MIRAGE OF HEARTSTRINGS

BOND BRIDGE

Sahadeva watch the maid cleaning the shattered vase while karna check over duryodhana, just to confirm as ashwatthama check the papers. Even though it is all same, Sahadeva can't help but to think about the forest time when he used to help duryodhana.

He knows, karna and ashwatthama are more than enough to take care of duryodhana and even duryodhana is enough to take care of himself.............sometimes. But still the unknown itch inside does not go away easily after watching duryodhana, karna and ashwatthama together everytime.

"we should put this back"

Sahadeva hear ashwatthama speaking as he put the documents in the drawer while duryodhana just stand there until karna put his hand of duryodhana's shoulder, taking his attantion who gave a light nod but it can be clearly seen that it does not ease up karna's concern.

Though karna still turned around to leave finding Arjuna standing there but he didn't give it much thought before walking away. As much as they thought karna was there to target Arjuna, it was proved wrong the time they didn't even know karna is their brother as mostly time Karna either would ignore them or their existence or would just simply let go though now they know the reason which is karna does not like violence much even if they still don't know why he challenged Arjuna in the first place..........but warriors can challenge each other..........seems like they were thinking too much.

Watching karna going, Sahadeva look towards duryodhana who also noticed Arjuna standing there as he speak out which is definitely in low voice since they can't hear but Arjuna definitely did as he shrugged in response making duryodhana raise an eyebrow.

"the show is completed"

Duryodhana says to which Arjuna glanced towards the maid who is taking the pieces of vase, wrapped in paper before he look towards duryodhana who is still watching his actions making Arjuna nod to himself, muttering out something which duryodhana must have heard as he hissed out lowly in warning which Arjuna fully ignored.

Sahadeva watched Arjuna going from there before duryodhana's eyes caught their presence but he carefully, imperturbably ignored them or more like avoided their gaze making Sahadeva think of the time in forest when he talked with duryodhana and now it seems as if they are back to the way before or maybe they are and Sahadeva is sure, his heart didn't like it as it itches to ask duryodhana 'why he is ignoring them?' but he knows he can't and there is more tightness inside cause of this.

After a while karna came back as both duryodhana and ashwatthama nodded to something which karna said before they closed the door office, walking towards duryodhana's room with ashwatthama on the right while karna on left of duryodhana as he places his hand on duryodhana's shoulder, asking something which they definitely can't hear as the three are going far away from them but Sahadeva can still see duryodhana nodding his head reassuringly to which karna let it go too. And they went back too knowing they have nothing to do nor they had even in the first place.

----------------------------------------------------

Karna look at duryodhana who seem to be in trouble about something or maybe more like trouble about his own feelings as he exchange glances with ashwatthama who is equally worried about duryodhana but duryodhana's lack of attention is unknown to both of their worried gazes.

"Duryodhana"

"hmm?" Duryodhana look towards ashwatthama who just called him as he sat beside duryodhana before putting his arm around his (duryodhana's) shoulder before saying "look, emotions are very strong which changes from time to time like you can't be happy about something for a long time, not like you can't but just think as an example - Dushala got married in a very well family where she is treated well and is happy but you can't smile everyday for her right? You know this so you will have a internal feeling about it about after some day when you get so many works, you will feel tired too and at that time you can't think of that happy emotion's reason"

Pointing at duryodhana's heart, Ashwatthama again speak "the feelings you are having right now isn't something that go away that easily, infact no feeling can go away, they just hide in somewhere deep and it depends on the person, how he or she wants to move on from that-" looking into duryodhana's, he sincerely says "-Cause you don't want to persue that feeling, I sincerely hopes that you would move on, otherwise it will only hurt you"

"and we too by seeing you like this" Duryodhana hears his other best friend saying as ashwatthama shrugs continuing "-and if you got hurt then there would be problem in stopping us" to which karn also nodded making duryodhana chuckle, Oh he seriously have such protective friends.

"I will avoid it"

"as long as it keep you satiated"

"hmm"

AT NIGHT

People might find night to be most calm, beautiful, dangerous and what not in praising but for duryodhana, it is only isolated.

It is as if he is back to the phase of life where he is standing alone on the path where, there is nothing but darkness surrounding him. It is the time when he found himself delving deeper into the mind making him feel sense of numbness, as if he is sinking down without anyone to hold him up. It is both serene yet petrifying at the same time.

He could tell anyone about this, not anyone but his best friends definitely. They would stay with him, talking whole night or letting him stay with them or will stay with him but he doesn't want to do that especially when they are already doing a lot of things for him.

He does not want to go through that again despite the fact that he was going through it until karna gave him that medicine which has reduced his coughs to zero while the chest pain also didn't came back from that time............

................Chest pain, it reminds him of the night when he wanted it to be chest pain but now it has become heart pain after knowing why his heart beat fastened yesterday night. Wish he never had-

"what are you doing here all alone?"

Huh? Now who came?

Groaning internally, duryodhana turned left to see who is the person that just called him out at this moment when it is already midnight.

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