The sixteenth night seemed to stretch on and on, and the fear for the next day only seemed to increase with each passing moment.

There was sleep in none of their eyes. Even though it was important for the warriors to get rest, none of them seemed to want to waste a moment on it as it could be the last time they could spend time with their loved ones. Not that too many warriors were left in the first place. Compared to the early days..... the devastation wreaked by the war was obvious.

Once Bhrata Karna had brought Vrushali Di back, he wouldn't let any of them leave the tent until the men had to leave to plan for the next day.

Everyone was agitated and apprehensive but Bhrata Karna especially seemed to want to soak up every moment he could in their presence, as if he was certain that he would not get another opportunity. 

He was acting rather unlike himself. Despite the fact that tears and watery eyes and taken up a permanent residence on all their faces, Bhrata Karna chattered on and on, through hitched voice and occasional gasps holding back sobs as if he had to get out as many words as he could.

His golden eyes wildly flitted all over each of them.

Seeing Bhrata Karna, who was always generally rather conservative in the usage of words like this, was... unsettling. So unsettling.

At one point, he had gotten up and just hugged each of them tightly.

All this scared Bhanumati more than ever.

Everyone else also seemed to find this odd, but at this point none of their mental states were stable enough so... everybody just went along with it.

Vrushali di was completely pale and had a tight hold on both of her sons' hands.

No. Bhrata Karna could not die tomorrow. He could not. He must not. If he did.... no. No. He couldn't. They would definitely lose the war and they would lose him. She would definitely lose Duryodhan. They had lost almost everyone. No more. It couldn't be. Surely Fate couldn't be this cruel?

 But if it were, should she even be surprised at this point?

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In the Commanding Tent, The Yuvraj humbly requested the King of Madra to be The King of Anga's Charioteer, so that they could be a proper match for the third  Pandava Prince and the Lord of Dwarka, for there was no better charioteer on their side who could support their Commander.

Madraraj Shalya raged at the proposal.

Fighting under the Command of a lowly Suta was insulting enough to them all, he claimed. By making him Commander in Chief, Duryodhan was insulting his Grandsire and Preceptor already. And now he wanted him, the Mighty King of Madra, who they had tricked into joining their side, to be a charioteer, for the Charioteer's son?!

The Yuvraj defended his friend's strength as a warrior and the King of Madra commented harshly on how his younger brother had been killed so brutally while his friend was commander, but was wryly questioned on whether he could last against Arjun for even a single minute.

Before the argument could proceed further, Hastinapur's scion surprised the older man by genuinely, humbly requesting him to protect his friend in battle the next day like the Lord of Dwarka protects his cousin so that their victory may be assured.

The Madra Raj was surprised but agreed. However, in his mind still remained the request from the Dharmaraj. To lower the spirits of the Kaurava army in battle as much as he could. So, while the flattery might make him agree, he presented the condition that he would be allowed to speak his mind throughout the battle, no matter whether or not that Sutaputra liked it.

The King of Anga was not very happy, but he agreed on account of getting a superior charioteer.

The Surya Formation was agreed on for their army on the 17th Day. It was said to represent the clarity of vision in battle and perhaps it represented the mind of the Kaurava Army's Commander in Chief as well. Or it could have represented him bringing forth the Sun's rage on the battlefield.

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After the planning for the next day had been done, Bhrata Karna insisted on all of them being together in the same tent again.

However, the wild look in his eyes from before had been replaced by a strange sort of peace. He looked calm and serene in a way that made her uneasy. He should not have been looking so tranquil, not when he had lost seven of his nine sons, not when ninety nine of the Kauravas were dead, when so few of the children were left, not when most of their generals were dead.

His earlier behaviour while unsettling, had still been more understandable. Now, it was just unnerving.

There was no sleep in Bhanumati's eyes as she sat leaning against Duryodhan, his arm wrapped around her shoulders. In fact, the only ones who had managed to doze off for a few moments were Vrishasena and Vrishaketu, on their Mother and Father's laps respectively.

Duryodhan beside her, was just completely muted. Losing all his brothers... it was unfathomable. Losing her brother had destroyed her. And he had lost every single one of his. She didn't think the losses had still completely settled in for any of them. It would be after the war, however it ended..... when they would realise that they could no longer spend time with any of them, speak to any of them.....

She did not want to think about any of it, still.

Bhrata Karna tried to draw Duryodhan out into soft conversation and succeeded to an extent, as only he ever could. But Vrushali Di interrupted in sudden, frantic whispers, meant just for her husband's ears, also so very unlike herself and it seemed that he had no words to reassure or comfort her. Even though Bhrata Karna continued to look pensive, Vrushali Di only grew more agitated and that didn't do anything for Bhanumati's nerves either.

Suddenly, a wave of fear and anxiety swept over her as realised that Bhrata Karna was starting to remind her of Pitamaha Bheeshma before the tenth day of battle and that certainly did not bode well for them. 

She felt flushed with heat but did not draw away from Duryodhan, not knowing how much longer she could experience being held by him. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, she knew, but.... How could she not? The terror was overpowering. How could she not fear the Pandavas using treachery once again, in order to kill their Commander in Chief? It had been proven that despite their claim of Dharma, they did not consider themselves held back by the rules of War, whereas Bhrata Karna had been adamant that under his tenure as Commander in Chief, not a single rule of the battlefield would be broken by the remaining Kaurava Army.

And if he fell... if he fell, it was all over, her Duryodhan too would... No-- No, she couldn't think of that, she couldn't!

She buried her face into Duryodhan's shoulder. Looking at Bhrata Karna like this terrified her.

