Yudhishthir's POV:-

Rushing into the Indraprastha, we ran towards the chamber of Panchali.

"After returning from Hastinapur, she went straight into her chamber."
We were informed.

'Into her chamber'
This sentence scared me.

The paths that take towards her chamber are all disturbed. The floor is marked with her blood stained footsteps. All the way, she walked pushing and throwing the things whatever she reached out. The large metal vase lying with falling fragrance flowers, everyday, which she used to decor it carefully as a loving routine. And the ornate sculptures, I remember, once, she was talking with these playfully, in her initial days in Indraprastha. It's broken now, shattered in the floor with dust and - her blood stained palm marked on it.

Running, pushing all the things coming in front of her. That is scaring us a lot. Crossing through the inner palace, she let herself in her own chamber and locks the door. Followed her as fast as we could, still, we couldn't hold her. The door is locked. No sound from inside is coming to our ears.

I try to squeeze my eyes, whereas all the breath inside me is counting the beads of the outcome of some unknown fear.

The inner palace is deserted. No one is here.

"Panchali- Panchali—"
the trembling voice of mine and all my brothers' voices are echoing and hitting us only. Steadily with our fast steps all of us stop in front of the closed door of her chamber.

It's locked. The fear within us recounts.

Even from inside, no sound is coming.

Looking at each other's faces, telling each other through eyes,
"Panchali- Krishnaa—" I call out.
Slowly, I'm trying to maintain a calm call. My heartbeat rises high, delusion between whether she will respond or not. And claiming my fear— she doesn't. She doesn't respond. The blank eyes with exploded vision ooze the long trail of teardrop.

We can't lose her here.

"Panchali- —...  Panchali—" Bhim, followed by Arjun calls again, wiping his teardrop of not acceptance in one palm-back, and with another palm bangs the metal door. The bare palms of them get injured, even bleed from Arjun's hand but the door doesn't open, making us understand -
what barrier we have created among us.

"Is she alright? Is she ok-a-y!!??" Sahadev's voice trembles. A fear has encircled him too!?

My tears aren't stopping now. I can't lose my love, my Draupadi.. she is my every—thing!
"Kalyani, please please", in my heart I am begging her. "Please my love- just one time come in front of me. Everything, every punishment will be alright except your separation, please-" my anxious heart calling her in repetition.

What has happened to her!

"Krishnaa, Krishnaa, open the door..."
Nakul too says banging his hand on the door. But nothing happens. As usual. All of our breaths fill with tension. With the tense faces, we stare at each other. Our gaze was helpless; Knowing it more that this door can't be broken. Moreover we don't want to. In our wholesome life since Panchali's coming, we never ever dare to do any action without her will. Breaking the door, we can't disrespect her... But— we want her!

Sighs...

"Panchali— please!" I concentrate once again. On her...

✿📜✿
"Arya, nothing can come between our way" she says. Holding my hand on one of our initial evening, she looked at me playfully. Her black lotus eyes have fixed over me. How serene her vision is! How calm her words are!

"And if you don't let me?" Circling my arms around her shoulder I ask.

"Why wouldn't I?" Her arms crossed me holding tightly. Resting the side of her head on my chest she snuggles. "Whatever on this earth happens, whatever in our life happens, I will let myself be allowed for my Aryas."

"Nothing will happen to you my love." My lips touch her head- forehead. "Your Aryas will never let anything happen to you."

"So, my protector Aryas!" She smiles. "Even if my Aryas themselves make anything happen to me, I will still come to my Aryas only. Holding you this way only, I will complain about you, to you."

I smiled at her.

✿📜✿
....

I promised her the smile too... that day. But I couldn't keep my words today. How I forgot this! I only hurt her. Crossing the limit I hurt her. She never ever thought I could do this to her. She called me a protector- her protector! Even in that sabha, she was claiming it by screaming my name again and again with releasing all her breath, soul, life— and I... ...

