Hey Guys!

Here is the hundred and fifty eight chapter.

I don't own Mahabharat.

Happy Reading!!

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Third POV

In North Eastern Panchal

The older of two had been constantly attacking the King of Panchal.
And it was slowly wearing him off, the adrenaline was getting in his head.

This was what King Ashwatthama had been waiting for a while now, people who relay on their muscle power only had a set of path they followed.
And all these years fighting along with hard body- built fighters like Prince Bheem and Prince Duryodhana, King Ashwatthama knew all tricks to defeat this over confident King of Sindhu.

And thus, when Jayadratha lunged at him again; Ashwatthama kicked the man hard on the chest, closely followed by a second one on the formers head.
He had seen Queen Ananya do this, of course he didn't excel like her, rather he had made a mistake somewhere obviously because on place of landing on land, King Ashwatthama found himself sitting on King Jayadratha.

But it was ok, this worked too. King Ashwatthama knew how to deal with this large being now. The moment the older opened his eyes, King Ashwatthama punched the man in his face, the crunch following was least to say satisfying to hear for the young King of Panchal.

King Ashwatthama stood up instantly, placing a foot on the others arm, not letting it move as he looks at the Mediator- aka the General of Sindhu.
The General of Sindhu looked at his King who was laid on the ground unconscious, blood flowing out of the broken nose and the surrounding bones.

"Panchal Naresh Ashwatthama ki jeet hui." (Panchal's King Ashwatthama is the winner.) He declares, not knowing weather to be relieved or dread the fact that his King was defeated.

King Ashwatthama instantly took a step back, "Maine Sindhu jeeta Hai, Senapati." (I have won Sindhu, General.)

"Ji haan, Maha Raj." (Yes, King.) The General nodded, keeping his face and voice devoid of any emotion.

"Yeh baat yaad rakhiyega." (Remember this.) King Ashwatthama says, his voice soft but the deep meaning clear by the toughness present in it.
Anyone on the other side of this voice wouldn't dare to disobey.

The general nodded at the fair warning.
Knowing that his loyalties now laid with the Brahmin King, this is what came with being the General of an army.

Turning towards the Soldiers standing around them he shouted, "Raja Jayadratha, Maha Raj Ashwatthama se harr Gaye. Humare purv shartoan ke karan ab Sindhu ke naye Maha Raj, Panchal Naresh Ashwatthama Hain." (King Jayadratha lost to King Ashwatthama. And according to our previous conditions placed before the game, the new King of Sindhu is the King of Panchal Ashwatthama.)
"Sindhu evam Panchal Naresh Maha Raj Ashwatthama ki Jai!" (Cheers for the King of Sindhu and Panchal, King Ashwatthama)

"Maha Raj Ashwatthama ki Jai!" The Soldiers echoed.
Many of them relieved of this change, the previous king was too blood thirsty for their liking. He didn't think much of the country and its men, all they could hope was the story of new Panchal was not false and the new King would be much better than their previous one.

"Maha Raj," (My King!) The General caught the attention of his new King who had been smiling at the army.
"Raj Kumar Jayadratha ka Kya?" (What of Prince Jayadratha?)

King Ashwatthama looked down at the said Prince.
"Aapko chinta karne ki zarrorat nahi Hai Senapati," (You don't have to worry, General) King Ashwatthama says, looking up at the General with mirth in his eyes. "Hum inki jaan nahi lenge." (I will not take his life.)

Everyone had fallen silent at their new King's words, wondering if it was really a good decision take, considering the hate the older had for the new King.

The Silence was broken by a whooshing sound, which the soldiers recognized as the sound of a knife cutting through air. And they watched in stunned silence as the said knife impaled itself in the neck of Prince Jayadratha.
The blood flowed out instantly; the knife had pierced a major artery.

Who dared to do that, when Maha Raj Ashwatthama said that he didn't plan on killing the older? Weren't they scared of the King's reaction?

"Maine aapka kaam assan kar Diya Maha Raj Ashwatthama" (I made your job easier King Ashwatthama.) A voice called out loudly in the stillness.
"Aapne unhe nahi marne ka khayal Rakha hoga, Mujhe koi aisi bandhan nahi Hai." (You may have thought of not killing him, I am under no such restriction.)

" Maha Rani Dushala, Itni behremi aap Mein aati kahan se Hai?" (Queen Dushala, from where do you get such cruelty?) King Ashwatthama looks at his wife, flashing a proud smirk at him.

"Jab aapke pass 106 yoodha Ho na bhai ke naam pe, toh behrami khud se aati Hai." (When you have 106 fighters in name of brother, cruelty comes from within.) Queen Dushala, walks towards the body of King Jayadratha, her steps steady & proud, there was no doubt in her.

Her words and previous action made the soldiers look at her as if she was the scariest being in the universe. But it was instantly proved that she was moving as they watched she did further.

