"How did he agree?" asked Laxmana, as he watched his father stabling himself steadily.
Ira raised a eyebrow, "Have your Mamashri ever won against me in words?"
"Not in words, mostly in brawn," He replied cheekily. Ira swatted his head gently, "Brat!"
Duryodhana looked at them with soft gazes, as he addressed Ira, "Bhabhishri, when would he have told me?"
"Never."
Ira watched as Duryodhana's face fell, eyes staring with an unseen haze on the floor. She got up and stood in front of him. Tilting his chin, so she could make the taller man meet her eyes, she said, "You know Vrisha well, Suyo. What do you think he might have been thinking?"
"He knew if he told me, I would not have created a war. I want to fulfill my ambitions, but I need him."
"Would you do the same thing now?"
"Always."
Ira nodded, "Good. Just so you know, Vrisha does not want the throne of Hastinapura. He doesn't want his birth truth to come out in open either."
"I won't let that happen," He replied, eyes darkening at the thought that Rajmata Kunti, someone who was related to him was so cruel with an innocent life.
"Do you know the whole story regarding--? Can you tell me?"
"Say no more," said Ira, "I know the story and yes, I will tell you."
"Everyone is asking for the three of you, Maharani," said Maya, as she came in.
Ira nodded, "I expected the call. Same or some added ones are present?"
"Same," replied Maya, "Just Rajkumar Abhimanyu and his wife had been send to the Pandavas camp. Rajmata Kunti was escorted back too by her handmaiden Priyamvada."
"Alright," said Ira, glancing at Suyodhana, whose face resembled an ice block, "Are you ready?"
He nodded at the question, too furious at the injustice done to his best friend to even speak out loud.
"Let's go then."
Ira walked back towards the outer area of the tent that currently played host to the Grandsire Bhishma, the Pandava brothers, their common wife Draupadi, their cousin Krishna and his sister Subhadra.
Along with them, to her surprise, present there was Drona, the teacher of both Kauravas and Pandavas, Kripa, the Royal preceptor and Vidura, the Prime Minister, all belonging from Hastinapura, but staunch sympathizers of the Pandavas.
They must have arrived after Maya disappeared from their sight to call them. Her loyal friend would have mentioned them otherwise.
She could feel Duryodhana tensing beside her, although his expressions nor his body gave away his unease. She knew he would feel alone as the presence of the elders solidified that the chances of him winning was now negligible.
"Laxman," She said to the nephew she adores, "Go and speak with Vrishasena. He must still be at his tent."
Her obedient nephew complied without any immediate questions. She did not miss his worried glances thrown towards his father. She gave him a reassuring smile in response.
"Shall we get this started then?" said Ira, as she took a seat in a nearby chair, conveying a bearing befitting of an Empress rather than a Queen, "Do take a seat. I have no intention to waste my entire day on all of you, so kindly do not be so slow."
"A Sutputri has no place in these meetings," muttered Drona, eyes filled with contempt.
"Yet one word from this Sutputri could easily have you in troubles with the Kuru Maharaja Dhritarashtra," said a vicious voice.
Everyone looked towards the entrance to notice the Yuvarani of Hastinapura standing there with contempt filled look.
Bhanumati glided towards where everyone has sat, surprising everyone other than Duryodhana, when she bend to touch Ira's feet, "Bless me, Jiji."
"Akhanda Saubhagyavati bhava!" blessed Ira, a smirk playing on her lips.
Bhanumati had arrived just when she was about to snap back at Drona for his words. Her husband may have been unresponsive about such crude comments, but she wasn't.
"My apologies," said Bhanumati, her nonchalant tone addressing Ira, "I arrived a bit late. I got delayed."
"You're perfectly on time, my sister. What had you delayed?"
" A letter. It was for you. I read it, I hope you don't mind."
Ira gave an indulgent smile, "When have I got offended for such petty matter, my dear Bhanu? But do tell! What brings such a bright smile on your face? Surely, it's not the letter."
