In the palace of Hastinapur,

Bheeshma was not even surprised as he heard the guard announce the visit of the Prime Minister of Hastinapur, into his room.

It was the night and most of the people in the city of Hastinapur were asleep. Bheeshma had just returned to the palace and he had not even removed his armour as he heard the guard outside make the announcement.

Bheeshma was tired as he removed his armour. But he nodded at his guard allowing the guard permission to let the prime minister come inside. And no matter what, the fact remained that Bheeshma always felt happy when he was talking to the prime minister of Hastinapur.

But then Vidura was a man like that. Brilliant and unambitious. Unique combination and one that Bheeshma appreciated. If only, Vidura had a mother from the warrior class... Bheeshma had no doubts, not one, that Bheeshma himself would have made sure that Vidura ruled the kingdom of Hastinapur as its ruler.

That was despite the fact that Bheeshma was more than sure that the news that Vidura was going to discuss with him could not be good news.

Bheeshma kept his bow carefully in the armoury as he heard Vidura enter his chambers.

Despite the lateness of the hour, Vidura looked fresh as always with twinkling bright brown eyes and a dark complexion, as he walked inside Bheeshma's chambers. Though now, Vidura's eyes were not twinkling. Vidura's watchful eyes missed nothing as he was studying Bheeshma and he bowed when he saw Bheeshma.

"Leave us." Bheeshma said in a soft voice and his eyes never left Vidura.

In a matter of minutes, Vidura felt the five guards in the chambers of the older Regent of Hastinapur walk out of the chambers. Even the personal bodyguards of the regent left the chambers and that was normally unheard of. But then Bheeshma was a man like that. Till date, Vidura had never seen anyone counter Bheeshma.

"Was it wise? This month-long battle – was it wise?"

Vidura started his questions without a subject or a predicate and he had no doubts that Bheeshma would understand his question. But then that had always been the case between the two men.

"Hand me some strong Soma, Vidura." Bheeshma said quietly as he was walking towards the window and he was looking at the full moon night. "I am tired and thirsty."

Vidura said nothing. He walked towards the golden goblet and the younger Vidura was pouring the Soma when he heard the older man.

"You talk as if I had a choice, Vidura." Bheeshma said quietly. "I had no choice but to fight."

"That was Parashurama, a sage respected in all the cities of Aryavartha and you had to fight with him?" Vidura asked in a sharp voice as he handed over the golden cup to the older man. "He is your teacher, sir! And yet you fought him?"

"Yes." Bheeshma's voice was neither curt; nor was it cold. But then Bheeshma had never found it necessary to use either tone with Vidura. That man understood.

"Why?" Vidura asked and he looked confused. "We could have problems with the people in our own kingdom claiming that even the regent of the kingdom does not respect a sage and he picks fights with sages."

"Then we will have to make sure that the common people know that Sage Parashurama challenged me to a fight." Bheeshma said finally as he took a sip from his cup. "And I had no choice but to accept the challenge and fight back."

Vidura stared. And Vidura stared some more.

"You are Sage Parashurama's star student, sir! And he is a sage. Ever since, Parashurama withdrew from the land of Aryavartha wanting to do nothing with us, he has never picked any fights. Sometimes he picks students from our lands – students whom he deems worthy so that he can teach them. Why would a man like that challenge you to a fight? And how on earth can you expect anyone to believe that?"

"Because that is the truth." Bheeshma said heavily. "I was traveling back from the tour to the outskirts of the kingdom near the Panchala kingdom front. The sage came there and he said that I had frittered away my knowledge which I had learnt from him and for that the sage demanded to have a fight with me."

"I do not know what to make of it."

That Vidura was confused was a moot point. For the first time, the Prime Minister of Hastinapur, was having difficulty understanding anything.

"I was hoping that you with your extensive network of spies, would give an answer to Sage Parashurama's sudden animosity towards me." Bheeshma told Vidura finally.

Vidura shook his head. None of this was making sense. Not one bit. "I have nothing to tell you. In fact, I wanted to tell you that this could mean a serious blow to the economy. Because now people and merchants would be afraid of coming to Hastinapur when they come to know that their regent even fights with sages.... And the fact that this happened immediately after the events of Mathura, could make it worse."

Bheeshma frowned as he whirled to study the prime minister. "What has happened in Mathura? Ugrasena was one of the leaders of a republic like the Yadavas and he was a good ruler of Mathura. He was hoping that his brothers' daughter Devaki took over the kingdom from him. What happened there?"

"Kamsa happened." Vidura said interrupting the older man and Vidura looked tired.

Bheeshma frowned some more. "Kamsa... is supposedly Ugrasena's illegitimate son. How..."

"Jarasandha." Vidura said quietly. "Jarasandha, the king of Magadha."

Bheeshma sighed and he sat back on his throne and Bheeshma was just tired. Far too much.

"Jarasandha has helped Kamsa overthrow his father in a coup? All of this has happened within this moon that I was not here?" Bheeshma asked finally, as Vidura made no move to break the silence between them.

