•|| Arjun ~ Rise To Power ||• (III)

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟸

Outskirts of Paanchaal

Arjun's POV

"Drupad has a strategy," Guru Dron circled around the hundred and five of us, pointing at the structure that had been created to depict the army positions upon an elevation. My eyes raked upon the red miniature flag that was thrusted on the opposite side of our army model, "He doesn't deploy all his forces at once." Gurudev thumped his forefinger behind the army of the enemy, and shoved another flag over there. 

"When his army feels tired, he deploys the fresh set," His lips pressed into a thin line.

"Then what should we do? Apply the same technique?" Bhrata Duryodhan spoke up, forwarding his way through Jyesth, "He doesn't know, what we are up to right?"

"That's not the only thing, son-" Gurudev shook his head, dismissing his point, "He has a valiant set of sons, and even Shikhandi is no less. A terrific warrior, I must admit." He bobbed his chin, an unknowing smile unfolding on his lips. Even if he doesn't flashes it, he still perhaps cares about his family. Rumours had been prevalant about the mystical Prince of Paanchaal, who was once born as a girl, but austerities performed by him switched his gender. Stories run through, how the King always treated him as a boy, even got him married to a Princess before he finally swapped his gender after a rigorous penance.

Paanchaal held his own anecdotes, there was no doubt on it. 

"Capturing Drupad alive is our task," He exhaled a bit firmly, circling his eyes around us, "Only Drupad, I repeat."

The Kauravs exchanged glances at each other, "Why? Wouldn't it be a treat to witness his sons and his exotic daughter having their pride stripped down?" One of them laughed, allowing me to spin my head at their words. What? 

What?!

"Exactly! What is the fun when his entire kingdom isn't begging for mercy?" Bhrata Dushassan let out jolts of chuckle, wrapping an arm around Bhrata Dussaha, "Aha! Let their ego be bruised-"

"Dussah!" Jyesth immediately interjected, almost shooting glares at them, while Guru Dron shoved his arms behind, his nose flaring, "Do you even recon what are you speaking?" 

"They are our enemies indeed, but humans at first!" Jyesth breathed in, glancing at them, "We are warring for truth, not to tatter their self-respect!" 

"Respecting enemies is what a coward does, Jyesth Yudhishthir," Bhrata Dusshasan smirked, saunteering towards him, "So should we register you five as cowards?" The entire lot burst into peals of laughter. 

"Respecting enemies is what a true Aarya does, Dusshassan," Gurudev spoke up, peering at them solemnly, "I hope you are revising the norms of wars thoroughly." His lips pressed against each other, as he breathed in. They had halted laughing, but as much as I knew them, they weren't going to settle for it. My fingers curled into fists at their vulgar words, how, how on earth can they even wonder about such? 

"I do not understand why showing mercy for enemies has become so important all of a sudden..." Bhrata Duryodhan groaned, placing his arms on his waist and glancing away. 

"Because the one who wars is safeguarding their own Kingdom, Bhrata Duryodhan-" I voiced out firmly, "Whether from the opponent side our from ours, they are heroes of their respective motherlands. And it should be our Dharm to respect every such hero who sacrifice their lives for their motherland." 

"Why bother, Arjun? Wise words refrain from penetrating in their wisdom," Bhrata Bheem chewed on his words, as daggers shot from Bhrata Duryodhan's eyes only to be halted by Bhrata Vikarn. Guru Dron cleared his throat abruptly, glancing down at the model and leaned upon it, resting both his arms on its sides.

"The war is after two days, children." He ushered, his solemn coppers piercing all of us, "I do not desire any sort of rift from of you'll. This war is not only your Gurudakshina, but shall also prepare you for the forthcoming." 

"Do not allow overconfidence to tamper your conscience." 

For almost half a prahar, we continued rumbling about the possibilities and weighing our opponent's strength and weaknesses. Guru Dron's knowledge about Aarya Drupad appeared as a silver lining in the cloud, it was amusing how he retained every single detail about him, from his war skills to the fact how his left wrist had faced a dislocation once; thus making his pace go a bit slower than the past. 

I began to construct the formation of the VajraVyuh, a formation of a thunderbolt, or Pita Indra's Vajra that could sneeringly cut through the army; it was a swift formation, light and easy to penetrate. Bhrata Bheem marked with a stick upon the model, suggesting a KraunchaVyuh, a classic formation of heron. 

Gurudev suddenly began to circle the tidbits of the model in a circular manner, and at once I realized what was he doing, "Very much possibility."

"Chakravyuh?" All of us exclaimed in unison, as Gurudev let out a low groan of approval, "I do not know, but why my heart screams Drupad is going to establish one."

"Really?"

"But isn't it the most difficult formation?"

"Establishing that vyuh is hell of an effort!"

"Do not underestimate that man," Guru Dron glanced at the Kauravs, "He knows how to play with mind. The stuffs you're least expecting, he's up with it." 

"Pretty much like denying the promise towards you," Vikarn jittered, and I couldn't but agree with him once. Yet the fact that he had a secrecy with our family once upon a time, couldn't allow me to gulp down the jest. It was rather my mind was chanting only one thing—

Capture Drupad and get over it as fast as possible.

"But Gurudev," Nakul  and Sahadev spoke up exactly together, "If King Drupad, chooses to form a Chakravyuh then—"

"Only Arjun is eligible for it," Bhrata Bheem peered at me with a side-glance, and that was slightly laden with worry this time. That was true, perhaps it was only me who had learnt the art of breaking through a Chakravyuh through Gurudev. I remember how Pitamah had fascinated me with the particular vyuh, the stories of how he once had penetrated it to rescue his folks had me marveling, and perhaps the acute thrill to master the toughest vyuh had me appealing Gurudev to impart me with its knowledge.

"Exactly," Gurudev's lips shifted in a curve as his gaze fell on me.

And for some reason, a weird thought crossed my mind—why did it feel suddenly better with the idea that it would be easier to capture Aarya Drupad inside a Chakravyuh? The deepest part of it, isn't much guarded, if I could get past it with minimal damage—

"Why Arjun? Even Vikarn is capable of entering Chakravyuh!" Bhrata Duryodhan exclaimed, wrapping an arm around Bhrata Vikarn and pushing him forward. Gurudev glanced at him confusingly, "It's—it's not so—I am not even halfway through learning it!" 

"Half knowledge is dangerous, Vikarn—" Gurudev reprimanded, "You're not going to enter, only Arjun shall enter it if, if it is constructed."

"But why? Why is always Arjun given preference?!" Bhrata Dushassan stormed in, "Even we are capable of! Vikarn is capable of entering Chakravyuh!"

"Bhrata Dusshassan, Gurudev is right—"

"But you claim to know the Chakravyuh's formation!"

"Knowing and learning are too different things Bhrata Dushassan!"

I breathed in deeply, glancing at Bhrata Vikarn's stressed facial expressions. Pushing him through something he didn't knew was absolutely ridiculous, and there was no way I was going to risk his life. 

"Enough!" Guru Dron raised his tone, "This is a discussion about the war! It is not the time to prove who is supreme and who isn't! Vikarn is not going to enter and that's final!"

★★★★★★★

A/N

*shakes my head* Kya hoga inka-

Bechara Vikarn 🌝🌝

Signing off for today!

Kiritija Nushkie