"It is the letter, Jiji," said Bhanumati, as she gave a excited smile to both Duryodhana and Ira, both of whom exchanged a confused glance. She continued, "Jiji, Pallavi is returning!"
"Our Pallavi is returning?!" said an astonished Duryodhana, his eyes wide, "My darling daughter is returning?"
"Yes, nātha," said Bhanumati, "Devi Dhar-"
Ira gave a sharp cough as she gave an indication towards their unwanted guests. She did not want people know yet. SuyodhanaPreyasī had not noticed the interested and fascinated looks of their audience, specially the calculative look of the Dwarkadeesh.
Bhanumati gave her a sheepish glance, before continuing, "Devi said that she had finished her education and had already started her journey. She would be reaching here any day, Jiji!"
Duryodhana had a bright smile on his face, his expressive dark orbs showed his immense joy at the news delivered by his beloved wife.
"Today must be an auspicious day," whispered Duryodhana with a cheerful smile, "I have been receiving good news from Pratahkalah(morning)."
"I believe we have diverted from the main topic of discussion," said Ira, bringing everyone's focus back to matter in hand, "Shall we discuss the reason behind our gathering here?"
Yuddhisthira glanced at the female who silenced her two companions. She easily brought their focus and attention to an important matter with a simple statement. For a first time in his life he had seen genuine respect, blind love and profound care in the behaviour and eyes of Dhr̥tarāṣṭrasuta. He had never seen such gaze directed to any of them. He was unsure whether such gazes was ever directed towards his own blood brothers.
He dispelled his wandering thoughts as he replied to the Maharani of Anga, "Indeed. We have no qualms in stopping the war granted that our conditions are fulfilled."
"Interesting," said Ira thoughtfully, her eyes held a mocking look.
Just as Duryodhana had assumed previously, Bhishma ordered, "Duryodhana, I will not tolerate your behavior any longer! You will do as I say or face my wrath."
Ira's blood boiled at the way the Grandsire of Kuru clan spoke. With a bare thread of self-control, she watched as Suyodhana's face turned emotionless. The eyes which expressed happiness moments ago, turned desolate. She noticed the smirks of Panduputro Bhimsena and Nakula. Kaunteya Arjuna and Madreya Sahadeva seemed pleased as well.
The faces of Drona, Kripa and Vidura looked disapproving of Duryodhana, while their posture exuded immense elation. Her eyes met the current incarnation of Vishnu, who was well aware of his divinity from the very start of his birth. She noticed his curious eyes although his lips were not smiling. She knew she had attracted his attention, which was not intentional. Although, it was not unwelcome. She was not a fool to think she could outsmart the political genius of Dwarka. But....she did have quite a few cards up her sleeves yet.
She looked back at Duryodhana, who had glanced at her just then. Her eyes convinced her reassurance, hoping that he understood what she was trying to tell him.
Don't shrivel back just because of your friend's birth truth. Speak what you desire.
Duryodhana blinked once, signaling of his assurance.
"What will you do if I don't agree to your words, Mahamahim?" asked Duryodhana, "Why should only the Pandavas have the privilege of stating their demands? Why shouldn't I say the same?"
It took the experience gained from the years of ignorance and balant display of favoritism from the elders to not say, Why couldn't I have the same privilege as your beloved Pandavas Pitamaha?
"Duryodhana!" admonished Vidura harshly, "Pandavas has gone through worst! Of-course they has the right to demand their compensation."
The eldest Gandhari nandana bit back the ' And I don't?' as he stamped down on the feelings of hurt that erupted even after decades of negligence.
"How interesting," Ira said, not being able to keep herself quiet any longer. She gave the Prime Minister a curious look, "Kindly enlighten me, Mahamantri Vidura. Why do you think that only the Pandavas have the right to compensation from this war?"
Vidura glanced at her in shock at the question asked as he sputtered, "Why do you think Duryodhana has a right to make special demands even after everything that happened?"
"What had happened?" asked Ira, very easily feigning a curious look, "And why do you think he has no right to make special demands? What is special about the Pandavas that you favour them?"
Bhishma said, "Aren't you suppose to be siding with us? You are the one who asked to stop the war."
