Anya's ancient antics: a mahabharat tale

chapter 24

Duryodhan sat in the silence of his chamber, the remnants of wine lingering in the air, his hands gripping the arms of his chair so tightly his knuckles turned white. The fire in the hearth crackled softly, but its warmth felt distant, cold. His mind was spinning, emotions tearing through him in waves he could not control.

He replayed Anya's words over and over in his head.

*It was my idea to marry Dushala to Drishtadyumna...*

Duryodhan's chest tightened. The betrayal stung deeper than anything he'd felt before. He trusted Anya, *loved* her in a way he hadn't admitted, not even to himself. She was the one person who, despite all the politics, despite all the bloodshed and deceit surrounding him, had been a source of light, of laughter. She was the one who could make him feel human, vulnerable, in ways that no one else ever could.

And now, she had betrayed him.

"Anya..." he whispered her name, his voice breaking, as he leaned back in his chair, his eyes burning with unshed tears. He couldn't believe it. He didn't *want* to believe it. How could she, of all people, conspire against him? She had always been on his side, or so he thought.

His mind was a storm of conflicting emotions. Rage boiled within him, threatening to consume him. His fingers twitched, itching for the hilt of his sword. The image of Drishtadyumna-*that man*-taking his sister, marrying her, filled him with such fury he thought he might lose control. His jaw clenched, his teeth grinding together as the humiliation washed over him again. Duryodhan's sister-*his* sister-had been taken from him, her fate decided by someone else. And the fact that Anya had orchestrated it...it was unbearable.

But alongside the anger, there was another emotion. A deep, gnawing sadness that threatened to swallow him whole. His heart ached, and he hated it. He hated feeling this weakness, this vulnerability. He was Duryodhan, the mighty prince of Hastinapur. He was supposed to be invincible, strong, unshakable. But now, here he was, broken, betrayed by the one person who he thought understood him.

"Why?" he whispered into the silence, his voice trembling. "Why did you do this, Anya?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, memories flooding back of all the times she had made him laugh, teased him, brightened his darkest moments with her wit and warmth. The way she would poke fun at him, Those moments felt distant now, tainted by her betrayal.

Duryodhan's thoughts drifted to his sister, Dushala. He wanted her to be happy, to find joy in her marriage. He believed that marrying Jayadrath would secure her future, give her the status and protection she deserved. But now...now everything had been ruined. His own sister had chosen Drishtadyumna, his enemy's brother, over the man he had picked for her. And Anya-*his Anya*-had helped make it happen.

"Was it for Dushala?" he muttered, his voice low and raw. "Or was it because you never truly believed in me?"

He stood up abruptly, pacing the room, his heart pounding as he struggled to control the emotions warring inside him. His mind was flooded with doubt, pain, and anger. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.

*How could she do this?*

Every part of him wanted to march into Panchal, to tear Drishtadyumna apart for what he had done. But he knew, deep down, that wasn't the solution. He couldn't undo what had already been done. And yet, the thought of Anya choosing to deceive him, to go behind his back, made the pain even more unbearable.

In the midst of his turmoil, there was a quiet, small voice in the back of his mind-one that he tried to ignore, but couldn't shake. It whispered to him that Anya had done what she thought was best for Dushala. She had acted out of love, out of a desire to protect his sister's happiness. But it didn't matter. Not to Duryodhan. Love or not, she had gone against him.

He stopped pacing, leaning heavily against the window ledge, staring out into the darkness of the night. His eyes, bloodshot and tired, reflected the inner storm raging within him.

And then, he thought of Anya again, how she had looked at him tonight. The way her eyes had shone with guilt, with sorrow. The way her voice had trembled when she told him the truth. She had seemed...broken, in her own way. And it was that thought, that image of her, that made his heart ache all the more.

His mind replayed the moment she had taken the goblet from his hand, the way she had called him a wet rabbit, trying to lighten his mood even when he was at his lowest. He had pushed her away, yes. But did he really want to lose her? Did he want to cut her out of his life forever?

The anger, the betrayal, it was all still fresh, still burning hot. But underneath it all was something deeper-a longing, a pull he couldn't resist. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't erase his feelings for her. She had become such an integral part of his world, his heart, that the thought of living without her felt like a far worse punishment than the betrayal itself.

Duryodhan's fists unclenched, his breath slowing as a new kind of exhaustion settled over him. His mind was a battlefield, torn between love and anger, between forgiveness and pride. He wanted to hold her, to let his guard down and admit that he still cared for her, but his pride wouldn't let him.

Leaning his forehead against the cool glass of the window, he closed his eyes. In that moment of solitude, Duryodhan admitted to himself what he had been trying to deny: he missed her. Desperately. The feel of her in his arms, the sound of her laughter, the warmth she brought into his life. He missed it all.

But could he forgive her?

His heart screamed yes, but his pride...his pride wouldn't let him say the words.

As the night deepened and the palace grew silent, Duryodhan remained there by the window, his thoughts torn between love and pain, between the Anya he missed and the betrayal that still stung deeply in his chest.

He sighed heavily, his voice barely a whisper in the night.

"I miss you, Anya... but I don't know if I can forgive you."

Hey guys what do you will Duryodhan forgive Anya or not ?
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