Horror....yes pure horror what passed through the eyes of drauni after hearing the impulsive decision of that boy from udaypur.....who the hell will start a war at this situation...and top of that why he getting affected by karna's state....
He narrowed his eyes at the boy who in a haste gathered his army that like ocean waving to destroy the panadavasena. He gave instructions to that huge array of soldiers and it were kinda funny how seriously all hearing and ready to obey that kid's orders...
" Hridyanshu......"
He saw how he getting tensed at his sight and know the reason well. He have clearly heard that word from his mouth and will definitely find the root.
He initiated the conversation and didn't jump to the point straight, " War...... isn't your decision is impulsive?? "
He literally got irritated at the smirk on that boy's face and reply, " Am from Udaipur....we never tasted failure and never will be...."
Unlike others guruputr were not the one to worship this representative of the great udaypur. Yet he had a fondness towards that young boy who achieved such a respectful position at this tender age and for the respect he paying to karna....yes that special interest is what confusing and irresolute......
Ashwattama asks out a little annoyingly, "Aren't you a little too much confident for your age...A real warrior will never underestimate his enemy's potential..."
Seeing no change of expression on that kid's face dronaputr took it as a query for continuation and says, " Vayuputr with his strength of thousand elephant will rip apart your head from skull...
Ahh!! Maybe you with your enormously powerful sena could pass over him....but there is one another ultimatum.......Indraputr..... "
Drauni's eyes got narrowed at the much careless Hridyanshu and as an answer he says in a mock tone, " What you expecting....me to quiver on his name like you do....."
A fire.... that's what ignited by those words. One another have concluded that he is inferior to that devputr. But before he could explode....the same boy with a smile says in a much calmer tone,
" Oh king of panchal!! You are right....a real warrior never underestimate his rival's calibre...
But here am confident on myself and my kingdom...."
Ashwattama's face were still hard at the insult that made the boy to continue, "This war is not to defeat pandavas...and it's not between me and indraputr.....
This war is between Udayasena and Pandavasen.....
To destroy them....if death of indra's son could calm empress's fury then it will happen...
For whom Indra had put that great soul in agony whould have to ready to his journey to yamalok....."
Ashwattama's eyes widened at the finality in those words and shine of blood thirst in his eyes. He gulped unknowingly....
That boy's chest swelled with anger and shouts to no one, " Indra!!! Your deed nothing but futile....Dare to face empress if you want to save him....."
Guruputr gaped his mouth in horror....no him and karna ever acted disrespectful to any dev and here this kid challenging the king of devas. What he understood is that boy have much belief on that lady's power....is she that powerful?? Illusions....which is something they have to afraid of.
Turning to dronaputr he says, " I may not the one who bring victory....but I can assure you that in this battle udaypur will only win....
Pandavas downfall will lead to your mitr's victory. Isn't that king of Anga too wish?? It will happen...."
Saying this he turned back and took some steps only to stop by the archer's words, " A war....huh?? For whom....a suta?? "
Adoring a smirk he walks around the boy who stilled at his place and continues, " If devaraj deceived him then it's with his approval.... Afterall why should the monarch have to risk a war for a sutaputr?? "
His smirk faded seeing his words have no effect on him. Whereas the boy smiles inwardly....he know why the bestfriend of his idol itself saying such words that discriminating him. He remembers how they both together found the generous king of Anga in ever worst state of him.
The moment were he lost the mask of indifference and became vulnerable for the first time in his life. That's the moment he understood how important is that person to their life...for him they will may burn the entire world.....
Without losing the calm smile Hridyanshu replies, " Panchalraj?? Whom you trying trick with words?? Me?? Haha....
Just ask out straight....."
The response was fast, " Who are you?? "
" Me?? Am Hridyanshu from Udaipur......"
Annoyance was clear in the face of king of uttar panchal...and he asks, " I need the truth...who are you to my mitr?? What brought you to the position to call him 'pitasree' ?? "
Hriday gulps the lump of pain...he always wanted to announce the world that he is the only son of suryaputr parashuramashishya Karna. But destiny played such a game that his own father don't know about his child and it took decades for them to even see each other.....
The word ' pitasree' was not used to his tongue yet it rolled out from his mouth in a flow when he saw his sire in almost deathbed.
A soft call ushered him to the present, " Hridyanshu!!! "
" Tell me?? Who are you?? Are you really his son?? But...but...i know hrishika...is she from udaypur??
How you and she related to that protubelant kingdom?? How putr you acquired such a position in this young age??
And first of all why hrishika left him and never disclosed about you?? Where were she all these days?? "
The confusion and desperation in that brahmin's voice made him chuckle and he says, " Uncle!! There is no much delay anymore.... The whole world gonna know his worth....
He will be healed by the right person at the right moment...
His eyes will be open to a world without enemies and insults....we gonna free this aryavart and our lives from this cheap politics...."
With that giving no space for conversation he walks away and the dronaputr gaped at the ocean of soldiers that following the kid who now revealed as his karna's son....now anymore no difference between lakshman and Hridyanshu....both are same for him and as long as he alive no harm will meet his vasusen's son.
He loudly announces, " Northern Panchal army!!! Join udaysena......"
