Kunti's chamber was filled with the tension of unspoken words and heavy emotions. The flickering lamps cast long shadows across the walls, adding to the atmosphere of anticipation as Bheem finished recounting his tale. His siblings sat around him, their eyes wide with a mixture of awe and concern. Bheem, with his newfound strength, had become more than just their elder brother; he had become a force to be reckoned with.
As he completed his story, Bheem stood up and walked towards a large stone that lay in a corner of the room, used as a weight for their training. He flexed his fingers, the memory of Vasuki's words still fresh in his mind, and with a swift movement, brought his fist down upon the stone. The rock shattered into pieces, the sound echoing through the chamber.
Nakul gasped in amazement, his eyes shining with admiration. "Brother, that was incredible!
Bheem chuckled, a deep, resonant sound that made Nakul smile even wider. "Yes, little brother," Bheem replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Vasuki said I should use this power to crush those who stand against me."
Bheem's laughter filled the room, but it wasn't the joyous kind his brothers were used to. There was an edge to it, a darkness that made Arjun's blood run cold. He clenched his fists, his jaw tightening as he looked at Bheem with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
"How can you laugh, Bheem?" Arjun demanded, his voice low and fierce. "Is your blood not boiling with rage after what they did to you? How can you stand here and joke about it?"
Bheem's laughter faded, but the smile remained on his lips. He turned to Arjun, his expression calm, almost unnervingly so. "Arjun," he said slowly, his voice deep and measured, "my blood don't boil and evaporate that's why I was laughing. Anger is like fire—it can consume you, make you reckless. But me? I'm not just angry, Arjun. I'm beyond that. I'm going to kill each one of them for what they did. I'll do it with a clear mind and a steady hand."
The room fell silent. Even Nakul, who had been so thrilled moments before, now looked at his elder brother with a mix of fear and respect. Sahadev, always the quiet observer, remained silent but his eyes showed understanding. Arjun's anger hadn't cooled, but he recognized the terrifying calmness in Bheem's voice.
Yudhishthir, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up, his voice soft but firm. "Bheem, they are our brothers. We should not speak of killing them, no matter what they have done. Forgiveness is the path we should follow."
But before Bheem could respond, Kunti, who had been silently listening, rose to her feet. Her usually gentle demeanor was gone, replaced by a steely resolve that made everyone in the room sit up straight. "Yudhishthir," she said, her voice carrying the authority of a queen and the love of a mother, "forgiveness is for enemies, not for family. When a family member betrays you, it is worse than any enemy's act. It is a calamity upon the entire lineage."
She walked over to Nakul and Sahadev, taking their hands in hers. Her touch was gentle, but her grip was firm as she began to lead them towards the door. "There is no place for us in Hastinapur anymore," she declared, her voice filled with finality. "We will go to Kuntibhoj. I will not allow my sons to live in a place where they are treated with such disrespect."
As they reached the door, it creaked open to reveal Bhishma standing there, his face grave but his eyes filled with sorrow. He stepped forward, his hands outstretched in a gesture of supplication. "Kunti," he said softly, his voice filled with the weight of his years and the burden of his knowledge, "you should not punish the Kuru lineage so harshly. The family where the daughter-in-law does not find respect and comfort is a family cursed to darkness. I know the pain you feel, and I know the wrongs that have been done."
Kunti's eyes flashed with a mix of emotions—pain, anger, and the deep love she bore for her sons. But she did not waver in her stance. "Bhishma Pitamah," she replied, her voice steady, "I have always respected you, and I know you have always cared for this family. But respect is earned, and when it is denied, there is no place left for love to dwell. The day a family betrays its own, that family's honor is lost, and nothing can restore it."
Bhishma nodded, his heart heavy with the truth of her words. "You are right, Kunti. But I beg you, do not leave. Trust me, I will make things right. The Kuru dynasty cannot afford to lose you or your sons. Stay, and I promise you, justice will be done."
Kunti hesitated, the fierce protectiveness she felt for her sons warring with the respect she had for Bhishma. She looked back at her children, seeing the worry and hope in their eyes, and then turned to Bhishma, her expression softening slightly. "I will stay, Pitamah, but only because I trust you. But remember, if one more wrong is done to my sons, I will take them away from this cursed palace, and nothing will bring us back."
Bhishma bowed his head in gratitude, understanding the gravity of her decision. He watched as Kunti led her sons back into the chamber, his heart filled with a renewed determination to protect the Kuru dynasty from tearing itself apart.