Ira gave him a look which expressed that she thought him to be a fool, "That is the price of healing you Mahamahim. How did it translate to siding with you?"
"If you agree with us then your price will be fulfilled, you foolish girl!" replied Drona with an aggressive tone. He did not like being questioned by a Suta, especially not the wife of that Karna. As it is, he had to tolerate him being best-friends with Ashwathama.
Ira gave a cold chuckle, "I wonder who is behaving foolishly," She turned towards Duryodhana, who was watching as the elders were questioned, "Suyo?"
"Yes Bhabhishri?"
"Tell me, did Acharya Drona helped his students when he asked for Guru Dakshina?"
Duryodhana nodded his head negatively, "No, Bhabhishri."
Ira met Drona's eyes then flickering her gaze at Bhishma, "Then I wonder why the esteemed elders of Kuru clan expect me to help them in paying my Dakshina (price)."
Drona's face was flushed red at the politely worded insult. Bhanumati hid her smile at her Jiji's sharp yet polite words. Duryodhana was in awe of the way she handled her insult.
"After what happened in --- Dyut," Panchali gulped her roaring anger down at the words of the audacious woman, "You think he has any right to make any demands!?"
She could not even pronounce his name after what happened. She felt nothing but intense dislike for the eldest Gandharisuta.
Bhanumati responded, matching the fieriness of the Agnija, "Of-course, he does. If after Dyut your husbands have the right to made demands, so does he."
Draupadi looked at the KalingaKumari with shock etched on her face, as her eyes looked flamed, reminding everyone whose daughter she truly was, "You are saying that!? As a woman, do you not see what your husband had done? Do you support him in such acts?"
"If you can, why can't I?" said Bhanumati, raising a mocking eyebrow, "Have you punished your husbands after they failed to protect you? Have you punished your husband when he staked you like a possession? Have you punished your husbands when they broke their wedding vows of protection towards you!?"
Draupadi was getting riled up at being mocked by the wife of that man, for that devastating day of her life. She was the victim. She was the one who had been ridiculed, humiliated and dragged through the court by the orders of that man. She was the one who had suffered yet this woman, instead of being understanding, was questioning her. What kind of a woman was she? Who gave her the audacity to mock her?
Yuddhisthira sat with a rigid face and glacial eyes as he watched his wife speak with the eldest Kulvadu of the Kauravas. His ears ringing with the words that was being spoken. He kept a tight grip on Bhimsena, who was vibrating with suppressed anger. Arjuna's eyes were bloodshot in anger, while Nakula's finger were clenching the silken cloth of his dhoti tightly. Sahadeva's face was expressionless, although his eyes gleamed with quiet ire.
But at the last words of Bhanumati, Bhimsena could no more control himself. He opened his mouth to speak only to have his cousin cut into smoothly with a question of his own.
"Haven't they be punished during their exile and a year of incognito?"
"Have they?" Ira replied, letting Bhanumati cool off. The LaxmanMātā still looked tensed and angry. She knew her sisters had such questions in her mind.
"Have they not?" asked Krishna, his eyes meeting Ira's hypnotizing orbs. The way she spoke, the absolute control over her tongue and her words, ---- everything reminded him of someone. However, he could not understand of whom did she remind him off.
"Perhaps you would like me to elaborate my opinion?" said Ira with a saccharine smile. She continued without waiting for a response, "Did you find your time spend in the villages of Vrindavan, a punishment?"
"No, why should I?" Krishna asked, as his eyes took on an intelligent flare.
"Then why should you think fulfilling the terms of loosing in a game of gambling, a punishment?"
Ira glanced at Yuddhisthira, meeting his glacial eyes, "Samrat Yuddhisthira spend the twelve years of exile sharpening his skills in gambling so that none could ever defeat him. He spends these years conversing and learning with various learned Rishis about various topics. Is this the punishment for staking his brothers, while forgetting his own duty as an elder of his family? Is this the punishment for staking his wife like a commodity? He forgot that he, as a Maharaja, is the father for his subjects. Which father stakes his children? Which kind of dharma allows him the right to own other humans?"
