Chapter 6
Chapter 5: The Gathering Storm
Vasusena returns to the slums with Kunti, where Radha and Adhiratha welcome her. Dronacharya arrives with a warning that Duryodhana is mobilizing. Krishna and Rama counsel patience. Shakuni and Duryodhana plot from their tower. Vasusena agrees to leave the slums to protect his family, setting off with Krishna and Rama at dawn.
The rain had stopped by the time we reached the edge of Hastinapur. The neon signs of the slums flickered weakly, their violet and blue light reflecting off the wet pavement like scattered jewels. I walked beside Kunti, my mother, though the word felt strange in my mouth. She moved with a quiet dignity, her worn sari trailing in the puddles, her eyes fixed ahead.
Behind us, Krishna and Rama followed at a distance, their footsteps soft and unhurried. Rama carried that heavy black sports bag over his shoulder, his posture rigid, his gaze sweeping the shadows. Krishna, as always, wore that calm, knowing smile, as if he could see the end of this story and found it amusing.
Our house stood at the end of a narrow lane, the corrugated iron roof glistening with moisture. A warm glow spilled from the kitchen window, and the smell of frying flatbread drifted out into the cool night air. My chest tightened. This was home. This was where Radha and Adhiratha waited, unaware of the storm bearing down on us.
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