Indulekha: The Sister of The Pandavas • Mahabharat

65. A River Of Blood

Day 3

Kauravas' Camp

Kurukshetra

Duryodhan sat on his bed, his face bearing an annoyed expression. He fidgeted with the miniature swords on the table, occasionally rolling his eyes at his thoughts.

"It is best that you rest, for now, mere bacche. Don't you dare enter the battlefield"

Due to the orders of his dear Mamashree, he was stuck in his tent. Servants stood outside, never in, as per his orders. With nothing to do, no strategizing, no battles and no conversations, the man sat in boredom.

Only boredom.

"Ready, Kanha?" Indulekha mumbled to herself, tightening her grip on her bow. She looked over at a distance to Krishna and he glanced back with a wise look. He gave her a nod, resulting in her smiling. She sat on her horse, White, today. She had insisted on riding a horse in the war for one day, instead of the chariot and her brothers surely couldn't say no once she blackmailed them. (Don't worry, she just stole Nakul's mirror and Bheem's laddoos.)

Krishna glanced back to the Kaurava army. A knowing, yet mischievous smile adorned his face. His skin resembled the clouds and his peacock feather was safely tucked in his crown. He was the only one wearing a crown. That was a bold decision, Bheem had said but Indu had replied with a giggle, saying that nothing is ever bold for her Kanhaiya. "Duryodhan's not on the battlefield today. Dussashan gets the role of the acting king today." He declared, his smile not leaving for a moment. Arjun nodded, his eyes wide with realization.

The aroma of turmeric and sandalwood pastes, mostly ones which Nakul and Sahadev had brought in case of emergencies, reached everyone's senses. A calm washed over but soon the echo of pre-sung cries started.

The conch roared the song of war, as the armies charged ahead. Soldiers, clad in heavy armour, ran on the red-brown mix of dirt. Not even a few moments later, blood mixed with the initial odour of turmeric.

Indu forced herself to breathe from her mouth, just to avoid having to bear the scent. Once she'd gotten used to it, and riding the horse, she felt like her favourite Disney character back in Kaliyug, Mulan.

The day was hers today.

She was ready with every possible fight stance and power move, as she called them. She had her hair tied tightly into a braid, unlike before when her ponytail kept flying into her face. She had a small but enough amount of makeup on as she followed her mantra of "Killing peeps and looking good while doing it!". Something she learnt from her brother, Nakul.

And she was determined not to get at least severely injured today.

"I can do it. Right?" She took another breath from her mouth after sighing, accidentally inhaling dust. "I don't think I can, Kanha." She mumbled, knowing very well that Kanha was listening to her inner monologues whenever he'd get bored in the war.

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"Let me in." A feminine voice commanded. The woman, young and dressed in regal hues of blue, glared. Her saree draped to hug her body and her long brown hair rested on her shoulder, half the side slicked back.

"Forgive us, but we are forbidden to permit entry to this tent for anyone." The soldier replied, not meeting the gaze of the woman. Her horse, standing behind her, neighed in annoyance.

"By whose orders?" She raised her eyebrow.

"GandharRaj's."

"As the wife of the acting king here, my orders are to overrule his. Let me in, now. And go feed some hay to my horse, here." She orders and not sparing a moment, walks into the tent. The soldiers reluctantly take her horse to the sheds.

Duryodhan loused on his bed, but upon seeing the lady enter, he sat upright. His eyes widen slightly and he smiles, barely.

"Bhanumati?"

His wife nodded, taking a seat near his feet. Bhanumati sat on the bed, her eyes staring into his with agitation.

"What's with the anger, Priye? Are you hurt?" He asks, leaning back down on his bedrest. She sighs, preparing herself to speak.

"I was in the palace, taking refuge in Mahadev's temple with Mata Gandhari." She starts, fiddling with the ornaments in her hands.

"She asked me for an update on the war, but to not ask Pitashree directly. I went outside his chamber, peeking in for updates and overheard Sanjay Mahoday speaking. He recited what he saw. Maharaj only heard of the atrocities you did, Arya. But not me, no, I heard and saw it and spoke of it to Mata."

He squinted, trying to deduce what she was talking about.

"It took me a day to ride over here. I heard what you ordered. I heard you belittling all those women, mistreating them and misusing their kind hearts." She sniffled, her glare finally breaking as she hurriedly wiped her tears off.

"You ordered to beat her until she dies, Arya. You-, you killed a woman. A mother. I heard her cries, I saw your merciless soldiers whip her under blood leaked from her body. It streamed around like some- some river, but of blood. The image crosses my mind everytime I close my eyes!" The wife of the eldest Kaurava shrieked, burying her face in her palms. Her breaths rapidly increased, a sudden image crossing her mind, again.

"No one asked you to go looking around, Bhanumati." Duryodhan replied, his voice stern and cold. She stood up, abruptly.

"I forgave you for what you did, Arya. We decided to never talk about the Dyut Sabha, ever again. I thought you did that in the heat of the moment, but I was wrong."

Bhanumati stared back into his eyes, both of their eyes blazing with fury.

"You are a monster!" Her voice rasped as she screamed at him.

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"When does the war end?!" Indu whined upon coming across Arjun again. He chuckled as he launched arrows at his opponents, while his sister did the same.

"It'll take a lot more time, Indu!" He replied. "Oh, Narayan!" She sighed, while Krishna replied, "Bolo, Sakhi?"

{Tell me, Sakhi}

"This joke is getting old, Kanha!" She screamed as she aimed for the head of a soldier. Afternoon, as Indu hoped it was, was finally here. The sun reached its zenith, gleaming over the bloodied warfield. Soldiers clashed swords and struck their bows with all their might. The Pandavas' side had already finished off several people.

A river of blood.

"I never jest, Indu." A short reply came, as Induelkha felt an arrow piercing through her forearm and gliding across her.

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