"Are you sure about this?" Dhara whispered, her heart was hammering wildly, anxiety snaking around the organ in her chest.

"Yes. Very." Panchaali whispered, tightening her hold over the tray, gazing at the oak doors ahead of her.

"What if your husbands got to know?" Asked the handmaid, this was such a stupid idea, if the pandavas knew that she had guided their precious wife here, even god wouldn't be able to save her.

Anger of prince Duryodhan was volatile, entire Hastinapur knew this, specifically now, when he was no longer himself.

"Arya Nakul is sleeping, and others are gone for another important meeting, we would just go in feed bhraata and be back." Panchaali stated, like it was the most easiest thing to do, on this planet.

"You do know that Rajkumar Duryodhan is not a puppy right? Where you just walk in, caress his head and he'll wag his tail. He's a damn beast, specifically now that his wives are comatose, he'll shred us like a rag." Dhara spoke exasperated, gazing at her friend, wondering whether to call her brave or silly.

Silly would be better, for if she called her brave, there might be a repeat of this.

And Panchaali might be brave, but Dhara knew that her heart would collapse if she had to do this again.

It was a situation where she knew, she'll be damned no matter, what choices she made.

The only difference was, it would either be pandavas, or Duryodhan kill her, and the reason?

Their wives.

She sighed, gazing at the roof, god why do best friends always have to get their rears whooped in the name of true love? 

It was a universal injustice, but she wouldn't change a thing about it.

Draupadi rolled her eyes at her friend's antics. "You are behaving as if he is a ghost, and not a human." Amusement tainted her words.

"He is." Dhara insisted, but all she got was a eyebrow raise in question, amusement shining brightly in the golden flaming embers in her dark ebony blaze of irises.

"Oh just you wait. See him angry once, and than we'll decide, who is being a moron here." Grumbled Dhara, dragging her feet ahead, mentally she began to chant Hanuman Chalisa.

"If I die today, I am coming down to haunt your ass." Draupadi just rolled her eyes, at her friend's over reaction, after all how bad could this be.

The doors made loud groaning sound, making Panchaali mentally cringe at the sound.

Darkness.

That was all in the room, she couldn't see one thing. Hands gripped her arm, "This is a stupid idea Drau, let's run back, and never return." Dhara pleaded, her voice wavering as she gazed at the never ending dark abyesses in the room.

"Dhara don't you understand that he needs somebody, as you said, the two people he loves the most are in danger. Don't you think that his anger is rooted more from pain?" Sadness weighed heavily in Draupadi's mind, turning around she gazed at Dhara, who sighed heavily,  she shoulders sagging.

"The world freaking doesn't deserve you." She grumbled, holding her hand out to Draupadi,  who smiled, wrapping her fingers around her friends.

Sitting in the room was doing her no good, since her husbands had left for meeting, after calming her down, she was told to rest.

But could she? Her mind tried to slip back in the past, and that was something she couldn't just let happen.

She didn't want that label of Psycho, once again, she didn't want people to look at her with fear, or anger.

No.

Never again.

She didn't want anyone again to think that she was doing this for attention seeking, which she wasn't.

She wasn't crazy either.

Stomping down the dark thoughts, she focused on the present, she focused on Duryodhan.

This was her family, she needed to help them, helping people gave her a peace she couldn't put in words.

Walking in the dark room, she felt her best friend's grip tighten on her arm, she could hear the hanuman chalisa, that her handmaid had began mumbling out loud unconsciously.

Amusement rolled in her stomach, Dhara and her antics.

Walking to the left of the room, she tried to feel the room around with her hands, trying to search for a lantern.

"I found a lantern." She heard Dhara whisper, and in a moment a light glew behind her.

"Careful." Panchaali whispered, pulling back Dhara, large pieces of broken vases, mirrors, lanterns, were everywhere.

It had been purely luck that they hadn't injured themselves yet.

The entire room was a mess, things were broken and shredded, taking the lantern from her friend's hand, the wife of Pandavas, walked deeper in the room, signalling her friend to stay back.