"Panchali- Panchali— my love" I call her once again, in my mind, with my trembling soul, collecting all my faith for the love she has for me.
"I know, I hurt you way too much. I also know, still you love me. I know, what pain you have gone through, what pain you are going through, for which any punishment will be less for me. Still, please, if my love towards you is real, if the cosmos thinks I am little capable enough to console you, to heal you, to protect you, or to care for you, then this door will open."
I murmured to myself. "Please allow me to go near my love. I don't want anything more to happen to her. She needs us, her Aryas need her."

My words stop. I am not able to say any words.
I will not be able to take anything anymore, if anything happens to her. Probably I will kill myself, but before everything, even collapsing into my life, the world, or my world, I want to see her.
I want to see her.
I want to see her...
...
My whole heart is beating by counting the beads of the time.

The door opens.

Making all of us surprised.

A slight relief breath escapes from our mouth. The crackling metal sound, and moving its two iron ornate bodies of the gate hide into the dark, the darkness suppresses us.

All dark inside.

The closed curtains, the uneven floor covered carpets and on which the fallen decors she has shattered.

We with the slow steps walk inside.

Piercing all the numbness and darkness, a faint sobbing hits our eardrum. Pressing her two lips she is trying to be silent but she can't. Her heavy breath is falling soundly.

The heart inside my chest aches. Crushing my jaws together, I squeeze my eyes utmost. How painful that sound is!

On the steps of the bed chamber her devastated figure is sitting, a faint silhouette is visible. Hearing out steps, struggling herself she stands.

"Panchali—" all of our voices call in chorus, like saying that word out life gets living support, or else we are five dying bodies.

Her figure turns and moves a little, she is trying hard to push her body to walk. Nakul, pulling his sharp sword from his waist band threw across the room, slicing all the closed curtains. At instant the chamber burst into a harsh light glow. Panchali tries to lift her arms over her head.

I look at her in the glow. She is badly wounded. Her fine skin has turned blue-black and numerous deep cuts and bleeding. Her slender body is shivering. And her eyes- red, shedding tears, smeared with the kohl she once had put so carefully. She is staring at us only with blank eyes. Her lips are half open, dry blood clots. And her attire— curls around her waist and the drape loosen down from her hands exposing her shoulders— I can't even look at it...

"Arya!" Her voice is low and exclaiming.  "You all have come!"

This voice is so vulnerable for us she doesn't know. A hope, a pain, a belief, and a relief too. Knowing every time we all will be here for her, still locking the door even for us only. She is the one for whom we are standing here in the Indraprastha again. Releasing us from the slavery, she only said, "I only want my husbands."

Walking with fast steps I proceed towards her. Her eyes curve, her eyebrows squeal.

Don't cry... don't cry... I keep murmuring for her. But-

A humm sound of crying from her throat comes.  "Why are you coming here now?" She asks.
Her- that voice—The mix of rage yet a lot of pain and some huff, for me ...

"I- I am—"

She doesn't give me a chance to say sorry. She starts to fall on the floor.

"Krishnaa — Panchali—"

Arjun, Bhim, Nakul, Sahadev all rush towards her immediately to hold her, crossing me. But I remain standing there. I don't know why, but, I couldn't move a single step towards her. I am at the bottomest of my emotions. She just collapsed down, because of me. How much suffering she has been carrying, which makes her here, like this! I am guilty of her. All these she is suffering because of me. On what basis I will take her in my lap to console? What will I say? Are you okay? Or Everything will be fine?

She is caged between her husbands' arms. How delicately she is getting treated. Caressing her head, how carefully Nakul is wiping her face with water. Not even sprinkling, if she gets hurt, if her wound would burn. Her body is supported so strongly by Bhim. Massaging her lower back. She is on her menstruation, it's having a lot of painful cramps.
"Open your eyes, Panchali- yes dear, slowly" The murmuring voice of Arjun, how patiently he is working on her. Rubbing her hands, palms, feet. Sahadev fanning her and murmuring something near her ears. Her eyes are now half-open, still blank. She is not in the state of responding to anything. Pulling herself and with the support she is sitting amidst, but we all know she will lose senses anytime. So, her head slowly makes to rest on Arjun's shoulder. And with her half open eyes, she stares blankly towards me. Her breathing is slow.

