Reaching the guest chamber,she shut the huge doors and slid against it. She looked around the room,and as if the gods had listened to her,the wind blew harder as the diyas were lit off and the curtains were open.

Arshia looked around the room and buried her face into her knees,as she finally burst out in tears. The chamber doors shook because of Subhadra's constant calling but Arshia couldn't care less.

She looked up and turned to her left,to see Dusshasan grabbing her hair and pulling her out of the chamber. She looked at the opposite direction and shook her head. She let herself scream,not caring of anyone had heard her.

Time passed and Subhadra's constant calling had faded away. Arshia had fallen asleep against the chamber doors, exhausted by the events of the day. As time passed away,the second dice game happened where Yudhishthir lost everything,that he had regained due to Draupadi,and the seven of them(The Pandavas, Draupadi and Arshia) were sent to 12 years of exile and 1 year of hiding.

The vigorous shaking of the chamber doors woke Arshia up. She heard constant callings of Karna. She stood up and backed away from the door, afraid that someone actually might rip it apart.

The door somehow opened and two people made their way in. Arshia covered her eyesight due to the sudden lighting and when she was able to see again,she saw Krishna and Karna entering.

Arshia's tears fell as she made eye-contact with Karna. She slowly walked to him and stood. She hugged him and rested her head on his chest.

"Thank you. Thank you so much Arya. For trusting,for believing in me." Arshia whispered, snuggling closer. Karna nodded against her neck and held her close. Arshia pulled away and looked at Krishna,her eyes void of emotions.

She felt herself falling to the ground and grabbing his feet. Her tears wet his feet as Krishna let his tears escape. He bent down and made her sit up. Karna sat behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

"This was meant to happen, didn't it?" Arshia whispered, looking straight into his eyes. Krishna shook his head and said "It was merely an unexpected event,sakhi."

"A good deed leads to a better deed while a bad deed leads to a worser one. The life of a person who commits misdeeds occupies hell sakhi and we have to wait for the right ti—"

"But I am the one who is experiencing agony Govind. How are they the ones who get to experience hell?" Arshia cut him off. "Then relinquish that agony,sakhi. What happened with you in Hastinapur,in this very ground,may have been your fault souly sakhi and the actions that happen after this will also be because of you." Krishna patted her head and continued

"When trash is thrown into the river,it flows into the ocean and cleans itself. You also hand over your pain to the almighty and cleanse yourself"

"You mean,I should forgive that court" Arshia said,anger clearly flowing out of her mouth. "Yes sakhi"

Arshia looked at him,shocked. Her bright red eyes flashed at Krishna.

"Have you gone crazy?" Arshia asked. "Arshia, don't" Karna warned. Arshia shook her head. "I have cursed to kill them and I will not back out of a promise,I will remind you of that"

Krishna stood up and extended his hand.

"Maharathi Karna,sakhi Arshia we shall proceed to Indraprastha." Krishna said. "I will roam around the streets of Hastinapur but will not go to Indraprastha" Arshia mumbled, shaking her head. "Vrishaketu is there,the Pandavas took him alongside. Let's go,just for the sake of Vrishaketu"

Karna said, taking Arshia in his arms. She rolled her eyes and nodded at him, closing her eyes. Krishna stared at his extended hand and let a small smile make up his face.

.

They entered the Indraprastha court and saw the Pandavas and Draupadi standing near a pot of fire. Arrogance crossed Arshia's face as she looked away. Karna,who was walking behind her,looked at her and shook his head.

Draupadi and Subhadra walked to Arshia and hugged them. Arshia shut her eyes tight and let tears drop. Her right arm was wrapped around Subhadra and left arm was wrapped around Draupadi.

"Arshia, Panchali" The three women pulled away and looked at Yudhishthir. He extended his hands infront of the fire and started "From these very hands,I threw those dice and made my brothers servents. I let my wife and sister face such an grave insult. Bheem had taken an oath to burn my hands. Remember your oath Bheem" Bheem harshly shook his head at his eldest brother's words.

"No Arya,you don't need to burn your hands" Draupadi pardoned. "Go ahead,Son of Dharmraj. Burn your hands and in the process,burn yours—"

"Arshia!" Karna warned. "I promised Arya,I am not backing away" Arshia's eyes darkened.

