Empire of Righteousness

Chapter 77 : Years Long Pain

Magadha was the first to surrender to Devapath. Chedi, Vidarbha, Gandhar, Kalinga, Kasi, Matsya and every other kingdoms followed.

Panchal, Dwarka, Mathura was with them from the beginning. Videhi also joined in their quest.

Satanika enters Prativindhya's tent to see all his brothers here as well.

"Jyest, I don't understand why you left Kampilya, Hastinapur and Indraprastha," Satanika asks Prativindhya.

"I am also confused Jyest. Shouldn't we have taken back grandfather's kingdom Kampilya from Ashwatthama? And why did we leave Indraprastha and Hastinapur?" Shrutkarma asks as well.

Prativindhya smiles at his younger brothers, "It's not time yet. We can easily win these kingdoms but let's wait. See here."

Prativindhya pointed them at the map.

"Hastinapur, Indraprastha and Kampilya are surrounded from every side by kingdoms that follow us. I don't want to give there defeat to them so easily," Prativindhya says.

"What do you mean, Jyest?" Shrutasena asks.

"Jyest wishes to corner them like a rat they are. Besides shouldn't our meet with our family be more memorable?" Sutasoma smirks.

Other understood their mind as well then.

"I miss Maa," Shrutkarma whines plopping in Prativindhya's bed.

Shrutkarma and Abhimanyu are the youngest. Beloved of their older brothers. And extremely attached to their mother.

Prativindhya gently ruffles his hair, "We will meet Mata soon. Our Yatra is almost finished. And Pitashree and Maa all need to go into hiding for a year soon."

"But where will they hide? I am sure Tatshree Duryodhana will send spies to look for them," Sutasoma says.

"Indeed. Among all Pitashree Arjun is the only one who can hide without being found out. Pitashree Bheem, Nakul and Sahadev can also succeed with a bit of lying. But Pitashree Yudhisthir and Maa are very helpless. He won't lie and Maa can't hide anywhere unless she changes herself," Shrutakarma says worriedly.

Others fall into thought. It's true. Yudhisthir and Draupadi are the most vulnerable.

"Mamashree said to us that without Maa their their vanvas won't succeed. I believe Mamashree must have thought of something," Shrutasena says.

"He promised us he won't let anything happen to Maa," Shrutasena says.

Others turned towards Satanika who has been quite for a long time unlike his usual chatterbox self.

"Satanika, what's wrong?" Prativindhya asks softly.

"It's so late at night, Jyest. You think Maa is still fasting? Sitting outside in hope for any poor man coming to her in this cold night?" Satanika whispers.

All their face fell. Their Maa had maids all around her. She never did any hard work either in Indraprastha, in Panchal or in Devapath. But in Vanvas, she is working like a maid. Washing clothes, cleaning with a broom, making foods from the scratch, even fixing the broken part of the hut.

"Satanika, only a year left and we will again live together," Prativindhya consoles his younger brother softly but his voice trembled as well.

He turned to wipe the tears that escaped his eyes only to find all his brothers were in same state.

"Sometimes I fear that we will also fight like our uncles and fathers are. Why are they so obsessed about a throne?" Shrutasena says.

"We will not ever," Shrutakarma says strongly.