Two Weeks Later:

Something felt wrong, way too wrong.

Everything seemed normal, I was in my home with my parents and siblings, things were...normal.

Yet, it felt like a big piece of my memory was missing.

Everyone insisted that it was not the case, that I was thinking too much, but my heart...my mind...

I took a deep breath, gazing at the large garden ahead of me. It was beautiful. . .

And yet, I felt lost.

Empty.

Like a big piece of something really important was missing.

"So, here you are." The soft voice of Queen Jaya had me turning, she was a beautiful woman with dark luscious curls that reached below her knees, her grey eyes were all too assessing and beautiful.

She was the first wife of my father and my mother...I suppose...at least one of them.

"Oh Dhriti, why are you always so quite? Is something wrong child? This is your home."

"A beautiful girl like you shouldn't always be so gloomy dear. You are young, your whole life is ahead of you. So many possibilities. Your father is looking for the best husband that you can have." My mother's excited chatter had my blood freezing, her soft voice no longer a soothing comfort.

"What do you mean he is looking for a husband?" My gaze met hers, where hers had excitement, mine reflected the panic that was threatening to overtake my mind.

I had just woken up two weeks ago with no memories what so ever of past almost a month.

I recognised all my family, but it felt like a good chunk of my memory was completely missing.

And not knowing what it was had me death scared and uncertain of everything.

There was here no one with whom I could share my thoughts, when I had tried the last time, my family had brushed it off, saying I am being over dramatic.

And now they were planning to get me married... the thought was dizzying, my stomach revolted against my mother's words.

The mere thought of meeting a stranger and getting married right off had my skin crawling.

I hated it.

"I don't want to get married."

The words sounded breathy and pained even to my ears, but it was like she couldn't hear the pain and the fear as she excitedly chatted about.

"Of course, you don't, no good maiden of a respected family ever says she wants to get married. But child now you are of the age where you would want a man to rely on, someone who can be your partner and listen to all your rants and all the other things."

She grinned, as she continued on "You'll have a perfect life."

She smiled as she cupped my face, her lips pressing to my forehead.

I stood there still gazing at her before she turned and walked away.

I watched her move away, this was all too soon, and too fast.

I hated it.

"You don't understand, I am not ready." I rushed behind her.

Panic bleeding in my words as I followed her, she rolled her eyes, the softness from earlier vanished as though it was all my imagination, as she turned to look at me.

"You will marry him Dhri, with or without your childish consent, either you walk down to the wedding yourself, smiling and bubbly or I drag you by your hair to his bed. You decide."

Acid dripped from her every word, the earlier beautiful face contorting into something so ugly, that I could have never imagined, I just stood there gapping.

I couldn't believe her, I wanted to argue to shout, to scream but I did nothing as she walked back to me, now more like a predator than a mother.

Her hand enveloped around my bicep, sinking her sharp nails in the soft skin in there, a hiss of pain slipped past my unwilling lips, and she just smiled with a pleasant expression, to her nothing was wrong.

"You'll do everything your father says, or so help me you disgusting leech, I will cut you piece by piece."

She hissed, her dark eyes turning completely monstrous in front of my gaze, moulding and transforming to some ugly monster.

"Will you say yes?"

She hissed, leaning in closer and like a puppet I nodded, not that I planned to listen to anything she was saying, but I needed her to believe I was terrified and was gullible enough to do all she wished.

I needed to escape and to do that she needed to trust me.

Satisfied with my answer she turned to me, smiling softly, her face a perfect picture of kindness again, as she patted my cheek.

"Good." She whispered, glee lacing her words as walked away.

I clutched my lehnga as I rushed towards my room, panic fuelling my feet, I needed to contact the one person I knew who didn't fear my father, my one friend and brother whom I knew will help me at every cost.

I needed out.

My mother threatened me with rape, the realisation was like a dagger in my heart, bile burned my throat as I rushed inside my room, I moved to my writing corner hastily pulling out my quilt and ink, scribbling down the happenings in a hasty writing, I didn't have time to sit and write in my usual beautiful cursives, I need out.

The walls of this place were closing on me.

I wanted out.

Words blurred, as wetness traced down my cheeks.

I needed to leave.

Karn had to help me, there was no way he could say no.

If he did, I would not survive this hell.

My mothers' words rang in my ears, the promise of her dragging me to some stranger's bed, had my hands trembling, the letter was a mess.

My handwriting was off, tear drops had made certain words blurred, but still readable, there was no time for me to sit and write another one though, I never knew when it will reach Karn, probably days and weeks, depending where he is, and it will probably take him weeks to reach back to me with any help, he and I stayed far, way too far.

