The courtiers had started flocking to the Sabha, especially created for the game. In other words, this would be an inaugural event to the ceremonial that had been newly constructed right after Yudhishthir's suzerainty had been established over the Empire.

 The conch sounded the arrival of the kings and the competing princes, followed the Grand Regent, the royal priests, and the ministers. Before entering, Bhishma had warned Duryodhan his companions that any unduly action of theirs would not be tolerated at any cost, since that would mean disregarding the honour of the entire land of Aryavarta, and Hastinapur, in particular. 

Little did he foresee, that what would follow, would be unstoppable. 

The new hall was replete with the grandeur that befit the status of its existence in the Land Named After Elephants. The enormity of its size, and the scale of its grandiose could put the most magnificent of structures to cause themselves to eye their own forms with doubt. 

"This is something!" Bheem whispered to Nakul, eyeing the articulate architecture of the ceiling. 

"Looks like, the architects of Hastinapur are striving to compete with Maya." Arjun spoke.

"Pity our cousin, brother."- Bheem sounded amused, -"He's trying too hard to gather recompense for a skill that is inimitable!". 

Sahadev was sure that Vrikodara had allowed him a hack of a laugh at the expense of their visibly envious cousins. Yet,-

-There was a constant prickle of a premonition that kept his intuitions troubled. The acrimony of the Mayasabha was too belittling to warrant an effort as huge as this. He was sure of a hand that would have an implicit play. 

He wasn't sure if Bheem could retain that amusement in his attitude by the time, the evening would end.

***

Right in the centre of the Hall, there was a circled area, that lay covered in a decorated curtain of silk. Evidently, the Chaupaar board stayed at its nucleus, awaiting its purpose.

That would be the omphalos of all the lives that sat surrounding it, implicit or otherwise.

"Greetings, everyone, let the curtain be raised!" Shakuni exclaimed, excitedly, with the gait of a playwright awaiting the beginning of a much-awaited play. 

Soon the pall folded itself to reveal the board on which destinies would be sealed. Yudhishthir, with his characteristic, benevolent smile, took his seat on the golden throne, Duryodhan seated himself in front of him on the throne that belonged to the Crown Prince,smiling his sweetest smile. Shakuni spoke again.

"Your Excellency, please do the honours by laying out the rules," he said.

Bhishma spoke elaborately, of the acceptance of Dice Games, and how they wreaked havoc. He specified that, only possessions which were owned by the players could be pledged. Both the parties agreed.

"Pitashree!" Duryodhan spoke, after Bhishma had finished. "I would rather have Mamashree take the throws, than me participating directly."

"But why does The Prince of Gandhara have to play on your behalf, son?" Vidur raised his objection. "Your hands seem to be in perfect condition to shuffle the dice, aren't they?"

Shakuni didn't say a word to defend his nephew's request. After all, Duryodhan was no fool. He had enough knowledge of strategy to consider an obvious loophole in the decree, and use it to his convenience.

"Externally, yes-" he said, "My hands could crush the hardest blow of a bludgeon, with ease,-" he looked pointedly at Bheem, who glared back, obviously wanting to settle another score in the arena, right then, to put his strength to test.

-"but they aren't strong enough to handle the maneuvers of fate. They might possess enough skill to tackle a mace of the highest order, but they do not possess the mettle to stand the blow of invisible fate, a trait that Mamashree holds the privilege to handle deftly." he politely concluded.

"But aren't you the one who convened the game?" Vidur opposed.

"The rules say nothing contrary to Duryodhan's proposal." Dhritarashtra cut in, nullifying every other contradiction.

Duryodhan smiled to himself. His father was too obliging. He had said the very words he had meant him to speak.

Vidur sat back, in resignation.

"Let the game begin!" Shakuni gleefully exclaimed.

Both the players first put their ornaments on stake. In the beginning, Yudhishthir seemed to progress better than his opponents, but the dice, turned against him miraculously at the end of the first stake, when Duryodhan won. They pledged the winnings they had received by way of participation in various tournaments, and the same turn of events took place, with Yudhishthir seemingly gaining the upper hand in the maximum throws, only to lose at the end. The same turn of events followed when their gifts by way of chariots, land, and horses, and the like, were wagered. Yudhishthir's confidence seemed to rise, gain a high right when the stake was a crucial point of progress, cemented itself at its win, and just when he though that everything was inconsequential, the tables of his fate turned dramatically to throw him off the hook.

