Raani Dussala, the Rajkumari of Hastinapur, the daughter-in-law of Sindhu, the dearest sister of Kauravs and Pandavas, the wife of Sindhuraj Jayadrath, the mother of the Yuvraj of Sindhu,

sat on the bare earth like a mere beggar. On the same earth where even some days before she wouldn't have set her foot in fear of getting dirty. But now she was outside of Sindhu's border, sitting on the earth with only numbness surrounding her. She still could not believe that she had been thrown out of Sindhu with false accusations and without any mercy.

And here she sat not knowing what to do or where to go. Should she return to Hastinapur? But what would she tell them? And bhrata Duryodhan? Would he even let her enter Hastinapur like this? Or say that she had only brought this to herself?

No! She couldn't go to Hastinapur! But then where would she go?

Indraprasth!
Yes, she could ask for help from her cousin brothers. She knew they loved her no less than her blood brothers!

With that thought in mind, Dussala mustered the strength to stand up and walk. She had already taken a few steps ahead when her brain remembered her last encounter with her cousin brothers.

"You and your husband are no longer welcomed in any of our territories."

Bhrata Yudhisthir's voice rang in her head haltering her steps.

She sat again on the floor as fresh tears started to fall from her eyes again.

***

The ever restless river seemed to have calmed down too. A gentle, calming breeze blew and touched the glowing embers of the dying fire of the funeral pyre.

A lone figure stood solemnly watching the dying embers of the pyre. Another man came closer and said something making his eyes blaze with the fire that was enlightened within him.

He went back with that man and saw a few soldiers standing with lowered head.

"Tell me everything you saw." He ordered harshly making the soldiers nervous.

"Did you not hear what Maharaj Vriddhakshatra said?" The man standing beside said loudly as the soldiers kept glancing at each other nervously.

"We- we were ordered to go to hunt animals as our camp was set in the eastern border. When we returned, we saw the camp was in a disarray. The few guards who had stayed behind with Maharaj Jayadrath were either injured or dead. As we rushed towards Maharaj's tent, we saw his body laying on the ground. As we neared we realized that he was- was dead!" One of soldier narrated the story to him.

Maharaj Vriddhakshatra closed his eyes in both pain and anger. Who?! Who had dared to kill his dear son in his own territory?

"Did you see anyone? Any army? Or any indication of who it could be that had killed our Maharaj?" The commander-in-chief of Sindhu who stood beside Maharaj Vriddhakshatra questioned the soldiers.

"We're not sure. We did not find anything. But-" the soldier who had spoken earlier said again.

"But what?"

"We did see a man leaving the camp. He was in the tent where we later found Raani Dussala." The soldier replied with hesitation. They had gone there to find an injured and unconscious Raani Dussala inside.

"Who was that man? Did you recognize him?"
Maharaj Vriddhakshatra asked this time. The soldiers looked at each other confirming the validity of the information before opening their mouth.

"No, Maharaj. But we did see the royal insignia of Dravida emblazoned on his arm."

***

"Dussala!!!" The loud roar of Maharaj Vriddhakshatra reverberated through the mourning walls of the palace of Sindhu.

Dussala trembled slightly as her father-in-law stromed towards her. She clenched her son Suratha tight to her chest who had fallen asleep after crying for his father for hours.

"You traitorous woman! Tell me!! Who was it? Who was the man that you called to kill my son?!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra asked angrily.

"What are you saying, pitashree?" Dussala was equally shocked and confused by his words.

"Do you take me for a fool!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra shouted taking another step towards her.
"A Dravidian prince came into my territory and killed my son out of the blue?! No! It was all planned! Your plan!"

"What are you talking about Pitashree? Why would I want to kill my own husband?" Dussala gasped in horror.

"Do I need to spell out why? You're the one who was behind my son even after knowing that he was married! But still after marriage you acted like it was his fault for marrying you!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra kept shouting at her.

"No! Pitashree! I did nothing. I have no idea from where and why he came. I swear!" Dussala pleaded while shaking her head in denial.

"Drop your act!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra's eyes fell on his grandson who had stirred from his sleep because of all the yelling.
"Dasi! Take Rajkumar Suratha away from this poisonous snake." He ordered.

"No! No, please! Suratha! Putra!" As the dasis came to oblige and took Yuvraj Suratha away, Dussala tried to resist and hold onto him. But she failed as Suratha was forcefully taken away from her.

"Dussala!!! Now tell me honestly what you did!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra shouted again as the dasis left with Suratha.

"I did nothing! I didn't even know him! Please believe me. Suratha!" Dussala screamed looking at the way her son was taken. As she started to go behind him, Maharaj Vriddhakshatra stopped her by holding her arm and jerked her back.

"Don't you dare to even come near my grandson! Your crocodile tears can't fool me. I'm aware of what happened. You only called that prince of Dravida to come and kill my son! Tell me which one of Drishadvat's son it was? Who was it?!"

"I--I don't know anything." Dussala said crying helplessly.

"You don't know anything? Really? He was in the same tent as you. Still you know nothing?"

"Pitashree, please!"

"Tell me who it was!"

"I---I----please!"

"Why are you trying to save him? Why?! Why are you trying to save the man who killed your husband? Who has made your child fatherless?!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra questioned suspiciously.

"She must have known him all too well, pitashree. That's why she's defending him." Spatted out Mandakini, the daughter of Gandharraj Shakuni and the first wife of Sindhuraj Jayadrath.

"No!" Dussala was disgusted at the implication.

"Yes. She must be having an affair with him! That's why he killed Arya. For her only!" Added Kumudvati, the princess of Kambhoja and the second wife of late Jayadrath.

"No! No! No!" Dussala shook her head violently covering her ears. But that did not save her from the poison sprouting from their mouths.

"No? Then why are you trying to protect him?" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra hissed at her.
"They're saying the truth only. You characterless woman! Because of you, only you, I have lost my son!"

"No!"

"I'll not spare whoever it was. The whole Dravida will bear the consequences! But you? You characterless woman! I don't even want to look at you anymore. Get out! Get out of this palace right now!"

"Pitashree?" Dussala was horrified by the order. "What are you saying? Where will I go? I'm still your daughter-in-law! The widow of your son. Your grandson's mother!"

"My grandson doesn't need a poisonous woman like you as his mother! Who has killed her own husband for her lover! Go away! Go and rot in Hastinapur. Or go to that prince for whom you killed my son. Just leave!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra turned his back on her, not wanting to see her anymore.

"I will not leave. I can't! Please pitashree! Please don't separate my son from me. He's all I have. Please!" Dussala started pleading.

"You should have thought about him before going to some prince for having an affair! Now leave Dussala. Leave before I lose my control and throw you out myself!" Maharaj Vriddhakshatra said ignoring all her pleas. He stood firm in his decision as Dussala tried to make him believe in her innocence.

"She'll not listen like this pitashree. Dasis!" Mandakini ordered the dasis to throw Dussala out of the palace and did not rest it there as she told the guards to escort her out of the Sindhu kingdom's border.

***

Now as Dussala considered her options, she found herself completely alone and helpless.

"What have you done,

Rajkumar Dhikshit?"

***

Short update.

But I couldn't wait to create my next blunder! 😈😈😈

So, here I am introducing my next couple of Drisana's Mahabharat!

Well. Drisana is not going to be very happy about this one....

So, presenting,

The pampered haughty princess of Hastinapur

And,

The steel hearted ballistic prince of Dravida!

***I couldn't find anyone better than him to tighten the loosened screws of Dussala's brain 😆