A String Of Pearls

The Rain Of Grief Begins

They hadn't suffered any losses on the first day, but the second day itself rolled in the casualties. Her nephew and Bhrata Shrutayudha's son Chakradeva and her cousin Kethuma were killed by Bheema.

Bhanumati held Bhrata Shrutayudha, tears rolling down her face uncontrollably as he howled in anguish.

"I can't--I can't do his last rites, I can't-- " He gasped. "He was my baby boy! How can I carry his ashes?!"

His wife had gone into a dead faint upon seeing her son's body. Everyone knew that they and their loved ones could die in the War. Everyone feared it. And yet when it happened, it took you under all over again.

Bhanumati felt her stomach twist itself into knots and it seemed as if a lump had lodged itself permanently into her throat.

It was only the second day. Only the second day!

After the previous day's victory, Bhanumati had tried her best to push down all her negative thoughts and hope for the best in the War but almost immediately her direct family had been killed. How did one even attempt to stay positive after that?!

She turned her blurry gaze to look at Duryodhan who was standing silently with a brooding look on his face. She wondered how he would look when the rest of their nephews started falling. As long as Pitamaha was alive, he would keep them all alive, but once he fell, if he fell.......

Kalinga's forces had taken a heavy hit that day. These were their first truly major losses and the army's morale had already gone down.

Once the day's funerals were over, Pitamaha gathered the whole army to raise their morale. Bhanumati always wondered how it was that the Generals managed to convince the soldiers to fight another day despite so many casualties and so much damage, with nothing more than words.

Pitamaha Bheeshma dazzled silver in the Moonlight as his voice crescendoed and he was answered by the deafening roar of the Army.

The next day dawned bright soon enough.

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The third day didn't fare well for them either. Mid afternoon, there was a sudden commotion in the camp. Bhrata Karna rushed into the healers tent with... Duryodhan leaning against him?!

Bhanumati ran after them. Duryodhan had gotten injured badly enough that he had to come back to camp for treatment.

Bhanumati watched with wide eyes, heart thudding violently in her chest, as the healers worked at full speed to get him patched up well enough so that he could return to the battlefield. None of them said anything and Duryodhan merely shot her a smile before returning back to the battlefield to lead the rear front.

It seemed that after last day's victory, the Pandava army had gained even more confidence and despite Pitamaha Bheeshma, Guru Drona and Ashwathama showering arrows on them throughout the day and dealing them heavy damage, they still won the day's battle, with Arjun blocking Pitamaha's way and drawing what was practically a river of blood from their army.

As the Sun set and the army returned, she heard Bhrata Karna growl, "This would not have happened if I was on the battlefield! I could have kept Arjun busy fighting with me and then the rest of the army would not have suffered as much and we could have won!"

Duryodhan took his words to heart and went after Pitamaha again, saying that Karna should be able to fight with them.

Bheeshma only mildly told him that Karna himself, in front of all the Kings, had sworn not to fight under him, so was he going to break his vow now?