The Survivor's Secret

“How did you stay sane in the face of all that they did to you?” she asked after he had told his tale, the concern evident in her trembling voice.
He paused, deep in thought, before he replied.
“I always remembered the warrior Arjuna who would have been reduced to ashes early on in the battle under the rain of celestial weapons unleashed by Drona and Karna, had it not been for the  power of the man who silently guided him... the man holding the reins of his chariot who absorbed it all and allowed the warrior Arjuna to focus on his goal and eventually win against the odds. Only when it was all over did Krishna finally alight from the chariot and the true form of the disintegrated chariot was revealed.”

“In my worst moments, I too found an inner resolve I never knew I had – my own Krishna - which allowed me to suffer in silence but did not allow me to give up no matter how many times I was humiliated.” He turned away from the window and faced her finally, tears falling across his scarred cheeks. “I had faith in the charioteer of my destiny, knowing that I would find happiness once more if I just refused to give up.”
She tried to speak but knew she did not have the right words to convey her heart's voice and so just held his weary face in her soft hands and kissed him gently, sharing the same thought as this man she loved more than life itself.
Arjuna had finally won.

Author's note: This is my take for the Write Tribe Festival of Words 3 prompt - writing a piece of fiction containing exactly 9 sentences.