MIRAGE OF HEARTSTRINGS

CLANDESTINE

IN HASTINAPUR

"INDRAPRASTHA RAJ MAHARAJ YUDHISTHIR ALONG WITH RAJKUMAR ARJUNA AND RAJKUMAR BHIMA IS ENTERING THE ROYAL COURT!!"

The echoed in the Hastinapur's illuminating Royal palace court as the three brothers enter the court to find their cousins, elders and their mother standing there.

They gentle took blessing from their mother before going towards other elders as they stand back after.

The Maharaj of Indraprastha glance towards his younger cousin who is supposedly now taken the place of eldest Kaurava before politely nodding towards him. Earning the polite greetings back despite the visible surprise on Dushasana's face.

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The now Eldest Kaurava's expression became more flabbergasted upon having greetings by the Vayuputra and then by his younger cousin. Whose eyes held a polite gentleness like as if he could relate to Dushasana's buried grief even now. And the Kaurava has no idea of why.

His stumbling thoughts halted upon hearing another announcement.

"SAMRAT OF ARYAVART ALONG WITH KASHIRAJ AND NISHADHARAJ IS ENTERING THE ROYAL COURT!!"

Half year ago, they watched the same Stood Tall and vibrant Samrat crumbling into pieces by his own mother's after the reveal in this same court.

And now again they are seeing him again after that day directly, in the same court, in front of same people but this time not crumbling, this time fierce and fiery.

That day they had not just lost brothers or guide or an alley but they had lost a family that included three pillars of duryodhana's courage and power.

After that cursed day, no one saw Karna, Ashwathama or Ekalavya again but have only heard about them, their achievements and their activities.

Dushasana glance towards the three brother in burning hollowness who are now the blood bonded younger brother of the same family member whom they had once insulted on front of whole Hastinapur.

However the hollowness didn't lasted long when he noticed the flicker of pain crossing upon the Maharaj of Indraprastha's face upon seeing his elder Brother. While the two behind didn't had a flicker, instead they fully show their longing, pain, grief and regret towards their lost Eldest Brother.

Especially the Archer who always kept his emotion buried under his foot is now laying them in front of the same man he challenged on the very first day.

It surprised the Gandhariputra as from when did the Pandavas became close to the Samrat to feel these emotions when they were enemies till the reveal.

Although, nothing mattered when Dushasana himself felt these emotions when the Radheya, Dronaputra and Hiranyadhanusputra didn't even glanced towards them nor showed any ounce of emotion.

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"Pranipat Bade puta Dhritarashtra! Pranipat Mata Gandhari! Pranipat Rajmata!"

A greeting that made the whole royal court shrink into the ground.

Cold.
Distance.
A straight line boundary.

A sentence that shows the boundary drawn by him, the Samrat of Aryavart or the Eldest Kaunteya who just Rejected his own family.

The whole palace fell into an awkward silence before the Archer, Indraputra and the only man who got challenged by the said Samrat in whole Hastinapur, opened his mouth.