Kairavi

Chapter 19

A/N: Lmao someone asked me in a dm if the fawn head is real. No folks, it's metal! xD. The swans and the fawn are tiny golden designs on top of the chudamani.
I tried to create a symbolism which will be revealed much much later and idk whether you all will remember it. So lemme know if I should reveal it right now or when the time comes. Till then, read on <3

"Vivah sampann hua. Rajkumari Kairavi shall now be known as Pandu putra Nakul and Sahadev's wife and the first kulvadhu of the present generation of kuruvansh." The priest said. "Now you may seek the blessings of Rajmata, Yuvraj and the rest of your elders."

The three of them walked over to Kunti and touched her feet. "Kalyan ho putron." She lovingly pinched Kairavi's chin and said, "Putravati bhava. May your sons bring you unbounded pride, fame and joy." The ashirvad was supposed to pour hope in her burning heart, but instead she was reminded of the words of the priests at the temple, the harsh remarks and taunts she was going to welcome; and the shame that she had put over herself.

She was going to sleep with multiple men and bear them children. The same men, who were going to pierce her heart someday by marrying more women in the future. Why was she the only one to give all the sacrifices? And get only sorrow and humiliation in return.

The turmoil got the better of her and she started crying in Kunti's hands. "Putri..?" the anxious mother was surprised to see that. Kairavi shoved her hands away and sprinted back to her chamber. "Kairavi!" Sahadev called out but she didn't even spare a glance at anyone and locked the door from inside.
The pandavs and Kunti chased her but they couldn't make it on time.

"What have I done to deserve such a lowlife!?" she screamed at herself. The weeping reflection caught her eye in the mirror. She flung a tray of flowers at it, shattering it into a hundred pieces. "Kairavi! What are you doing? Open up!" Kunti yelled after hearing the smash, while Bheem and Sahadev thumped and tried to break the door.

"Man gets adjusted to a milk-and-honey life easily. But he takes time to tune in to a difficult one. Her life isn't going to be easy either, let her get all that frustration out." Nakul said in a composed voice.
Everyone had to ignore their reluctance and agree to him. They soon gave in and retired back to Rajmata's chamber. "Nakul, I feel like something bad is going to happen. What if she does something to herself?" Sahadev expressed his concern.

"Don't forget she's Bhagwan Parshuram's student. She can't be that weak to give up on life." Arjun reassured him. "But my purvabhas is never wrong, bhrata."
"The worst case scenario is that she might hurt herself while taking her anger out. And her two husbands are brilliant physicians, so don't worry about that; just look for something to put her distressed mind to rest." Yudhishthir became the voice of reason.

"May yuvraj be illustrious." Purochan was standing at the door, holding six bowls of kheer on a bronze plate. Bheem's eyes lit up at the sight. Poor thing had only gorged 2 heaps of laddoos, some fruits and "only tasted" every dish on the function's menu. "Where had you been Purochan? Don't you know how hungry I get at night?" "Pardon me rajkumar. The kheer took a while."

He took away the plate from his hands and asked him to leave. "Mata...?" "You can eat it Bheem." Kunti smiled at his not-so-little son's naïveté.
The mouse that came with the rice sack scampered up and sniffed Nakul's feet. He picked it up and observed what it was up to. "Seems like he's hungry." He said. "Give it some of that kheer." Arjun suggested and laid a bowl down on the ground. Immediately the tiny creature jumped from his hands and started eating it.

Meanwhile, on the other hand Purochan and Renuka dropped their torches on the other side of the fort, close to the princess's kaksh. The fire whizzed just as soon as it came in contact with the lac. It started engulfing the walls and pillars at a dangerously high speed.

"Look at this pitashree! This is the state of my heart now, look at what you all have done!" she grabbed and tossed a few pieces of the glass towards the window, cutting her hand in the process. "This is how my soul is bleeding!" she howled. "How can something that brings so much pain be dharm, Chandradev!?"

She sniffed in a shaky breath. "Gurudev used to tell me,
sukham naasti vina dharmam; tasmat dharmparo bhava.

A person should follow dharm because there exists no happiness without it. Then what kind of dharm is this huh, which leaves me only gloom to live with? Why can I not even see the silhouette of happiness in my future?" she wept like a lunatic, not noticing the flame that had entered the room on it's tip-toes.

Driven by dejection, she stormed over to the windows and slammed them shut. It felt like her own father had decieved her into doing this and she didn't want his presence anywhere near her. She pulled all the garlands down, knocked over every table and ripped all the curtains of her kaksh out of impetuous belligerence.

Her crying was interrupted by a loud crack.

Bheem let out a petrifying cough as the first morsel of the porridge descended his throat. "This thing is poisoned!" He croaked while rising from his seat. "Mata!" Sahadev pointed at the lifeless white mouse, laying on the ground.
Kunti was overwhelmed by disbelief, betrayal and fright. She had never imagined Purochan would try to kill all of them. "Those arsonists must have set the fort on fire by now. I knew it was going to happen but didn't expect those wretches to do it tonight!" Yudhishthir freaked out.

"What is happening, jyeshth?" Bheem asked. "This trip to Varnavrat was a conspiracy, Bheem. Mamashree along with Duryodhan plotted to poison and burn us all in this place. Look around yourself, the whole palace is made of lac, meat, ghee and cotton; everything is inflammable.

This is why kakashree sent us that bag of rice and a mouse. It wasn't an accident. I figured it out after seeing the rat nibble at the walls. He knew the kauravs had something up on their sleeves, so he had some miners come and dig a tunnel through the ground secretly at night, so we could escape. I know where it is. We need to reach it before the walls start disintegrating." He explained.

"Gandhar Raj..." "Later mata, we need to stay alive to have that conversation." Arjun ushered her out of the room and the whole group followed.

A few drops of hot lac fell from the ceiling on Kairavi, burning the skin on her shoulder blade. She leapt up on her feet and looked straight towards the ceiling. The chandelier was melting down.

That's when she realized the whole room was on fire. Her panicked eyes looked around and found herself surrounded by flares reaching up to her waist.
And the next moment, the chandelier collapsed, scalding her legs beneath it.
"ARYA!" she cried out in pain.

"Kairavi!" Sahadev stopped in his tracks and spinned around. The growing inferno was on their heels but still, he darted towards it like a bat out of hell.