Empire of Righteousness

Chapter 57 : An Unexplainable Emptiness

"Arya,"

Prativindhya smiles at his beloved wife.

"Priye, have you eaten?" he asks first.

"Arya, I should be asking you that. You even skipped breakfast," Siyaanshi sits beside Prativindhya.

"I am not hungry, priye," Prativindhya lies.

"Shame Arya. You are the son of Dharmraj and you are lying!" Siyaanshi fakes her surprise.

"Quit hanging around Satanika, priye. He isn't a good influence," Prativindhya let's out a manly chuckle.

Siyaanshi giggles. After Draupadi left, if not for Satanika and Shrutakarma this place would have been a Ghost's house. They keep this place alive.

"Arya, let me have these," Siyaanshi takes away his scrolls.

"Priye, what are you doing?" Prativindhya tries to protest.

"Not another word, Arya. You neglecting your health isn't going to work with me. I promised Mata to take care of you," Siyaanshi asks the maids to prepare food for Prativindhya.

"But, priye..."

"Either you let me fed you or I hide your scrolls. Choose one," Siyaanshi speaks.

Prativindhya thought it would be better to be fed than her taking away his scrolls. So he complied silently.

"Arya, you are missing Matashree," Siyaanshi says softly.

"We have been away from Maa for eight years before, Siya. But still Mata in form of Devi Uma took care of us. But now it feels like she truly left us," Prativindhya sighs.

"Without Matashree this whole palace feels empty," Siyaanshi also supports him.

"Maa has been our strength as long as I remember, Siya. In Indraprastha, you can't imagine the constant neglegence and humiliation we went through. Maa faught with our fathers regarding that and she never backed away," Prativindhya recalls the painful memories of those days.

Siyaanshi sits quietly listening to him.

"We never had the shadow of a father even though they were alive and well. Maa filled our lack of a father as well. Whatever I am today is because of maa," Prativindhya says proudly.

"You know Siya that day....in that Sabha...Siya...I never hated my fathers more than that day. The hatred I felt towards my own blood was unimaginable....but Maa still stood strong...in that Sabha...Siya...I got goosebumps recalling that day...you have no idea..." Prativindhya broke down into tears.

Siyaanshi places her hand on his shoulder as he cried. Her own eyes moistured.

"I can feel it, Arya. When one woman is insulted, others feel it too. Whatever happened with Mata....I feel that too...those eyes...those laughter...every woman in Aryavarta felt Mata," Siyaanshi says.

"Maa is our strength Siya... whenever I recall it...the strength of my weapon, my brothers weapon seems nothing compared to her. That's why Maa being away is affecting us so badly...I feel so weak...I feel the shade over my head is forcefully taken away..." Prativindhya confesses his helplessness.

"Arya, have you forgiven your fathers?" Siyaanshi asks.

"Priye, as a son I don't hold any grudge towards them. Even if they mistreated us, they are still our father. We can't abandon them. We will follow their orders without question. But when I recall the dyut Sabha, I swear every human emotions leave my body and I want nothing more than blood even if it's my own father," Prativindhya's eyes burned in rage.