Paarth's Panchaali

Chapter 49

Shakuni gazed at the dagger that stuck out of his chest, warm blood tracing down his chest, soaking his clothes, his gaze moving from the dagger to Duryodhan's smirking face.

The boy that he had brought up like his own son had done this to him?

Had attacked him? No this can't be true. How can he do that? He wanted to shut his eyes and pretend that this was all a nightmare, it had to be. There was just no way that the boy he loved more than his life was killing him.

The boy for whom he was ready to slay the world, the boy for whom he had done so much was ready to kill him?

His own uncle? Who loved him like a father.

His mouth hung open as he gazed at Duryodhan, agony burning through his every cell making it impossible for him to even think straight, he wanted to die, his throat burned as betrayal sat on his chest heavy making it difficult for him to even breath.

Every breath that he took in felt like he was inhaling fire. All this years of love, all this years of sacrifice and this was the result.

Where had he been wrong? That he tried to avenge his father's death? That he tried to make his nephew the king so his sister could have a good future? Where was his selfish motive here?!

He just wanted a good future for his sister, an elder brother is meant to protect their younger sister and think about her welfare, he did the same.

He knew that his ways were wrong, that he poisoned the brain of Duryodhan, than he  should be punished for that! Why his sister?!

Why her?!

Didn't she saw enough death's already, that this was the day she was going through?! Why her?!

Punish me! Kill me!! Not her!!!

He mentally shouted at god, his heart burning intensely.

Gandhari chocked, the rope around her neck tightening, she could feel her brother's hand tremble, her heart squeezed in her chest, her son was the reason for this destruction.

The mere thought had made her heart feel like her heart was pierced with a thousand arrows, tearing it to pieces.

Her breathing came laboured as tears soaking her blindfold. She could still remember the feel of his soft little body in her arms when she had picked him up for the first time.

The way he had called her mata for the first time, and today he was strangling the neck that sung many lullabies for him.

The woman who spent many sleepless nights when he had a mild few, the woman who always prayed for his well being.

Gandhari felt dead from within, the mere thought that her son wanted her death had killed her from within, she was already dead now all that Duryodhan would achieve by hanging her is free her soul from the body.

He will do her a favor. She didn't wish to live.

Shakuni's gaze moved up towards his sister, a sharp jolt of agony running through him, what had he done? His poison of hatred that he thought would extinguish the darkness in his sister's life, had extinguished her joy forever.

How could one forget that when one lights the fire on one tree? They can't expect the rest of forest to be safe. Regret filled his heart, not because he was dying because of his bad deeds he did.

But because of him, his sister was facing all this. Her own son was willing to kill her, she was seeing this day because of him.

His heart stung with pain, eyes filling with tears, the betrayal stung more than then anything. His heart jolted sharply, tears filling his eyes while he gazed at her.