A fearful dasi hurried towards Suyodhana's chambers. She got in and said while panting heavily," Pardon me... Yuvraj. Rajkumar Sushasan ... He... please come."

Suyodhana asked with irritation,"Speak properly first, dasi."

The dasi cowered and tried to regain her breaths. "Pardon me for interrupting your rest, Yuvraj. But Gandharraj has asked you to come immediately to Rajkumar Sushasan 's chambers-"

A loud crash was heard.

Suyodhana mumbled an absentminded 'dismissed' to the dasi and walked quickly to Dusshashan's chambers.

The entire room was in disarray. A mashal was toppled over and what seemed to be a painting was lit on fire.

Sushasan stood heaving with a wild glint in his eyes.

Shakuni limped to Suyodhana. "Tell something to your brother! He has lost his mind," he shouted. He was sweating and seemed wary of Sushasan .

Instead of putting out the fire, Suyodhana cautiously approached Sushasan . "Brother?"

Sushasan stood silently watching the flames engulf the entire painting.

"Sushasan? What happened?" Suyodhana asked.

He turned abruptly and grabbed Suyodhana's forearms. "I. Want. Her," he gritted out.

Suyodhana immediately understood what this was about. "Sushasan , if this is about that girl-"

Sushasan turned away and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "She is not just any girl, Bhratashree. She is one of a kind."

Suyodhana sighed. "She is married, Sushasan."

"I don't care. I still want her," Sushasan walked to the fire and poured a jug of water over it. Smoke arose from the charred remains of Abhijishya's portrait.

"See what I am talking about? Your brother has been going on about this from the time he returned from dinner," Shakuni said. Then he turned towards Sushasan . "Abhijishya is the sister of that Vasudev along with Mahabali Balram even if they are not blood related. They'll crush you if you try anything with their sister. Do you have a death wish?!"

"Well, any of this wouldn't have happened if you both had told me about Lakshagriha," Sushasan shouted. "I would've been her husband; not than worthless Nakul."

"Sushasan!" reprimanded Suyodhana.

He sneered and said," Right, when it is about your rights and wants everything is fair game. I just wanted one thing for myself. Just this once."

Suyodhana felt helpless. His hundred brothers had always followed his every word no matter what and now it felt like his brother was slipping through his fingers. He wouldn't let that happen.

"Alright," he said. Sushasan looked at him confused and Shakuni astonished. "Alright, once before I promised that you will have Abhijishya. I am not going back on my words. We'll just get rid of the Pandavs and somehow make Abhijishya marriage to Nakul null. Then you can make her yours," Suyodhana said placing a comforting hand on Sushasan 's shoulder.

Sushasan 's posture lost it's tension. He said," She didn't come for dinner. I sent food to her chambers. She refused it. Hearing her refusal got my blood boiling."

He sat down before the charred pieces of painting. "The next painting will be of Abhijishya as my wife."

"You intend to marry her?"asked Shakuni incredulously.

"Why else would I want to remove Nakul from her life? You are supposed to be intelligent Mamashree," Sushasan said.

Suyodhana knew exactly what Mamashree meant. He was about to change the topic before the conversation turned hostile when Mamashree said," It would much simpler to keep as a courte-"

The word was stopped before it could come out properly by Sushasan 's strangling grip on Gandharraj's throat.

"Don't you dare," he seethed.

"Sushasan ! Unhand Mamashree at once," shouted Suyodhana yanking his brother away.

Shakuni staggered back coughing violently. He understood that moment the issue was more sensitive. He had miscalculated Sushasan 's motives.

Rubbing his neck, he said," My dear nephew, try to understand. No woman can have another husband while her previous one is alive. That is the exact reason we are using to banish the Pandavs."

"Remember Mamashree, I already told you before to keep Abhijishya out of your schemes. If anything happens to her..." Sushasan trailed off.

"Mamashree will not involve her. Now sit down," Suyodhana said urging Sushasan to sit on the bed.

Sushasan turned towards Shakuni and said,"And Mamashree, who said there has to an alive previous husband?"

Shakuni laughed out loud. "Now you are speaking with sense."

Suyodhana smirked. "You have already something planned, have you not, Mamashree?"

Shakuni grinned. He just had to manoeuvre the situation in the right way.

"Now listen carefully..."

================================

Mata Kunti was not speaking to her. Abhijishya walked along with Maharani Gandhari and Mata Kunti towards the Royal Court. Any effort at conversation met with cold sharp replies. She felt hurt that Mata Kunti believed her act. She didn't know if she should be proud or wary that she had become a skilled manipulator. Maybe it was because people in Dwapar yug were very trusting and simplistic than Kaliyug. Either way she felt Mata Kunti should've had some faith in her. Perhaps it was an illogical expectation but she had hoped Mata Kunti would atleast ask her the reason behind her actions.

