Ephemera

Trick to Tease

I have included a glimpse of the next chapter at the end of the chapter so please do see it.

I shall only update the next chapter after 20 votes and 30 comments. 

I need a better title for this chapter, so if any comes to your mind. Please tell me, honestly 'The necklace.' is just a horrible title. 

I hope you all enjoy. Please comment along as you read.

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The darkness has returned to greet me with a sarcastic smile like a long-forgotten nemesis, but it shall not conquer me this time or ever.

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"Who speaks of stopping? We have just begun!" Yudhishthira said as he wagered all the gold in his treasury. 

"An emperor's stakes are always sky high, I see." Duryodhana smirked as he looked at Shakuni who sat eagle eyed staring at the board which would turn the fortune of Pandavas around. Shakuni nodded at Duryodhana gesturing him to match yudhishthira's stake.

"I match your stake." Duryodhana said as he looked at Yudhishthira in the eye who looked down in guilt.

"Yudhishthira, you cannot wager our entire treasury! It does not belong solely to you!" Karn said trying to dissuade Yudhishthira from falling at the hands of the demon. But it was like Yudhishthira could not care less as he roughly ignored that.

"He is the samrat! The treasury does belong to him!" Shakuni said cunningly. Shakuni cast the dice and rolled a fairly high score. Yudhishthira swirled the dice as everyone looked on. He failed to raise a good score as Duryodhana yelped with joy and the Kauravas rejoiced. The renowned and rich treasury of  the Pandavas was at their disposal.

Crestfallen, Yudhishthira stared anywhere but the rejoicing faces of his cousins.  The Pandavas were only trapped in a nightmare, witnessing their prized possessions decrease slowly yet significantly.

"Now what shall you wager samrat?" They Kauravas laughed as if possessed by evil. The elders sat silent as they watched the the fateful dice game.

"Stop bhaiya!" Sahadev said as he put a hand on Yudhishthira.

"I wager my empire." Yudhishthira said hopeless.

"Are you crazy?" He felt someone shake him and reprimand him harshly but he could not stop. He had to retrieve his losses.

"What shall you wager, dear cousin? Can you match my wager of the entire aaryavart?" Yudhishthira pressed as he suddenly realised Duryodhana was not an emperor to be able to match his stake. His voice was cold, a whip to his cousins. According to the rules, they must match his wager. People looked on, as they game took a new spin. Yudhishthira was never one to show off his possessions but now he showed off his empire shamelessly.

"I- I wager Hastinapur!" Duryodhana said as he looked up at his father asking for permission.

"Outrageous! Duryodhana, I have stayed silent but Hastinapur is not yours to wager!" Bhishma said angered like never before.

"Maharaj, would you let your son be embarrassed thus?" Gandhar raj said snidely as Dhritarashtra shook his head violently.

"You may wager Hastinapur son." Dhritarashtra deadplanned. His love for his son far exceeded his sense of justice and responsibility.

"Hastinapur still falls short in front of Yudhishthira's wager of entire aaryavart." Everyone looked around to see the new voice. Vikrana, the owner of the voice had voiced the thoughts of all elders in the room.

"How dare you Son." Dhritarashtra's voice resonated through out the hall. 

"Ungrateful brat! The maharaj has raised you, given you everything yet you only count his shortcoming!" Shakuni smirked but mentally he was troubled at this sudden change.