"Why have you gone there? You're a prince! Playing with those kids in mud doesn't suit you." Bhanumati scolded Lakshman as the boy stood with lowered head.

He had earlier gone to play in the garden with some of the kids of the ministers and other officials. His mother had forbade him to mingle with people who couldn't match his station. But who was there to play with him? There was only another prince in the palace close to his age. His uncle, Dussasan's four year old son, Durmasen. But Durmasen never shared his toys. He was rather possessive of his things. That's why Lakshman didn't like to play with him. And his other uncles' sons were too small to play with. And besides the other kids listened to his every command. They never opposed him. So, he liked to play with them more.

"I told you not to play with them. Why don't you listen to me?" Bhanumati asked again angrily.

"Shant Putri Bhanumati. Shant. (Calm down, Bhanumati.)" Gandharraj Shakuni said entering the chamber. He came close to Lakshman and caressed his hair.

"Putra Lakshman, have you seen the throne of the King in the court room?" Shakuni asked and when Lakshman nodded in affirmative, he said, "That throne remains on the high stage and distanced from others. Do you know why?" Lakshman replied in negative this time and Shakuni explained with a smirk.

"Because a King is above all. His words, his rule is above everything and everyone. If he remains in the ground with everyone else, there will be no difference between him and others and no one will respect or fear him. You're the son of the Yuvraj of Hastinapur. You are meant to rule in future. If you get close and cozy with those people, they won't respect you and they will start taking advantage of you. That's why, you need to maintain your distance. Just like a King."

Bhanumati looked pleased as Lakshman went away after nodding and receiving a toy horse from Shakuni.

"You sure explain well Mamashree." Bhanumati said.

"That's why I came to explain to you too." Shakuni said with a smile. "It's better not to roam around the Palace hallways at night. And eavesdropping and spying on the Yuvraj, is a crime, Putri."

Bhanumati understood what he was talking about. He had seen her spying on Duryodhan the other day when they were talking.

"I wasn't doing anything of that sort. I was just curious to see where he was, leaving me alone in our chamber." Bhanumati replied with attitude.

"That is another wrong move. The time when he would have accompanied you leaving all else, has passed already. You missed the opportunity to make yourself important to him." Shakuni said with a smirk.

"I am the Yuvrani of Hastinapur and his wife. I don't need to do anything for 'becoming important' Mamashree. I already am." Bhanumati replied returning his smirk.

"Wrong again. You're important as long as Duryodhan gives you importance. The moment he stops, you're nothing but just another forgotten queen of the palace. He is not bound to you. It is you who is bound to him. And you have no one to fault for that but yourself." Shakuni said chuckling and making Bhanumati's anger flare.

"You cannot fault my son when it was you who brought this to yourself. When you are the only one who reduced your value in his eyes." Shakuni added softly, but his eyes were sharp.

"How dare you! Your nephew abducted me against my wishes! The least he can do is, give me the respect I am entitled to!" Bhanumati snapped at him. Shakuni chuckled at her foolishness.

"He abducted you. But did you not first teased him before your swayambar? Then when you got to know he was neither a King nor the reigning Yuvraj, you changed your opinion of him. You rejected and passed by him because you wanted a man who could offer you a Kingdom for sure. You and I both know well Putri, it was not the act of abduction that angered you. It was because you thought with Duryodhan, you will never be a Queen which frustrated you." Shakuni said staring at her directly. Daring her to deny it. Bhanumati didn't meet his eyes and was fuming silently.

"You want him to yourself now when he is unquestionably the heir to the throne. But did you heed to my dear sister Gandhari, your mother-in-law, when she told you to act according to your husband and give time to him?
No. You didn't respect or take care of him. But you think you're entitled to those." Shakuni continued saying, walking around the chamber.

"What wrong was in that Mamashree? I am the daughter of a King. I wanted a husband with whom I can rule. But your nephew took that choice away from me. What was I supposed to do? Be a servant like him happily? Just when I thought he actually was worth something, Pandavs came back. And on top of that, Pandavagrajah brought a Sootputri as the Yuvrani. I, daughter of King Chitrangada, Princess of Kalinga, became inferior to a Sootputri. All because of your nephew!" Bhanumati spatted out in anger. "And now your useless nephew is pining after that Kashikumari. I am telling you, I will never leave my right. I am the Yuvrani, the future Queen and would be Rajmata. My blood will rule on the throne of Hastinapur. No one else's!"

Shakuni chuckled again hearing her rumble.

"Useless!? That's the problem of yours Bhanumati. You only see the present, never the future. That's why you sent your Dasi to him at nights stating you won't be a servant of his to entertain him. You thought Duryodhan will be frustrated and you'll get your petty satisfaction by insulting him. But you forgot, if you offer meat to a hungry lion, he will only jump on his meal. An angry and frustrated Duryodhan, used your Dasi spitting back on your face. And did that break your ego? No! You still held onto it and ignored him.
Now, when he wants that Kashikumari, you're angry? When you are the one who led him on that path forgetting your place?" Shakuni asked narrowing his eyes at her. "You foolish woman! In your petty little spitting games, you not only degraded yourself, but also maligned his character. Presented him as a lustrous person in front of those righteous men!"

