Ephemera- Of Fire and Ash

Tragic news

"Duryodhana planned this."

"And his father knew."

"Alas, Kunti has perished with her sons."

"A curse be on Dhritarashtra. He will pay for this sin."

"Even Bheeshma did nothing to stop it."

"A murderer rules us and his murderous son will rule after him."

"Drona and Kripa were blind to their dharma."

"Vidura loved the sons of Pandu, but even he did nothing."

"Nemesis will stalk the Kuru kingdom."

They wept that they themselves could do nothing to save their princes. Until the treacherous palace had burned down completely and the piles of embers began to subside, the people of Varanasi stood and watched in horror under a flame-lit sky.

Midnight was laden with the scent of wildflowers and lotuses that floated on the river. The others stirred from their swoon. They drew deep draughts of clean air. Bheema set them down gently on the grass. They were south of Varanasi now.

When they looked back, they saw the northern sky lit up. Gigantic tongues of flame reached for the stars and Kunti shuddered. Ahead of them the Ganga flowed, lapping serenely at her dark banks. They imagined the river spoke to them, saying, 'Like my waters, all things must pass and be forgotten.'

As they crossed the river to a forest....

The news spread far and wide.. as it reached Hastinapur....

"Kunti and her sons were burnt alive in the palace they lived in."

Dhritarashtra and his sons, shakuni shed some crocodile tears as the others stood numb.. Hastinapur failed to protect all the pandavas...

Bheeshma offered tarpana in the river. Then he stood apart from the other mourners, wracked, wondering how he would live through this day. He had braved many deaths: his father's, Chitrangada's and Vichitraveerya's. Then, Pandu also had died followed by yudhi... But this was more than just the sudden death of five princes and their mother; this, Bheeshma knew, would prove to be the end of the Kuru kingdom. There was no hope left in him, as he stood whispering Yudhishtira's name like some mantra. "Yudhishtira, you should not have died. You were to be king., still you did and I swore to protect your brothers, but I failed again..."

Gently Vidura said, "Pitama, give no sign on your face of what I am about to tell you." Bheeshma turned swollen eyes to Vidura. "Pandu's sons did not die in the fire at Varanasi. I arranged for their escape."

Bheeshma began to tremble and Vidura held his arm tightly to remind him that he must give nothing away.

~~

The news reach Mathura, by now it was known as the golden bird of the aaryavart.. so rich and so prosperous..richer than Hastinapur and what more was that citizens were prosperous under Yudhishthira and dhriti's rule...

"Are they really dead.." yuddhi asked in barely above a whisper as he stared at dhriti who led him so that he did not fall once they were alone..

"yes.." dhriti replied with tears in her eyes..

"I failed.." he said as he sat on his bed..

"no you did not, this conspiracy was too well executed.. how could we have known.." dhriti reasoned..

"I get the best of 3 worlds, but can't I have their lives back." Yudhi asked depressed..

"No we can't" dhriti replied, like can we be practical.. as she massaged his hands knowing he is not ok...

"I have a meeting.." yuddhi said as he remembered his schedule..

"I can manage it alone dhriti said, you need to rest.." dhriti said looking at him concerned..

"I need to distract myself dhriti.." he whispered as he walked out holding onto her hand tightly, his face as if nothing in the world was wrong but his eyes said otherwise.. as he kept his tears at the bay..

"Let us show what they messed up with." Dhriti said on the way..

"true, they messed with the most powerful kingdom of aaryavart.." yudhi said with some hope..

"But we can't rush.." dhriti said.. and yudhi agreed, his hands were tied.. he could not even harm the ones who harmed his brothers.. as he smiled bitterly.. life was so cruel. It coldly snatched everything away from him as he squeezed dhriti's hand, she was too dear to him.. He was supposed to be dead amd he has to maintain that façade..

And he dared to attach himself to her, she threw him his first lifeline, he dared to dream of never loosing her... He dared to feel like he had someone who would not leave him in the worst and he just hoped life would never take her away..

~~~

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