A wide smile bloomed at the face of commander of udaysena. Now it is so crystal clear that why his father didn't chose another path over these friends of him.... They were always provided him with the warm feel of home....
************************************
Gandharraj whose brilliance can even put the foremost of warriors in trouble have gazed the war preparations and rubbed his forehead at the boy who in a haste going for a battle and obviously wondered about the changing weather...
He lumped to the boy by saying in a extremely sugar coated voice, " Oh putr!! It might be much better to wait till the already fixed date.....by that time Angaraj too whould get healed and you will have the backup of kuru army too....."
Hridyanshu sarcastically replies, " Gandharraj!! You may forgot that it's me who here to assist Hastinapur....
Udaypur doesn't need anyone's assistance as long as it's esteemed empress is alive...."
Gandharraj opened his mouth to say something yet didn't formed any word and seeing the rigidity in that boy's eyes he walked away....this was the first time the dearest uncle of Kauravas lost words infront of someone.....
The man who vowed the destruction of kuru dynasty felt extremely miserable. Yes Udayasena is powerful and he were happy to having their backup....
But a kid who at the age of living under parents are sent by that mighty kingdom now messing around everything....that foolish boy restricting and put control on everyone.
If udaypur will win the war then nothing to worry...but what if not....then they will lose such a strong army. Sure bheeshma and drona have to partake in this war and only his eldest nephew can order this to them. Which is not a hard task anymore after what that suta friend of him have faced....
************************************
King of northern panchal didn't recovered from the shock of knowing that the boy who till now ordering around them were none else...but his vasu's only son. How could hrishika hide him from the eyes of karna for this long and for what?
He know how affected karna were with her absence. How Karna will face this news of him having an heir. Though he don't know much about hrishika... it's very sure that she is a commoner which is the main factor his mitr literally vowed that he will marry only a commoner to stop suyodhan from pressurising him to get married....
Though his mitr never revealed, it's according to her wish that he kept his martial status completely private even suyo don't know of it. What a strange woman is she?? He don't know much about them...but for marrying her vasusen have agreed to much conditions...why such privilege for nothing but unknown commoner.....
Now the real problem is how she related to udaypur...if she is a subject from such a secluded kingdom...how it is possible to connect with the king of Anga.. as far as he knows there in udaypur everything goes as planned by the empress....why the empress let happen such things in his mitr's life...there is a big political drama brewed behind his mitr's life.....
She is the only lady among commoners who carried the gleam of credence and she were attractive and gorgeous enough to give a tight slap on the pride of pandavas having most beautiful lady as their common wife.....
It's quite confusing how she hid herself from this aryavart for such a long period being this beautiful. How she escaped the eagle eyes of those royal morons without vasusen's guard....
Shaking his head in negative he recalled the only time he saw her in his life......
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Anga's flag floated high and the palace stood tall by inviting the morning rays of rising sun. Brahmin friend of the suta king of that small yet well known and powerful kingdom were at the palace gate waiting for his mitr's return after his Surya Puja at this early period.....
Guruputr walks to the shores of river where might be his mitr. It's been two days all Kauravas along with him have visited Anga for their pastime. And he have noticed how the king of Anga coming so late after suryapuja ever since they have arrived....but the other parties were least cared of that as they woke only after karna's return....
On the way itself Ashwattama saw peoples returning after having alms and his eyes narrowed at the empty shore....where gone he??
He aimlessly roamed around and ended up at the border where the wilderness of Anga began. Something inside pulled him to walks ahead and get familiar with the forest region. Seeing the intensity of wilderness deepening he decides to go back but something made him off guard......
His mitr's hoarse....what mitr doing in forest at this early period....sure will not come for the hunt without their company.....
Walking more ahead he found a shivamandir at the heart of that forest...they never before came there and were unaware of such a temple. He prayed infront of shiva's idol for sometime with at most devotion and walked past.
On reaching an end he moved aside the vine leafs which blocked his view and what infront of him literally made him gape in amusement....sure the sight infront of him was breathtaking....
How come he unaware of such a place in Anga before... it's sight itself were refreshing and soothing like someone intentionally taking away all the worries and negativity from him...
A serene lake with crystal clear water and reflection of Surya on it were a good contribution. Small trees placed perfectly around the lake and grassy carpet made it look like the nature's blessing. Birds were chirping and apart from that only the sound of water fall heard....snowy water fell directly to the lake with much less force ...
At the end he found the person whom he were searching....his mitr. There he stood with his large frame covering the person whom with he were conversing. He decided to go back not minding who it is ....cause whatever it is.... it's highly confidential and that's y they took this place and time to meet.
But unfortunately he stopped on hearing a lady's voice, " You are in some delusion my king!! "
What?? His mitr and a lady?? Something fishy!! Sure it's not his time to leave....he took a glance back and found a small frame of a lady coming out from the cover of his mitr and both were facing their back to him. Both were in white attire that matching to the misty morning
His eyes became desperate to see the face of that stranger lady and as if reading his mind vasusen who were little behind her pulled her wrist and made her look back at him quite audaciously by saying,
" Whom you trying to trick hrishika? "
Drauni muttered himself the name, " Hrishika!!! "
With that he took a quick glance at the lady and the averted gaze instantly flew back to that face.....she is soo gorgeous......
Who is she and what she doing here at this jungle with the ruler of this kingdom??