The biggest war of the era is fought to avenge a woman's honor . She got her justice and fair share of respect and recognition but she wasn't the alone woman present in the epic. There are many others who were left alone in dark. They got nothing n...
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Kamyaka was raging with happiness at the birth of their new leader. Streets are flooded with wild flower petals. The forest was at its magical best, with lush greenery and blooming wildflowers. The time around spring when nature came out from the harshness of winters and spread pleasantries with approaching summers was always the best, but the arrival of their new prince made it more pleasant for the subjects of Kamyaka. After losing their king and price in a war that was not theirs from the beginning to fight for, this is the first big celebration, and they don't want to leave no stone unturned. Everybody was buzzing with excitement to get the first glimpse of the newborn and know name of their upcoming leader.
Their former queen, meanwhile, is engrossed in a plethora of memories from the eerie past and fears that the baby who has just begun breathing in this corrupted world won't suffer the same destiny as her children. Hidimba was jolted back to reality with a gentle tap on her shoulder when she was still engrossed in her own world. Harshini notices her queen mother's discomfort. Her aura is filled with conflict and terror. The people believe their queen is stressed out about important functions, but Harshini understands it's not stress—rather, it's something else entirely. Asking her grandma what's going on, she arched her eyebrows, but Hidimba shook her head, telling her it's nothing. Harshini decided to ask this later.
"Queen Mother, hurry up; everyone is waiting. And the priest is here. This needs to be started."
Hidimba came out of her trance. She shouldn't let the hurt of the past consume her at this time. Although the past will always follow her, she must now assume the role of a queen and embrace Kamyaka's future. The ghosts of her past shouldn't have an impact on the newborn or her subjects. It's time to unveil to the world the front she learned to expertly wear.
She took a deep breath, added a smile to her face, and turned towards the new mother. "Let's go, daughter.".
The priests completed the rituals, and they offered their prayers to Jagatmata in order to bless them and the newly born. It's time for her to give the newborn's name and let the subject see the first glimpse of the child.
The priest gestured for her to pick up the child and speak the name slowly in the infant's ears. She took a step forward and then two steps back, just like in her life. Her hands shook in anxiety. These are the moments when she let herself believe the words of her brother that she was cursed. She doesn't want to touch the newborn and let her cursed destiny overtake the new bundle of joy looking at her with those big brown eyes. Her courage gave up, and the façade of strength failed at the moment. She was about to take another step back to leave the palace, but someone held her hands, pulling her back to her original place. She frantically looked at the owner of the hands in order to see her granddaughter-in-law nodding no at her.
"No, grandmother, not now; you can't give up now. You can't abandon us at the biggest moment of our lives. I won't let you go back to your cocoon to lick your wounds alone. All these years you faced everything alone bravely, but today I am with you, and you can't run away from your happiness in fear of it getting snatched. "
"Why are you not understanding? I am cursed, and my cursed destiny will affect the baby if I touch him. Besides, you are the queen, and I am sure you will fulfill your role effortlessly. One day, you have to take on the role. I already cursed your destiny once. I don't want history to repeat itself."
Harshini looked at her grandmother painfully. She was a woman who suffered so much in life that she started believing she was cursed. She felt immense anger for the Pandavas at this moment. They might be the flagbearers of Dharma, but for her, they are nothing else than the cold, selfish princes who diminished the light of a woman. They used her not as a wife but as a puppet as per their needs. Nothing absolutely nothing—no amount of reasoning or philosophy can change her mind. She will never forgive them. Them or anything related to them will have no place in their lives ever again. She will ensure this for as long as she lives.
But now is not the moment to let her rage take over. She has to put the broken pieces of her grandmother's existence in place so that she won't fall apart.
"Grandmother, what are you talking about? A woman who walks her whole life in order to provide for others Sacrificed everything she can in order to fight for injustice that doesn't even concern her can never be cursed. I won't allow it. My child will bear the name given by their grandmother; otherwise, they won't get one. Call it my stubbornness, but I won't take my decision back."
Harshini held her head high and took a step back to stand behind her grandmother in her shadow, just like she had all her life. She is her safe haven.
brimmed with tears. After years of feeling death, finally her hands held a new life in them.
"Ekaksh," she said slowly in the little prince's ears, who smiled at her, and suddenly her heart felt healed. Everyone around her smiled at the name. She held her great-grandson close to her heart and moved forward towards the clearing. She stood tall near the throne of Kamyaka and moved her hand in the air, holding the infant.
"Your prince will be called Ekaksh. Bless him to attain all the glory and bring peace and harmony to the subject."
"Long live the prince. Hail, Prince Ekaksh. Hail, Queen Harshini. Hail queen, mother Hidimba." All the subjects chanted in happiness. They threw flowers at their prince and provided many gifts in order to show their happiness.
Hidimba realized in all this commotion the newborn is looking tired and sleepy.
"Feed him and pat him to sleep dear." She handed over the child to his mother and nudged her granddaughter to move towards their home. After both mother and child left for home, she moved her attention towards the subjects.
"Thank you all for coming here and blessing the newborn and mother. You guys have your lunch before leaving. It was our honour to host you all on a happy occasion after all we went through. Thank you all for your faith in me and support through thick & thin. I wasn't worthy all the love you guys showered me with even when I continuously put you all through trouble & risk."
"Nonsense, you never put us in any risk. You always saved us in everything. You risked and lost everything you have but you never left us alone in your misery. We are grateful to you for everything.
Hidimba looked at the smiling young woman in front of her in wonder. A girl so much more courageous and positive than her. A true queen, she thought with respect. A woman who lost every reason for love in a war to satisfy someone else's hatred but still found the strength to love within her. All the pain and suffering didn't diminish the light within her. It didn't make her bitter towards he world. In fact, she showed a brighter smile and loved a little more ferociously.
"She is just like you, Your Highness." Someone spoke, breaking her trance.
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