A Different Path

Threat

"I'll take any life where my family is safe, where I get to serve my parents and where there is no adharma. I have no greed for anything beyond that."

Satyasena flared at the subtle indication. To think that being confident of one's self-worth would be equated to greed was enough to send him over the edge.

"To value oneself is not greed. You and I, we are capable of being something greater than this! Is this how you want to spend the rest of your life? Hiding? You, you were meant to be king!"

Vrishasena's steely eyes barely blinked as he neared him with a ferocious gait. "I have no need to be a king. I have seen what it leads to and what sacrifice it requires." Vrishasena stopped abruptly, closing his eyes for a second. When he opened them, his demeanor had changed slightly, as if a pain deep within his soul had unleashed itself before being repressed by his forbearance.

Satyasena staggered back. This was a side of his brother; he had never seen. Neither had Chitrasena, apparently, who appeared equally stumped by his unfinished tirade.

"Vrishasena, what is happening? Why are behaving like this?" He said in a soft voice that was almost lost to the winds that growled and roared around them like a fierce tiger on a hunt. These were winds that were meant to be stopped only by the mountains for their gait could be challenged only by the strength of the snow-capped peaks. Satyasena was glad since this would ensure that their raised voices would not reach their cottage. He had no intention of upsetting their mother.

"Brother! Answer me." Chitrasena yelled out again, in desperation.

Vrishasena's body was still tense as he turned his neck to the right, looking at the mountains through the foggy tentacles of clouds that hovered around them.

"Talk to me."

"There is nothing to talk about. I need him to stop sulking. What is gone is gone."

"No, Elder Brother. You may be accepting of this fate, but I am not." Satyasena said. He closed in on Vrishasena, breathing heavily, staring straight into his eyes. As if daring him to oppose his decision.

"The fact that our family survived that cataclysmic war is not enough? That all our brothers are safe is not enough?" He grabbed his arm again and wrung it hard, "That father is here with us is not enough?"

"You think I am not grateful?" Satyasena hit back, anger rising with each passing second. "Do you think I am not thankful every day that I did not lose my family?"

"Then what is it that disturbs you?"

"Everything we left behind!!" Satyasena screamed out. Confusion and frustration were strengthening their hold on him. How was he not getting it?

"What of all our friends and family back home? You say that my brothers are safe and yes, they are, but what of Lakshman Kumar? He is my best friend! Yet he is still back home. I left him behind. Do you think he is doing all right? He's got no one! And Uncle Duryodhana? Heaven forbid anyone be met with a fate as cruel as his. Having to watch his brothers be slaughtered in manners as brutal as possible.......what about him? Did he not care for us, Vrishasena? Was he not the first one after Father to hold you in arms? Have you forgotten?..............And the kingdom? What of the kingdom, Vrishasena? Without Father, a war is raging in Anga! Multiple factions each driven by self-interest have driven the land to strife and tragedy!"