Walking in the place, was like visiting one of the ruined palaces of the world. Everything was shattered, and destroyed.

But what she found most broken, was the shell of a man sitting at the left corner of the room. His eyes solely focused on the bed that sat proudly in the center of the room.

Draupadi's heart clutched, it pulsed with an agony seeing the shattered man.

His eyes were hollow, lacking any emotion, while he gazed at his wives. Long beard grew on his face, he had lost considerable amount of weight.

He spotted huge dark circles, and eyes had turned a deeper shade of scarlet.

Taking tentative steps toward him, with one hand holding the platter of food, another the lantern, she erased the distant between them.

"Why are you here?" His voice was hollow, hoarse, as though years, he had not spoken.

"I got food." Nervousness was apparent in her words, as she whispered them softly, loud booming laughter had her jumping as he threw his head back, and laughed like she had cracked the most funniest joke on this planet.

Had she?

She didn't think so.

A tinge insanity traced his eyes, anger contorting his face. "I said leave!" His loud voice, thundered through the room like an ominous sound of whip, in the silence of night, that promised an age of pain and destruction.

Terror seeped in Draupadi's heart, but she stood rooted, forcing herself to relax.

Fear wouldn't help, she needed to think.

"They all say that you love them the most. But you know what I think?" She walked to the nearby table, keeping her words light, like she was discussing weather.

When she didn't get a response, she continued on. Laying the lantern on the table, and she spoke.

"That you don't." She let the words hung in the air, a growling sound filled the room.

"Draupadi!" Dhara screamed in panic, as she watched Duryodhan lunge at her friend,  and in a second, before either them could process he had her pinned against the wall.

Sharp ache thrummed through Draupadi, as her back hit the wall, his rough callous hand tightening around her throat.

Dhara stepped ahead, but froze, as she saw, from the corner of her eyes, her friend held her hand up, signalling her to wait.

Though terror slipped through her senses, she didn't let it be apparent on her face, her eyes met his.

"You don't, for you have given up on them." She provoked, her words calm, a complete opposite of the cyclone of dread that was wrecking a havoc on her mind.

She felt his hand tighten on her throat, "You do not know anything about us! So don't you dare spew fucking lies about me and my relationships!" Roared the prince, his eyes taking over a menacle look while he glared at her.

She met his eyes, not willing to back down, focusing was proving to be difficult,  as the painful grip on her throat, had her eyes watering, her lungs burning for air.

"Yes! Look at yourself, the man who ones fought to get them out of hell! Has today become a broken shell, moping around letting them slip away, you have given up on them prince Duryodhan! You are letting them die!" She pushed the words, out of her chest.

Gasping for air, a loud painful roar filled the room, as Duryodhan threw her down hard on the floor.

Agony thrummed through her every being, he fell on his knees, his hands covering his ears, shaking his head violently.

"Just shut up! Shut up! Don't say that! Please, I beg you don't say that! I can't loose them, they are my everything, please, please don't let them die. . ." Loud sobs broke through his lips, his voice fading into nothingness, as cries wrecked his body.

Loud piercing cries fell off his lips, he trembled, tears tracing down his cheeks.

And for once Dhara too pitted the man ahead of her, the ruthless prince of Hastinapur, was nothing but a scared child in this moment.

One whose world was slowly crumbling, and all he could do was watch.

For once she understood him, just a little, but she did. No matter how twisted fate was, it always seemed get you back, in the most unexpected ways, when it came to love.

She rushed towards her bestfriend, who was slowly sitting up. Crouching beside the princess of Panchaal, she wrapped her arms around her friend, who hugged her just as fiercely.

"That was one hack of a stupid stunt, if you ever pull that shit again on me, I am gonna spank your ass till its red." Dhara warned, relief was a sweet emotion, as tears filled her eyes.

For a moment, she had thought that she had lost her friend. Just the mere thought of it had made her drown in an abyss of darkness and pain, where she knew if ever entered, there was no leaving that place.

