---Hastinapur Castle---
---Author's P.O.V--
{ a/n - Whatever you are going to read, please read it to the end or you'll just end up in comments with your divine keyboard to bullshit me.
P.S. - Raghav is not supporting Pandavas, he is just trying to stop the worse case scenario. You will understand this later in the chapter. }
Inside Duryodhan's chamber, Duryodhan and Shakuni were trying to think of a solution to take the throne away from Yudhishthir.
Duryodhan's mind was running crazy as he couldn't believe the decision of his father. All his life he thought that he would be chosen but just because those Pandavas won the war, they'll get the throne?
All his life, he trusted his father that only he would be chosen but he also wouldn't have any problem as long as any one of his REAL brothers were to get the throne. He would be more than happy and willing to see one of his brothers on the throne but he can't let those Pandavas have it, not on his watch.
How can my father give MY throne to that Yudhishthir? That throne is mine and no one can take that from me. Do those forest dwellers think they can just snatch my throne without any worry? Never!
These were some of the thoughts he had while circling around his room, filled with rage.
Seeing this, his uncle who was present there, tried to calm him down.
Shakuni - "Calm down my dear nephew, calm down. Why are you so tensed?"
Shakuni asked Duryodhan with a worried expression He was not sure what can happen if Duryodhan gets out of control but he want to make sure that everything is under his control and nothing bad happens.
Duryodhan - "Uncle! You know the reason! It was you who stopped me or I would've killed that servent's child. You were the one who stopped me from getting something that's mine! You are a snake!"
He said as he lifted his hand and smacked it on a nearby table. The wooden table immediately broke with a huge amount of force and divided unevenly as it fell on the ground.
Shakuni got scared seeing his nephew so angry and instantly took back a few steps. He knew that his nephew could even kill him in anger without realizing and that's the biggest problem of Duryodhan, He cannot control his anger.
In his anger, Duryodhan can't keep himself stable and often does things that he would later regret but because of his prideful nature, he even rejects the fact that he did something wrong.
Adding up the influence of Shakuni, Duryodhan is getting worse as the days pass by.
The reason people don't like Duryodhan is because of Shakuni. Shakuni's influence on him is very well known throughout the kingdom and even outside the kingdom.
People know that Duryodhan is not that bad of a person and can become a good person but just because Shakuni is influencing him in a bad way, he is becoming more of a villain for the masses.
The sad truth about this is that people cannot even do anything about that as most of the people don't have the ability to do so and those who have don't care much.
Some people are just so ignorant that they just don't count the fact that Shakuni is a bad influence and stay silent as they want to play family. The biggest example of this is Maharathi Bhishm.
Shakuni - "What are you saying, my nephew? How can you call me, you dear uncle, a snake? I have left everything in my kingdom just to be with you and support you and now you say this!?"
Duryodhan - "I...I am sorry Uncle, I was blinded by my anger for a second. But I also cannot let go of what happened. Tell me, do you have any way to get back the throne for me?"
Shakuni - "I know my child, I know. I do have a plan for you, my dear nephew, the future king of Hastinapur, to get the throne."
Duryodhan - "What is it, uncle?"
Shakuni - "I had given the task to build a castle which is covered with wax, to a trusted person I know. I have paid quite a sum for it to be built."
Duryodhan - "What will we do with that castle? Uncle, we have to think of a plan to get me the throne but of this castle, not some other castle."
Shakuni - "Sigh...my dear future king, you are not very smart. The castle is made out of wax and so, we will invite those Pandavas to the castle to congratulate Yudhishthir on becoming a prince and-"
Duryodhan - "Uncle, your brain is not functioning properly as you are growing older. I want to get the throne, not congratulate those Pandavas! Why do you even want me to congratulate those fools? I will never do that!"
Shakuni - "Sigh...Duryodhan, you are dumb, what I am trying to say is-"
??? - "That you are going to burn Pandavas alive, your relatives, to get the throne back?"
Instantly, both of them turned to find out the origin of the voice. They saw a handsome man in his usual blue-themed clothes with a string of Rudraksha beads hanging on his neck.
Both - "Raghav!"
Shakuni - "What are you doing here! You have to ask permission before you enter anyone's chamber, don't you even know that you insolent fool!"
Shakuni was enraged as he was disturbed by Raghav. If not for Raghav entering the room, he would've definitely convinced Duryodhan to do what he wanted.
Duryodhan - "Uncle! I have personally given him permission to enter my chamber whenever he wants to, you have no right to insult him!"
Duryodhan was also very angry but not with Raghav but his uncle. Raghav is one of his only friends and he can't let anyone insult his family or friends.
Shakuni - "But nephew, he is interfering are discussi-"
Raghav - "That's not a discussion, that's scheming to kill someone!"
Shakuni - "Boy! You stay away from our family matters!"
Raghav - "No I won't! Duryodhan, he is planning to kill your siblings and your aunt, who is like a mother to you! How can you stay silent!"
Duryodhan - "Raghav, I swear on my name that I never knew what my uncle's intention was. If I knew, you know I wouldn't support that."
Shakuni - "But nephew! How would you become the king?"
Raghav - "Uncle Shakuni, if you want to make him the king, why not give him the throne of Gandhar, the throne of your kingdom? It wouldn't be a big issue as you want him to be the king and you just have to convince your son to not be the king."
Shakuni - "B-but my son would take the throne, it's his right just like how it's Duryodhan's right to get the throne!"
Shakuni shuttered a little before he spoke and of course, he knew how to play with his words. He diverted the conversation back to where it started.
Meanwhile, Duryodhan was in a deep thought. He was processing everything that was going on as it was too much for him to take it at once.
Shakuni seeing his nephew all confused thought that it was his chance to convince Duryodhan.
Shakuni - "Duryodhan, if you want the throne, then we must do-"
Raghav - "Do WHAT? Duryodhan! Will you kill your family, your siblings, and your aunt who is almost like your MOTHER, just because of a mere throne? Have you gone so low as to kill your siblings for a seat of metal? Friend, I know what you can do, I know what your brothers can do so think of it. You can win as many kingdoms as you want with your siblings and make your kingdom even bigger than that of Hastinapur! "
Raghav - "I will wholeheartedly help you with conquering all the Kingdoms and not even Hastinapur would be able to match it. But tell me, friend, will you not regret the fact that you killed your own family for a piece of metal and some increase in authority?"
Shakuni - "What are you saying? What do you mean by some increase in authority? He would be the KING!"
Raghav - "Really? Then tell me, till now is there anything that you didn't get when you asked for it, except for the throne?"
Duryodhan - "No, whatever I asked and whatever I desired was fulfilled."
Raghav - "Then why do you want the throne? All you'll get is a bunch of things to do on a daily basis, you will barely have any time for your family, will you be able to do that?"
Shakuni - "No, Duryodhan! Don't listen to him! Yudhishthir would never allow such a thing to happen! He would never treat you as you want!"
Raghav - "Uncle Shakuni! Please stop it, we both know that Yudhishthir would never do that. If you had said Bheem or Nakul then I would've agreed but not Yudhishthir. He would treat Duryodhan as he does his brothers. Although his way of Dharma is quite cracked but, with time, he would understand dharma."
Of course, it's not true, it'll take a few decades for him to understand true Dharma, but right now, it's important to save them because Raghav is not sure if everything will go according to how it went in history.
With his addition, quite a lot of things have happened that shouldn't have happened in the first place.
What if Pandavas die? What if Duryodhan gets on the wrong path? There are several 'What if' questions with no answers to them so it's better to be prepared and act accordingly.