The Gall of Gammon

Disclaimer: This story is my humble attempt to write a fanfiction of the epic Mahabharata. My intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiment.

Aum Namah Shivay!!

Major Jayant Roy, SM is a fictitious character. Any similarity with any living person is merely a coincidence.

Chapter 16

Sona Village, Kuru Kingdom, Dwapar Yuga

Radheya POV

The night was dark. Today was the day of 'Amavas' (new moon). I could hear the sound of bells and drums from the Shiva temple of our village. Today was Monday. Every week on Monday, a very big puja was organised in the temple of our village. The devotees came from the villages of far away.

But today, today was different.

Today some special people came to the village to worship bhagwan Shiva. Every week, Maharani Gandhari sent some fruits and sweets to the temple. Some soldiers always came to the temple with those things. But today, her brother, Gandharraj Shakuni himself came to our village, along with thirty soldiers as his bodyguard. Gandharraj came with the offerings from her sister. But he was not alone, excluding the guards.

Three Kuru Rajkumars came with him, Rajkumar Duryodhana, Dussasana and Vikarna, along with another Brahmin boy named Ashwatthama.

My mind went to the events of the whole day, and to be specific, Rajkumar Duryodhana.

Flashback

Like every morning, I was walking towards the Ganga River. From a very tender age of my life, I could feel a special bonding to the Surya Narayana, the sun god. His scorching heat and bright rays were like the soothing, soft touch of my mother, Radha.

From the last fifteen days, I saw the hundred Kuru princes coming to the river for bath and worship. Sometimes, I even met Mahamahim Bhishma. But the one person, who made a special mark in my mind, was the eldest of the hundred, Duryodhana.

We met and talked sometime. He was a Rajkumar, but, he had certain simplicity. He spoke with me like just another normal person. I am the son of a mere charioteer, but that didn't have any effect on him. I didn't know why a Rajkumar like him behaved like a friend with me.

When I reached the river, I heard a loud voice, "Radheya, you are late today."

I looked at the source of the voice. Rajkumar Duryodhana was looking at me, with a smile on his face.

"Pranipat Rajkumar!" I bowed down my head. Rajkumar Duryodhana also nodded.

"Ashwatthama, come here. I want you to meet someone." He called.

His hundred brothers were standing behind him. But, after his calling, an unknown boy came outside of the group. That boy was a Brahmin, judging by the sacred thread on his body.

But the most astonishing thing in him was the glowing gem in his forehead.

"Radheya, this is my mitra, Ashwatthama. Ashwatthama, this is my mitra, Radheya."

Mitra!! Mitra!!

This one word struck into my mind like a hammer.

I am a sutaputra, the son of a mere charioteer, a lower caste boy. How could a Rajkumar like him call me as his friend? Friendship could only possible among the equals, right?"

"Rajkumar, what are you saying? Friendship could only possible among equals. I am just a sutaputra. How am I equal to you or your friend?"

Rajkumar Duryodhana sighed dramatically.

"Not again! Ashwatthama, I am too tired to answer this question. Can you please elaborate the answer to him?"

His face was literally having a comic expression. The boy, Ashwatthama, who was looking at me with a curious expression, now smiled a bit.

Then he said, "To Mitra Duryodhana, friendship is an emotion which comes from the deepest part of the heart and soul. Am I right? "

"Absolutely right!" The Rajkumar nodded with a smiling face.

I looked at his face, trying to find something. Something likes a sign, or anything that would end his act. He was acting about accepting me as a friend. He was a Kshatriya, and a Rajkumar. His friend was a Brahmin. How could they accept me as a friend?

I was waiting for that time. The time when their act would end and they would rebuke me by my lower caste. I forced my mind to be strong to endure those insults.

The time never came.

End of flashback

My trail of thoughts shattered with someone's hand on my back.

"What are you thinking, mitra Radheya?" Ashwatthama was standing behind us. The gem in his forehead was now covered by a piece of black cloth. There was a bow in his each hand, and two quivers full of arrows on his back.

"Just thinking about the life. I am actually lucky because today, I made a friend. He is a unique human being, mitra Ashwatthama. But today, a danger is in front of us. Not only are us, but also the whole kingdom in danger." I whispered.

Suddenly, I felt someone sat beside me. I turned my head, and saw Rajkumar...no, mitra Duryodhana sitting beside me, along with Rajkumar Dusasana. Behind him, Gandharraj Shakuni was sitting behind us. The three of them were armed. Duryodhana had a mace in his hand, Dussasana had a sword and Shakuni had a sword on his waist, and a bow in his hand.

"Are you ready?" Duryodhana whispered. We all nodded affirmatively.

"Good. Ashwatthama, give Radheya one bow and a quiver."

Ashwatthama handed me the weapons. I took them and touched the bow on my forehead. Then we all looked at the front of us. In front of us, there were the large storage shades full with grains. These storage shades were the targets of the enemies.

Mitra Duryodhana didn't come to the village solely for worship. He got some very grave news. Some bandits would attack the storage under order of Panchalraj Drupad. I knew that Kuru and Panchal Kingdom were enemies, but attacking and burning the food grains which was something that I could not forgive.

Gandharraj Shakuni was a little bit sceptical about me joining their adventure. But Duryodhana showed complete faith on me. Even I was a little bit shocked. But then, we discussed our plan.

Today, fifteen out of thirty soldiers came with Shakuni had guarded the storage until sunset. But, Duryodhana instructed them to chatting among them about Shakuni's arrival for worshipping, and they would leave after sunset. The enemies must have watched them. They would attack only after those soldiers left the village.