The answering giggle of Draupadi, was all the reply she received. "You are stupid, and that's decided." Concluded Dhara, sniffling, wiping away her tears.

Draupadi smiled pulling back, "I am fine, I promise." She assured, giving her friend's hand a squeeze, turning to look at Duryodhan.

He cried and cried.

Tears tracing down his cheeks, as he let all the pain that was bottled up out. He cried out all the fears, that were circling his mind, the thoughts of losing them, negative scenarios of how things could go down the hill.

Draupadi and Dhara sat in front of him letting him cry, all the things that he had enclosed in.

After what seemed like forever, his soul piercing cries turned into sniffles, gazing down at his hands, he just sat there, shoulders slumped, eyes red.

A heaviness had settled in the air.

"It is all my fault." No one had expected him to speak, so when he cloaked the words out, others were a little surprised.

"It's no one's fault really." Whispered the princess of Panchaal, her voice was calm and held an understanding.

"You don't understand. Bhanu always prayed that whatever the bad deeds I do, may she get to ripe for it, instead of me. I always laughed, thinking it was stupid, but now, it feels like her words have come true." Brokenness reverberated through his words, while he gazed at his hands.

Guilt was a bitch. And it stomped on his heart everyday,  killing him a little, every second.

Tears flooding his eyes spoke of his agony,  before they slowly slipped down his cheeks, like his force that he could feel draining out of him.

His tattered heart felt lighter from all the crying, and for once, talking to someone.

"Prince Duryodhan, I know this has hurt you alot, but for a moment think if you were in their shoes, would you want either of them to break the way you are? Or would you wished they hold their strength?

You fought every odd for them. Dhara and all the maids out there, often speak how valorously you saved your wives, fought the society, and married them. And now you are crumbling?" She didn't scream or cry, like the most people had done in past few days.

Her words were calm and collected, yet they pierced way deeply than anyone else's before.

His head raised, eyes meeting his.

"Enemy back than was right in front of me, and now I don't even know who it is." He whispered, but Draupadi could hear the ring of doubt.

She forced down the smile that wanted to spread on her lips. He was doubting his own excuses, a little more persuasion and she was sure, she'll pull him out of this shell.

"And that is the reason enough to give up on your family? Doesn't a warrior fight till his last breath? Plus you have your family fighting right besides you, aryas are there, Pitahmah is there, you mother, Mata Kunti, Maharaj Dhritrasht, Kakashree Vidur, everyone is there with you. " She asked, a tornado of emotions warred in him, making him doubt all the beliefs that he had shackled himself in.

Picking up the nearest broken bowl, he pointed at her.

"Can you fix this broken? Can you make it look as beautiful as it was once? This is me, and my relationship with all the people you just listed, I am shattered, my bond with them is destroyed, don't you understand that? If you can fix this vessel and make it beautiful than we shall talk on this!" Duryodhan roared, turning around facing the wall.

He himself had strangled all the bonds with his family, he had sliced every last of his ties, and today he felt like the most broken person on this planet.

He could slowly feel his life force disappear, everyday.

This woman clearly didn't understand him, and neither his pains. He heard the sound of door shutting, a darkness fell over his heart.

Maybe finally she understood, how hopeless he was.

There was no future for him.

The creaking of the door had his head snapping up again, confused he turned around, in walked the princess of Panchaal.

"Why don't you just leave?!" He groaned, ready to bang his head on the nearest wall.

She gave him a dead stare, looking at him like he had asked the most stupid question. "Because unlike you I am not a quitter." She said in a bored tone, surprising him in silence.

What in the heaven was this girl?

By now, he had expected her to run away from him like a scared little mouse, but here she stood in front of him, looking at him like he was a little bratty kid, and not the man who had just thrown her down like a rag doll.

"You don't scare me." She said evenly, rolling her eyes at his glaring face.

He hardened his face, giving her a menacle look. "You are one crazy stubborn woman, do you know that?" He snapped, growling at her.

He wanted her to leave, to abandon him like most had. Why in the heaven was she doing this?!

