LOVE: To Infinity And Beyond

Bhanumati

Duryodhan reached Utkala. The Princess's Swayamvar begins tomorrow. But after Draupadi's Swayamvar, he isn't ready to take a risk again. He knows it quite well, that Bhanumati's Swayamvar, in no ways can have such a tough contest. Only the Panchal princess and her unparalleled beauty was worth of such a contest. 

He walked into the Guest Quarters of the palace with Ashwatthama and Karn. "This is really pretty Grand, Mitra..." Ashwatthama remarked, as he looked around at the gem studded walls, the crystal clear decorative mirrors.... "Indeed...." Karn added in a whisper.. Duryodhan walked ahead, silent, as his searched for that one lady, for whom he has come this long way, undertaking the risk of another probable rejection, after Panchali's Swayamvar. 

"Bhanu... The Prince of Hastinapur has arrived...", announced Arshi, Bhanumati's Sakhi. Bhanu immediately turned back at her from the mirror, "Who??? Arjun?!", she exclaimed, curiously, as a sudden ray of hope arose from her almost dead ruins of hope, after she had heard of her Dream Prince's wedding to the exquisite Yajnaseni, and his consecutive departure for the conquests, and another marriage, to the Naag Kanya.... "No dear, it's Yuvraaj Duryodhan..", Arshi broke into her string of thoughts, in a sad voice. Bhanumati's face dropped, as tears clouded her eyes. Why could Arjun not show the same mercy to her that he had shown to the Naag Princess? She knew that she could be of no match to Yajnaseni, but neither was the Naag Princess any match to Yajnaseni. Still she was fortunate enough to have received His mercy. Arshi approached close to her and slowly hugged her. A sob escaped Bhanu's lips, in her unknown...

Next day, early in the morning, the Swayamvar began in great grandeur. Karn and Ashwatthama sat in the guests' row, they had no intentions of taking part in the Swayamvar. Duryodhan came to them. "Friends, go to the convoy and lead them beyond the borders. Just leave my horse in the forest right beyond the palace gardens, behind. Then, you two come back at the gates, and wait for my signal...". Saying this, Duryodhan left to occupy his seat in the suitors' row. Karn and Ashwatthama knew that it was thee continuation of their yesternight's plans. Karn was feeling  little bad. What if the Princess would just Hate marrying Duryodhan..? He couldn't think further, as that may cause him to refrain from his duties towards his friend. 

" I, the King of Utkala, welcome all the Yuvrajs, Rajas and Rajkumaar's to the Swayamvar of my one and only beloved daughter Bhanumati..." The king announced from his throne at the other end of the hall. All the suitors and guests exchanged Namaskars with the King. "Now I am announcing the rules of the Swayamvar..." The suitors waited with bated breath, for the announcement of some difficult competition. ' My dearest daughter, Princess Bhanumati, will choose the suitor of her accord, as per her own heart. None of us can exercise any control on her wishes, and her decision will be the final word..." The suitors were almost happy, as they didn't know that they have been thrown into the toughest battle of the world ----- an all round contest with the Purshottam, on all possible aspects and fields.... 

Bhanumati walked into the hall with a rose garland in her hands. She literally had no clue, whom to choose. None of them were of any match to the person in her heart. She almost mindlessly walked into the hall, and nearly mechanically started walking past all the princess. She was ready to stay unmarried for the rest of her life, if not Arjun......

Duryodhan was preparing his reflexes. The moment Bhanumati walked past him, he nearly jumped off his seat. Standing at the gates, Karn got his cue. An arrow was shot, making the whole hall smoky and cloudy. 

When Bhanumati, woke from her daze, she found herself on a horse, running at lightning speed. Anger clouded her thoughts, "Who are you??!!!", she almost shrieked, trying to remove the two strong arms that were holding her in place, in order to prevent her from falling off the horse. "Yuvraaj Duryodhan..." replied the hoarse voice. Bhanumati knew that she has been abducted from her Swayamvar, and a melancholic end has been put to her dreams... Tears  clouded her vision, yet again, as the daze covered her again, making her lose her senses. "Bhanu..." Duryodhan called out...

A messenger reached Hastinapur in a few days, much before the convoy. At the Rajsabha, Gandhari had expected to hear that her son had won either the Princess, or her heart, at the Swayamvar. Instead, the news of the abduction totally shattered her. She hung her head down, holding it in a hand. "Kalank.." she murmured, thoroughly disappointed and ashamed of her son's deeds. Fortune laughed at her... it's just the beginning of the end... 

"Bhanumati..." Duryodhan whispered slowly, as he saw her eyelids flutter open in the camp. As he was about to take her hand to apologize and comfort her, Bhanumati moved her hand away. "Don't you dare touch me... How dare abduct me? How dare you try to force yourself into my life? How dare you spoil my life like this?" She nearly spat fire, and hatefully turned away from him. "I hate you from the core of my heart... for everything that you are , and that you have done..." she said in a low and cracking voice. For the first time in his life Duryodhan felt a  heartache, as he continued to stare at the princess, his first love. Yes she was his love, unlike Yajnaseni, what he has already started to feel for Bhanumati wasn't atleast Lust, he could say for sure...