A grand structure, spreading over miles off land, separated yet connected into various mini-palaces had the Kuru clan's flag flying high - This was the home of Royals of Hastinapura, the seat of the Lunar Dynasty. Rows of armoured soldiers stood on either side of the majestic walkway, all bowing down on one knee as the imposing iron gates, glided in gold and encrusted in precious gems open. 

Bhishma entered the palace entrance. His white chariot, having five white horses sped through the walkway and came to a halt at the steps leading to the main entrance door of the central palace.

He came down followed by Ambika and Ambalika. Amba was helped to come down by her sisters, her eyes held not even a sliver of emotion in their depths. Bhishma glanced at her with none noticing his concerned look. Her eyes and instincts were what had held his attention the moment he had arrived at the threshold of the hall.  He hadn't seen such blue eyes before in his life. It held a kind of intelligence he had rarely seen amongst princess, for they were raised to docile and be subservience to their future husbands. Currently, the blank gaze of her eyes which had held his attention previously, was raising all kinds of red flags in his mind. An unknown anxiousness rose within him.

He shook his head discretely, dislodging the forbidden thoughts of a woman. He had vowed to a life of celibacy and he cannot think of a woman in any manner at all. Any interest would turn out to be detrimental. Yet, the anxiousness did not leave his heart. He truly felt concerned for her, which was very unsettling.

He gestured towards the female servants standing with bowed heads to take the princesses in the guest quarters, while he proceeded to speak with his step-mother. He did not glance at the Princesses, whose lives he had uprooted that day. Perhaps he was being unsympathetic, but he had no other choice. His life was forfeited to the throne, for Hastinapura. 

Amba looked around with an impassive face, as they followed behind the servants. She was escorted alongside her sisters to a massive room decked up with all kinds of jewels and silk draping. It held cushioned chairs glided with gold, golden chaises and various assorted table with bowls filled with fruits and sweets. 

A servant said with a bowed head, " Princesses, Kindly take some rest and have some refreshments."  

Ambika and Ambalika looked around in wonder and awe. Amba simply took a seat at the nearest chaise. Her eyes unfocused as she stared into oblivion. 

"Big sister?" called Ambika, as she neared after noticing her elder sister sit.

Amba did not respond as she normally would. Ambika and Ambalika exchanged a glance, nearing their elder sister and placing a hand on each of her shoulders. She was startled out of her thoughts, as she looked at her surroundings - really registering where she was. She chided herself for being so dazed in the enemy territory.

Seeing her eldest sister out of her own world, Ambalika chirped with fake happiness, "Isn't this room beautiful, sister?"

Amba closed her eyes. An ever burning anger had been lit within her at the injustice meted out to them for something they weren't even responsible for. Throughout the entire journey she had been planning. She had been weighing the pros and cons of her situation and realized that there was only one way out - for now. She cannot rage at the injustice yet but she could use that burning ire productively. She won't spare any of them for playing with her life - neither her father, nor the illustrious son of Ganga.

Though she was furious, she knew the significance of what had happened at the court, even if it was unknowingly. She would give one chance to Bhishma, but she could already predict what his answer would be. She stabilized her mind for what she was about to do.

Amba refused to be married to Vichitravirya - who was a spineless drunkard and Shalva, he was useless. He was her father's choice not hers. She wasn't blind to see that Shalva's ego had been hurt at being defeated by Bhishma with apparent ease.

"It is, I suppose," said Amba with a gentle voice, "Sit with me, my sisters."

Both the sisters blinked and sat near her, giving her their utmost attention. Her gentle voice held an unyielding edge. They knew whatever their eldest had planned, they would not be able to sway her from her decision. 

Amba spoke, "My sisters, I want you both to answer a question of mine. Please speak the truth for I will not tolerate any lies in such a crucial circumstance."

Ambika and Ambalika glanced at each other with the former responding, "Of-course, big sister."

She asked, "Do you both want to marry Vichitravirya?"

Ambika and Ambalika lost the pallor of their faces at being reminded about what awaited them. 

Ambika gulped nervously as she answered, "Are we given any other option, big sister?"