And if he was travelling to some far land for wars, I'll probably be married by then.

The thought had the noose of terror tightening on my throat.

I rushed to the golden cage in my room of my eagle, my friend and pet.

"You have to help me, Vishi. You need to find Karn and give him this."

I put the small carrier of the letter, and tied it to his neck, it was fashioned to look like a necklace for a pet rather than a secret message carrier, back when Karn had given me this, it had felt like he was being paranoid, but now I was glad that my friend had left me a way out.

Had my father suspected what it was, he would have taken Vishi and the carrier away from me.

Earlier the things seemed like something a protective parent would do but now?

It all seemed like he was keeping me cut off from the world.

Vishi squealed as he nodded, before he flew towards my balcony and out.

I watched him fly away, my feet giving out from beneath me, tears trekking down my cheeks, as relief flooded me, sobs tore though my chest as I heaved crying hard.

I needed an out...But would the help come, before I am forced to marry someone else?

****

At the Palace of Hastinapur:

Fury thrummed through Karn's veins; people parted their ways as they saw the thunderous look on his face.

How could they mess up so royally?

How could they not take care of a single girl?

Thoughts ran rampant in his mind as he turned down the corridor.

"Karn listen to me, calm down. They will find her!"

Duryodhan's voice reverberated throughout the hallway, the servants bowed their head, trying to give the duo some sense of privacy.

"I am not going to be calm about this. Dhriti was my responsibility. I am supposed to be protecting her, you know how bad the situations out there are, what if something happened to her?!"

He snapped, under the steel of his voice, a silver of ear rang through clear and bright, reflecting the terror that bubbled in his chest for the wellbeing of the girl who was like a sister to him.

Dhriti had been the only person out of his family who had shown him kindness, who didn't judge him right off the fact in the family he was born.

He owed her this much; he owed her safety and a good life.

"I understand that, but they are already feeling down! And I won't let you go in there this hot headed and mess this up for yourself! I won't see my brothers' tear into each other!"

Duryodhan snapped; his hands wrapped around Karn's bicep pulling him in the secluded part of the corridors.

The eldest born of Gandhari faced the sun god's child, his eyes blazing with protectiveness for his cousins.

No matter what he will not let Karn be foolish enough to tear into his brothers just because he is angry and can't think straight.

"You need to calm down, before you do something that you will regret Karn."

"I am already regretting trusting them with her safety, look what happened?!"

Wrath pierced through his words as he tugged his hands free from his best friend's grip.

Only God knew in what condition Dhriti will be in? He moved past Duryodhan, and marched to the door, slamming it open.

"How could you lose a girl!"

Karn shouted, slamming the doors to the Pandavas' private room where no one was permitted except the five, he had respected the rule as long as he was there, but not now.

They had lost Dhriti, she was his friend, his responsibility.

"Brother..."

Yudhisthir began, guilt masking his features, his gaze moving to his brothers who stood around him with similar expressions as they had been discussing new strategy to search her and the possible places she could be.

"Bhraata..."

Nakul began but was cut off by the sharp glare of Karn, who marched in as a predator.

"I want to understand how five of the mightiest soldiers couldn't keep one girl safe!"  Radhey roared gazing at his younger siblings, the fear of what could possibly have happened to her?

She was his responsibility, his friend.

Guilt swarmed him, he had been out on some political work, and didn't return till now and he had no idea that his friend had gone missing.

The five shifted over their feet, tension was thick in air.

Yudhishthir gazed at his older brother, he had failed at his responsibilities again.

Dhriti's smiling face merged with Drau's...he lost her.

He lost his wife and a girl that was his responsibility. He failed again.

Acid burned through his veins, he hadn't slept in past two weeks since she had gonen missing.

They had turned every stone, but it was like Drau...

No evidence whatsoever.

"What if something -"

Duryodhan was ready to jump in and protect his cousin's, when Karn suddenly froze.

His face paled, eyes widening significantly.

"Bhraata?" Bheem gazes at his oldest brother, who seemed to be rooted on his spot.

He turned to follow Kunti's eldest son's gaze, that seemed to have anchored on the huge potrait that hung over their bed.

Drau smiled through the potrait, her eyes cackling with the mischievous spark that lit her beautiful dark orbs with golden flakes, like a dark fire.

It was the first time Karn had seen Draupadi. Bheem knew that. People often had strong reactions when they saw Drau, because she was the most beautiful.

But this wasn't what the typical reaction that he was used to.

This was a look of horror.

"Whose that?"

