The Gall of Gammon

Chapter 14

The Gall of Gammon

Disclaimer: This story is my humble attempt to write a fanfiction of the epic Mahabharata. My intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiment.

Aum Namah Shivay!!

Major Jayant Roy, SM is a fictitious character. Any similarity with any living person is merely a coincidence.

Chapter 14

Hastinapur, Dwapar Yuga

Kunti POV

In the evening, I was sitting in my room alone. My mind was full with thoughts. Actually, the events happening in the palace were literally making me afraid.

Two days ago, Bheem fought with some Kauravas. Then Duryodhana barged into my son's room with a knife. He threatened Yudhisthir and then fought with Bheem. My second son was born by the blessings of the Pavan Devta (god of wind). He was born with immense strength. But that day, Duryodhana literally overpowered him and left him battered and bleeding. Then I came to know that he was unconscious for two days. After he woke up, he was tried in the royal court for attacking my sons.

Then what happened today morning in the royal court was something that I couldn't forget ever. Duryodhana argued his side so cleverly and thoughtfully, even I praised him in my mind. But the problem was that he literally painted my Bheem as some bully who took pleasure tormenting his brothers. Every single courtier took his arguments in their hearts. I could feel those in my heart.

But then Duryodhana said something, which literally shaken me to the core.

I closed my eyes. The voice of sister-in-law Gandhari's elder son was ringing inside my head.

"Equal to abandoning a newborn child in the river by its own stone-hearted mother!" Those were his exact words. His every single word was piercing my heart and soul. He even looked at my face, no, in my eyes when he said those harsh words.

Did he know about it?

No, no, no, that couldn't be.

How could he know about my firstborn son born with the blessings of the Sun God? The child was born with golden armour and earrings. The child had a radiant face just like the sun. The baby boy was looking into my eyes, with a small smile in my face. And what I did with him?

I abandoned my little golden boy. I put him inside a basket and floated the basket on the water of the Ganga River. Duryodhana was right. I became stone-hearted that very time. The fear of the society, the fear of my father's insult as the father of an unwed mother made me stone-hearted.

But the Devtas are my witness, that I hadn't forgotten my elder son. Every single day, the rising sun reminded me his little face. Every single day, I prayed for his safety.

I was thinking while sitting alone in my room, when I heard the footsteps of my five sons. I quickly wiped out my tears and forced a smile on my lips. The cousins of my sons were not happy that we came to live here. Fortunately, the elders in the palace, Bhishma and Vidura, they both loved my sons. Maharaja Dhritarashtra and Maharani Gandhari also loved my sons, but filial love is a very powerful force to fight with.

I heaved a sigh and saw my five sons coming inside the room. They were all smiling, except Bheem, who had a scowl into his face. They came to me and touched my feet. I blessed them from my heart.

Then I sternly looked at Bheem.

"You disappointed me, putra. You are blessed with super strength, but you must remember to respect your strength. That means no fighting with your cousins, understand?"