Why?!

Why couldn't she just leave?!

The woman had the nerve to smile, "Yes, I am. And you know what? I am pretty proud of it." She said jovially, sitting down on the floor, where the broken pieces of the bowl laid scattered.

He noticed another round bowl in her hand, that held what looked like swirling golden particles in some sort of liquid.

"What are you doing?" He asked confusion marring his expression, "do you have a gold fish memory?" She asked, gazing up at him, raising her bow in question.

"What do you mean?" He asked, experatted, confusion marring his face.

"You know gold fish has a very very short memory, so I wondered if you have a similar case." Humor tinted her words, she turned her head sideways, gazing up at him.

He squinted his eyes, glaring at her, "You should be scared." He grumbled, flopping down in front of her, crossing his legs, folding his arms on his chest.

He probably looked year old brat, but he didn't care. She had barged in his room, if she had issues, she could leave.

"And you should have been logical, seeing that you are a prince and all. But are you?" She challenged raising her brow, making him roll his eyes, a smirk played on his lips holding his silence.

He watched as she took a ball of cotton, and a short stick rolling it around the ball.

Dipping it in the golden liquid, she layered it on the edge of the broken piece, joining two of them.

One after another, she pieced the bowl together, time seemed have lost its meaning, as he watched her refabricate what was broken.

A serene silence had fallen over the two, amidst the destruction, he watched a new creation.

As ironic as it was, it was a sight he never saw before.

Panchaali's hands ached, from the carful ministration, and controlled movements.

A little extra force, and all her hard work would go down the drain, her eyes burned from focusing on the object for too long, in such low lighting.

It had taken an hour or two, or even more so.

A huge grin split on her lips, satisfaction spreading throughout her veins, as she laid the piece down carefully.

"It is true, shattering something takes just a second, may it be a relationship, a person, or a vessel for that matter.  But it is never too late to mend it, yes, it will take time, it will take your energy, your focus, your patience, but at the end of the day, it would be worth it." Her words were barely above a whisper, she spoke gazing at the vessel.

Raising her head slightly, her eyes met his.

"Relationships unlike people say are not like thread, than once broken even if you join them together, there will always be a knot.

No, it is what I feel is like this broken vessel. A little glue of love, and the shine of trust, a whole lot of efforts, and not a pinch of ego, would help you make it back.

And you know the best part? It would more stronger and beautiful than ever before. 

The scars that this vessel holds, show the golden strength that it is mended with, the beauty that once who was perceived shattered, had the power to come back together, and mend into something all the more beautiful.

All it takes is efforts. What's the most that can happen? You'll fail. As you say, you are already broken, so you have nothing to lose." Her words held an ocean of wisdom, that raged the questions in him.

She turned her head to look at the sleeping women on the bed, her heart hurt seeing the two.

"But you have a lot to gain. The deal is not so bad now is it? You just need to fix yourself, and fight for them.

The question is, are you willing to try? Are they worth the effort to you? Are your cousins worth it to you? Is your family?

All this years you tried to run away from your family, hate your cousins, for what? The throne? Can the throne fix this? Is it more than family?" She sighed, her questions didn't hold a pinch of anger or judgment, just curiosity.

She genuinely wanted to know, what was it that has a person running away from from their own family.

Hating them.

Which part of money and power actually tempts them so much?

"All this years of hatred, and you are still where you were all those years back. You tried your way, and you yourself are shattered.

So, why don't you try my way this time? I mean what is there to lose? Apologies to your family, speak your heart to them, and after that if you feel that you are not loved, than you are free to do as you will." She whispered, her gaze returning back to him, a soft smile played on her lips, while she gazed at him.

Standing up, she turned around, moving towards the door.

She halted, her hand resting on the golden handle, turning slightly, her gaze held his, in a very soft voice, she whispered.

"Scars signify your valour, not your brokenness. May they be on your body, or on your soul. It's something to be proud of, not ashamed. You were right, I couldn't return the bowl back to it's original form, but instead I made it into something more beautiful than it's previous self."

