The Gall of Gammon

Chapter 25

The Gall of Gammon

Disclaimer: This story is my humble attempt to write a fanfiction of the epic Mahabharata. My intention is not to hurt anyone's sentiment.

Aum Namah Shivay!!

Major Jayant Roy, SM is a fictitious character. Any similarity with any living person is merely a coincidence.

Chapter 25

Hastinapur, Dwapar Yuga

Jayant/ Duryodhana POV

I entered the guest room of the palace. But, the room was empty. No sign of Aryaka Naag was there.

"Strange!" I thought to myself. I was looking at the room, when my eyes fall on the big four poster bed. On the bed, there, a snake was sitting in a coil. It was a king cobra, at least seventeen foot length. Its smooth skin was shining in the lights of the lamp in the room. Its eyes were glowing like gems. The snake probably somehow noticed my presence, because it turned its head towards my direction. Our eyes met for a while. My hand was slowly going towards the knife in my waist when I saw an astonishing scene.

The snake's body started trembling. Then it changed its form. Now, there was a man sitting in the place of the snake. The man was of medium height, but with a well built body. The long curly hair on his head was largely grey. The golden crown on his head was full of jewels.

I was looking at him with probably an astonishing look, when I heard a light sound of laughter. It was Aryaka, who was probably enjoying my shocked experience.

I heaved a sigh, and then crossed my hands.

"I know that you can't forgive me. I will accept any punishment."

Aryaka looked at me. His face hadn't lost the smile.

"Come here, Rajkumar, and sit." He pointed his finger on the bed. I sat there.

"I will give you the punishment you deserve. But, first, I want to speak with you. Do you even know who I am?"

I looked at his face.

"You are Aryaka, the father of queen Marisha. Queen Marisha was the wife of Yadava King Shursena. They had a daughter named Pritha. King Kuntibhoja adopted Pritha, and named her Kunti. You are also a close aid of Vasuki Naag who increased Bheem's strength so that he can torment my brothers. You suggested to feed Bheem the Nag amrita, am I correct?"

"That means you are fully aware that you are going to kill an ancestor of yours." Aryaka asked me.

"You jumped into the water after throwing your cousin. The water took both of you to the Naag Loka. Bheem reached there first. We talked a while, and then Vasuki gave him the amrita. When he finished drinking the eighth vessel, I saw you reaching there. But, one thing I cannot understand, that how you could possibly came into that conclusion? You saw Bheem drinking something from a vessel. I saw you too. But, before the three of us could react, you ran away from there. Surely, a thirteen year old boy like you could not even understand the situation, but unlike you, who not only understand the situation, but also had knowledge about 'Sarp-satra'."

Aryaka Naag stopped for a moment. But his eyes didn't even leave my eyes for a moment.

"Then, I saw you again at the yagnya. But this time, I saw a drastic change in you. The boy I saw in the Naag Loka had anger and sadness in his eyes. But now, the same boy had the eyes, not only eyes, the full body of a Rakshasha."

I stood up from the bed.

"I am not a half-devta. But that doesn't mean that you will call me a Rakshasha. If I am truly a demon, then we will not having this conversation here."