Ephemera- Of Fire and Ash

Calm Before Storm

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" They heard hidimba scream suddenly and kuntii took her to labour room..

After a whole night of countless screams Hidimba delivered a large infant, dark as his parents. He did not cry when he was born, but gazed back at his mother and father, his uncles and his grandmother with grave eyes. He had not a hair on his head and with his enormous ears, it truly resembled a smooth water-pot. They named Bheema and Hidimbi's son Ghatotkacha.

One day, when just a few months had flitted by, Vyasa returned to the asrama on the lake. Bheema and Hidimbi knew the hour of parting had arrived. Ghatotkacha knew it was time to leave his father, his uncles and grandmother. Hidimbi clung to Bheema. No words would come from her; she only wept, her heart breaking. Bheema clasped his woman and his son in his arms and sobbed like a child.

At last, tearing himself away, he said, "Wipe your tears, my love, you have our son with you. Whenever I want to see you, I will think of you and you must come to me at once. Don't cry any more or I will not be able to go with my brothers, who have need of me still."

They both knew that he would not call her, for a long time. Not because he would not want to, but if he did, another parting would be unbearable. They coronorated ghtotkacha as the king of rakshasvarta and separated...

Vyasa said gently, "Take the disguise of hermits and visit the prosperous city of Mathura."

"Isn't it deserted?" kunti asked as the pandavas looked puzzled...

"Go there and you will know, it is the golden bird of aaryavart, The king and the crown princess have conquered every territory and their legends are sung..." he replied with a mysterious smile.. And they 5 set out to Mathura..

Few days later

In Mathura, the king and the crown princess were on their weekly rounds in disguise to know the state of their land.. The people respected them like gods and by now, the tales of Mathura were spread far and wide. Recently, in a really privy meeting the Yudhishthira and Dhriti had thought about conducting the Rajsuya yagya, but the news was not revealed yet. They needed to know if the citizens were happy and content in their reign before embarking on such a mission.

During Yudhishthira was roaming the inner city (dhriti was in the outer city) in disguise trying to mingle with the commoners, he saw 3 lean men, one bulky yet muscular man and a beautiful widowed middle aged- woman. A million thoughts flooded his head as he looked at them intently. It could not be them, he told himself but now even dhriti was not here to clear his doubts. He must approach them. He looked at himself, they would never recognise him, he was well disguised.

He approached them as he gently asked "Who are you all Brahmin devtas and devi. Your build is not of brahmins yet you roam in the streets of this sacred city as brahmins.. 

The 4 men stared at him while kunti went back to the small hut in the dharmashala they were residing in. Yudhishthira looked numb at her going there but did not show it. His family, living in a dharmashala, in his kingdom, while he enjoyed luxury. Most of all THEY WERE ALIVE!

"We are brahmins from a neighbouring kingdom, we came here for shelter.I am nishuk, these two are my elder brothers Chandra and amrit and he is my twin brother dwishuk." The most handsome man said whom yudhi guessed to be nakul.. He masked his 'I know you are lying' look as he smiled calmly. His smile radiated peace to his family, but they did not know who he was.

"If you don't mind, will you meet me here tomorrow?" yudhi asked.

"Um, you know abt us now, we know nothing about you, what is your name dev?" dwiskuk asked.

"I don't have a name." Yudhi blurted due to nervousness, he just wanted to smack his head on the wall.

"I mean, I can't tell you my name." Yudhi cleared as he looked down avoiding their questioning gazes...

"HOW DO WE KNOW IF YOU ARE NOT A SPY SENT FROM NEIGHBOURING KINGDOM? Since we took shelter here, this kingdom's security is our responsibility. Tell us who you are.. or we take you to the king.." amrit said..

Geez arjun chill, I am your elder brother and the king of this kingdom, whom will you take me to.

"Hey, hey! Trust us.." a beautiful girl came from back, she was also in disguise..

Phew dhriti is here, I am not alone in this situation

"We trust you beautiful damsel but not this guy right here.." they pointed at yudhi..

Wait! What, you trust a girl you just met but not your own brother!! Men will be men.. Anujo seriously?

"So mister mysterious, you will meet us here at the same time tomorrow, if you don't want us to report to the maharaj.." nishuk aka nakul said..

"Okk okk!' yudhi said just to end this madness. How is this even fair. Thye trust his sister but not him as he left and they also left.

"See, I am more trusted than you.." dhriti teased him on their way back to the palace..

'Who said so?" yudhi asked raising an eye brow.

"Your family, dear brother." she smiled mischievously. 

Yudhi threw his head back and laughed, he was finally free from worries, for those fateful days when they hated him, he had forgiven them. 

But he did not know his happiness was short lived because the most traumatic part of life was about to come.... Happiness was not his destiny...

~~~~~~

So I destroyed your happiness? I know I did, because the whole story will change in the next chapter, and things will fall back at place.. And yudhi will be more crumbled than ever.

ALSO DRAUPADI BIRTH NEXT CHAPPY!

But still they met.. This meet was the calm before storm... Calm before yudhi actually lost everything.... But still, dw he and his brothers will reunite and live happily.

So any guesses for what is coming?

Happy?

Please vote and comment if you liked the twist in the tale......