Beyond Times

Chapter 36 - Invitation and Proposal

The guard of the royal court announced that a messenger from Kalinga had arrived.

King Dhritarashtra ordered the Messenger to enter. He came in bowed to the king the courtiers of Kuru Sabha and started reading The messages, which came from Kalinga Raj himself.

-"Hail, noble scions of the illustrious Kuru lineage! By the divine grace of the celestial realms, I, the sovereign ruler of Kalinga, extend unto thee a most esteemed and heartfelt invitation. In the resplendent tapestry of time, a moment of great significance unfurls, as the auspicious occasion of the Swayam Var of my cherished daughter, the radiant Kalinga Raj kanya Bhanumati, approaches in two weeks. The regal halls of Kalinga await the presence of the noble Rajkumars of Kuru, renowned for their valour and lineage, to grace our kingdom and to partake in the grandeur of the Swayam Var of the jewel of Kalinga. Let thy chariots carry thee swiftly across the sacred lands, as the celestial winds whisper tales of a matrimonial alliance that shall resonate through the epochs."

Bhishma ordered one of the guards to take the messenger to one of the guest rooms in Hastinapur Palace.

He looked at Vidur, then at Kunti and Tiasha who were sitting in the Balcony of the court then at Yudhishthira and finally at Dhritarashtra. How could he not see this coming? Of course, Yudhishthira needs to attend the Swayam Var to maintain good relations with Kalinga. He shouldn't have delayed the discussion of Tiasha and Yudhishthira's marriage with Kunti this much.

-"Maharaj, Kalinga has been our allies for a long time. It is only right if we sent the Yuvraj of Hastinapur to the Swayam Var of Kaling Raj Kumari Bhanumati." Vidur said looking from Bhishma to Dhritarashtra.

-"Tat Shree, what do you think?" Dhritarashtra asked Bhishma.

-"Maharaj, we should consider Yudhishthira's opinion on this as well." He hoped at least Yudhishthira or maybe even Kunti would say no.

Yudhishthira cleared his throat and said, "Tat Shree, I do not have anything to say in this matter. Whatever you, Pitamah Bhishma and Kaka Shree Vidur think is right, I will accept it." His eyes went to Tiasha. He hoped she would look at him and plead with her eyes, to say no, tell him not to attend Rajkumari Bhanumati's Swayam Var. He can't imagine any other woman sitting on the throne alongside him. Yes, Kshatriya Kings do have more than one wife, he would too maybe in the future, for the sake of alliance and good political relationships, but he wants her to be his first wife. Doesn't matter how many wives he has, she will always be the queen of his heart. But much to his disappointment she was looking straight at Duryodhan, not even blinking and the the lost look in her chocolate-brown eyes indicated she was in deep thought. He sighed. His stupid heart loses all his control when it comes to her. Irritation, jealousy, disappointment, anger all emotions get mixed up in his heart, messing up with his head, and disturbing his mind. But he cannot let it show, he is the crown prince and the future king of Hastinapur after all. He tried focusing on the discussion again.

Bhishma sighed. Shakuni smirked as he saw Yudhishthira looking at Tiasha longingly.

-"Maharaj, I don't think the Yuvraj is willing to take part in Kalinga Raj Kanya's Swayam Var. Why only the Yuvraj? There are other Rajkumars in Hastinapur also. My dear nephew, your eldest has arrived at the perfect age of marriage. I think we should send him instead..."

Duryodhan was about to protest, he has no intentions of getting married soon but is stopped by Shakuni's hard look. He sat down with a frown and looked up at Tiasha and found her staring at him. But her gaze was lost somewhere else, she was staring at him but not quite looking at him. He groaned in irritation. Where are his Mitras when he needs them? And he is not receiving any reassurance from his Sakhi as well.