Silence fell over the room.

"I was the one, who had ordered your slaughtering on the first night you stepped in Hastinapur." His voice lacked any emotions, guilt sat heavily in the pit of his stomach.

He knew she was saying all this because, she didn't know the reality of just how bad his deeds had been.

Gazing at her, he awaited for her to scream and shout, or at least be shocked.

Instead he received a calm smile, breathing in deeply, she began to speak again.

"I know. I had heard you the very next day talking to your brother." She confessed, her words stumped him.

He just blinked at her, wondering if she was for real. Knowing all this, why was she still here?

His mouth opened and shut, trying to come up with something to say. But the shock was too much for him to process anything coherently.

He failed to understand, why she was doing all this. 

"And you are still here trying to help me? Why?" Guilt was an heavy emotions, crashing in him, wilting him from within.

People this good actually existed? This selfless?

He didn't think it was possible, it wasn't.

Smiling at him softly, a serene calmness playing on her lips.

"Like I said, we all have to make our choices. If that day I had chosen to reveal this to others, you would have been exiled.

Separating a son from his family, is not what I would ever want. And plus, the circumstances that you took the decision in is something I really understand. Love makes us do crazy things.

So yes, I forgive you. And it's time you do too. It is very important to learn to forgive yourself, rectify what you did wrong.

It's been a long time Rajkumar Duryodhan since you left your home, it's time for you to return. The path won't be easy, but it's a choice for you to make, if it is worth it or not."

Were the last words Yagseni spoke, before stepping out of the room, letting the door shut behind herself.

Leaving him with his choices, a reverberating silence, and chaos of his thoughts.

A war had began, only this time, the battle ground was his mind, and the enemy; his fear.

Would he fail or be victorious, was yet to be seen. . .

Walking down the corridor, and towards her room, she entered in, shutting the door behind her soundlessly.

"Oh thank god you are back! I think I got a few white hair from all the worrying I did over you!" Dhara exclaimed, rushing across the door, wrapping her arms around her friend.

Draupadi smiled, pulling back, her heart felt the lightest, there was a sea of joy in her heart.

"Why did you have to do all this?" Asked the handmaid, glaring at her friend, who just smiled, walking deeper into the room, and towards her bed.

"Don't you ignore me!" Dhara grumbled, stomping behind the princess, her heart had nearly thrust our of her chest, when Draupadi had told her to stay here, while she returned.

"I am not ignoring you." Yagseni nearly sang the words in happiness, she sat down on the bed, patting it for Dhara to take a seat beside her.

"Why did you have to do it now of all times, when he is so emotional? And why help him?" Grumbled the handmaid, folding her hands over her chest, while she gave the princess one of her best glares.

"I had to help him because he is family. When a woman marries a man, she promises to accept his family as hers, and in a family, it is fine to have difference of opinions,  but there should differences in heart.

We all make mistakes, we all take the wrong path, we all deserve at least one chance. I have given him his. And why now you ask?

Because when a person is said to be broken, and if given a light of hope, they'll clutch on it with every last drop of their strength.

Think of it like a drowning person suddenly finding a floating wood. Had I talked to Rajkumar Duryodhan, when he was in a balanced mindset, he would just shrug it off, like all the attempts of Mata Gandhari, Pitahmah Bhism, and Aryas."

Draupadi explained gazing at her friend, who nodded.

"You are one genius of a woman, and a stupid one. Did you ever think what would have happened had Duryodhan not listened?" Dhara wanted to hug her, and slap all at once, though it was very selfless, but it was a huge risk that her best friend had taken.

"People take risk in business, I had to take for family." Whispered Draupadi, giving her friend's hand a reassuring squeeze.

Dhara traced her bruised neck, her eyes burned from tears, she swallowed hard.

"You are still stupid." Her voice cloaked, "If you ever pull a stunt like this again I swear I'll whoop your rear." She threatened, her voice watery, pulling Yagseni for a hug.

Draupadi rubbed her back, a playful smile playing on her lips, making no promises. . .

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