Arjun tried to stop her the moment he saw her leaving the Raajsabha but he could not as mother was completing some rituals, which are necessary for the newly married couple. He was dreading for this moment while coming back to Indraprasth after 12 years of his exile. He knew Krishnaa would be devastated but yet he had no choice and now he is just hoping against odds. "I just hope Krishnaa listens to me."-his mind kept repeating these words as he hurriedly headed towards Panchaali's inner chamber.
"I'm sorry Rajkumar, but Maharaani strictly ordered no one to enter in her room."
"Malati, you know your queen's nature very well like no other servants know, she needs solace right now please let me enter."
Malati though a servant in Indraprasth but she has been remained a true friend of the queen since the day one in this enchanting palace, she even knows her Queen's suppressed thoughts and right now she knows how much her queen needs her beloved Aarya so without saying a word she let the Prince enter.
He saw her sitting in front of the mirror and undoing her hair, which was beautifully decorated with scented flowers for few minutes ago. "Krishnaa..."-he spoke softly and walked towards her.
"Malati..."-her voice rang in a high pitch tone; "I told you not to let enter anyone, I need to be alone for a while", and she completely ignored his presence in the room.
"Krishnaa, just listen to me, I'm extremely sorry"-he pleaded to the fiery princess.
"Rajkumar Arjun this is not the right time to talk with the Queen of Indraprasth, I request you to leave this place immediately and leave me alone as you did 12 years ago. Go Rajkumar, your wife needs you right now."
"Krishnaa, I've come here to talk to my wife but not to the empress"-by saying so Arjun went close to her and touched her bare shoulder and he could feel her body shivered by his one touch. Arjun sat down beside her and saw her face properly; tear drops are rolling down continuously taking the black colour by mixing with kajol, her red petal like lips are trembling.
"Krishnaa, look at me"-Arjun tried to hold her face but she refused to even look, "Please, Krishnaa, just look into my eyes and say it all, don't hold it back."-Arjun turned her face towards him and for the first time he noticed insecurity in her eyes. Those eyes are yelling for answers. "Please forgive me?"-he muttered.
"Forgive you? How can you expect that from me Aarya? I have waited for 12 long years to reunite with you, and finally when I heard the news of your arrival I adorned myself, as I never did before. From the morning all of my senses are in alert, as if in any moment I'll hear your footsteps in this room as if in any moment I'll listen to your voice which will call my name, as if..as if in any moment you will hold me close to you, you will linger to my face and...and what you did? You crushed my dream. You failed me the moment you brought Subhadra here, you betrayed me Aarya, I thought I'm your only love and you will never bring any of your wives here."
"But Krishnaa, how can I leave Subhadra there? She is Madhav's sister, she is not just any princess"-he argued illogically as he can't say the truth, it will hurt her even more.
"Yes that I can see she is not just any princess she is special and by bringing her here you proved that she is special in your life but not me. I had false beliefs in these years that even if I marry your four brothers my heart belongs to you and even if you got married to other princesses your heart belongs to mine but you proved me wrong aarya, now go to her, I don't need you."-Yagyaseni shrugged off the strong grasp of her husband and moved towards the door.
"And what about your betrayal Panchaali?"
The indifference in his tone made her surprise, she looked back and gazed at him with questioning eyes, "I betrayed you?"-she whispered.
"Yes, you betrayed me the day you silently agreed to marry my four brothers, you hurt me that day but did you realise that ever? For once, only for once I thought you would deny marrying my brothers and speaking aloud that you love me and will marry only me in any condition but you didn't. The outspoken righteous Princess didn't reveal her unconditional unbound love for me then how will I know that your soul belongs to me only?"
"I had no choice Aarya! If I refused to marry all of you that day then I might have even lose you"-she defended.
"So you are saying that you didn't like my brothers and marry just for sake of your love for me? I refused to believe because if it was the case then you would have said those thoughts to your sister, to your Sakha and you would have said your feelings to me at any moment. However, you didn't say a word rather your eyes revealed your affection towards my brother. I understood that day that you love all of us equally and you can never be Arjun's Draupadi, as you will always remain as Pandava's wife. But then what about my love Krishnaa? You waited for me all these years and disheartened each time when the news of my marriages reached to you but have you ever thought that how I was hurt by your one decision?"
"Aarya are you trying to say that I did mistake but not you?"-her voice clearly stated her disbelief.
"No Krishnaa, this is not about right or wrong this is about those unsaid feelings which we didn't say to each other in time. My soul ached for love, the love, which bloomed right after seeing you in the marriage hall. I fall for you the moment I laid my eyes on you. But you left me alone in that beautiful world which eventually turned into a desert. I vowed not to lose control over my mind and heart again but then Uloopi's charm and Chitrangada's magnificent beauty brought me back to the oasis. That is when I met Subhadra, her composed nature, her mature thoughts, her compassionate support made me love her more and more."
Sabyasachi's words pierced Yagyaseni's heart like sharp arrows. Arjun turned around only to find her sitting motionlessly on the bed. He bent down on his knees and holds her hands together and confessed-"Krishnaa, you are my first love and first love cannot be forgotten. My respect for you can't be replaced but Subhadra is and always will be special as she is my soul mate. She completes me Krishnaa; she is present in each and every moment of my life. She is everything to me now."-uttered Arjun.
Draupadi stared at his face blankly and said-"I listened to you Aarya, now you can go back to your love as I've nothing to say. I got the truth."
Dhananjaya left the place silently as he had nothing left to say, now only Bhadra can calm her down' he thought.
Book Talk
Shiv Shakti