Amba nodded, "No, I suppose there isn't any other option for you both. Although..."

Ambalika asked after she trailed off, "Although?"

"Although," Amba looked at them with a firm expression, her eyes expressing her ire at the situation, "You could follow me, for I wish to pursue asceticism."

"Big sister!" the whispered horror in Ambalika's face was evident, while Ambika looked morose. 

Just then Bhishma entered. His eyes glancing at the three females, but resting on Amba for a second longer for she had turned her back on him. He noticed Ambika and Ambalika look at him with nervousness and fear in their eyes. 

"Pranam!" He greeted with a genuine smile. 

He did not like the tense atmosphere he found himself in, yet he could not do anything to help them in anyway. His hands were tied by the oaths he took. Was he using it as an excuse? Perhaps, he was.

Ambika and Ambalika greeted back simultaneously, "Pranam!"  

They were glancing at their big sister nervously. Their hearts beats fastened as they realized the moment was near when they would loose their sister as well as sacrifice their lives to a fate they did not choose. 

Bhishma conveyed what he came to say, "Queen Mother Satyavati had ordered the wedding to be today. In some time, a servant will be here to call you. Please be ready."

While saying  his eyes constantly went towards Amba, whose posture became tense the moment he spoke of the wedding. His could see the soft counters of her body, hidden by her silken veil held an underlying dissatisfaction and an even stronger ire at his words. He wondered what this princess, who resembled fire, would do now. For he was assured that the wedding would not happen without any conflicting incident, such was Hastinapura's tendency of doing things amidst conflicts. 

What was to say that the following wedding would be peaceful when the start had been tumultuous? 

Ambika and Ambalika had nodded with bowed heads, while Amba hadn't said a word. 

Bhishma sighed and turned back to leave, only for a lilting soft voice to call him, "Gangaputra." 

He gave a wry smile, as he thought that her voice betrayed the fiery personality that he had glimpsed at the self-choice ceremony. 

He turned back to face her. Their eyes meeting for a few seconds longer as he raised an eyebrow at her call.

"Will you be kind to inform us the real reason behind our abduction?" 

Bhishma met her fiery eyes with his frigid ones, "I am sure you're well aware."

"Was this your plan?" Her question threw him off, though he did not reveal that he had been unsettled by her immediate follow-up question. 

"What if I say it was?" He asked back, watching as the fiery Princess of Kashi grew quiet for a few precious seconds, before meeting his eyes with an ire as cold and swift as the sharpest blade, "Then be assured you will pay. I am not an object and I, as an living breathing human, have the capability and the ability to choose what I want in my life." He watched as she held his gaze confidently, "However, I would prefer the truth. Kindly answer my question, Your Highness." 

Bhishma held her gaze, his own orbs unyielding yet soft, "It was Mother who decided on this course of action. Your father offended us by not inviting us to the self-choice ceremony. Furthermore, Vichitravirya needed a bride. Is it not convenient to hit two birds with one stone? The tactic worked as it should. It made sure Hastinapura's future was secure."

"Should we pay then for our father's mistake?" asked Amba, using every last drop of her self-restraint at his words, "Shall we be liable for a decision we did not take? Surely Hastinapura's revenge could be taken in another way? Is the Crown Prince unlikely to woo a bride for himself that his elder brother needs to intervene on his behalf?"

"Expect this to be a fulfillment of your PitriRina," said Bhishma, "For you're paying the price of your father's actions. As for revenge and my brother getting a bride, I believe that has already been achieved." 

Amba watched as he left through the majestic door of the room. Her heart burned at his words. It broke at his casual acceptance of his acts and lack of remorse that he destroyed the lives of three girls so casually. 

"If being abducted and being forced to destroy my life is seen as a payment to my father for the debt owned by birth," muttered she with eyes filled with unshed tears of pain, "Then I have no father, henceforth."

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PitriRina - An elaborate Theory of Rina (debts) was developed in classical Hindu literature. These Rinas were classified into three categories - (a) Deva Rina, (b) PitriRina, and (c) Rishi Rina. PitriRina classifies debt owed to one's father/ancestors.