"Your apology will not change anything, Rajmata Satyavati." 

Amba's sharp words caused a flash of regret cross the older woman's face. The older woman had hoped to obtain forgiveness - but the Kashi Princess was not as forgiving as the sisters she had nearly raised. No, she was vicious and biting. Her bark was just as unforgiving as her bite. 

The day had started out well. Almost, that is. They had a fun moment with Drupada and Karna gaping as the Panchala twins turned everything on the head by addressing Amba as 'mother'.  Poor PanchalaRaj had stuttered apologies for nearly two minutes before Amba had dryly informed him to be at ease and promptly informed him whether he had asked for 'crazy kids' because his children were incarnations of the word 'crazy'. 

That had everyone in splits. All of them were laughing good-naturedly with her sisters teasing her till she had hit both their heads. 

But every good thing came to an end, did they not?

Exactly that's what happened when Bhishma arrived! 

This time too he had arrived with his entourage which had some very choosy Brahmans. They had recognized Amba and just as she had thought - accusations floated her way merrily. 

You are a characterless woman! 

So shameless to step on the soil of the very kingdom that rejected you like trash. 

Now we heard that you have child? Preposterous! 

Whom did you sell yourself too? Your beauty does persists still! 

After all a woman who has neither a husband nor a father can be nothing but a courtesan! 

Gangaputra, I beg you to remove this woman from the vicinity before the sacred Pooja begins. It won't bring good fortune to the Kingdom at all.

One by one accusations floated in but not a word escaped Amba's petal-like lips. Dark clouds had rolled in as soon as such words have left the mouth of those Brahmans. Her fingers were clasped on her Karna's lips. When she spoke in the stunned hall, her words had been addressed to calm her son down.

"Be calm, Vasusena. Do not try to kill them. Against everything they are still Brahmins."

"You're defending them, Mata!? How could you?"

"I am not defending them, putra. I am stopping you from doing a mistake that will cost you. My priority is my child not the words of strangers."

Karna's furious eyes had narrowed, "Fine. I won't do anything but tell me Mata when Gurudeva finds out, what will you do? How will you calm him down?"

"Huh!" interrupted one of those arrogant Brahmins, " What can your Gurudev do, boy? He is probably someone like you - a worthless and dirty being like you!"

Karna clenched his jaw but a dark and cruel smirk crossed his handsome face as he chuckled. 

"Alright!" He said, "Gurudeva and pramātāmaha would arrive this evening for the sacred Shiva pooja. Let's see how exactly faces whom!"

Now as they were about to go to the pooja, Amba had refused to come having already decided that they would be leaving with Gurudeva and her Mātāmaha. She knew coming to Hastinapura would be heard but she was thankful of the closure she got. No matter how much she loved her sisters, she won't sacrifice her self-esteem or her peace of mind for them by entertaining such toxic environment in Hastinapura.

Then Satyavati started the drama of apologizing. She had listened to her before she had said those words. Obviously her apology did not matter! Would that make her life better? Would it destroy the decades of loneliness? Would it stop the pain in her heart when she had realized the fact the technically - by the society's norms - she had a husband. A husband who had rejected her. 

No, it won't. It won't change anything. There was many things Amba was ready to compromise in her life - but her self-esteem and self-worth were never those things. Bhishma had rejected her once and she wasn't planning to swivel back to him. He didn't even know and she wasn't informing him either. 

Hastinapura and that precious Gangaputra can go and burn for all she cares!

"Is that so?"

Her eyes hardened at seeing Ganga - Oh, she knew Ganga had been the one to bring Karna to her - but it had been a way to appease her anger in case she tried to take revenge from Bhishma.

"I'll agree," said Ganga as she sat down beside the fuming woman, "That was a nice side-effect for my son. But my child, I did it for you too. I couldn't protect you against Devavrata's actions but as you're my daughter-in-law, don't I have some responsibility towards you?"

Amba snorted, "And what would that be, HimavanKanya? And if you cared even a cent for me then you would have scolded your son! Made him apologize and retract his statement. Made him honour what he unknowingly did that day. You've done no such thing."

"I did not," agreed Ganga, "If I had you would not have deserved the married life you should have had. I know my son's faults just as much as I am proud of his achievements, KashiKanya. He is stubborn. At that time, if I had told him to do anything he would have acted out. So would you for that matter. Wouldn't you? You would have accepted the marriage but happy or content - no, you wouldn't be those at all. You would feel restricted by several norms of Hastinapura. You wouldn't have learned what you did now either."

"Why are you here?"

"I want to inform Bhishma of the relation he shares with you. It's time."

"So?"

"Shouldn't I ask you?" said Ganga with a small smile, "You were the one who had fulfilled the duty as a wife even if you don't acknowledge the marriage."

"What duty?" 

Amba did not meet her eyes when she said that, fidgeting with her shawl.

"You did not ask for his acceptance when you could have forced it. You had every right to. You have not spoken about this to Bhagwan either. Otherwise he wouldn't be so calm at coming to meet Devavrata. " 

Ganga's knowing smile irritated Amba. She got up and started to make herself busy by re-checking several of her things. 

"You did not answer. Do I have your permission?"

"He is your son. Do whatever you want."

Ganga chuckled at her annoyed tone, but caressed Amba's hairs lovingly. Amba sighed - not wanting to be angry at the woman she did see as a mother figure - probably the only reason why she hadn't interrupted when Ganga taught a baby Karna to call her Pitamahi.

"Go away please." 

Amba whispered not being able to take the internal turmoil anymore. 

"As you wish." 

Ganga kept her daughter's wish.

.................

Meanwhile when Parshurama and Hotravahana arrived, their presence put the fear of Gods in the soul of all those Brahmans and the Kings who had spoken ill of Amba. Karna had gone straight to them addressing them as 'Mātāmaha' and 'pramātāmaha'. That itself made Parshurama suspicious because his student plus grandchild never called him Mātāmaha in public - especially after he took his grandchild as a student and successor. For him to be addressed as 'grandfather' meant something very grave. It must be related to Amba. Only because of his mother would Karna go against every single rule present on earth - nothing would stop him for her, neither dharma nor adharma.

Karna had hogged them attention immediately. His veins still turned throbbed at the pressure of ire when he thought back on those viscous words. Only Amba's command had a tight leash on his actions or else...............he had no qualms on taking part on a 'Brahmanhatya'. They deserved it. 

So with a quick glance at those afraid fools, he spilled everything. 

Parshurama snarled, eyes bright red in anger. He turned angry eyes on Devavrata who flinched. Good, flinch!  How dare you allow this to happen? He was well aware of Amba's and Devavrata's circumstances and their circumstantial marriage. Amba had not told him about it and that was the only thing saving Devavrata from facing him in a battle. 

He took a menacing step forward before he realized their was another vengeful soul nearby. He turned towards his best-friend, "Mitra Hotravahana, will you be joining me in this venture?" He said as if he was talking about the weather.

Hotravahana's eyes narrowed, "No Bhargava. Use their blood as 'abhishek' for Mahadeva, will you Mitra?"

"I am planning to do just that. Gurudeva would be pleased as well. He does see Amba as a daughter."

Karna laughed out loud that, "You oldies have far more revengeful bones that us youngsters. Was the lecture on revenge a show, Mātāmaha?"

Parshurama smirked, " No. I just disregard it when it suit my needs."

Karna grinned - a viscous and bloodthirsty one, while everyone gasped. 

Hi! Here is the final chapter of this book. Hope you enjoyed the entire fictional narrative.