There was a dark smile from Vidura. "I have never heard of a more clinical or ruthless coup in my life." Vidura's eyes were blazing. "In a single night, Kamsa imprisoned his father and killed all his father's loyal servants and for good measure he has imprisoned Devaki and Devaki's husband Vasudeva too." Vidura shook his head. "This happened about a moon back. The coup was so swift that unexpected that the common people of Mathura are not even sure what has happened. They do not even know that Ugrasena no longer rules them." Vidura looked tired. "My spies do not even know where Ugrasena, Devaki and Vasudeva are imprisoned. Or if at all they are alive."

"Are the people from Mathura migrating to other places?" Bheeshma asked immediately.

"For starters, people are not even sure what is happening. And besides, Kamsa is building a strong fortress around the main city of Mathura to prevent the people leaving the city without proper authority. He has made sure that news of his take-over is not known outside. And he is funded and aided by his father-in-law – Jarasandha. It is almost impossible to know Jarasandha's role behind it.." Vidura shook his head. "But then Jarasandha has always been a man like that. The coup of Mathura has Jarasandha's stamp on it."

"That complicates things." Bheeshma said finally.

"Yes sir." Vidura said finally. "Already, Magadha is powerful. And its economy is flourishing. And Jarasandha trusts the native tribes of the country, other than the Aryavartha people and that is helping its own economy. Initially, Jarasandha's people did not like dealing with the natives. But now, they have no problems. That has already made Jarasandha powerful. Besides, their trade laws are perfect and it is helping them better. With a power like Jarasandha helping him, Kamsa has been taking rapid and quick measures – both in economy and internal matters. His decisions on the economy has been paying quick dividends and he is ruthless while putting down internal dissension. Nobody speaks his name out and I have heard that public execution has been brought back in the city and the people in the city are terrified because of that too."

Bheeshma frowned and then he turned to Vidura. "Find out about Rohini, Vidura. She will give you the answers to future happenings in Mathura."

"Rohini?" For a second, Vidura was confused.

Then he remembered.

And Vidura stared blankly at the regent. Because Vidura just realized that the old man had done it again. But then the Regent of Hastinapur was a man like that. He knew everything there was to know about gathering information from outside sources and the old man was a master in that.

"Rohini is the first wife of Vasudeva." Bheeshma continued as he nodded at Vidura. "The fortress of Mathura will make sure that information about Mathura does not reach us easily. But Vasudeva's first wife loves him. And she loves Devaki too. She will definitely find a way to help her husband. Following her, will give us information about the happenings in Mathura."

"Yes sir." Vidura said feeling overwhelmed.

Then Vidura frowned. "Do you wish to interfere in Mathura?"

Bheeshma frowned and then he was looking out of the window.

"Prutha..." He stopped talking as he studied Vidura. "Pandu's first wife belongs to the family of Yadus. Her father gave her in adoption to Kuntibhoja. She carries her adopted family's name. But she is from the clan of the Yadus. I am wondering whether that justifies us interfering in the events of that kingdom."

"That is the reason you shall not interfere, sir." Vidura said quietly.

Bheeshma studied the younger man and who for once looked completely sure of himself. "You do not know of anything which is happening in Mathura. All this is information obtained from our spies. With Hastinapur's own future in question because of having two regents and a king unwilling to keep the throne and no heirs as of now, do you really think it would be right to wage war against one of the kingdoms through which we have obtained one of our daughters?" Vidura nodded. "Besides, we do not know of anything. Kamsa may actually turn around Mathura, like Jarasandha did for Magadha. The flourishing trade of these two kingdoms will be useful to Hastinapur. So interfering in Mathura is not the right thing to do."

Bheeshma gave a rare smile at Vidura. "Always the statesman and diplomat, Vidura." Bheeshma nodded at Vidura appreciatively.

"I am what you have taught me to be, sir." Vidura said proudly because for once he sensed that it was a genuine compliment from the older man. Because Vidura was one of the few men who knew that the great old warrior really did not appreciate senseless battles. He just did not.

Bheeshma smiled quietly for a few minutes and then he nodded at Vidura. "Just try to find out the reason for Parashurama's actions. Vidura, spread the news that the sage wanted to have a battle and keeping to the warrior code, I could not refuse."

Vidura studied the older man. "What if the sage countered you sir?" Vidura shook his head. "That would be embarrassing."

Bheeshma laughed softly, shocking the younger man.

"That, you have no fear of, Vidura." Bheeshma sounded more than sure. "That man would never refer to this incident. Ever."

Vidura frowned as he looked at the older man.

"Sage Parashurama withdrew from our battle." Bheeshma nodded at Vidura in a simple manner.

Vidura was left wondering whether the old man had seen so many battles that even victory ceased to have any meaning for him because this was a great accomplishment. Parashurama withdrawing from battle was not just unheard of... it was impossible.

Bheeshma smiled at the stupefied face of Vidura. "After 21 days of fighting, Sage Parashurama said that he could not beat me in battle and I let him withdraw. So you can be rest assured, Parashurama would never bring up this incident."