DIFFERENT SURYAPUTRA

Chapter 39

Everyone was shocked too and they looked at him, they saw his eyes were red and body trembling. Even Karna was surprised to see the rage and intervention of Suyodhana, he was walking towards him to calm him down but was too surprised to move hearing what he said,

Suyodhana: Stop, this marriage can't happen.

Drupad: Yuvraj Suyodhana what are you saying?

Suyodhana: Truth.

Drupad was really worried he knew Suyodhana was Yuvraj of Hastinapur jence his words carried the weight and Prince of Hastinapur had to do what he ordered. He looked at Krishna who was surprised too,

Bheem: Suyodhana, why can't this marriage happen? Arjun clearly won.

Yudhishthir: I would like to know as well, Suyodhana. Being Yuvraj doesn't give you this right.

Suyodhana: Bhatata yudhishthir I am not saying this because I am Yuvraj but because it would not be correct to do so.

Krishna who kept his silence spoke,

Krishna: Yuvraj Suyodhana, can you tell everyone present here what is the reason behind your words? Sakhi is won by parth hence there should be no reason to stop the marriage ceremony.

Suyodhana: Dwarkadhish, the task was completed in two half by two persons so how is it Arjun won. Bhatata Vasusen has first lifted the bow and strung it so how just Arjun won by just piercing the eye of the fish?

His words left everyone speechless, thinking for a while everyone realized he spoke the truth. Drupad cursed his eagerness so did Arjun. Karna himself was stumped he wants to bash his head he never thought teaching Suyodhana to observant would create problems for him but before he could speak Suyo continued hence not giving him any chance,

Suyodhana: Moreover Maharaj, Bhatata Vasusen could complete the task easily as well by doing what you did, you have insulted him and Magadh.

Krishna: How is it an insult Yuvraj?

Suyodhana: Dwarkadhish, Maharaj has spoken and decided things without even consulting or asking Bharata Vasusen who was in the middle of doing the task. If this wasn't an insult then what is it? Provocation of war?

Drupad: War!!!!

His kingdom was still recovering from loss and in no shape to defend itself if they fought a kingdom like Magadh let alone along with all the vassal states and allies of Magadh. He was very scared of this moment.

Suyodhana: War has started for far less than this.

Everyone was perplexed but some were just enjoying the show.  They know whatever Suyodhana said was nothing but the truth. Suyodhana wasn't in mood to listen anything or anyone he was in a roll,

Suyodhana: Maharaj Drupad, today either my Bharata Vasusen would get married today or prepare yourself for the war.

Karna knew he has to speak now else or situation would degenerate further,

Karna: Suyodhana calm down.

Suyodhana: Bhatata Vasusen, you may remain unaffected by your insult but I can't. Maharaj Drupad have you invited us for swayamvar or to insult us?

Pandavas knew if war happened then they would have to fight alongside Magadh because of orders of King of Hastinapur and they knew putra moh of their tatshree. It would lead them to lose their alliance a

Drupad: Dwarkadhish do something, please?

Krishna: Maharaj what Yuvraj Suyodhana is saying is also true. This is a very troubling situation. If you had two daughters then it could have been avoided because Swayamvar was for Panchal Princess.

Drupad suddenly regained his hope, yes he forgot he had a useless daughter as well.

Drupad: Yes, I almost forgot I have two daughters but how will it help now Dwarkadhish?

Krishna: Maharaj have you forgotten, swayamvar is arranged for panchal Kumari and Magadhraj himself hasn't heard the full invitation as per your messenger. All he knows and comes for is swayamvar of Panchal Kumari not specifically sakhi. He himself can't deny it all we need to do is somehow ask princess shikhandini to agree to this. Moreover, if the youngest daughter gets married before her elder sister it's not very good. In this way you will get an alliance of Pandavas as well as Magadh.

For Power hungry person like Drupad, the proposal was too beneficial to deny. He didn't care for anything else than to push away the looming threat of war and getting Arjun as his son in law. For pairing between his useless daughter and low born is not something unacceptable for him. He has a rigid mentality. Both the caste system and failure of shikhandi was apparent for him. He would definitely not hesitate to pawn her off may Whatever her life would be after this marriage. She was simply a tool for him against bheeshma but she was useless against his grandsons who just came out of gurukul so he failure was pretty apparent. If this was her fate then be it.

If her life was going to be hell because of whatever happened today he would simply wash his hands from that. He didn't have any so called parental love, the defeat in the hands of Arjun was  humiliating and he wanted him as a weapon against drona. That would be his biggest revenge. He is care for alliance with magadha Because he has alliance with Dwarka and soon Hastinapur's would be his ally if he could just delay a little.

According to him, trading a useless daughter for his future plans was a good deal in itself. Even if Magadhraj or hastinapur Yuvraj deny this, he could somehow make the situation in his favour and he believed through some negotions the war could be avoided. Arjun would be his son in law and not everyone in Hastinapur's could be controlled by Suyodhana. He has heard thr unabashed praise of devputra of Hastinapur so he knew they have that much backing and with eldest Pandavas alive surely there would be conflict in hastinapur about throne. All in all he could delay the war if not completely avoid it.

While both Drupad and Krishna were talking in silence, the atmosphere in the hall was awkward to say the least. Everyone was tense about what's going to happen now.

Draupadi was standing beside Arjun clearly stating she was willing to marry him only. Rest Pandavas came beside them and stood as if they were protecting them.

Suyodhana, Ashwatthama were looking at the stage where Drupad and Krishna were talking while Karna was standing there stupidly not knowing that the mischievous lord of nature was playing his games again.

Dhrishtadyumna was standing there looking at the crowd who were enjoying the show and even shikhandi was looking at everything flabbergasted not knowing her fate was going to be sealed by her father.

After a while Drupad addressed Suyodhana and everyone present there, he regained his confidence and addresses the crowd,

Drupad: Today is the day of auspicious occasion in Panchal and in this auspicious occasion there would be no war. Since we have such a predicament then there is a solution as well. Well we can't just marry a woman with two men for a reason. Moreover my daughter Draupadi has chosen Panduputra Arjun as her life partner and he did complete the task hence it can't be denied. But Magadh Raj has also been part of task so to find the middle ground I have consulted Dwarkadhish and we came up with an optimum solution that I propose, the hand of my eldest daughter and former senapati of panchal, panchal Kumari Shikhandini to Magadhraj. Let it be known that I never had the intention of insulting anyone present here.

Drupad words were like a bomb that detonated in the hall. Everyone was shocked and had unbelievable expressions on their face but none more than the supposed bride and groom.