The Mother of Yuyutsu

She lived in the Palace in the quarters of the Princess. Yet she had no luxury. She came to the Palace when she was just three years old and stayed there. She was trained by the housekeeping staff since she was five years old. She was of the Princess' age and became her Sakhi and playmate. She helped the princess with her daily chores at an age when she could not do her's properly. She heard at the servant quarters every night from the Queen's Sakhis how they were not supposed to have a life or dream of their own. The Princess's life was theirs ever since they remembered. She sat silently. She blamed no one. Her father had been so poor that he couldn't feed her and the kind King gave her shelter. She did not remember her family anymore. The Princess was her everything. She was like an elder sister she loved.
The princess married the would-be emperor of the biggest neighbouring country and as per tradition, she followed her mistress. The husband of the princess was blind and moody. She consoled her princess in her days of sorrow.
" I know this is not what you wanted, Princess. A beautiful person like you should have had a brave warrior as a husband. But my lady, your parents did not have the power to refuse the great warrior Bhishma. He would have ruined Gandhar if we refused his nephew."
" I know that Sukhada, but my heart does not understand. He thinks I am mocking him with this blindfold and he does not love me."
" Give him a son My Lady. Every royal loves a wife who gives him a son. And you have a boon for a hundred from Mahadev."
The Princess was pregnant in a few months. After the younger prince went into exile with his wives, the blind prince became King. Everyone rejoiced that the Queen was pregnant. But this strange pregnancy continued for over a year. Every kaviraj was called upon but in vain. The news arrived of the Younger Prince's first child. The Blind King was angry at his wife. His sons can not be kings!
" Send in maid Sukhada at my service." The moody Blind King roared in anger to his guards.
News arrived at the Inner Palace. The king has called upon the Queen's Sakhi. The Queen was in tears. She was scared. She did not want to offend the only person she had by being a pleasure to her husband. But the King's Orders were to be kept.
" What is happening My Lady? Why has he called upon me tonight when he should have been with his pregnant Queen?" She wept.
" Go fulfil your Master's desire Sukhada." the Queen's voice was calm and composed.
" But My Lady... I am your Sakhi. I am not the King's slave." Her voice tried to suppress her anger.
" But Sukhada, I am the King's Slave. He is my Master and hence yours." The Queen clearly showed her discontent with this marriage.
She was bathed and dressed with garlands and perfumes and made to take fruits to the king's chambers as per tradition. She was thus forcefully possessed by the king's lust.

The palace was abuzz with the arrival of the hundred Princes and one Princess. But the servant quarters were celebrating the birth of her child, he who was the king's second-born son. Yuyutsu was taken away from her at a tender age and her protest was in vain. He was a prince. He deserved a prince's luxury and lessons along with his stepbrothers. But the Hundred Princes always mocked him as the Daasi Putra.
"Why am I mocked by my brothers, Mother? Why am I his Son but You, not his Wife??"
Yuyutsu's innocent questions were unanswerable. The world was a cruel place. She hugged him and cried.

The war was near. Yuyutsu was about to make the toughest decision of his life. Should I support the stepbrother who always treated me like a servant for the wrong or the cousins who respected me for Dharma? His decision was easy. He would be an informer. His mother was with him on the right side.
He fought bravely for the Pandavas and was the only surviving blood of Dhritarashtra. He was appointed guardian and guide of the future king Parikhsit. She, at last, got her deserved honours through him during the rule of the Pandavas. He was the only surviving heir who had the right to help Dhritarashtra cross over to the Vaitarani. She spent all her life being just and honest yet abused and humiliated by life, but through her son Yuyutsu, she finally got the honour she deserved.

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The Reva Cries

Roopmati had watched the troops leave. She had stood behind the chief queen as she traditionally bid goodbye to her sons. She had waited for the Sultan to come to her. He did. He was confident that the sudden advancement of Akbar’s foster brother Adham Khan could be curbed. It was not war, just precaution. He reassured her. Malwa would never bow to the Timurids. And he would not let anything happen to her. To Her. Roopmati felt suffocated by her husband’s affectionate hug. She felt trapped in the scrutinising eyes of all the people in the palace. Angry blaming eyes. She tried to pace herself and sing but her voice cracked in fear. Her melody was drowned in tears. Every evening a messenger would come to the chief queen with the news of war. Roopmati was kept in the darkness. She was not told about anything. She knew the rumours. She was a witch. A temptress who caused doom to the Sultan of Malwa. She was a spy of the enemy planted in his life to destroy him. She wondered if he came back

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