The plan was simple. Rajkumar Vikarna would tell the soldiers guarding the storages that Shakuni was calling them in the temple to eat the Prasad (offerings). The whole village people were gathering into the temple, thus, the storage seemed to be unguarded. We would wait in the darkness for the enemy. When they showed up, we would attack them. The thirty soldiers would be waiting in the dark for the signal given by Rajkumar Vikarna.

I looked at Duryodhana. He was sitting straight. His eyes were glowing like a tiger hunting for his prey. Today, we were all hunters, waiting for our prey.

I didn't know how much time passed. It seemed like we were sitting in eternal darkness. Rajkumar Dussasana tried to speak one time, but he stopped after looking at his elder brother.

We were sitting in the darkness, when suddenly; I heard Duryodhana's voice, no, not like a human voice, but like the hissing of a snake.

"They are coming! Get Ready!"

I looked at the storage shades. We were hiding behind the bushes at a distance of half kosh (100 meters) from the shades. The new moon night was so dark; I could not see even Duryodhana sitting beside me.

But then, I heard sounds.

It was the sound of people walking on the dry leaves and branches. They were trying to conceal that sound, but a small branch broke under someone's feet.

I took out an arrow from my quiver, and joined it to my bow. I heard the sound of doing the same coming from Ashwatthama and Shakuni.

Then I saw burning torches. In that light, I saw them. Fifty men armed with sword and spear was coming outside from the forest. At least ten of them had burning torches in their hands. I saw them in that light. Their faces were covered with black clothes.

My mind was engulfing with anger. A king has his enmity with another king, but that didn't give him the right to attack and burn food grains. The enemy were now at a distance of half kosh from us.

Three of them were in front of their group, with burning torches.

"Now!!!" Came Duryodhana's command.

Three arrows went towards them like Yamraaj himself. In a moment, the three torch bearers fall down like broken leaves.

The bandits were astonishingly looking at their fallen comrades, when another three arrows ran towards them, claiming another three. Then loud sounds of a conch shell literally tear apart the silence.

The conch sound was the signal given by Rajkumar Vikrant to the soldiers. In a moment, the bandits found out that the thirty soldiers were charging at them. In a moment, a fierce battle started.

Duryodhana jumped like a tiger, and ran towards them. With a loud cry of 'Har Har Mahadev', he jumped into the battle with his mace. The five of us, now joined by Vikarna, also ran towards them. The fight was actually fierce. But, we the young men, fought with as much valour we could master. Duryodhana's mace claimed at least ten of them. Young Dussasana and Vikarna also fought with all their might, and each of them claimed two enemies. Ashwatthama was also an excellent fighter. His arrows and knife were literally creating havoc among the enemies. In case of Shakuni, well, that man could fight very well. He killed six of them. As for me, well, my arrows claimed ten of the enemies.

The battle had finished just now. They could not harm a single granary of our village. None of them could escape. Fifty dead bodies were lying on the ground. In our side, six soldiers had some mild injuries. Rajkumar Dussasana was also injured. A spear slashed his left shoulder.

The villagers were so busy in their worship; they could not even hear the sound of that fierce battle. But, after the battle finished, the soldiers went to them, and gave them the news. The villagers literally ran towards the granary, and after looking at the sight, they started shouting "Rajkumar Duryodhana ki jay!!" (All hail prince Duryodhana)

Duryodhana stood up, and said

"I have just performed my duties. A prince's first and foremost duty is to protect the people of his kingdom. The credit is not alone mine. Every single one who fought with me has the same amount of credit. The soldiers who fought with me, my mamashri, my brothers and my mitras Radheya and Ashwatthama, every one of them had the same amount of credit."

I saw my mother and father amongst the group of villagers standing in front of us. They were looking at me with pride in their eyes. I went to them, and touched their feet. My mother engulfed me with a big hug.

"Putra, today, you make us proud." My father held his hand over my head. I stood up and he hugged me.

At the time of battle, the bow and arrows were literally felt like a part of my body. From a very tender age, I liked archery and fighting. But today, I knew in my heart and soul that I could fight well.

"Radheya?" I heard the voice of Rajkumar Dussasana behind me. I turned my head and saw him standing.

"Thank you for saving my life. It was your magical armour that saved my life, otherwise..."

"Rajkumar, it was my duty. You would have done the same for me, right?"

Dussasana nodded his head affirmatively. My father walked in front of him.

"Rajkumar, I beg you, please keep the information about his armour a secret. Otherwise, his life may be in danger."

Dussasana curiously looked at my father, then nodded affirmatively and walked towards his brother. Duryodhana was talking with Shakuni and Ashwatthama when suddenly a soldier ran towards them.

"Rajkumar Duryodhana ki jay! One of the bandits was unconscious, but he gained his sense. But the vaidya said that he would not survive. He wanted to speak with a Rajkumar. "

Duryodhana walked to the bandit. I followed him, along with Ashwatthama and Gandharraj. He stood beside the injured man. The man was young, probably thirty years age. He had a big wound in his chest.

"Give me some water." Duryodhana ordered. A soldier handed a small pot of water to him. He took the pot to the man's mouth.

"Drink slowly."

The bandit was looking at him with an awed expression. He slowly drank some water, and with great difficulty, he crossed his hands.

"Rajkumar, we were bandits. Our job was to plunder, but not burning the crops. But, this time, our leader became greedy for gold coins, and agreed to do a sin like this. Maharaja Drupad ordered us to burn the grains, just because he got the news of a Brahmin took shelter in this village, after insulting him."

"A Brahmin?" The curious question in my mind came out in the form of Ashwatthama's voice, " Do you know his name?"

The man nodded. He took a few deep sighs, and then a word came out with his last sigh.

"Drona!"

Here is chapter sixteen. I have decided to put some actions in it. Tell me, do you guys like it?

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