Flame To Fire : A Journey Of Love

Chapter 12: Leaving to Hastinapur

Arjun had always been awfully fond of witnessing unexpected rains and storms in the chill weather from his window, except when the storms were in his own life.

'Marriage. Marriage is supposed to be the stage of relation between two people where they know each other, understand each other, wish for each other's well-being, stand by each other, support each other, cherish each other, and spend their entire life loving each other. These are the list of things I wanted to do with Subhi. But here I am, married to a lady I barely know. Wonderful life you had gifted me, Mahadev. All I wanted was a happy life with my family with Subhi as my wife and Madhav by my side. But all my dreams were shattered in a second due to circumstances. And the only one responsible for it is Panchali. How would I fulfill my duty towards her when I wish that I had never met her? I can't see the tear-striken face of Subhi when she gets to know of my marriage. I doubt if she would even look at my face considering what I had done with her love and hopes on me...'

"How long do you plan on lamenting about your fate to yourself?" His thoughts were broken by the soft voice of Panchali beside him.

He didn't bother turning to face her. He didn't want to see her at that moment.

"What do you plan on doing next?" She asked.

"I would have sent a letter to my family about our so-called marriage if not for the fact I don't know anything about you. And don't build any dream castles that you can be my rightful wife once we reach Panchprasth. You can be my lawful and official wife for the sake of records may be, but never will you ever gain the place of a wife in my heart." He said in the most unfriendly possible tone, clearly frustrated with the recent happenings.

She sighed. Life was unexpected with her too, it had always been. The trick is clearly in choosing between bad and worse, because good had never been in her choices. Nevertheless, she got over her momentary surfacing feelings and composed herself to face him.

"Write to your family that you have married a girl from Panchal. Add that they would get to know about me directly when we reach there."

He simply nodded and left, while she looked up at her loyal eagle flying in the sky with a glint in her eyes.

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Arjun's has trembled slightly, as he tied the messily-written scroll to the legs of a messenger pigeon, hesitantly letting it fly.

Sighing, he walked away, and stopped as he spotted Panchali sitting near the pond of the temple, dipping her ankle in the cold water and looking at her reflection.

As soon as she spotted him in the image on water, she turned to face him.

"Get ready, we are leaving for Hastinapur. Make sure to dress accordingly. Behave elegantly. Remember, you are now the Kulvadhu of Hastinapur. Maintain your grace. Talk with patience and gentleness. Don't even raise your voice with anybody there. Especially not my mother. She is too sensitive to words. Get their blessings once we reach there. And respect their words. Each one of them there is important to me and I won't go easy on anyone who disrespects them." He advised her in a distant tone.

Although he is not ready to reveal this marriage to his family, he can't hide it and stay here forever as well. And he thought that she is taking advantage of his situation.

"And why do you think I would do so?" She asked him, and he glared at her.

"I mean, what makes you think I would not know how to uphold my honour among royals? Is it because you think I am not one?"

He sighed and sat beside her, maintaining what he felt was a necessary distance.

"It doesn't matter," She snapped at his words. "...at least not to me. You are who you are. You are unique. Becuase you have a personality, one that most people lack."

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"Mata! Bhrata Arjun has sent you a letter." The eldest Madreya Nakul cooed.

"Give me." Pritha asked gently.

As she took the letter in her hands and read through the messy handwriting which she immediately identified to be her third son's, her eyes turned dewy.

Her son had married! Her dearest son Arjun had married! That too without informing her anything about his marriage and didn't even mind showing her daughter-in-law to her first. He didn't even mention anything about her in the letter. She was disappointed.

'Did he think I would disapprove his marriage with his beloved had he informed me earlier? Was I such a bad mother?' She thought to herself.

She was very disappointed. She had so many dreams and expectations with her dear son's marriage. She couldn't understand what made him marry someone out of nowhere.

She wondered if it could be to form political alliance with Panchal through marital alliance. She didn't want any of her sons to marry due to political reasons, for she knew such marriages lacked a mutual understanding and were more like a trade.

A few tears made their way down her eyes, before she quickly wiped them.

"Kuruvansh has got a new Kulvadhu, Sakhi Priyamvada. It's time to welcome her." She said distantly.

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