51 : || Essence Of Lives ||

                                    

                                          
Dark clouds covered the night sky, refraining the Moon and Stars to shower its ethereal glow over the mortal world. 
The entire city of Hastinapur was covered in darkness of sorrow, witnessing a horror filled vision of their Yuvrani lying in her own pool of blood. 
There was that faint wish of her still breathing, and the subjects prayed for her. 
The Royals were standing outside the joint chamber of the Pandavas, where Panchali was taken and being treated. 
Streams of tears were flowing down their cheeks while the five husbands of Panchali just had their gazes fixed on the blood trail that followed to the closed chamber. 
The previous tears dried up pretty soon when the Royal Physician closed the door behind. Their eyes were dead, beholding hollowness within it. 
Well, Nakul tried to treat her but he himself wasn't in any good condition to do so, as his hands shook watching the excess blood loss and her lifeless body. 
And Sahdev didn't have the courage to even try. He feared, what if one wrong step led her to...? 
"Bhanumati, calm down... She'll be fine." Duryodhan tried to console his wife, but it went futile. 
Though he didn't care about whatever happened anyone associated to his cousins, but the horrible view of his wife's friend, made him feel a little bad. 
He never wanted anything wrong with Panchali, nor wanted to involve her in his malicious ploys against his cousins. Because, she was the one for whom his sister's life was saved from marrying that manwhore Jayadrath. 
And for that he would be indebted to her. Well, not to forget his beloved wife considered Yuvrani as her confidant. 
"Arya, if something happens to Panchali, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself." Bhanumati mentioned, crying heavily. 
Her face turned red for continuous crying and sobbing. She was heavily guilt ridden for whatever she said Panchali. 
"It was all my fault. I was the one to say those things to her. I am at fault." She wanted to curse herself more, breaking down in tears. 
"No Putri, please don't blame yourself. Whatever happened I know it wasn't well, but nobody is at fault over here. I also want Putri Panchali to be fine but-" Gandhari also tried to console her. 
"No Mata, after Panchali wakes up, how am I going to show my face to her. I am supposed to be her friend, her confidant. Then how can I act so impulsive to insult her openly. She must have been feeling betrayed and hurt." She spoke, hiccuping slightly while crying. 
"Bhanumati... Bhanumati, calm down. You will fall sick if you went on with crying like this." Duryodhan hugged her, his own heart pained watching his beloved wife going through a dilemma. 
His Angvastra soon damped with Bhanumati's tears, as she cried muffling, "Arya, Panchali..." 
"Shh she will be fine." He cooed her, caressing her back in a soothing manner. 
Kunti wiped her tears for the umpteenth time, watching her sons' hollow eyes stuck on the floor. 
And she knew it wasn't just the floor, their gaze was fixed on her daughter-in-law's blood. 
Her heart pained and broke several times in guilt, for how she behaved with Panchali that morning. 
But how would she understand that for wanting happiness of her sons, she didn't want Panchali to go through such pain. 
She had considered the Princess of Panchal as her own daughter, which she craved her entire life. She loved the girl a way too much. 
And mother do scold her daughter, right? She did the same.