For while Karna's eyes held fiery determination, they also held this strange sort of resigned acceptance, that Bhanumati had known him long enough to feel, didn't suit him.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Bhanumati's hands shook as she made the preparations for tilaking her family's warriors. Duryodhan remained. And eleven children. That was it. That was all that was left of them. Who knew how many of those eleven would survive the day? She would have been horrified that she was letting such terrible thoughts about her nephews cross her mind but..... At this point...She didn't know if they would have any children left anymore.

Most of them had already suffered the horrific fate of having their wombs rendered bare. She could only pray for the remaining not to have to suffer so as well.... but she did not feel optimistic about it.

Oh why they did still continue to fight?! Damn that Kshatriya honour! Did they not feel as if they were sheep walking to their own slaughter?

What would they gain if they managed to defeat the Pandavas now? She did not want to hold any rage towards Duryodhan now that.... now that he might.....

But it was so difficult! If only he had returned Indraprastha to the Pandavas when Vasudev Krishna had come with the Peace Treaty! Or even agreed to the proposal of the five villages!

If only he had not hosted the accursed Dyut Sabha!

All would have been well. They had been happy!  There had been peace. They had been alive! Her son, her nephews, her brother! And now, and now it was all gone! They were all ruined forever. The victor would be ruling over a Kingdom of Widows. But even now, all she could pray for, was for even that hollow victory to belong to Duryodhan. Even though he was not the man he had been even a few days ago, having lost almost everything!

War was so much worse than Hell. Hell was for sinners but in War, everyone suffered, even the innocents.

And oh! Had the war only started over two weeks ago? Had all their lives been completely ruined in little over two weeks?!

Her thoughts, emotions, they were all scrambled. She could not even understand it herself, everything that she felt.

She took in a deep breath in a failed attempt to steady herself, but  in the end there was nothing else to do but walk outside with her prayer thali.

When the time came to apply tilaks on her family's foreheads, she could barely meet Duryodhan's eyes, but that did not stop her from embracing him nonetheless, far beyond caring about impropriety. She got the feeling that no one else cared anymore, either.

He placed a kiss on her forehead but did not try to reassure her like he had at the beginning of the war. 

She hugged all her remaining nephews that day, hoping that her arms did not tremble as much as her heart.

She saw Bhrata Karna embracing his sons, Duryodhan and Vrushali di and holding them desperately like it was the last time he may get to do so.

And then it was her being pulled against his chest.

"Promise me something." He whispered.

"Anything."

"Keep Vrushali safe, alright? Keep her from doing anything extreme. Promise me."

She blinked. 

"What do you mean, anything ext--"

"Just promise me."

"Very well." Bhanumati swallowed.

"Thank you, sister." He said, pulling back, smoothing her hair one last time.

"It's time." Duryodhan murmured to Karna.

"You start mobilising the army. I will join you in a while."

Duryodhan's brow furrowed. 

"What are you talking about, you're our Commander in Chief."

"Please, I just. I need a few moments to myself."

Duryodhan nodded, grasping his hand tightly for a moment, before leaving to get the army into their positions.

His sons tried to go to him, but he calmly told them to go take their positions. Vrushali Di hugged him tightly again, but then let him return to their tent.

It was at this moment that a palki carried by Hastinapur Palace soldiers seemingly appeared out of nowhere, to Bhanumati's bewilderment, the sound of their approaching footsteps having been masked by those of the soldiers marching towards the battlefield.

And out stepped Mata Gandhari?!

Bhanumati hurried towards her.

"What is it, Mata? Why are you here right now?"

"I must speak to Duryodhan." She said desperately.

"He--he's already out, leading the soldiers to the battlefield."

"No, I must, I must speak with him right now."

"What happened?! Is Pitashree alright?! Kakashree? Is Lakshmanaa alright?!" 

How was she supposed to call Duryodhan back when he was at centre of the Surya Vyuh that was being formed? If he suddenly left, it would cause chaos.

"Well, they're all alive, thankfully." Mata Gandhari replied, bitterly.

Before Bhanumati could say anything else, Bhrata Karna stepped out of his tent, his enormous Vijaya Dhanush clenched tightly in his hand.

"Mata Gandhari?" He enquired, eyes widening slightly. 

"Karna!" She exclaimed, grabbing hold of his free hand, her eyes wild. "Duryodhan, I need to see him, I--"

"Mata, the vyuh has already started it's formation. We cannot remove it's center-most member." He replied gently.

"You will keep him safe, won't you?! You will make sure he returns alive today?"

"I assure you," He replied in that odd tone of voice that had always made Bhanumati nervous over the past couple of months, "That as long as I am alive, he will stay alive as well. His own shadow may abandon him, but I will not."

He did not promise anything else though, Bhanumati noticed.

"Alas, I cannot give you any assurances of what might happen, should I die."

"But you won't die!" Mata Gandhari exclaimed, speaking exactly what Bhanumati desperately prayed for.

"I am thankful to have your blessings with me, Mata, when I cannot have Radha Maa here today."

And then gently extricating his hand from her grip and holding a trembling Vrushali Di--who did not seem to want to let go of him-- close one last time, he was off, to take his place at the forefront of the Surya Vyuh.

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Lord Forgive my terrible skills at coming up with titles lmaooo. Well, the whole of 17th day was supposed to be one chapter, but this is already 2000 words so well.... Don't worry I won't disappear for several months before uploading the next part. I'm not so cruel.

One thing that's been bothering me is that.... since I've not touched this fic for a while, am I getting the characterisation right? Lemme know if something truly feels off(except what needs to feel off for the story) and I'll try to change it. 

Guys, Guys I've forgotten how to write Duryodhan OMG. HOW do I write Duryodhan?!

Also, uhh... I have genuinely forgotten how many Kaurava kids were left in previous chaps and can't find anything anymore ugh? I hope I'm not messing up the numbers! If you guys notice, please let me know!

But... if you liked it, don't forget to leave comments and votes! <3