Karn's voice was barely audible, blood roaring through his veins had frozen in that one millisecond.

"That's Draupadi." Duryodhan stated, confused at his friend's reaction.

"No. Impossible!" Karn suddenly roared, flipping the table sending it crashing through the wall.

The loud sound had the others jumping.

"I should have known! Fuck!" The eldest son of Kunti roared, fury hardening his features.

Arjun walked up to his brother, who staggered back, looking at the potrait of his wife.

He was utterly shocked and confused at the others. His oldest sibling was having a melt down in front of his eyes.

And there was hardly he could understand why.

His gaze met with Sehdev's who looked just as confused as him.

They moved simultaneously, cautionsly towards Karn.

"What happened?" Arjun whispered, wrapping his hands around his older brother's shoulder, making him face him.

The fury from moments ago had vanished, what left was pain.

Unadulterated agony with a good doze of terror.

Karn's glassy eyes met Arjun.

"I am sorry." He whispered, so brokenly that has Arjun's heart twisting in pain.

"I have seen you suffer for years helplessly." Tears traces down Karn's cheeks rapidly, as he cupped Arjun's face between his hands.

"I could have ended your pain. I could have. If only I had known. I am sorry. I wish I knew."

Agony rang through every word, that Karn spoke, his voice hoarse.

Arjun wrapped his hands over Karn's. His heart hurting for his brother.

"Whatever it is. We can fix it together. What happened? I don't understand. But please don't cry."

A line tear tracked down Arjun's face, his brother's pain, tearing his heart.

Karn met the gaze of all the men in the room, his eyes intently assessing his five siblings.

"What happened friend?" Duryodhan asked confused, wrapping his hand over Karn's shoulder, squeezing it with reassurance.

He was completely flabbergasted by Karn's sudden change in behaviour.

Karn didn't know how to explain to his siblings, that he knew who their Drau was.

And they had lost her once again.

The pain of telling them those words crippled his soul, flayed his heart into two.

His gaze locked at the smiling picture of his friend, the woman who was like a younger sister to him.

"That is Dhriti."

A deafening silence followed Karn's words, like the air in the room had been sucked out.

Yudhishthir clutched Karn's shoulders turning him, his fiery orbs locked with his eldest brother.

"What sort of joke his this?" Yudhishthir's heart pumped with fear and hope, a deadly combination.

This was the first news he had about his wife in years.

That she was alive.

Karn gazed in his eyes as he relayed his encounter with Dhriti, how they were good friends and Krishn had helped her with a spell to change her looks.

Stunned silence met Karn's words.

Before anyone could say anything, a loud squeal of an eagle pierced through the room, as a huge eagle flew through the balcony, landing on Karn's shoulder.

"Vishi." Karn gazed at the bird confused.

He had given her to Dhriti. How can...until...

He reached out for the necklace around the bird's neck in a hurry, pulling out a folded letter.

Relief flooded through his system as he looked at the writing.

"It's from Draupadi!" His words had everyone jolting in the room.

The Pandavas who had still been processing their brother's words, suddenly jumped out of their thoughts.

Their bodies pumping with adrenaline.

They couldn't believe it.

They had lost and found Drau in a moments time.

They didn't know what to make of this day.

Was this all a dream?

"Dear Karn,

I hope the letter finds you before it is too late.

I can't write much. But things aren't fine. My memory is playing tricks again, I can't remember anything that happened for past few months and my parents are getting me married.

I don't know what is the hurry?! Please you are the only friend I have. Please help me.

I can't marry.

And my consent to them doesn't matter.

Please help me.

Your Friend,

Dhriti."

A potent silence filled the room, the bodies of all seven men in the room vibrated with suppressed fury.

"I will kill him. I will kill every last one of them."

Bheem gritted the words out, his hands fisted as his jaw set.

"They think they can mess with us?" Duryodhan's words had a chilling cruelty to them.

"They dared mess with one of our own."

Nakul hissed. His usual joyous demeanor vanished into something scary.

"I want their blood." Arjun roared.

"And we shall have it." Yudhishthir's calm voice rang through the room.

The usual calm had the six shifting through the room, their gazes locked at the eldest son of Pandu.

"They will know pain like never before. I will make them so miserable that they will beg for death but it will be a mercy that won't be granted to them."

Leathal engery poured out of each word that the eldest son of Pandu uttered.

The utter calmness in his words, send chills through the air.

The realisation that Yudhishthir never lied, settled heavy in the air.

This words shall come true, and God bless those who had made themselves the target of Yudhishthir Kuruvanshi, the son of death God himself. . .

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