APRICITY

7.Lacuna

A couple of months after Pitamah Arjun returned, there arrived another surprise.

The long forgotten Prince of Hastinapur. Not a prince anymore though. Ruler of Manipura. Tatshree Babruvahan. The only heir to Rajmata Chitrangada, the warrior.

Festivities were arranged on his arrival. It was as if a silver lining over a black cloud. The tedious battle in Manipura had wounded a lot many soldiers, even Pitamah Arjun was emotionally drained after it.

Pitamah Arjun had cried like a baby, when Tatshree Babruvahan called him 'Pita' on their first encounter.

Seeing me bedazzled at such a rare scene, tatshree tickled me to no extent. "Very funny? Isn't it putra?" He said. I too met him for the first time, but it didn't feel any queer to be around him. It felt as if we knew each other for a lifetime. All credits to his jovial nature, his charismatic aura competed with Pitamah Nakul.

I gazed to his crystal clear eyes which replicated a calm pool. Even death would scare to reach that pool. It radiated a thousand shades of blue, with a few flecks of hazel at its extreme corners. I turned to Pitamah Arjun's eyes. Yes they had the same hazel flecks as his.

I touched his feet to seek his blessings. He raised me taking my arms, "Putra, your place is in my heart, not on the feet. Come,here." He unfolded his arms to envelope me in his warm embrace.

I was beyond glad that he decided to stay with us for a few months, though he had a good number of obligations to his kingdom.

"You know putra, you have two more cousins back at Manipura, they might meet you soon." Tatshree told me.

"I would be thrilled as well."

We neared the shore, the holy Ganga looked ethereal at dusk. I was not always asked to stay outside the palace after sunset, but we got a special permission. We, to be precise, me and Tatshree Babruvahan.

The sprawling waters glistened as they hit the mossy pebbles and the ash-grey boulders. The silence from the nearby woods were curbed by the burbling of the rush of the cool waters.

"This is my favourite place." I closed my eyes enjoying the cool gust.

"Now, it's my favourite too."

Breaking a few moments of silence between us, he said, "I have heard people sing praises of your father. Also, how handsome he was, like a dazzling star. You resemble a lot like him."

"No, he was never a star." I turned to him.

"Why so?"

"He is a part of the moon." I pointed high up at the crescent moon as if he was smiling at me. "And that is Uttara Phalguna, the north star beside him. They always stay together."

Tatshree's face was hazily seen in the dark. But the shining beads of water from his pure blue eyes could be spotted.

"Don't worry. I don't mourn my father's death. He got what he wished for."

"And what did he wish?" He asked.

"Veergati, that his lifeless body touches the battleground among the enemies he had slained." I replied confidently. "But his soul remains in my Mata. So, I feel him in her."Though I felt a slight pang in my chest, I tried to ignore it.

"Abimanyu must be so proud of you, seeing you from the moon." He said.

"No,he is called Varchas there." I added to lighten the mood. "But Abhimanyu sounds more nice, isn't it?"

"Taking your father's name, huh?" I could envision his smirk.

"I don't really. But the name gives me peace. Nobody at home calls out his name, you know." I enquired. "So, have you ever met him, I mean my father?"

"Our meet was a really short one. An annual talent contest at Magadh. It was thirteen years back."

I was too keen to hear from him. "Then? How was he like? Did he have brown eyes like Pitamah Arjun? Or bead-like black eyes like Pitamahi Subhadra?" I was indeed restless. "How was his smile? How did he speak?"

"Oh my God, putra, your questions are too speedy just like your father's arrows." He chukkled.

"Fine, just tell me."

"I don't need to describe a lot how he looked like. You can just get to see that if you face a mirror."

"Really?" I narrowed my eyes.

"You are tough to deal with." He patted on my shoulder.

"I know that." I folded my arms against my chest.

"You inherited a lot of his wits, child. You speak a lot like Abhi. Anyways, he had brown eyes, which were quite intimidating."

"So what happened at the talent contest? Did he win?" I asked.

"You won't believe me, putra. Some princes and warriors had almost given up after watching his first bout at archery. And I was too foolish to fight against him." He laughed out loud.

"I never knew this before." I spoke.

"I am telling you now." He chided.

"So, there was hardly any match against him. But Lakshmaan kumar of Hastinapur posed a hard rivalry, he overpowered him in mace with a two scores. On the contrary, your father wasn't the one to lose so easily. Poor Lakshmaan kumar was heavily defeated in sword and archery fights by him."

Any bee could have easily gotten into my wide mouth. I was too intent to close this mouth of mine. "That was ethereal." I voiced my bewilderment.

"You think so?"He asked. "That day, I really learnt a good lesson."

"Ah, yes", I replied.

"My childhood was just like yours. Pampered and loved. Content in hearing my father's, I mean your Pitamah's chivalrous deeds." He sighed."And..."

"And regardless of everything you felt a lacuna, a missing puzzle in your heart whenever you heard of him . Just like me, right?" I asked, patting back on his arms.

"Blood relations work strange sometimes."

Introducing my weird self to all my readers.

So, when I started this chapter I thought I was writing all trash and lame things. Then, I reread this after I completed writing. I almost cried, I prefer you don't believe me. I got connected to this character, so bad you know. Whatever, thanks a lot for patiently reading my rant.

Till then, keep reading. Happy November.