"The Emperor seems to have a bad luck today." one of the courtiers whispered.

"What would you like to pledge next, my lord?" Shakuni asked. Duryodhan had a very complacent smile playing on his lips. Everything fell into place, Yudhishthir was flustering with his repeated losses, and was repeatedly being advised by his brothers to leave the game, since foul play was so evidently involved, and further chances could be dangerous.

"I pledge my palace, and my army!" Yudhishthir said, much to the horror of his brothers. Losing a few ornaments, gold coins and and a few acres of land received as gifts was all right, but this was impossible. If he lost, which he would, they would be rendered homeless.

"Sure, but my dear nephew here doesn't own the palace he inhabits-," Shakuni said,"- and, His Excellency says that one can stake what one possesses." he added. He was sure that, for this, Yudhishthir would be moved to do something desperate, and Duryodhan would most definitely do something to incite him.

"I pledge all my winnings, Mamashree. I own them, at least." Duryodhan said, sadistic pleasure brimming on his face.

"And you, my Lord, have you decided on your article of wager?" Shakuni was enjoying every part of this. By and by Yudhishthir was getting trapped. The brother who had opposed the Dice Game, and proposed war, much to Duryodhan's resentment, Subahu, was now thinking that all this was just right for them. Karna too, had a sudden spurt of interest, at Yudhishthir's discomfiture. There was an uncomfortable silence in the court when Yudhishthir spoke,-

-"I pledge an equal amount of those winnings belonging to Duryodhan, out of my personal wealth!"

He wiped his lips with his palms, exasperatedly, as he threw the dice on the board,

"Six!" he whispered, as he saw the pair of dice spin and stop at his desired number. He heaved a sigh of relief. The stake progressed, with both players showing equal promise, of winning, and losing. The game was at its last leg when Shakuni said,

"My Lord, you need a six to complete, while, my nephew here, needs, a twelve. With a six, you win back all you had lost, and if fate deceives you,"- he smirked-.

-" my nephew's winnings double."

Yudhishthir prayed, and threw the dice on the board, which stopped at a six, and then, magically toppled to show a seven on the board, to his dismay.

"Well, my lord, seemingly, lady luck is evasive of the Emperor himself. Let's see what we have in store for us. Twelve!" Shakuni cried. 

The pair of dice spun,taking sharp turns akin to that of a dancer adept in her art, and stopped to show, perfect sixes.

"Jyeshth, enough now, let's leave. It's a trap!" Arjun hissed in his ear, Yudhishthir nodded.

"Well, it seems, Bhrata Duryodhan has a very lucky hand today. He has wagered his possessions, and doubled them while I've lost repeatedly. Now, I propose to leave." Yudhishthir said, much to the relief of the others. 

Shakuni, instantly stood up, he had his next move planned, the ethics of this land were such that they shackled the ones who stuck to them.

"Your Excellency, could you please, lay out the rules once more. It seems the Emperor has forgotten them, his fear of losing, presides over his comprehension of rules," he said.

"The rules say, one can play till one has enough to stake," Bhishma said,"But,-" 

Shakuni stopped him midway.

-"Thank you! Please take your seat, my Lord." he gleefully said, turning to Yudhishthir, "Both opponents, still have enough to stake, isn't that so, my Lord?" he silkily asked.

No one missed the sarcasm behind the honorific.

Yudhishthir did not know what to do. Bhishma prayed he would exercise his discretion, so did Vidur and Dronacharya. Tiredly, Yudhishthir, slumped back into the golden throne. Duryodhan staked all his winnings again, forcing his eldest cousin to stake an equal amount of his own wealth, and the latter lost, yet again. Gradually, in two more stakes, Yudhishthir, lost most of his property to Duryodhan, who was by now, beside himself with pleasure. As was Karna. After all, Yudhishthir's jeopardy, had put his rival in a very tight spot, and no one with any power could save him.

