Kairavi

Chapter 58

"MAMASHREE!!" shouted Duryodhan, in a way matching his frantic pacing of the room, tearing his hair out because of the accident in Mayasabha. He tossed lamps and smashed the ceramics placed neatly around the space in his uncontrolled fury.

"Bhanje! Calm down." A vase hit the wall behind Shakuni, just as soon as the ineffective consolation emerged from his lips.
"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!" Grabbing the edge from downwards, he flipped the massive bed in the center of his kaksh at his uncle.

"Duryodhan!" The limping ruler of Gandhar landed on his back, inches away from the metallic frame. "Jyeshth!" Dusshasan ducked as heavy objects from around the chamber came flying towards him.

"Jyeshth bhrata! STOP! Get a hold of yourself." He trapped Duryodhan's hands behind his back, making him struggle to escape free from his tight grasp.
"Mere bacche! Freaking out is not the solution. Have faith in your mamashree."

"Did you see those rascals laughing at me? And that strumpet Draupadi. What did she say?! Andhe ka putra Andha!
What does she think of herself?!!" He accused Draupadi, unaware of the fact, that it wasn't her who said it.

The younger kaurav couldn't match the yuvraj's strength as he shoved him with all his might.
He got slammed into a table behind him, falling down along with its contents.

"I know, I know." Shakuni maintained a safe distance from the seething prince, who looked like a frenzied bull out loose.
"But trust my plans, nephew. I won't let the pandavs get away with that so easily." His eyelid dropped ominously, making Duryodhan stop his hysterics. Shakuni slowly came forward and put his hand on his shoulder, as his stained teeth peeked out from between his lips.

1 month later:

It was a usual day for the pandavs in Indraprasth. The queens had completed their daily chores and were sitting beside their husbands to attend the court sessions.
Dharmraj Yudhishthir and Samragyi Draupadi were seated on their throne, while the grieved citizens came in and left, after having their troubles solved.

"Samrat ki jai ho." A guard entered, holding a pale scroll in his hand. "Hastinapur has a message for you."

Yudhishthir waved his hand, signaling him to read it aloud.
Panchali and Kairavi exchanged uncomfortable glances, when the letter was unraveled.

"May the Chakravarti Samrat of Aryavart live long!" He read the salutations.

"The palace of Gahasahrya humbly requests the royal family of Shakraprasth to grace Hastinapur by their arrival, for a game of dice.

The ceremony, in their honour, is being organized by the crowned prince, Duryodhan, as a token of respect towards the honourable emperor.

We hope his majesty will be kind enough to accept this modest invitation.

Pranipat."

The paricharak folded the parchment neatly into a roll, as Dharmaputra's expression turned serious.

"You shouldn't go Jyeshth bhrata!" Kairavi stood up with the help of Nakul's shoulder.
Her 5- month old womb had significantly grown, making it hard for her to walk, lay down, and stand up.

"There are three practices, which are cardinal sins to a king.

Consumption of alcohol,
excessive copulation,
and the game of chausar.

Moreover, I am pretty sure that Gandhar Raj must have planned something disastrous. He is using the ceremony to lure you into his web."

Panchali nodded deliriously and turned to her husband. "I don't think we should accept the invite, Arya."

"I'm afraid, Samragyi." Mahamuni Vyas spoke up.
"Declining to come to a dice game is equivalent to invoking a war with the respective kingdom."

"But Duryodhan will definitely try to avenge his insult!"

"Yatharth, Chitrakshi. But is it appropriate for Maharaj to reject his tatshree's proposal?
It would call destruction upon the Bharat lineage."

"Munishresth is right, Kairavi. We must attend the ceremony to avoid unfortunate consequences in the future."

"But jyeshth, I think Panchali and Kairavi aren't wrong either. Bhrata Duryodhan's intentions have never been pure towards us." Arjun corroborated the queens.

"Yes, Arya. Subhadra and Kairavi are pregnant. What if something bad happens there?"
The selfless empress of Bharatvarsh couldn't bear to even think about the expecting wives getting hurt.

Who knew, it was her who was going to suffer the effects of the catastrophe.

"Very well. In that case, only Panchali will be able to come with us to Hastinapur.
Being the empress of the country, her presence is necessary at such an event." Yudhishthir's face was devoid of any worries.

Meanwhile, Sahadev held his chest and pressed his eyes shut, foreseeing their humiliation in Gajasahrya's court.

Shakuni and Duryodhan laughed devilishly as the month passed away, and the day of the ceremony arrived.

Yuvraj had kept Yudhishthir's scroll of affirmation, safe and sound in a small chest as a souvenir, to remind himself about the nights he burnt in vengeance.
Their vicious plan, to snatch the prosperity of the valiant sons of Pandu, was going to climb on its first step of success.

Standing at the gallery, his eyebrows furrowed and lip quivered in fury; when five colossal barouches, bedecked with gems, and one golden palanquin trudged past the Purvi Durg Dwar of Hastinapur.
Panchali emerged out of the Palki and looked nervously at her husbands, who were unaware of the apocalyptic aftermath of the game.

Yudhishthir was about to walk into the quagmire that Soubal had spread out for him.

"Hey Kuldevta, raksha kijiyega." The helpless empress imperatrix of Indraprasth prayed mentally.