They stopped before the stairs leading to the balcony.

Mata Gandhari said," Today you are required to stay in the court, putri. We must leave now. Maharaj will be here soon. Don't worry. He will do justice by you."

"Doing justice by me is doing justice by my family, Jyesth Mata," Abhijishya replied. After the kindness she received from Maharani, it was only fair she spoke clearly of her intentions.

Maharni Gandhari looked confused for a moment then stiffened. "It is the duty of a wife to guide her husband to the path of righteousness when he goes astray."

"You speak truly, Jyesth Mata. Also a good wife doesn't abandon her husband when he is scaling a rough terrain carefully balancing his righteousness," Abhijishya said with a smile.

"Your faith in your husband is commendable, putri," Maharani said.

"I believe in questioning everyone's actions before passing judgement. My husband, his brothers and Draupadi jiji have my faith only because I am a witness to the circumstances that they faced," she said.

Maharani Gandhari smiled and said," Then go stand with your husband, putri. I do not know the circumstances you speak of. My mind still protests against this marriage. But I shall reserve my judgement for now. If their reasons truly had left no other way, I am sure Maharaj will take be fair to all of you."

"That is all I ask, Jyesth Mata," Abhijishya said humbly with joined hands.

"Hear all! Hear all! Maharaj Dhritarastra is arriving to the court," came the voice of the announcer.

"Please excuse me, I must be in the court before Maharaj enters. Pranipaat," she smiled with joined hands.

Kunti who was listening to their conversation all this while felt guilty.

"Put-" her soft voice was interrupted.

"Of course, putri. Come Kunti, let us go," Maharani Gandhari said.

Abhijishya smiled and left.

================================

The court arose and greeted Maharaj. Once he sat down on the throne the others took their seat.

Abhijishya remained standing near the seat of Kakashree Vidur. She tried not to fidget from her increasing anxiety.

Maharaj Dhritarastra addressed the court," Yesterday the Pandavs arrived in Hastinapur with two wives. But our kingdom has only gained one Kulvadhu who is Abhijishya, named Yadavkumari by the Yadu clan. Panduputra Nakul married her. But alas! Kuru kingdom could not accept the other wife, Panchal Rajkumari Draupadi for all the five Pandavs have married her. I believe simply banishing them will not be enough. They have committed a heinous act. Let this court hear of the blasphemy the Pandavs committed and then I shall deliver their punishment accordingly."

On cue, the announcer shouted," Hear all! Hear all! Pandavas and their wife Panchal Rajkumari Draupadi are entering the court."

Jyesth Yudhisthir along with Draupadi were in the middle with Bheem and Nakul to their right and Arjun and Sahadev to their left. They entered together and greeted Maharaj, Pitamaah, Kakashree and then the entire court.

Yudhisthir stood in front of Maharaj Dhritarastra's throne. The other four Pandavs and Draupadi went to stand to the other side of the hall and faced Abhijishya.

Nakul looked at her and smiled briefly. The worry in his eyes were echoed in the other Pandavs and Draupadi. Only Yudhisthir looked calm as usual.

Abhijishya looked away. She didn't want even her smallest gesture to clue Gandharraj in on her motives.

Yudhisthir said,"Maharaj, sometime ago we had to flee from Varnavat because of the palace burning down. That is why we decided to stay away from Hastinapur. Deeming us dead, you coronated Bhrata Suyodhana as the Yuvraj. But now I am here to serve you and the entire kingdom."

He paused and joined his hands. "Tatshree, a new building cannot be constructed over the place where the old one is still standing. Similarly a new Yuvraj cannot be coronated while the old one is present. I request you to declare Bhrata Suyodhana's coronation as Yuvraj null and void."

"You being the Yuvraj is out of question when you have committed such a sin, Yudhisthir. I am surprised you even dare to stand before me and ask for youself to be reinstated as the Yuvraj," Maharaj Dhritarastra said loudly.

"What sin have we committed, Tatshree?" Yudhisthir asked striken at the anger.

Suyodhana laughed out loud. "Splendid! Dharamraj Yudhisthir in all his righteousness doesn't know what sin he has committed," he said mockingly.

He arose from his seat and addressed the court," So this is the person who wants to be Yuvraj of Hastinapur."

Suyodhana looked at Yudhisthir and said," Has that woman ensnared you such that you have lost your sense of decorum?"

