A String Of Pearls

The Twelve Years

Duryodhan had not asked Bhanumati to move back into their chambers. He didn't leave them for his own personal ones, but he didn't ask her to immediately return either. She didn't think she could have handled it if he had.

Chandramukhi was in a similar situation to her, except perhaps even worse.

Vrushali di had been very tight-lipped about what the scenario was between her and Bhrata Karna. While not as bad as between herself and Duryodhan or Chandramukhi and Dussashan, it was also, very clearly not in a good place, as was expected.

Bhanumati tried to figure out how she had missed the signs all these years before realising that there were no signs to miss.

Duryodhan loved her. Bhrata Karna was very fond of her. Dushansan adored and respected her. The thought of hurting her in any way would have never even crossed their minds.

That made her wonder even more at these men who could be kind and loving towards those they cared about.... How could they do such a terrible thing to anyone else?

Despite everything, she still loved her husband. But such a terrible thing he had done...... it had shaken her. It would be a while yet before she could trust him again.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bhrata Shrutayudha had come to Hastinapur and she had broken down in his arms. He told her that he would take her away to Kalinga if she wanted, propriety be damned.

He had become friends with Duryodhan and he had been shocked and horrified upon hearing what had transpired.

She laughed weakly and told her brother that she would be safe in Hastinapur(perhaps even safer than her husband).

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She missed her children.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

She knew that her husband was a good governor to the people and he knew it as well and he liked it.

But couldn't he have remained happy ruling over Hastinapur? Why did he need Indraprastha as well? Could he not have been satisfied ruling half of the mighty Kuru Empire?

What was she thinking, of course he couldn't. Her husband was never satisfied with what he had. He always wanted more.

( Satisfaction is not in my nature , she remembered him telling her with a smirk.)

She refused to go to Indraprastha, which she had found so beautiful.

If she had her way, she would never set foot in that City again.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The years seemed to pass quicker than ever, somehow.

Mata Gandhari was worried sick as to what was going to happen once the thirteen years were up. She seemed certain that her family's destruction was nigh. Bhanumati wanted to comfort her, assure her that nothing of that sort would happen, but the fear had caught her too.

It had been heard that Lord Krishna had promised Draupadi that the wives of all the men who had been involved in her insult, whether by active participation or by silence, would shed tears on the battlefield.