"I--"

"No! Your foolishness doesn't end here, does it? You have to go and do treason by giving that potion to the Yuvrani." Shakuni said shocking her to the core. How could he know about that?!!!!!

"Surprised thinking how I know about that? Well, you should be only grateful that it's me who came to know, not anyone else." Shakuni said glaring at the idiot.

"I did no such a thing." Bhanumati denied firmly though she was nervous and scared.

"Please! Don't do this acting in front of me. You should know by now that acting and making fool of others is something, I specialise in, Putri Bhanumati." Shakuni said closing his one eye.
"You, on the other hand, is nothing but a waste. Out of hatred for that Sootputri Devika, you used to give her a potion that made her unable to conceive. What were you thinking you foolish woman?!"

"Foolish? That Soota came and snatched my place, and you expected me to remain mum like you? I wanted to show that Dasi, her real place. She was already disliked by everyone. And an infertile woman is useless. She would have been forgotten and tossed away. But then that stubborn Yuvraj Yudhisthir refused to remarry and that nauseous Devika remained only. But I also wanted to see how long he held her stole and not discard her. At the end if he continued refusing, he would have been exiled too like his cursed father." Bhanumati said smirking vehemently. Shakuni shook his head in exasperation.

"But when you had to leave for Kalinga, that potion ended and your Dasi was at a loss. And soon after, Devika got pregnant. Unfortunately for you and fortunately for her, Pandavs went away to Khandhavaprasth before you could do anything else." Shakuni pointed out her failure.

"You're lucky that no one came to know about this. And these petty plans of yours led you nowhere. You're ambitious but lack the brain it takes to reach the goal. If you wanted, you could have been a constant support for Duryodhan. Receive his affection and earn his love. But you only cared for your anger and frustration, and acted recklessly. You led him to adultery and made him indecent and lustrous in everyone's eyes. You, Bhanumati is nothing but a nausea in Duryodhan's life!"

"Gandharraj!!!" Bhanumati shouted in rage.

"How much I wish if only he hadn't made the mistake of marrying you! You neither know how to handle household, nor what move to make in politics. I would be pleased if you were completely brainless. But this useless brain of yours neither understands it's own good, nor her husband's!" Shakuni spatted out angrily.

There was only silence in the chamber for long moments as both continued to glare at each other.

"Listen to me carefully. You will Not do any more stupidity from now on. You will concentrate only on your kids and husband's needs. Any different from that, and you will be sent back to Kalinga forever." Shakuni threatened in a low voice. But Bhanumati slowly smirked staring at him.

"You will sent me to Kalinga? The one who himself is a guest in Hastinapur?" She taunted.

"My child, you're forgetting. I'm now an advisor in the royal court of Hastinapur. And I will not send you anywhere. I will just let Gangaputra Mahamahim Bhishma and everyone else know what treason you have done. The rest they will handle themselves. And do not think even in your dream that my son, Duryodhan will support you. Because unlike you think, he is not a complete idiot. He knows well what and how you are." Shakuni said with his shrewd smile in place.

"So, enjoy the luxuries and pray Bhanumati. Pray that Duryodhan never gets his hands on Kashikumari. Because unlike you, that woman will rule his heart. And soon after, the throne too." Shakuni said ominously. He was both glad and disappointed that Duryodhan lost her.

"Never! Even if some day Arya gets her, she will be nothing but a mere dasi to get tortured. He absolutely hates her." Bhanumati replied back with an ugly expression. Shakuni stared at her for long moments making her squirm nervously.

"Still you're worried, aren't you? We both know Duryodhan very well. We both have seen the same obsession in his eyes for Kashikumari Valandhara. And you know even though Duryodhan hates her now, it'll not remain so forever if she becomes his possession." Shakuni said slowly in a grave tone. But didn't add that she would also become a threat politically . Not only for Bhanumati, but for Shakuni too. Bhanumati gulped her nervousness and looked contemplative for a while. But then a slow smirk formed on her lips as she said,

"Then it is a good thing that your nephew can never get his hold on JihmayodhinJaya as long as Pandavs breath."

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JihmayodhinJaya

== Victory of the one who fights against falsehood

=== Valandhara is known as that because she literally made Bheem the Victor in a lost swayambar. 😉😉😉

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#DuryoMati....😉😉😉

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Hello readers!!!

So, yes. This was what I was talking about.

Bhanumati generally is portrayed as a sweet, innocent, caring woman who doesn't support her husband's wrong doings. But here, she is an arrogant, foolish, vain woman who herself has done wrongs.

Now you may wonder and get offended why I presented her as such...well...it's just a story where some are good and some are bad...I hold no personal grudge against DuryoMati. In fact I do enjoy the tales of them often. 😊😊😊

And yes Tejasswi Prakash Wayangankar is the one who comes to my mind when I try to think of a beautiful but vain woman.

Now...now.....I posted in my profile before about my long absence. Again...for those who haven't noticed, I am giving major concentration to my career which will take approximately 2 years or more to sort out.
Yeah long time...and I am working hard. So, I have stopped using smart phone or laptop. I only do so once in a blue moon. Thats why updates will come very infrequently too.

I love you guys...❤❤❤

but I love my dream more...Sorry...😅
And hope you understand...😊😊😊