"It's my youngest sister's wish, Panchali and I shall fulfill it" Yudhishthir said, gesturing Bheem to do the deed. Tears rolled down his eyes as he grabbed Yudhishthir's hands and let it burn in fire. Arshia intensely looked at the fire as,to Yudhishthir,it grew hotter and the pain increased.

"Arshia" Karna whispered, breaking Arshia out of the immense amount of concentration on the fire. Krishna laid his palm on Arshia's shoulder, gaining her attention. He shook his head to which Arshia nodded and looked away.

"Can I?" Draupadi asked. Arshia nodded at her as Draupadi went to Bheem, removing his grip from Yudhishthir's arms. She pulled away Yudhishthir's hands from the fire as he bowed his head.

"Don't waste your energy on punishing yourself, Jyeshth. They,who have insulted both of my friends and those who are the cause of this state of yours,shall be punished" Krishna advised. "If the state of royal women is like this, imagine the state of ordinary woman in Duryodhana's kingdom. Give it a thought" Krishna said in a whispery tone.

"Justice and protection, it's your duty to establish them. It's your dharm. Not for revenge,you will have to fight for reality" Krishna laid in hand on his shoulder.

"Dharm. Yudhishthir and dharm going in a sentence should be punishable" Arshia thought moving her gaze at Draupadi. "Her churamani" Arshia thought, realising that it was missing from her hair.

"Here are you five gems from your churamani,which Madhav gave you" Arjun looked at Krishna. "But don't adorn them in your churamani. My vow was justified,until the war is not over,neither tie your hair nor wear your churamani. Your open locks will always remind us of our life's goal" Arjun said,anger lingering on his voice.

"If that's your promise,hear my revolution as well. Till my hair is bathed with Dusshasan's blood,I shall not tie my hair" Draupadi sweared. "We also have to fight for Arshia's oath, Arshia's promise to the Hastinapur throne" Nakul said, looking at Arshia. Arshia's ignored his voice and kept on looking at her wounded wrist.

Nakul sighed at her ignorance.

Sahadev walked to her and knelt down. Arshia's eyes flickered at him as she stared at him blankly. Nakul sat on his knee,just beside Sahadev and joined his hands.

"Forgive us,Arshia"

Karna walked back, knowing it would be right to leave Arshia be.

Arjun walked to his younger brothers and sat on his knees,right infront of Arshia. He,too,joined his hands and bowed his head. "I know we are not capable of being forgiven but we know what you are,what you can be. If you have it in your capacity,please forgive us. " Arjun said,tears escaping his eyes. Bheem made his way to Arshia and kneeled down to her left. Yudhishthir followed and kneeled down to her right.

Arshia looked at them,from left to right and clenched her fist.

"No I am do not have the capacity to forgive you all. No,I am not capable of forgiving you all. " Arshia said harshly. "Arshia, carefully" Krishna warned.

"Go on,side with your cousins but even gods can't calm down my rage. Until I have those 100 brothers blood my hands and I am not responsible for 100 deaths. Until the king of Gandhar doesn't bow down to me,I shall not forgive a single soul" Arshia said. Karna walked to her and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Please don't say such things,Arshe. You don't mean any words you are uttering. You will regret it all when you remember your own words. " Karna advised. "I will not re—"

"Yes you will. You will regret. You call me your better half, don't you? I know you better than you know yourself dear" Karna said. "So you advise me to forgive them?" Karna shook his head. "No, don't forgive them. It's up to you if you want to forgive them but in anger, don't end up cursing them" Arshia nodded at his words and turned to the Pandavas,who still sat on their knees with their head bowed down.

"You all are not forgiven."

"Pandavas,stand on your feets please" Karna said as the five followed. "How can we be forgiven Arshia?" Bheem asked, looking up at her.

"By waging a war"

.

"But I want to go with you" Karna said, stubbornly. Arshia looked at him weirdly and adjusted her churamani. Although she didn't take such a oath like Draupadi,she let her hair tie very lossly. Maybe it was because of comfort.

"What will Vrishaketu do without you?" Arshia turned to him and raised her eyebrow. "What will he do without you?Anyways,the kids are staying with Vasudev anyways" He said, bitterly. "I do not allow it"

"Arya,do one thing for me" Arshia requested. "What is it?" Karna asked.

"Befriend Duryodhana again"

. . .

Thank you!