My eyes are bursting open, fixes towards her only. My lips are numb, my body is motionless, I have forgotten how to move my body. Tears are rolling down through my cheeks. I have never seen her like this. She is so precious to me, top adorable to me, many many more she is top priority me which I can't even explain but— now whom I am staring at. So many years, so many promises, so many duties, responsibilities, love, affection... All this feels lies now towards her from me. I don't want this. I forgot my senses. What is she feeling now? She is really hating me. I will never be able to be the same for her. She will never run back to me after every minor inconvenience, silly questions, she will never complain, huff, those little angers—

Her eyes closed and the head fell rests and she collapsed again into senseless.

This time I couldn't stay in that place. Each of my skin is fighting against me for her. I can't keep her stay like this. This is a goddess, the queen of the kings, this is not what she should be, injured, sick, struggling to live.

"Yagyaseni—" I try to run towards her. My lips are changing every prayer of every god for her well-being...

But—

"Samrat!" the door guard announces.

All my hope suddenly turns into fear. I can sense this familiar fear again. One glance I turn towards the door, another towards unconscious her and again then, without even wanting... towards the door...

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Bhim's POV:-

Carrying her from floor to bed was one of the toughest tasks we have ever done. Her delicate body becomes stiff in pain. All her attire is tattered and wet in blood. Separating her broken ornaments slowly one by one, saving her from getting injured by those, and few pieces which were pierced on her fine skin, again those blood clots. This much miserable could happen!

We four aren't even able to keep her calm. Her body is still cocooning in pain. Her fingers clutching our angavastra (attires) and burying our skins.

"She is having unbearable pain! my god.. How will we keep her stable!?" For the first time I had seen the fear in the eyes of Arjun, only for her. Pandavas were helpless, they are in horror for her.

Hot water- medicine- massages— what more.. what more to get her well? We are searching like mad. My head is bursting in anger, my heart is burning in rage. Once I get those Kauravas, I will show them what the dance of death feels like! What does pain look like and what is chivalry!!

"It's having a lot of pain, Arya" she mumbles.

"It will heal soon, love." We try to assure.

"Sure?" She looks at us with pity eyes.

"Yes yes" I nod. We all nod.

Clutching our hand, she turns herself around. We feel we can assure her. She feels relieved now. Covering her with a duvet, I caress her head. The wet hair locks, damp forehead, and her wide open eyes, glancing at each of us one by one.

"Where is Arya Yudhishthir?" She asks. "Why doesn't Maharaj come to me?" Her eyes are teary.

A woman! What does she have to bear? All her words are just a glimpse of all...

"Jyesth is— here only— maybe he is— just.. busy— I mean- yeah. He will be soon, no worries." Arjun stammers. What words could fit with her consolation, no one could assume now. And actually, we four were only into her only till now. I turn my eyes around, he is nowhere to be seen. Nakul and Sahadev are too busy with Panchali to know about him.

"Where is Jyesth?" Arjun asks me.

"I don't know!" I reply in low voice and eye movement. "Let me check."

Resting Draupadi's hand from my grip, I try to get up from her bed.

"Where are you going Arya? You are also going?" She asks me, gripping my palm again.

"No no, my dear. I am not. I am not going anywhere." I shake my head on either side. "I am going to see for Maharaj Yudhishthir only. I will be back with him, sure!" I replies. Caressing her head, palms, patting her cheeks.

For a long time, she looks at me. Then, she slowly leaves my palm. "Okay." She lets me go.

I exhales. Wiping my sweat, teardrops. "Where is Samrat?" I ask the chamber guard to walk to the door. The guard lowers his head. His eyes fall on the floor and a faint fearful voice comes from his throat -

"One messenger from Hastinapur has arrived, Yuvraj."

.................................. to be continued....