposite in many ways. Drona was an ace-archer. No one could beat Dhrupad at the Mace. Dhrupad loved reading. Drona hated reading. Drona's favourite subject was weaponry. Dhrupad's was economics and military. Yet despite all of that they had still managed to be the best of friends. 

"Dhrupad! You finished early today?" Dhrupad looked up to see his friend enter the hut, all sweaty from the after-noon sun.

"No. Your father dismissed me until after Lunch. He said to 'clear my mind' since I couldn't do archery properly again. What are my parents going to think Dhrona. When they find out I can't even do archery right" Dhrupad looked down in disappointment. 

"Oh that again. Don't worry you'll get it". Drona thought for a minute. "You know what. I'll give you lessons!" 

"what!" Exclaimed Dhrupad. "You would really do that for me?" 

"Of course man. We're basically brothers. I'll get you passing archery in no time". Drona said, as he looked so assure of himself. 

And thus began Dhrupad's archery lessons. In six months, Drona had helped Dhrupad catch up to his level. Dhrupad couldn't even recognize how good he had gotten in archery. It was still his weakest subject as he was better at every other weapon. But that was only because, his best friend was better then him in archery and he was better then everyone else in every other weapon. 

One day as both friends lay outside in the grass, looking at the night stars, a conversation happened. One that would change the history of Panchal forever. 

"Drona, what's one thing in the entire world that you want the most."- Dhrupad asked his friend while still gazing at the night sky."

Drona smirked. "I already have everything I need. I have family, love, knowledge, a place to live, food in my stomach, clothes on my back, everything."

Now it was Dhrupad's turn to smirk, "Really. Those are the things you want. Do you know what I want. I want a son who will make me proud. My dad's got this crazy idea that I'm going to have a daughter and not that I don't want one, I just think a son will make me prouder. "

Drona replied, "Children are far in the future for me right now. First I need to get a steady income so that I am able to actually support my family."

"Wow. I never have to worry about that, being a King's son and all. That must be stressful. You know since you're such a good friend of mine and without you I wouldn't know anything about Archery, when I become King, I'll give you half my kingdom." Dhrupad looked to his right to see his friends reaction. 

Drona gave a half smile and replied with, "don't make promises you can't keep". 

Dhrupad only scoffed and said, "I'm not."

Little did Dhrupad know, that those words would cost him his pride. 

Hey guyssss. So my updates are going to be a little less frequent now because of school and everything. I'll try as best I can. 

Lots of Love,

- Krupa