"Bhrata Suyodhana, sometimes very unusual situations arise in life that the only possible solution has to be unique too. That doesn't make it a sin," Yudhisthir said.

"Oh? Are you listening to this, Maharaj? Jyesth Yudhisthir does not consider the marriage of five men to a women a sin. Is this righteousness going to glorify the throne of Hastinapur one day?" Suyodhana said.

"No, not at all. I am the Maharaj of Hastinapur and as long as I sit on this throne I shall not let this happen. Yudhisthir, the soul of my dearest Pandu must be in anguish seeing what you and your brothers have done. My ancestors must be ashamed and hurt because of your grave sin" Dhritarastra said furiously.

"Our deed was no sin, Maharaj. I have heard in the Puranas that Jatila, the foremost of all virtuous women belonging to the race of Gotama had married seven Rishis. This is not the only example. The chaste daughter of the Great Sage Kandu named Marisha also married ten Prachetas. She was the mother of Prajapati Daksh, Tatshree, from whom the genesis of all creation occured. If marrying more than one man was a sin, then we all humans are the fruits of it. Sin and virtue are not defined by deeds alone but the intentions behind them," Yudhisthir said.

Dhritarastra seemed agitated but didn't say anything. Suyodhana said," Alright. Alright. Let us suppose that mere ordinary humans like us cannot see the great virtuosity of the Pandavs and Draupadi. But what about Abhijishya, Maharaj?"

Abhijishya looked at Suyodhana in astonishment. Even Dhritarastra looked confused.

"I am concerned about the regalia of Hastinapur, Maharaj. First our Yuvraj claims a woman marrying five men virtuous. And now we have another whose birth, origins and caste we know nothing about. Will the Kuru accept any woman as their Kulvadhu?" Suyodhana said.

Abhijishya couldn't understand why Suyodhana was involving her. She looked at Gandharraj who was smiling in amusement. So this was another of his schemes. But what was the objective?

Dhritarastra remained silent as expected. The court was confused at the turn of the issue.

"I don't mean any offence but everything we know about Abhijishya is from her own words. She arrives here in Hastinapur, claims to be from outside of Aryavart and returns after a year as the wedded wife of Panduputra Nakul. No other kingdom has ever heard of this state called Singur but Vasudev Krishna names her as his sister," Suyodhana said.

Mahamahim Bhism said angrily," You are insulting the Kulvadhu, Duryadhan."

"I am merely asking questions, Pitamaah. The Pandavs brought such two women among whom one doesn't know righteousness and the other has no proper roots. How do we know whether Abhijishya was a daughter of well respected family or a child of an ordinary prostitute or worse a prost-" Suyodhana got cut off.

Abhijishya was more confused than angry. What was Suyodhana trying to gain by insulting her?

"BHRATA SUYODHANA," roared Nakul.

In a blink, he stood before Suyodhana with his unsheathed sword resting again Suyodhana's neck. A little blood treckled down.

"One more word and you shall lose your neck," hissed Nakul.

Dhritarastra stood up and demanded," What is going on?"

"You dare insult my wives before me. I should behead you right this moment," Nakul shouted; his eyes red and figure tense from rage.

"Remove your sword from his neck, Nakul or you shall have a taste of my arrows," Karn said lifting his bow.

"Nakul! I order you to put your sword down," Dhritarastra thundered.

Nakul didn't look deterred. Arjun also took hold of his bow and stepped in front of Karn.

Shakuni looked too pleased for Abhijishya's comfort. He got up and said," Maharaj, the Pandavs seem to have forgotten the rules after spending time with those savage Rakshasas. Panduputra Nakul has not obeyed your order."

"Enough, I have had enough of this. For not obeying my orders and taking to arms in the Royal Court, I sentence you to death, Nakul," Dhritarastra ordered.

The Pandavs and Draupadi were pictures of restrained fury and disbelief. Mahamahim and Mahamantri looked aghast at their King while Suyodhana stood with a self satisfied smile despite the still resting blade against his neck.

"You cannot do this, Maharaj," echoed in the resulting silence of Maharaj Dhritarastra's order.

~°•~°•~°•~°•~°•~°•~

A.N. - I struggled to get this chapter together for the past few days I didn't update. Generally I always inform you guys if I will update inconsistently. So sorry because I didn't this time.

What do you think of Suyodhana now that you have gotten a little closer look at his character?

Shakuni is well Shakuni.

Sushasan's feelings have also been brought to light. Thoughts on that?

Please do vote and comment.

Rate this chapter out of 10. I need your reviews to know how the story is progressing.

About updates : I am going to slow down a bit. So once a week you'll get a new chapter.

Until the next time,

Byeee ;")