HARIHARESHWARI 16 - विशृंखलित राजवंशाः

CHAPTER 79

Under the canopy of a moonlit sky, the kingdom of Hastinapur lay shrouded in silence. All souls were lost in the embrace of sleep, unaware of the brewing wickedness.

In the stillness of the night, Duryodhan and Dushasan, cloaked in shadows, moved stealthily towards Bheem's chamber with baskets in hand. The moon cast an eerie glow on the palace grounds as the duo navigated through the corridors, their footsteps muffled by the night's tranquility.

The vigilant guards, spotting the princes, hesitated to intervene. They knew all too well the consequences of crossing Duryodhan, whose power and influence loomed large in the kingdom. They chose to turn a blind eye to the duo's late-night escapade. They watched as the two princes tip-toed past, their faces masked in mischievous grins. Some guards chuckled softly, dismissing their actions as mere childish pranks that posed no real threat.

Duryodhan and Dushashan quietly crept inside the dimly lit room of Bheem, where the mighty Pandava slept peacefully. Silently, Duryodhan and Dushashan approached Bheem's bed, their faces twisted in malice.

With a sinister glint in their eyes, they unveiled the baskets, unleashing a slithering mass of venomous snakes that hissed and writhed in the darkness. Duryodhan's face contorted with malice as he callously seized the serpents, their fangs dripping with poison. With a sadistic glee, he brought the deadly reptiles closer to Bheem's sleeping form.

The snakes, sensing their target, struck at Bheem with all their fury, their fangs bared to deliver their deadly venom. But to their astonishment, their sharp teeth could not pierce Bheem's tough skin. He, in his slumber, remained unperturbed.

"Yeh kaat kyu nahi paa rahe ?" Frustration etched Dushashan's face as the snakes futilely attempted to pierce Bheem's flesh, their efforts in vain against his invulnerability.

Duryodhan's cruel smile faltered at the unexpected turn of events. Despite his best efforts to make the snakes target Bheem's vulnerable spots, they could not break through his supernatural shield.

Suddenly, Bheem stirred from his sleep, causing panic to grip Duryodhan and Dushashan. Abandoning the snakes and baskets in haste, they fled the room, leaving behind a failed attempt at treachery.

As Bheem's eyes fluttered open, his gaze fell upon the vicious snakes surrounding him. But his quick reflexes and immense strength come to his aid, as he seized the serpents in his powerful grip, swiftly crushing them to death.

Confusion and anger cloud his mind as he wonders how the snakes ended up in his room. His heart races, but he forces himself to calm down, his mind sharp and focused. Surveying the room, his gaze falls upon the abandoned baskets, and realization dawns on him. Someone had brought the snakes here intentionally.

Bheem rose from his bed and stormed outside, his muscles tensed with anger. He approached one of the guards, "Mahodaye, yaha koi aya tha abhi ?"

"Rajkumar Duryodhan aur Dushashan aaye the." The guard replied, and seeing the expressions of Bheem, asked concernedly "Kuch huya tha kya ?"

"Woh mere kaksh mei aa-" Bheem was about to reveal Duryodhan's evil scheme, but Vidur's solemn words echoed in his mind. The truth clawed at his throat, eager to spill out, but he swallowed it down.

Bheem replied, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him, "Nahi kuch nahi huya...."

The guard's brow furrowed in confusion, sensing an unspoken truth lingering in the air. But Bheem just smiled, "Dono upahas kar rahe the mere saath."

The guard's expression softened, relief washing over his features. Unaware of the sinister truth concealed beneath Bheem's facade, he chuckled at the supposed prank. Bheem watched as the guard walked away, leaving him alone with the remnants of the failed attempt on his life.

Bheem let out a sigh of relief, knowing he had a duty to protect the kingdom by keeping silent. Turning around, he was surprised to see Yudhishthir standing in front of his room, his eyes filled with concern.

Feeling his brother's presence, Bheem lowered his gaze and quietly retreated to his room. Yudhishthir followed him, placing a comforting hand on Bheem's shoulder.

"Mujhe bhi nahi bataoge ?" He asked.

And then Yudhishthir's eyes fell on the dead snakes, causing his heart to sink. Seeing the lifeless bodies of those virulent serpents, the eldest son of Pandu was in shock realising the severity of the situation and the evil intentions that had been lurking within Hastinapur.

"Y-Yeh sab ?" Yudhishthir muttered.

Bheem, however, managed a reassuring smile, trying to ease his brother's concerns, "Kuch nahi hai, Jyesht. Inn sarpo ke dant mei na toh itna bal hai, na itna vish ki mujhe ahat kar sake."

Despite Bheem's smile and assurance, Yudhishthir's worry deepens, weighed down by the responsibility of being the eldest. Yudhishthir's brow furrows with concern as he contemplates the implications of such a malicious act. His mind races, trying to piece together the motives behind Duryodhan's actions and the potential consequences for their kingdom.

"Jyesht ?" Bheem looked at him sadly, knowing well about his brother's inner turmoil.

"Huh ?" Yudhishthir looked at him, and then gazed down, he chose to maintain a facade of calmness for Bheem's sake, not wanting to add to his brother's distress, "Raat bahut ho gayi hai.... Inn sarpo ko yaha se bahar daal do aur so jaao."

As be turned away, Bheem suddenly reached out and grabbed his hand. Yudhishthir pauses, his usual calm demeanor faltering as he meets Bheem's gaze.

Vrikodar said, "Aapke man mei jo kotuhal hai woh aap mujhe bata sakte hai."

Yudhishthir hesitated, his inner turmoil threatening to spill over. The weight of responsibility as the eldest brother bore down on him heavily.

Bheem reminded, "Arjun, Nakul aur Sahadev abhi chhote hai.... Abodh hai.... Kintu aap mujhse toh apne hridaye ki baat kar sakte hai."

Taking a deep breath, Yudhishthir said, "Mana tumhari aur Durydhan ki kabhi mitrata nahi huyi.... Kintu tumne aisa bhi kya kardiya ki woh tumhare praan lena chaahta hai ? Uske man mei humare prati itna akrosh kyu hai ?"

Bheem sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "Pata nahi... Kintu aap ashvast rahiye, woh mere praan nahi le sakta."

"Nahi Bheem. Ab hume aur satark rehna hoga...." Yudhishthir shook his head, and then disappointment glimmered in his eyes, "Satark rehne ke alawa hum kar bhi kya sakte hai ?"

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A/N

Baby Yudhi, it's gonna be alr-
Nevermind~

Anyway.... Although Yudhishthir loved all the Pandavas dearly, like his own sons.... His bond with Bheem is something special. He usually let's his guard down in front of Bheem, perhaps because both were closer in age.