Ephemera

The First Dice is Cast

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"When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love." 

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They were mangled but unmistakably theirs.

It is funny, isn't it? A vile taste set in her mouth as she glared at her captor, the Yuvraj of Hastinapur, Duryodhana. At one point in her past, she would have given anything, absolutely anything to see her brother Yudhishthira's severed head, the other Pandavas were just a bonus, like a icing on the cake or the tasteful cherry. But now the very idea of their death, trembled her with fury, no one may dare be the cause of it when the daughter of death herself wants to prevent their death.

The malicious laugh of Duryodhana resonated throughout the room as he cupped her face and whispered huskily in her ear, "How did you like this? Surely a twist you could never anticipate."

"Surely something I could never anticipate but not something I cannot turn around, remember this game is mine." She said slowly as she rigidly pushed duryodhana's hand away from her face.

"This was just a distraction dearest; the real game is yet to be played, the real prize is still to be won." Duryodhana said looking at her from her peripheral view.

Alarmed with panic, "I am not your dearest nor shall I ever be. Give up your misplaced fantasies. What do you mean the game is still to be played?" She said walking as far as the handcuffs would allow her to.

"You shall see." Was all he answered.

"What prize do you covet to own so dearly?!" She yelled as he turned to her with the evilest glare, she had ever seen anyone wear.

"Draupadi."

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When one with honeyed words but evil mind

Persuades the mob, great woes befall the state.

In all its grandeur began another day at the royal court of Hastinapur. The king Dhritarashtra on the highest throne followed by the Pandavas, Kauravas, and countless courtiers on his either side. It was another day, the proceedings continued as always unaware of the future disasters to take place in the prestigious court.

But when the sun shone overhead at noon, Duryodhana came forward and proposed a proposal.

"Our honourable king of kurus, my dear father, it is a famous past time for royalty to play dice. I believe that playing dice can help nurture bonds. So I would like to invite the Pandavas to play a game of dice with me. Let us leave our enmity aside!" Duryodhana said with a honey dipped smile as the kuru king agreed to his darling sons wishes.

The Pandavas glanced up at the elders. Dhritarashtra's face showed no emotion, only the blind man's smile that hid everything. Bheeshma, Drona and Kripa seemed aloof. Vidura alone sat tensely in his place.

Karna said slowly, "Dice is a poisonous game; it breeds discord and destroys friendships. It is not a game for kshatriyas, We would rather not play!"

Duryodhana laughed at him" Karna, no one values your opinion here. We ask for yudhishthira's opinion not an impotent person!"

"Duryodhana!" Arjun roared as he gripped his gandiv tighter as karn felt the sinking feeling. He was never enough compared to yudhishthira. Was he?

"He is our brother and you must respect him or I would crush you till your bones are dust!" Bheem roared.

Shakuni was alarmed; this would defeat the purpose of fetching them here.

"I apologise for my nephew. It's just a game, not war! Dice is as good a way as any to pass the time."

Yudhishtira said earnestly, "A man becomes a fool when he lays his hands on the ivory dice. Let us not play this evil game. It begins lightly enough, but it ruins men."

"I think he is scared." Dushasan laughed as duryodhana silenced him.

"He is not scared. Our bhrata will never be scared of you all!" Nakul said as he nudged yudhishthira.

Smiling in the friendliest way, Duryodhana said, "I will wager whatever you do. Shakuni will play for me."

"But that is unheard of. The one who wagers must play himself." Sahadev gasped at the idea.

Shakuni said, "I see nothing wrong with the arrangement. It does seem you are afraid of playing, Yudhishtira. Why not admit it and let us find some other way to pass the time."

Unclasping a priceless necklace given to him by pandu, the only heirloom he had. Yudhishthira presented it as a wager.

"I shall match your wager." Duryodhana said as he produced a valuabl ebraelet of the rarest stones.

"Let the game begin" Dhritasharta bellowed through the silent court as everyone looked on, anticipating the outcome.

The Pandavas all felt an ominous disturbance in their hearts, a dread. It was to be a more fateful hour than they could have dreamt. But there was no turning it away.

Yudhishtira sat grimly across from Shakuni, who twirled his ivory dice in manicured hands. Yudhishtira, also, had dice to throw: innocent dice that rolled true to chance, unlike the loaded ones Shakuni fondled.

"It would only be fair, if you start emperor." Shakuni smiled in a way that was foreign on his ever evil face.

And so, as everyone looked upon, as fate swindled with the threads of their lives, and destinies took a sharp turn. The first dice was cast.

The Pandava cast his dice first and scored well. But his eyes bland, Shakuni out-threw him. That first throw was critical; if Yudhishtira had won, he may not have lost control of himself as he did.

 But then, that is how fate arranged it and the Pandava's kshatriya blood was roused, when there was little use for it in a game of dice. He was seized by an hour's madness, which would cost him dearly.

"I wager my chariot and horses!" he cried.

His brothers looked at him in alarm. He did not even glance at them any more. Karn tried to stop him, but he did not listen.

He only spun his dice and threw them; and after him, Shakuni, his pale eyes mocking, his plump fingers full of deceit. Again, Shakuni won. A hush fell on the sabha.

Yudhishtira grew more defiant. "I wager my elephants of war."

Duryodhana replied in deadly calm, "I match the wager. Roll."

Yudhishtira threw a fine score. Only a perfect throw by Shakuni, one chance in a hundred, could win. Shakuni spun his dice and produced that throw. The elephants were lost and so it seemed was Yudhishtira. He had grown very still, his face set taut. Arjuna laid a hand on his arm and whispered, "Stop this madness before you lose everything we have."

Shakuni tittered, "Had enough already, Emperor? Lost your nerve so soon?"

Like a man in a dream, Yudhishtira shook off Arjuna's hand and, leaning forward, said hoarsely, "I wager all the gold in my treasury, Shakuni. Who speaks of stopping? We have just begun."

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