Yuddhisthira's posture had tensed, his eyes downcast as Bhishma, Vidura and Drona watched in awe and horror as the faults of the Pāndavāgrajah was nitpicked.
Her eyes flickered back to Krishna, who watched, already knowing what else she would say, "Is this the punishment you refer to, Dwarkadeesh, when you say he had been punished?"
Ira watched as Draupadi's face turned glacial as the faults of her eldest husband was picked out one by one for all to see. She knew all this. She had asked all these questions to herself yet no answers had been bought forth. However, it made her furious that her family's personal matters were being aired. There were various servants around who would no doubt gossip and spread word.
"What shall I say about Mahabali Bhimsena!" continued Ira, dramatically as she leaned back in her chair, eyeing the cautious eyes of the ire filled Kaunteya, "He had the courage to stand up for his wife. He has the strength of thousands elephants to use so he could kill Dusshasan," She watched as the second of the Pandavas got confused, "He had the strength and courage to make a vow of killing yet he dare not use it to save his wife. He could never bear the thought of disobeying his eldest brother. He dare behaves like a slave, even when his wife was been dragged, humiliated and crying for help from her husbands. The Vrikodara who disobeyed his eldest brother by killing Kichaka, just because the Commander of Matsya lusted after his wife, felt the weight of the sky on him during the Dyut. Such a obedient brother! I wonder where did his duty as a husband go then?"
"It must have gone on a walk, Jiji," said Bhanumati, her tone neutral yet eyes expressing her dislike for the mentioned man as she glanced at the ire filled eyes of Draupadi, who felt she was being humiliated again, "I wonder what punishment did Yuvraja Bhimsena did during his exile?"
"Learn from his elder brother, the Ramabhakt, Vayuputra Anjaneya Hanuman," said Ira, eyes flickering back to the expressionless Krishna, who watched feeling uneasy at the way she continued to speak.
Ira glanced back at Arjuna, who was outright glaring at her. She smirked, barely keeping the sneer from her voice, "And the third of the Kaunteya's. The most beloved of all, Indraputra Arjuna."
This was the son of that Devraja who had bought pain to her husband in the name of Donation. How can she spare him? She has very few forgiving bones in her body.
"His punishment was the best, I think. He won the entire gamut of celestial weapons from the Swargaloka during his tenure of ten years there. He learned so many things from his father, Devraja Indra and many other Gods. He even did penance for Mahadeva to gain Pashupatastra. I wonder if it was punishment, exile or preparation of war, Dwarkadeesh? Surely you would know what your Partha thinks regarding such a lucrative punishment?"
Draupadi could take any more slandering of her husbands,(no matter it was the truth) as she spoke up with an expressed ire, "And you think your husband is a saint!? That the man who sits beside you is as pure as a yagya?"
"My husband is egoistic," said Ira, meeting the surprised and shocked eyes of the Yagyaseni, "He is arrogant. He is even cruel. However amidst all these he is the greatest donor of all times. He is truthful and he is kind to whom he cares for. He has a little good and heaps of bad. I never did ask for a holy and saintly man. I asked for a human being not a God," She met the Yagyaseni's eyes with a stern warning present in her eyes, "Do not put words into my mouth, PanchalaKumari. The consequences will be dire."
"Unlike your five perfect husbands," said Bhanumati, watching the eyes of Draupadi shifting to her, cautiousness, ire and frustration shining through her facade, "My husband is viscous and cunning. Yet he is the man who had never staked me nor his brothers in the same Dyut --- of which you're a victim. Like Jiji, I have never asked for a man who is perfect. I have asked for someone who would treasure me and never break his promises to me. I am well aware he had done a despicable crime, but is your husbands faultless? You hide their crime, yet blame mine! You are getting frustrated when your husbands faults are being questioned. Unlike you, I have never denied that my husband is at fault. Before pointing fingers at others, perhaps you would like investigate your own first?"
|| Haven't re-checked. Don't know how this turn out. I am hell tired, but I hope you liked it anyway.||