Drisana was laying down on the floor of her bedroom staring at the ceiling. Her pain was slipping free in the form of tears from her eyes, but the pain in her heart wasn't lessening even a bit. She closed her eyes remembering what took place a few days ago.

Being frustrated from not getting any news from Hastinapur, she decided to confront her Jyesth Dwijendra. She knew there was no way Nakul would remain silent for so long. There must had been some news, some message, something, anything but this silence. So, the question was why she hadn't heard about it. She went to the discussion room where Dwijendra was. As she came inside, he greeted her with a smile.

"What's going on, Jyesth?" Drisana asked after greeting him.

"What? What are you talking about?" Dwijendra asked.

"Don't tell me there hasn't been any news from Hastinapur. So tell me why I've not heard anything about it?" Drisana asked not beating around the bush. She had tried that with others before. No one answered her.

"You don't need to worry about that. We're here to handle it." Dwijendra said smiling at her.

"But I do worry because no one's giving me a straight answer. And what's there to handle Jyesth?" She asked frustrated.

"Drisana you're where you should be. With your family. You have no place in Hastinapur. It's better to just forget about Hastinapur and it's people." Dwijendra said casually.

"How can I forget Hastinapur? Yes, I'm with my family. But I've a family there too. Mata Kunti who accepted me as her daughter, Jyesth bhrata Yudhisthir, bhrata Bheem, bhrata Arjun, Nakul, Sahdev who protected me, stood with me at my distress. Devika jiji, Draupadi jiji who love me like a sister. How can I forget all of them? And why are you even suggesting that in the first place?" Drisana said wondering what was going on. Why did they want her to serve all ties with Hastinapur? She suspected it would take time to contact with Pandavs. Her family probably wanted her to spend more times with them. But she never thought they would forbid her to contact with Hastinapur's people.

"Rajkumar Nakul? I can understand your attachment with the others. But what about him? Who is he to you, Drisana?" Dwijendra asked staring at her.

"You know." Drisana stated after a while. She understood what this was. They knew about her and Nakul and they didn't approve. Too bad she wasn't going to take anyone's approval.

"Yes. All of us do. And it's Pitashree's decision that we brothers agree with. If you only wanted to meet them and ask about their well-being, there was no problem in that. But you want to be a part of them and that's not possible, behna." Dwijendra said. His voice gentle but firm too.

"Why not? Don't you think it's my decision to take?" Drisana asked with a blank face.

"Yes, it is. And it'll be. We will never force you to marry someone you don't want to. But you'll also need our blessings." Dwijendra said. What he meant was, they would let her choose the groom of their choice.

"What if I refuse to accept it?" Drisana asked sharply.

"We only want what's best -" Dwijendra started to say looking away from her but she interrupted.

"What if I refuse, jyesth?" Drisana asked again. Dwijendra looked at her. She was not going to back down so easily. He hated to do this.

"What other options do you have? Let's consider. Say by refusing you manage to return to Hastinapur, what then? Dravida will be humiliated by your that action. Do you want our father's head bowed? Do you want people to point at him and say that he's the King whose daughter has run away to her lover? Let's forget that. Will Rajkumar Nakul accept you if you go to him without our permission? Even if he does, Yuvraj Yudhisthir won't. He is a man who follows Dharma. And Dharma says a girl is her father's responsibility and he should be the one to find a suitable groom for his daughter. Yuvraj Yudhisthir won't let his brother marry you without our permission. And if Rajkumar Nakul goes against his brother, will you be able to live with being the reason of dispute among the brothers? Rajmata Kunti who loves you so much, will her love remain the same knowing because of you her son's are arguing? And those, who questioned your character before, they'll congratulate you for proving them right because they won't be the only one pointing fingers anymore." Dwijendra finished.

"Why? Why are you doing this?" Drisana asked gritting her teeth. She realised every word spoken by Dwijendra was true. Yudhisthir could have gotten them married long before. But he only waited for her father's permission. He even told them to keep their relationship a secret so her father wouldn't be forced to get them married to save face. She remembered him not saying anything when she left Hastinapur. He knew. He knew of this possibility. And her brother was right. Yudhisthir wouldn't let Nakul marry her without her father's permission.

"For your own good." Her Pitashree answered her question from behind. She looked at him as he came to stand in front of her.

"My good?! What good possibly it be? You're forcing me apart from those I love." Drisana said.

"Do you care for those Kauravs too? Have you forgotten what happened at the Raj sabha?" Maharaj Drishadvat asked his daughter. It hurt him to not give her what she wished for. But for children's own good sometimes Parents had to be firm. He wouldn't loose his daughter after getting her back.

"You only saw what Kauravs did, but didn't see the Pandavs who stood firm protecting me?" Drisana asked.

"Kauravs and Pandavs are not separated. Both represent Hastinapur. Pandavs protected you because of the promise given by Yuvraj Yudhisthir. They protected your life, but did they protect your honour? When you were questioned at the Raj sabha, did they came at your defence? Did they support you when you were asked to seek forgiveness? No. They didn't. And you know why? Because they can't go against their Maharaj and Jyesth Mata. Pandavs follow the path of Dharma, but Kauravs don't. They'll do Adharma and Pandavs will remain silent in the name of Dharma." Maharaj Drishadvat said.

"It's not like that -" Drisana started to say.

"Is it not? Then tell me what Yuvraj Yudhisthir said when you were questioned at the Raj sabha." Her Pitashree asked. And Drisana couldn't answer him as Yudhisthir only said to ask forgiveness even knowing she was not wrong.

