Rakshasavarta

"From today your mother only is your mother and father, Ghatotkacha! Do obey her like a Goddess!" Bhima caressed his son, smiling with some effort.

The newly coronated demon King nodded obediently. Yudhishthira's heart broke to look at Ghatotkacha's face. He did know the weight and pain of the crown his nephew was wearing. Fate made him get separated from his father, instead just forced a burden of new responsibility on his young shoulder.

Exactly what Yudhishthira himself had to suffer one day!

"Uncle!" Ghatotkacha touched his feet.

Yudhishthira raised him affectionately, "Stay calm and strong, Vatsa! Always listen to what your mother says! May God give you all the strength to carryout your duties!"

Hidimbaa touched Kunti's feet. "Do not forget me, Mata! Whenever you feel that me or my son can come to any help of yours, do send a message! I will come at the earliest at your service!"

"As you wish, Putri!" Kunti kissed her forehead, "And never even think that we are going to forget you! I promise, you will be forever respected as the first bride of Pandu household. And Ghatotkacha as the eldest heir of King Pandu's line."

Hidimbaa bowed to her mother-in-law, with tears in her eyes.

"Take care of yourself and our son, Hidimbaa!" Bhima managed to utter, struggling his emotions. Hidimbaa hid her tears behind a smile. She knew without she staying strong, her husband would collapse. She could not let that happen.

"We have to start now, sons!" Maharishi Vyasa reminded.

The five brothers embraced Ghatotkacha together for a last time.

Who knew whether they would meet again or not! Who could say how long would it take!

Was it any easy to break away from that embrace with their first child! Yet they had to break it. For they knew Vyasa was waiting for them.

The six humans began walking slowly, following Vyasa's footsteps. Time and again they looked back at Hidimbaa and Ghatotkacha who stood at the boundary of Rakshasavarta and stared at them.

Farewell, Rakshasavarta!

***

"Sons, from now on you should live in the nearby Ekchakra town, in disguise of Brahmins." Said Maharishi Vyasa.

Questions surfaced in Yudhishthira's mind, but he managed to nod respectfully.

"I shall meet you again when time comes. Remember that except I and Krishna Vaasudeva, no one should know who you are!" He warned, "Until all our preparations are completed, Aaryavarta needs to believe that you are dead."

"What preparation, Maharishi?" Bhima's eyebrows met.

"You will know that soon." Vyasa smiled, "Krishna has been working on it since a long time. And until both of us give you permission for it, do not reveal your identity to the rest of the world!"

"As you wish, Maharishi!" Yudhishthira bowed.

"Always keep your senses alert, Vatsa! Something very big, very special is coming in your life. Be prepared to receive it with due respect!"

***

Hastinapura

The would-be bride stood up respectfully as soon as Devika entered to greet her.

"I waited so long to meet you, Shivi Kumari!" She joined her palms, "Finally you came to my room!"

"Apologies for greeting you so late, Rajkumari Dusshala!" Devika reciprocated the namaskara, "But I am curious to know what made the Kuru Princess wait for me!" She smiled.

Princess Dusshala thought for a while, before waving away the maids. Devika looked at her with surprise. What could be there in the mind of the Kuru Princess that she wanted to tell her, a stranger, that too in absence of others?

"I am grateful to you, Rajkumari Devika!" Dusshala said in a low tone, "You have done the job that none else could have done in the past one year!" She placed her palm gently on Devika's, and smiled. "You got my Jyeshtha Bhrata's chamber opened!"

"So this is what you wanted to tell me, Kuru Kumari?" Devika smiled too.

"You have made way to fulfill my wish that I never imagined to come true." Dusshala said, "It would have broken my heart to leave this house without taking blessings from Jyeshtha, even if he cannot come physically!" She looked away to wipe her tears. For a while, Devika felt affection sprouting in her heart for the Kuru Princess. Her hand spontaneously moved to wipe Dusshala's tears.

"You loved your Jyeshtha Bhrata too much, didn't you?" Devika softly said, cupping Dusshala's face.

Dusshala could not speak for a while as her voice was choked with tears. Realizing her condition, Devika pulled her closer and caressed her back, hoping to comfort her a little.

"I was the apple of his eyes, Shivi Kumari!" Dusshala said after collecting herself, "He could not see tears in my eyes. Had he been here today, he would have never let this wedding happen!"

Devika sensed something wrong in her last sentence.

"What could it mean, Dusshala?" Concerned, Devika dropped the protocol to make her feel comfortable.

"Are you not happy with this marriage?" She asked again, wondering whether she knew about Jayadratha's real face.

Dusshala bit her lips, looking away. The emotional outburst of a moment made her utter something that she should never have expressed, not even to her brothers and sisters-in-law.

"You can trust me, Dusshala!" Devika held her palm warmly, "I would never let any harm happen to you!"

Dusshala looked at her with gratitude in her eyes. Devika's kind, affectionate gesture made her feel relaxed. She could not help remembering Yudhishthira's affectionate smile. For a while, she felt as if she was not seeing the Princess of Shivi, but her brother Yudhishthira himself!

"Sindhuraj has molested my chief maid, even after the vaagdaanam." She spoke in a whispering tone, "Someone who cannot resist his lust even in his would-be marital home,..." She paused and searched for words, "my future is clear before my eyes, Shivi Kumari!" A sad smile made her lips curved.

Devika gasped. She had already suspected something like this.

"Dusshala, why did you not tell this to your brothers? Why are you hiding this from your parents?"

"There is no gain in telling them, Devika! Bhrata Duryodhana needs Sindhu's alliance. He would never let such a small reason affect his ambitions!"

"This is not a small reason, Dusshala!" Devika's eyes were full of anger, "As the bride, you have complete right to deny your groom if you feel he does not deserve you! Forget not, Aaryavarta gives her daughters the option of swayamvara!"

"Not possible in my case, Devika! My brother would kill me if needed but would never let this marriage break at any cost." Dusshala's smile was even more painful than tears, "Bhrata Duryodhana wants power. For power he has..." She struggled to speak, "...banished his five brothers to Varanavata! For the same power he can do the same with me too! I have no choice except accepting Sindhuraj!"

Devika felt sorry for Dusshala. The only daughter of Kuru household, who should have been the darling of hundred brothers, was so sad before the most beautiful moment of her life! And no one could even know this! How alone she must have been in her own house!

"I wish I could have done something to make you happy, Dusshala!" Devika sighed. Knowing Jayadratha's character, she could foresee how correct Dusshala was to predict her future. She regretted for not being able to save Yudhishthira's beloved sister from that monster's hands.

"May I tell you something if you don't mind?" Dusshala smiled a slight smile, "You are exactly like my Jyeshtha! The same affection, same care you have even for a stranger, yet you are so firm and courageous to uphold what is right! I wish I could introduce Jyeshtha to you once!"

Devika faked a smile, nodding slightly. Flood of emotions passed through her once again.

Do I resemble him so strikingly? She blushed at the very thought. The next moment she suppressed it and put her both arms on Dusshala's shoulder.

"You have already introduced him to me through your words, Dusshala!" Devika smiled, "Do not feel dejected. I believe your Jyeshtha will bless you from wherever he is now! I shall also pray for your happy married life!"

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Author's note: Dusshala's character is found only in Ashwamedhika Parva of Mahabharata. I have tried to maintain her portrayal as shown in that section. Hope you have liked it.

Did you like this chapter?

So the Pandavas are out of Rakshasavarta now. A little more to go for the most awaited moment!

#Hexagonforever