Duryodhan's Daughter : The Forgotten Princess

Chapter 60

The return journey was silent, only neighing of horses and rustling of dried leaves was heard. Lakshmana pulled the reins of her horse as they entered the palace gates, soldiers took the horses and chariot to the stable. Lakshmana could see her dead relatives, wherever she glanced, garden, stable, corridor, main door everywhere. She looked at her hand, suyodhan had held before he breathed his last. Suyodhan had took promise from Sambh before dying that he would always take care of lakshmana and would never let feel the void of her father.

Lakshmana climbed the stairs of the palace, there was a fire lamp flickering near a pillar. Lakshmana took the lamp and poured water on it, " No lamp would be lit here, the lineage of maharaj dhritarashtr had became heirless today " Saying this, she stormed inside the palace. She went straight to her father's chamber, the door was locked, so she sat at door. Thoughts pooling her mind, so much had happened in a single day , she had lost the most important person of her life. No tears flowed down her eyes as if they had dried up. She sat there in the same position till midnight, it was near the dawn, when sleep engulfed her.
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Lakshmana was standing alone in her chamber, full of darkness. The darkness and silence had started to scare her now , she tried calling every possible person, but no one was answering. Amidst the darkness, she saw someone coming towards her limping, the person had scars on his face his face was half burnt, as he came more near her, she tried running but from another director a man without arms came in front of her, blood was continuously flowing from his hands. From all directions, such people started coming towards lakshmana as if to devour her. Lakshmana let out a scream.

As she opened her eyes, she found herself in front of suyodhan's door, the same place she was sitting last night, but there was a blanket on her.
Suvarna was sitting besides her with concern in her eyes, " You okay? " She asked, lakshmana nodded in a yes. " I am sorry for my behaviour, it was an outburst, I am sorry " Suvarna apologised, wrapping her arms around lakshmana. Lakshmana was desperately in need of a hug at that moment, she tightened the hug, forcing a smile on hed face.

" Go to your chamber and get ready, matashree is saying we all are going to kurukshetra, to give funeral for the dead " Suvarna told. Lakshmana's face fell, she didn't want to go back to the place, but she can't let the women go alone, they were her responsibility now. She agreed half heartedly and went to her chamber to get ready.
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Lakshmana was sitting in the chariot along with Gandhari, Dhritarashtr and Vidur, holding Gandhari's shaking  shoulders. The women in the chariots behind them were crying loudly, which was giving an headache to lakshmana, on top of that Vidur was continuously talking about how bad the kauravas were, how the always seeked bad about pandavas, how karna had always supported suyodhan in his bad deeds. Finally lakshmana's patience broke.

" Pitamah Vidur please, how right is it to continuously speak bad about dead people in front of their parents and daughter! " She said out. Vidur smirked, " You are also like your father only, impatient and always angry " , "  Pitamah my uncles and father weren't villians of any fairy tale, that they would always seek bad about someone! They were humans with humans. They had good qualities too and bad qualities too, remember that " She answered.

" What more can be expected for a person after whose birth, there were inauspicious signs everywhere " Vidur said, it was very clear to lakshmana that Vidur didn't like the kauravas from their birth itself.
" What more can be expected from a person, who had ordered to kill his brother's just born son. I'm sorry if I am breaking my boundaries, but enough is enough " She turned her attention towards Gandhari. " Putri, there's no point in arguing over the happened events, don't waste your energy " Gandhari said, trying to reach Lakshmana's cheeks.

As they reached the vast battlefield of kurukshetra all the women started crying and searching for the husbands, sons, brothers. Lakshmana saw the pandavas entering from the another side, along with their wives, uttara, Suthanu and Krishna. The pandav patnis too started weeping seeing the bloodshed, krishna stood besides Gandhari while Suthanu and Uttara stood besides lakshmana, their gazes lowered. Gandhari was continuously crying, telling the plight of the widows to Krishna, how each woman was dedicated to her husband, cared about her son and what condition they were in now.

Draupadi lowered her gaze as she remembered, she had cursed the sabha that the wives of kauravas would cry their tresses dishellved, devoid of their husbands and sons, during her cheer haran. The loud words of Gandhari gained everyone's attention, " Govinda you knew this was going to happen, but still you didn't stop this. I curse you, childless queen curses you that your clan would also end fighting among themselves and you would not be able to do anything. Your favourite sons would be dead and you would have to watch it all with open eyes " Lakshmana ran to her like thunder.

" Pitamahi! What have you done! Cursed that Lord of three worlds himself! " Lakshmana fell at Krishna's feet asking for his forgiveness. That was when Gandhari understood her mistake, she joined her hands in front of krishna, but krishna held her hands back, " A mother never apologies to her son mata, I accept your curse whole heartedly. Suthanu, Subhadrt and lakshmana looked at him dumbfounded. " Bhratashree, how could you accept that curse. Your sons, brothers, grandchildren would die " Subhadra spoke. " Pitamahi how did you forget that your own grand daughter is married in the same yadukul! My sons would be born in the same lineage " Lakshmana cried still sitting at krishna's feet.

" Bhadra, lakshmana, this is our fate and we can't escape it. Mata Gandhari is fulfilling her destiny and no one of us should blame her for that. That curse was from a childless mother, which is totally justified " Krishna said, the small subtle smile still resting on his face. The smile however made lakshmana forget all her worries and a smile spread on her dry lips.
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Hush! If I would have wrote at this speed, this book would have been completed long ago. Second update of the day, completely unedited.
Hope you liked reading this part, let me know through your comments, they are much important for me 💖.