WEAPON OF GOD :: Mahabharat

CH.70. PREMEDITATED

Dussashan's embrace got tighter, but he couldn't feel Evi's arms around him.

"Are you angry?" Dussashan asked, cautious about his words, something that he wasn't before.

As he broke the hug and pulled himself out, he felt a metal inbetween them. As he inspected it, it was the necklace that he had given her years ago. He smiled, knowing that if she kept wearing the necklace, it meant that she wasn't as furious as he thought.

Evi was, on the other hand, overwhelmed by the emotions. Dussashan, who she had last seen breaking down in front of Duryodhan's pyre, was now more of a reflection of Duryodhan himself. Alas, the Kauravas were made out of the same flesh, their appearances, just like their names, held an uncanny resemblance to one another.

She couldn't bring herself to hug him back, she was the one who stole his brother away, the one who made Dusshala sad and the one who changed the family dynamics.

"I am sorry... Dussashan" were the first words she told him after the 25 years of separation, " I am sorry about everything"

Evi cried, as Dussashan shushed her, embracing her even more.

Anant stood in confusion, as the only thing he knew about Evi was her hand, and the heaps of letters in his mother's room, dedicated to her.

He never dared to read them, as he could only hear his mother cry while looking at them, and gradually harboured a hatred for the person named Evi.

Once, in gurukul, he had heard the name Evi, from none other than Rudra. And that's when, he decided to befriend him, to track the person named Evi. But the friendship, which started with a plan, grew into companionship with Rudra's cheeriness almost making Anant forget about his hatred towards Evi.

However, he was reminded once again, about Evi. Since the day he became Arjun's apprentice, he had non stop heard Evi's name in the mouths of the Pandavas. Days went by, as he scourged the Hastinapur palace to find more about Evi, but weirdly, none of the princes were told about her either.

" Where's Dusshala?" Evi asked, as her gaze darted to Anant.

"Why do you need to know?" Anant's curt tone was clear.

"Anant, watch your tone" Dussashan scolded, although confused as to why Anant was acting hostile to Evi.

"Why should I uncle?" Anant said, now crossing his hands over his chest, "this person, who CLAIMS to be my mother's friend is the reason why she cries to sleep every night. Since the day I remember, my mother had been crying over her, and NOW she shows up?"

"Dusshala has been crying?" Evi said, her chest constricting.

"It hasn't been easy for her" Dussashan said, "its not your fault.... But your absence has been hardest for her"

" I.... I really don't know what to say except apologise-"

"APOLOGISE!?" Anant howled, " do you EVEN know how much she had been suffering? She always puts on a happy facade for me and Avanti but we both know how difficult it is for her. I TRIED TO SHIELD AVANTI , But she had been bereft of a mother for as long as I remember! YOU HAVE DESTROYED A MOTHER'S LOVE FOR HER CHILDREN-"

A sharp slap covered Anant's face as Dussashan stood huffing in anger.

"DUSSASHAN!" Evi stood between Dussashan and Anant, "HE'S A CHILD! HE SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED-"

" I AM NOT A CHILD!" Anant screamed, " and I DON'T CARE if I have to be punished for speaking against the injustice my mother had to go through"

"You don't even KNOW what you're talking about ANANT!" Dussashan howled, as soon the other members of the family came due to the commotion.