MIRAGE OF HEARTSTRINGS

EDGE OF DEMISE 2

TWO MONTHS LATER

"Next month will be delivery. Both the mother and child are healthy"

"Dhanyawad Ved ji (Thank you Doctor)"

The Maharani of Hastinapur grab her third sister-in-law's hand, gently rubbing it as the second sister-in-law with their Mother-in-law listen to the Ved ji.

"Maharani! Your personal maid is asking for you" Bhanumati stand up, walking towards the door until her vision blackened, making everyone panick as Hidimba caught her before she could fall on the ground.

The chaos after that can only be memorable.

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"How come you here Ashwa?"

"Just.......casually"

The eldest Kaurava raised an eyebrow towards visibly tensed best friend of him as he didn't even brag an eye towards the Hastinapur Raj of his friend.

"You better spill it out now"

"Ugh! Fine. It is about..........howdoItalktomyparents?"

"Hai? Repeat that again, will you?"

"IwanttoaskaboutmymarraigewithVrushali?"

"....................the only thing I recognised in your whole sentence is 'Vrushali', so if I am correct it is about time, huh?"

"Excu-"

"And why are you asking me? I am not the one who has ever talked my parents about this-"

"Usel-"

"Though you could directly take Vrushali with you.......to your mother, I mean it seriously"

".........that will work?"

"You have any other idea?"

"But-"

"MAHARAJ!!!" A loud scream took both their attention as they look towards the pale panicked servant you took their breathe away after his next sentence"Maharaj, Maharani fainted suddenly!!"

Both the royal men immediately proceed towards the place, finding everyone standing at the entrance of room making their steps halt. Duryodhana step into the crowd in front of Vikarna's room, finding his friend like wife lying unconscious on the bed with the ladies and Ved ji surrounding the bed.

Upon sensing Duryodhana's arrival, all of them turned towards him who look confused at the happy faces of all of them.

"Putra Duryodhana" Hearing his mother's voice, Duryodhana turn towards her, staring dumbfounded at their happy look when his wife is fainted until the Ved ji let out "Congratulations Maharaj! Maharani is Pregnant!"

The world around Duryodhana passed away blurred as everyone decides to leave the couple alone in the last with Ashwathama leaving early as he thought to give the family time alone and congratulate later.

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IN THE EVENING

"ugh"

Groaning, the Lady laying on the bed of his brother-in-law opened her eyes as she look around to find darkness engulfing whole room. For a while she remained incomprehensive until she slowly realised her situation that she fainted and is now laying on her pregnant sister-in-law's bed.

The room remained quiet while she stare at the ceiling before the room's door opened and a silhouette emerged through the darkness. Even in the dark, she can recognise the silhouette anytime anywhere. The silhouette came forwarded, making a figure that is illuminating due to the candle in his hands.

"Duryo-"

"Congratulations-" The word and the unknown emotion behind it made the Maharani more confused as she slowly sat up, ready to ask him about this but paused paled when she hear him speaking futher "-on being pregnant. Doctore said it is third ongoing month"

It felt like the air from lungs has been stolen as she felt her body trembling before she turn towards him "it is-"

"That night of two months ago.........it was me, wasn't it?"

By the time, her world slowly stopped spinning, the room was alone with only her presence inside it. She felt her eyes stinging with her vision blurring but she couldn't help but blame herself. It didn't took her too long to feel restless enough to go outside the room, finding it is midnight and the whole palace is quiet as dead forest. But her priority wasn't this, therefore she ran from corridor to corridor after going through their room but being unable to find her other soul piece.

She continuously go through rooms to rooms and corridors to corridors but still couldn't be able to find him until she noticed a bright light coming from a room, in the corner of last corridor. She sighed in relief, thinking it is Duryodhana who must have light up the lamp until she felt her smile fading with each step forwarding towards the room.

"Fire!!" The panick she felt was nothing against the fire heat coming from the room as she try to open the door but couldn't.

The tears ran freely from her eyes when she got the look of the figure from closed glass window, inside the room as she yell broken "Arya!!"

Wiping her tears messily, she knocked on the door, trying to get the attention of unmoving figure inside the room "Duryodhana! Please open the door! Please let me explain!" But when nothing happened nor the door opened even after trying to knock down it too many times, she bite her lips, feeling helpless "Please Duryo"

Her body trembled with anguish before her eyes caught the plant pot hear the corridor as she lift up the heavy plant pot, throwing it into the door, breaking the door into pieces but her steps didn't stopped until his presence was near her. Looking here and there, she noticed two water jugs on the table before throwing the water on the jug and then sand of the broken plant pot when the water felt less for the fire. The fire in the room went out after a while as she turn towards him, stepping towards him with heavy steps before a loud slap sound echoes in the room.

Her uneven breathe slowly calmed down as she gently grab his face with both of her trembling hands, turning it towards herself until she got the reflection of the emotion in his eyes.

In this whole life, Bhanumati can swear that she never felt this much anguish as much as now..............

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