So here it is, no weapons raised, no blood lost, and no one to save their skins, he thought, as he watched a distinct bead of perspiration trickle down Arjun's forehead.

 Finally, when he didn't have enough to stake, Yudhishthir volunteered to quit, accepting defeat, only to be stopped again by The Prince of Gandhara

"My Lord, there is still a chance, think of something you still have." he said.

Yudhishthir looked at his brothers when, Shakuni's voice, spoke again,"My lord, maybe, winning everything back, won't be that difficult after all."

Amongst his brothers, the handsome Nakul, nodded, in resignation, as if wanting to be put on stake, for his brother's honour, he would win him back, after all, luck would turn, it had to. He imploringly looked at Yudhishthir, who turned towards Shakuni, and spoke, with a voice that bore the weight of his heavy heart,-

-"I-," 

-he gulped, his throat was dry, the words were much worse when sounded aloud-

-wager Nakul!" he said.

Nakul smiled, Arjun looked on, horror-struck, Jyeshth was relying too much on being righteous, Sahadev too stared on, his premonitions coming true, and Bheem did not have anything to say.

"I wager my winnings again, Mamashree."- Duryodhan gleefully said.-"Meaning, if I lose, the Emperor regains what he had lost, and I would be left a pauper, and if I win, the Emperor loses his brother to be my slave." he added, the mockery in his tone, intact.

"A very handsome slave, I might add. And one who possess the sense of foresight. You might win a much valued slave." Shakuni elaborated.

Yudhishthir felt as if someone had chopped a limb off his torso. True, there were no weapons impaling him, but wounds those pieces of dice could inflict was worse than the sharpest of weapons. The pain they begat, wasn't physical, but they could punch holes in one's honour.

And holes, that would never be filled, even by the most earnest of humane efforts.

 Bhishma and Vidur had nothing to do, as everything went by the rulebook, there was nothing wrong in pledging one's own brother if he allowed it. 

The maverick Kripacharya cursed to himself, "What a fool!" 

The pledge progressed, as the dice resumed its roll. Everyone knew, that there was foul play involved, yet, their hands were tied, since the victim knowingly had walked into the trap. The game progressed with Nakul as the wager, along with Yudhishthir's remaining property.

 The outcome of this stake, and every coming stake, was rigged, and pre-decided, as the dice kept rolling.

***

Notes:

1. The gif image above has again been made by none other than the ethereal Anushree on Tumblr. Do send her all your love at:

vajratak.tumblr.com

and/or

chingariya.tumblr.com

2. There might be some errors in the depiction of the dice game. Any possible rectifications are always welcome. :)

3. This is completely a work of fiction based solely on mythological references. All comments, criticism, evaluations, and everything else are welcome with- guess what?- 

WIDE OPEN ARMS, AND CUPCAKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

4. Glossary:

Chaupaar: A board game, on the lines of Ludo.

Sabha: (usually) Gathering, also, used for Halls that are used for gatherings.

Maya (Mayasura): An asura, (more specifically, a being, as Indian texts define possessing superhuman qualities classified as demigods, or demons with good or bad qualities, however Maya here is shown to more of an architect with no animosity towards any superhuman beings (Do correct me, if I'm wrong)), who constructed the Royal Capital of Indraprastha from the ruins that were once the pestilent remains of a forest called Khandiva, which had been burnt by Krishna (who appears later), and Arjun. Mayasura, being one of the few survivors had been granted life, in return for his architectural service.

Vidur: Paternal Uncle to the Pandavas and Kauravas, and Prime Minister to the state of Hastinapur. Dhritarashtra's younger brother, supremely knowledgeable, and one of most well-versed people in the texts of the Land.

Dronacharya: Teacher to the Princes.

Kripacharya: Another teacher to the Princes.

***

So here, is a very rambling update for the story. I hope it is readable enough and doesn't drag. I know it is bit, er, slow, and DO let me know if it is worth a smack! :D And of course, do, comment, criticise, evaluate, holler (DO WHATEVER YOU WANT!!!!!!! :)), and whatever reaction you feel is right for you!!!!! And do vote, if you find it worth the tiny star? 

Here hoping you guys enjoy it!!!!!!!!! 

*sends glitter and stars*

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!! <33333333333333333