circle of light vibrate. The curtains moved restlessly in the breeze and shadows danced around the room.
Aswathama put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He betrayed and tricked us.”
Suyodhana knocked off his friend’s hand and began rummaging in the cupboards. He overturned the bed, emptied the drawers and then smashed them shut. If he did not do something he would go crazy. Beads of sweat formed on his creased forehead.
Jayadratha stood at the window, watching. He had been surprised by Suyodhana’s behaviour today. He had made a bad bargain in marrying Sushala, Suyodhana’s sister. He had expected to grow his kingdom with the help of the imperial Hastinapura army and had counted on Suyodhana to support his expansion plans. The new city of Dwaraka and the riches of Krishna’s land were inviting. But Suyodhana was too preoccupied with the rivalry with his cousins to pay attention to his brother-in-law. Nor did Sushala make things easier for Jayadratha with her constant comparisons of him to her brother. They had a son now, whom Sushala desired to raise to be like Suyodhana. He could hardly wait to tell her how her high-minded, perfect, Kshatriya brother had behaved in the Sabha today. And the way Suyodhana pampered a low-caste like Karna made his blood boil with rage. He spat out a stream of red betel nut juice, watching it clear the veranda and land in the flowerbed below. There was a pale moon playing hide-and-seek with the clouds and the palace was eerily still. In the distance he could hear the sound of marching feet and a frown creased his forehead.
“Remember this?” Aswathama held up something in one hand. Suyodhana did not want to look. It would make everything final. He wiped his forehead, a lump forming in his throat. Aswathama moved towards the light and held out a white shawl. It was the same one which had almost indicted him in Bhima’s murder trial years before.
The torch fell from Suyodhana’s hand and lay smoking at his feet, making their eyes sting. “I did a despicable thing today.” Suyodhana’s voice and body shook with emotion. “How will I face Bhanumati or my mother? How will I face the people of my country?”
“Shakuni made us do it, we were stupid,” Jayadratha snapped, secretly enjoying Suyodhana’s predicament. He wanted to see his wife’s face when he narrated the incident to her. Her noble brother and his great acts. Jayadratha wanted to laugh.
Aswathama was digging through the Gandharan Prince’s possessions. “Look at this...and this...and this...” He threw down some palm leaves. They lay on the floor mocking Suyodhana’s naivety. “Do you understand what they are? Documents about the arms smuggled into our country, cryptic replies from Durjaya. Everything is falling into place. Ask Jayadratha! Ask him what his spy told him. Evil Mlecha!”
“Suyodhana, Durjaya and his men are being trained in Gandhara. They will wreak havoc in our cities soon. Your Uncle...” Jayadratha’s voice trailed off when he looked into Suyodhana’s face.
“Enough!” Suyodhana shook his head. Red heat was rising behind his eyelids. He closed them. No, his uncle would never do it, but…
“I almost caught him but he managed to escape. I would have chased after him but at that crucial moment I didn’t have a horse. Athiratha slammed the stable doors on my face saying he would not speak to women abusers,” said Aswathama bitterly.
“Where is Karna?” Suyodhana asked.
“With Vrishali. She is giving him hell for his act today.”
Suyodhana rushed out and his friends followed. They were surprised to see a troop of guards marching down the corridor. Suyodhana broke into a run and commanded them to halt but they ignored him and continued to march in cadence. Aswathama and Jayadratha raced through the gardens and reached Karna’s room just before the soldiers and Suyodhana.
The troop halted and the Captain stepped out and addressed the Crown Prince. “Sir, pray, move aside.
Aswathama put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “He betrayed and tricked us.”
Suyodhana knocked off his friend’s hand and began rummaging in the cupboards. He overturned the bed, emptied the drawers and then smashed them shut. If he did not do something he would go crazy. Beads of sweat formed on his creased forehead.
Jayadratha stood at the window, watching. He had been surprised by Suyodhana’s behaviour today. He had made a bad bargain in marrying Sushala, Suyodhana’s sister. He had expected to grow his kingdom with the help of the imperial Hastinapura army and had counted on Suyodhana to support his expansion plans. The new city of Dwaraka and the riches of Krishna’s land were inviting. But Suyodhana was too preoccupied with the rivalry with his cousins to pay attention to his brother-in-law. Nor did Sushala make things easier for Jayadratha with her constant comparisons of him to her brother. They had a son now, whom Sushala desired to raise to be like Suyodhana. He could hardly wait to tell her how her high-minded, perfect, Kshatriya brother had behaved in the Sabha today. And the way Suyodhana pampered a low-caste like Karna made his blood boil with rage. He spat out a stream of red betel nut juice, watching it clear the veranda and land in the flowerbed below. There was a pale moon playing hide-and-seek with the clouds and the palace was eerily still. In the distance he could hear the sound of marching feet and a frown creased his forehead.
“Remember this?” Aswathama held up something in one hand. Suyodhana did not want to look. It would make everything final. He wiped his forehead, a lump forming in his throat. Aswathama moved towards the light and held out a white shawl. It was the same one which had almost indicted him in Bhima’s murder trial years before.
The torch fell from Suyodhana’s hand and lay smoking at his feet, making their eyes sting. “I did a despicable thing today.” Suyodhana’s voice and body shook with emotion. “How will I face Bhanumati or my mother? How will I face the people of my country?”
“Shakuni made us do it, we were stupid,” Jayadratha snapped, secretly enjoying Suyodhana’s predicament. He wanted to see his wife’s face when he narrated the incident to her. Her noble brother and his great acts. Jayadratha wanted to laugh.
Aswathama was digging through the Gandharan Prince’s possessions. “Look at this...and this...and this...” He threw down some palm leaves. They lay on the floor mocking Suyodhana’s naivety. “Do you understand what they are? Documents about the arms smuggled into our country, cryptic replies from Durjaya. Everything is falling into place. Ask Jayadratha! Ask him what his spy told him. Evil Mlecha!”
“Suyodhana, Durjaya and his men are being trained in Gandhara. They will wreak havoc in our cities soon. Your Uncle...” Jayadratha’s voice trailed off when he looked into Suyodhana’s face.
“Enough!” Suyodhana shook his head. Red heat was rising behind his eyelids. He closed them. No, his uncle would never do it, but…
“I almost caught him but he managed to escape. I would have chased after him but at that crucial moment I didn’t have a horse. Athiratha slammed the stable doors on my face saying he would not speak to women abusers,” said Aswathama bitterly.
“Where is Karna?” Suyodhana asked.
“With Vrishali. She is giving him hell for his act today.”
Suyodhana rushed out and his friends followed. They were surprised to see a troop of guards marching down the corridor. Suyodhana broke into a run and commanded them to halt but they ignored him and continued to march in cadence. Aswathama and Jayadratha raced through the gardens and reached Karna’s room just before the soldiers and Suyodhana.
The troop halted and the Captain stepped out and addressed the Crown Prince. “Sir, pray, move aside.
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