The Queen Panchal, and now also of Sindhu, bent near the body and mercilessly pulled the knife out of dead body. The lifeless body raised slightly, & bounced a little but it didn't seem to phase the queen.
She simply wiped the blood of the knife on a white cloth before letting it fall, not caring that it landed on Jayadratha.

Rather she sheathed it back before walking to her husband.
"Isse saaf karwa lijiyega, humare liye." (Get this cleaned up for me.) She says. "Hume bachoan ne bulaya Hai, hum wahan ja Rahe Hain." (I have been called up by the kids, I am going there.)

King Ashwatthama took it wordlessly, nodding at his wife's word.
Before he turned to now the people that came with him, "Maha Rani ko humari katar de dein, Maha Mantri." (Give the Queen my dagger, Minister.)

One of the person bows their head stepping ahead, "Maha Rani." (My Queen) He had raised both his hands towards the queen, spread out on his palm was the regal dagger- The King's dagger.

This dagger was special due to the fact that Panchal had a tradition, where in the king carried a dagger signifying his post. It had been passed on to generations and was always for the use of King.

The General looked wide eyes as Queen Dushala picked it as if it was a familiar weapon of use for her. No one from Panchal blinked at the fact that King gave his Queen the dagger only meant to be kept and used by the King himself.
This lady was truly scary. He needed to be on his best behavior in front of her.

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Third POV

In Kalinga

"Kya madd chahhiye aapko humse?" (What help do you guys need from us?)

"Aapki nishta chahhiye." (I want your loyalty.) King Karn says. "Hum jaante Hain ki varshoan se Kuru Pariwar ka adar evam samann Kiya Hai aapne aur aapke pariwar ne aur yahi wajah Hai ki aaj hum yeh chahhta Hain ki aap hume yeh vadaa karein ki agar hume zarrorat padi toh aap humara saath denge." (I know that for years you and your family has respected the Kuru family and it is the reason I am asking this promise from you that if I need any help you will stand with me, in time of need.)

"Meri beti Kuru Pariwar ki bahu Hai, is baat se Mujhe garv Hai," (my daughter is the daughter- in- law of Kuru family makes me proud.) The King says.
"Awashya hi hum Kuru Pariwar ke saath honge agar zarrorat hui toh." (Of course, I will stand with the Kuru family in time of need)

"Maha Raj." (King.) Ang Raj Karn stops him from continuing ahead. "Humne aap se Ang Raj ke saath khade hone ka vada manga Hai. Kuru Pariwar ke saath nahi." (I have asked you to stand with Ang Raj not the Kuru Family.)

"Un Mein farak Hai Kya?" (Is there a difference?) The Queen questions.

"Bhavishya ko nahi jaanta Ma, woh sunischit nahi hoti." (No one knows the future, mother, it is also not carved in.) Prince Duryodhana says.
"Ang Pradesh ke Maha Raj hone ke nate woh aap se yeh prashn kar Rahe Hain, pita ji, na ki Kuru Pariwar ke Jyeshta Putra hone ke karan." (HE is asking you this question as the King of Anga, father not as the eldest son of Kuru family.)

The King and his minster Chitravaram, exchanged looks.
What did his son- in- law mean? Was he indirectly instigating that they did not stand with the Kuru Family? Was there a fight amongst them all?

"Maha Raj!" Queen Ananya called the attention upon herself, "Anga Pradesh Kuru Rajya ka hissa nahi Hai, haan woh humara pariwar Hai humara ghar Hai, lekin is baat ka gyaan toh aapko bhi Hai ki Anga desh kisi bhi prakar Kuru Rajya ke adhikar kshetra se bahar Hai. Aur yahi karan Hai hum aapse yeh vada mang Rahe Hain." (Anga is not part of Kuru, yes, those people are our family and it's our home but you are also well aware of the fact that Anga doesn't fall under Kuru's jurisdiction. And it's the reason we are asking for the promise.)

The king silently looked at them & then his daughter.
What was he supposed to say to this? Yes, Anga wasn't part of Kuru's jurisdiction, and thus they could be simply be asking for this but they said they needed help? What help? Why does he feel that there is more to this story and its just the beginning of a big mess.

"Pita Ji," (Father) Bhanumati spoke up for the first time since the discussion began. "Itne dino se yeh log aapne rajya se alag Rahe Hain. Yeh bus chahhte Hain ki kal hoke agar inhe koi sahare ki zarrorat Ho toh Kalinga woh sahara ban sake." (From last so many days, they have been away from their land. They just want that tomorrow in case they need someone to take support from Kalinga can become that support.)

The King turns to his ministers after listening to his daughter.
Some eye conversations were shared, before King turns back to them.

"Hum Vaada karte Hain," (I promise you.) The King says.
"Kalinga aapke saath rahega." (Kalinga will stand with you.)

"Dhanyvad Maha Raj" (Thank you, king) Ang Raj smiled.  

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