String of Pearls

Laughter

"There is nothing more frightening than the uncertainty of life. But hope is the light that will guide us through the ocean of daunting darkness. Lets hope and work for the greater good" told the toneless voice of the grandsire to the nodding crowd of warriors.

Cursing my inability to control myself hearing this, I bursted out laughing. They are blissfully unaware of a sick joke they are cracking, but a joke nevertheless. And that doubled my laughter.

They don't know that , Nothing is more dreadful than the decided certainty that stole all peace you could have had now. Present will exist only to resent your decisions. Even for hope there is no hope.

"And nothing is more pathetic than a woman willingly walking towards that approaching apocalypse!" I blabbered and crumbled on the floor. My mirthless laughter turned to a deafening wail resembling a wounded animal. Fresh tears threatened to break the dam of strength that hid my stale vulnerabilities. I lied down on a stone cold floor in the farthest corner of a giant room, like a small pearl escaped from a huge necklace, only to get lost in the darkest place, never to be found, ever to be forgotten...

Taking long silent sighs, I gathered the pieces of my shattered resilience. "These mindless men can't steal the life I deserve. I, Bhanumathi, Princess of Kashi, proud wife of Duryodhana, would-be-Empress of great Hastinapur will never be a mere pawn in their childish whims! ", my brazen voice with subtle quiver bounced back by the walls of that empty hall, sounded the sickest of all jokes.