"Yuvraj Yudhisthir will avoid confrontation with his Tatshree's family at any cost. It's not because he's afraid, but because he considers them his family. He didn't said a word in your defence because that would be insulting for his Jyesth Mata and he chose his Dharma as a son over the Dharma of a kshatriya to protect a girl's honour. If situation demands, he would bet his own brothers for his Dharma." Maharaj Drishadvat said not realising how true his words were going to be proved in the upcoming time.

"Every father wants his daughter to be married in a family where she will get love and respect. How can I send you there where you have already been disrespected?" He asked looking at her.

"If even I agree thinking that Rajkumar Nakul will be beside you and keep you happy, what is the surety that you'll even remain alive to be happy?" He asked surprising her.

"Yes, Putri. I know the fire in Varanavat was no accident and also who was behind it. How long the Pandavs have before they're striked again? If the enemies didn't hesitate even though Rajmata Kunti was there, why would they hesitate to harm you? You'll be specifically on their target. Rajkumar Duryodhan will never forget that slap. He's out for your blood already. How can I send you to live under the same roof where he resides?" There was no answer for that.

"I love him and I also trust him to protect me." She said lowering her eyes. That was the only thing she could think of to say. His concerns were real. He was right in his place. But she couldn't give up her love for those reasons. Even if she died, she would do it happily in his arms.

"But I have no reason to trust him. You'll have to forget him. Because I'll never send you to Hastinapur. I'll not send you in a place where your life and honour both will be at risk." Her father said determinedly. The steel of his voice shaked her to the core.

"What you're asking for is not possible, Pitashree. It's not possible for me to stay away and be happy." Drisana said firmly. No reason in this world was good enough for her to stay away from Nakul.

"I'm not asking. It's my decision that you'll have to accept. You'll learn to live and find your happiness elsewhere." Maharaj Drishadvat wasn't going to be swayed in this matter.

"No. I won't accept your decision." Drisana said stubbornly.

"You'll have to. If you have any respect for me, you'll respect my decision."

With that Maharaj Drishadvat left. Drisana couldn't think of anything. Her head was fuzzy. Dwijendra who was silently watching everything, kept a hand in her shoulder. She couldn't look at him. She needed to be alone. She left hurriedly as Dwijendra stared at her retreating back. He didn't wanted to hurt his sister, but he wanted to see her alive more.

"Why are you sitting in darkness, Rajkumari?" Tara, Drisana's handmaiden asked entering into the room. Drisana had previously gotten quite comfortable with her. Though the girl was a little feather-brained, she was hell effective.

"There is no light bright enough to illuminate my life, Tara." Drisana whispered. Her voice sounded hollow.

"What are you saying? Let me light the lamps first." Saying so Tara proceeded to lighten the room. When she saw Drisana laying down on the floor in a dishevelled state, she gasped. She had always seen Drisana as bold and beautiful. Even when her bhrata Dhritimat killed a man right in front of her eyes, others had screamed and cried in fear, but not her. She had stayed calm and composed. Tara thought her to be cold-hearted at first, but saw her soft side when she took care of an injured bird. Her liking of Drisana only grew when she saved her from a falling vase. She was afraid of punishment as the vase broke because of her mistake. But instead Drisana only asked about her wellbeing.

"What happened to you, Rajkumari? Are you alright?" Tara asked, worried for her. She was acting strange since a few days. Yuvrani Aanandini had also warned her to keep a close eye on Drisana.

"I'm not." Drisana replied not looking at her.

"Why? Did something happen?" Tara asked confusingly. What could possibly happen to the Princess who everyone adored.

"I'm hurting Tara." Drisana said. Not moving an inch from her position.

"Hurt? Where are you hurt?" Tara asked alarmingly.

"In my heart, in my soul. It's hurting a lot." Tara couldn't understand her meaning. How could she? She had never loved someone. Love that ran deeper than the ocean. Love which became the very blood that ran in her veins. Love that resided in every breath she took.
And that love was being separated from her. She was feeling suffocated, like her blood was rushing out of her veins, like she was drowning, like her heart would burst open anytime from the force of the pain.

It would have been better if she didn't love him so much. If she loved him a lot less. People find love and also get separated. But do they feel like this? No. They didn't. Then why was she feeling like this? Why she became so weak in love? Why her heart was unable to understand anything except him? Love, what had you done?

She said she wouldn't hesitate to do anything to be with him. But could she sacrifice her family's respect? Could she become the reason of her father's bowed head when he was only trying to protect her? Could she separate Nakul from his brothers? Could she be the subject of dispute between him and Yudhisthir? Could she bear hatred in Kunti's eyes? And the biggest question,
Would Nakul even go against his brother and Mata for her? Would he? She wasn't sure if she wanted the answer to that question or not. That's why probably they say, ignorance is bliss.

And with these thoughts pulling her in their clasp tighter and tighter, she lost herself into the welcoming darkness of her mind.

My initial draft :

"Pitashree, I can't live without him."

"You'll learn to live."

"No, I -"

"I don't want to hear anything else. This is my final decision. You have to accept it, you have my swear."

And it sounded so cliché, I almost gagged. 😳😳😂😂😂

No one wants Nakul and Drisana to suffer. Even I don't. But what to do. Drisana is going to return to Hastinapur as Vikarna's wife. 😧😧😧

"Mamma mia, I'm joking" 😆😆😆😆😆