In the forests around the kingdom of Hastinapur

"I cannot have any children."

Kunti was looking horrified as she studied the pale Pandu in front of her. She honestly had not expected this. At least, not from the crown prince of Hastinapur.

By default, she turned to look at her younger sister... well, not younger sister. They were both married to Pandu and Kunti knew that Madri loved Pandu more than Kunti had ever loved the man. That was fine by Kunti.

As the crown prince, Pandu was eligible to marry as many women he pleased. But Pandu had married her and then Madri, the princess of the Kingdom of Shalya. That was all.

At first Kunti had been apprehensive about princess Madri, but then Kunti realized that the princess of Shalya's kingdom was just a girl. A frightened girl at that. For a brief second, she remembered her own marriage at the age of seventeen and Kunti embraced Madri, with her whole heart. She knew that she would have nothing to fear from Madri.

But Pandu had not married any more, after having two wives and now Kunti realized why.

"What do you mean you cannot have children?" Madri demanded looking confused as she clutched Kunti's hands for support.

"I have always had a frail health from my childhood. While Dhirdarashtra was phenomenally strong, I was not..." Pandu shook his head unhappily. "I worked hard at overcoming it and through sheer hard work, I was able to fight and even lead my people to battle successfully." Pandu sighed. "It was during one such conquest that I met a sage in a forest. He looked at me and told me that my body constitution was too weak. I could not have children. He said that there was every chance that the effort to have children could kill me."

"Can nothing be done?" Madri asked looking at Pandu and she was beginning to look horrified.

Pandu smiled grimly. "The sage did prescribe some herbs for me. But he was not too hopeful. That was the main reason that I gave up the throne and retired to the forests. I can rule the kingdom, but after me, no child of mine can rule the kingdom." Pandu told Kunti slowly. "The Scriptures prescribe that a man who cannot have children is not capable of sitting on the throne of the kingdom." Pandu nodded to himself. "That is why my blind brother rules the kingdom of Hastinapur as my regent. Neither of us are capable of sitting on the throne. Bheeshma asked me about it. But I could not tell him the truth. So I told them that I had unwittingly killed a sage in the forest and that I no longer felt worthy of sitting on the throne." Pandu took another deep breath controlling himself. "The truth is that the sage's words have taken away my desire to rule the kingdom. And I am not worried about my kingdom. But now, I am telling you this, because I have finally realized that I shall never know the joys of fatherhood." Pandu finished in a stoic tone.

Kunti blinked.

The sage's words. Sage Durvasa's words. At that time, Kunti had not told her nurse about it, but the fact remained that Sage Durvasa had taught her to make the serum because the sage had looked at Kunti's face and he had felt that Kunti was going to need the serum in her future. That was the reason that the sage had even imparted this knowledge to her.

Though Kunti had never repeated the words to anyone, right now, those were the only words which were resounding in her head. Repeatedly.

You shall need this serum in the future. That is the reason I am teaching it to you. Use your knowledge well. Sage Durvasa's words came up in Kunti's head as she realized that this was what the sage was referring to. This very event.

For a dark minute, Kunti thought about the young glorious child in the natural coat of thick skin which almost seemed like an armour and Kunti nearly growled to herself as she stamped out what she was feeling.

"A woman's child can be considered as the child of her husband, if the husband acknowledges his paternity over the child." Kunti said in a weak voice.

She knew what she was saying and she had no doubts that Pandu would understand it.

"What are you saying Kunti?"

Predictably, Madri did not understand and she was looking blankly.

But Pandu had eyes only for Kunti.

"When I was young, I served Sage Durvasa. Along with him I traveled to all the kingdoms of Aryavartha. During the travels, he taught me to make a serum." Kunti said in a quiet voice. "The serum can cause any man to have a powerful infatuation over the first woman that he sees after drinking the serum."

"What are you saying, Kunti?" Madri was reduced to whispering as she was staring at Kunti and it looked like she was looking at Kunti for the first time, in her life.

Both Kunti and Pandu ignored the bleating Madri. This was not the time for explaining these things.

For a long second, Pandu stared at his first wife, wondering what other secrets hid behind those strong eyes.

But Pandu realized that he shall never know it. He was not meant for that.

"I shall be a father through you." Pandu looked at Madri and nodded. "Through both of you." Pandu nodded at Kunti.

"Do it." Was all that the former king of Hastinapur said.