WEAPON OF GOD :: Mahabharat

CH.52. GUILT

" How will Rajkumari be divided Munivar? Can't she choose one of them just like her sister?" Karna asked as the rituals got over. The night had engulfed the surroundings, but he was in a hurry to leave for Hastinapur.

" Bhabishree took on misfortune instead. I don't want Panchali to go through more troubles" Arjun stated, receiving a nod from everyone else.

" Munivar, whatever you suggest, I am okay with it" Draupadi said while folding her hands.

Evi eyed Ved Vyas, waiting for his solution. " It should remain the same right? That Draupadi will be the wife of one person at a time for a whole year? If we go by age then... shouldn't I be the first one to go? The Pandavas know about my age so they shouldn't oppose it much... Maybe Draupadi will stabilise as she gets to spend time with me, although I am not sure if I see her as my wife or not-"

" She will remain the wife of one of you at a time,for a year each, while the others should treat her as a sister-in-law." Ved Vyas stated.

" Then from whom will it start?" Arjun asked, eager to know about his position.

" The claim would depend upon the sequence of birth"

The Pandavas looked at Evi, as they knew she was hundreds of years old, but Ved Vyas looked at Karna.

" Which means" he continued, " the first one Rajkumari Draupadi would be claiming is Angraj Karna, then Rajkumar Bheem, then Rajkumar Arjun, followed by Rajkumar Nakul, Rajkumar Sahadev, and at last, Lady Evi"

" HUH!?" Everyone including Evi gasped at Ved Vyas's order.

" Shouldn't this be based on age Munivar.... Or atleast Maturity?" Evi opposed, " Shouldn't Draupadi start with the person she feels the most comfortable with?"

" Sequence of birth dictates the rule of marriage, Lady Evi. Maturity is in fact subjective. If maturity was a rule for marriage, many men and women would never marry. And as per Rajkumari's choice.... you wouldn't want to create a rift between the brothers would you?"

Evi went silent as the Pandavas, including Karna eyed her suspiciously.

" Munivar... Evi is clearly older than the Pandavas.... how can she be born later than them?" Karna asked.

" I am sure she can answer all of your questions. But it will take time, do you have such time on your hands Angraj?"

Karna realised that he was getting late, and whatever decision was to be taken with respect to Draupadi, didn't matter to him that much. She was safe, and so were the others. That's all mattered to him. His only duty, now left, was to help his best friend.

Karna left on his horse while the Pandavas stayed back, unsure of what to do. Their duty was to supervise Khandavprastha, but their home was in trouble. They were rusticated from Hastinapur, but they couldn't just let war befall on them suddenly.

" Let's wait for Jyesth's orders" Bheem ordered as the six of them waited around the cave.

Soon, Ved Vyas left too, after consoling Draupadi for all the mishaps that had happened. But before he could go away, Evi stopped him and asked in a hushed tone, " Will everything else happen too?"

" Prophecy is changeable" Ved Vyas informed, " but the future doesn't look too good either from now on. Wars will still happen, people will stll die. Kuruskhetra war wasn't the only war fought in this timeline. It was the biggest, yes, but atlast the only changes it brought was in the area of Aryavarta and a bit of trade from the north. And as Devi Parvati had already informed you.... think about YOUR escape, Evi. That's the biggest help you can do to this world right now"
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