Chapter 41: The Rose of Silence

                                    

                                          
Meanwhile, Karna found Mahamahim Bhishma, Mahamatri Vidur, and his Guru Parashurama. Parashurama, seeing Karna, said, "I thought you would be at the function." Karna replied, "I was on my way there, but Pranav came to me with this letter, which explains why Ira was delayed." He handed the letter to his Guru, who then passed it to Bhishma, saying, "I may be your guru, but I do not wish to involve myself in this matter." With that, he left the room.
As Bhishma read the letter, he instructed Vidur, "Make the necessary arrangements for this immediately. Now, let's head to the function area." They all agreed and started to leave.
Knowing that Ira was already in Hastinapur, Karna decided to look for her amidst the festivities.
As Arjuna finished his song, there was a round of applause. Among the claps, one stood out as mocking. The source of the sound turned out to be Sindh Raj Jayadratha, Duryodhana and Ira realized why she had felt uneasy. Jayadratha and Duryodhana began to humiliate Arjuna, saying things that provoked him to raise his weapon. As everyone focused on the escalating tension, Ira quietly moved towards Arjuna, using the distraction to her advantage.
Rajkumar Bheema and the other Pandavas stood in front, retorting to Duryodhana and reminding him of his earlier defeat. While both sides were engaged in a heated exchange, Ira positioned herself close to Arjuna, hidden by Bheema. As Arjuna reached his limit and unsheathed his dagger, Gandharaj Shakuni began to speak, criticizing Arjuna for breaking the rules without directly mentioning his raised weapon.

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
Rajkumari Irawathi image above
Anticipating what was needed, Ira made her move. She pressed the "Tranquil Touch Point" on Arjuna, causing him to momentarily freeze. Arjuna saw a small hand reach for his dagger, gently removing it, but he could not move. The hand then removed the dagger's cover from his hip. Ira, with a playful smile on her lips, placed a rose, taken from the decorations, in his lightly outstretched hand and winked at him before leaving.
Arjuna felt calm despite being unable to move and was confused by the beautiful person who had just winked at him. He wondered if he was dreaming, as he had never met a girl bold enough to wink at him. Little did he know that Mahamahim Bhishma, Mahamantri Vidur, and Karna had seen the entire interaction. Karna explained to them about the acupoint Ira had used and assured them it would cause no harm. They missed Ira's playful wink while focusing on Karna's explanation.
Meanwhile, Shakuni continued his speech as the others arrived at the scene.
Since he knew Rajkumari Ira had removed the weapon, they asked Shakuni why he was making such a ruckus. Arjuna, regaining control of his body, looked at the rose in his hand, confirming that what had happened was real and not a dream.
Seeing Bhishma, Vidur, and Maharaja present, Shakuni declared, "Rajkumar Arjun raised a weapon against Sindh Raj Jayadratha, and who knows, he may later raise it against me or other allies of our kingdom. He shows no respect for the royal friendship between our kingdoms."

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
The Maharaja, hearing this, responded, "If that is the case, then he must be royal abducted from Hastinapur." This order shocked everyone present. However, Mahamahim Bhishma intervened, stopping the Maharaja. With anger in his voice, Bhishma asked, "What weapon are you speaking of, Gandharaj? I did not expect you to give such a high position to Rajkumar Arjun in your heart that even a flower in his hand becomes threatening to you. Or do you think so low of Sindh Raj Jayadratha?"
Everyone turned to see Arjuna still holding the rose in his hand, looking completely dumbfounded.
Maharaja Dhritarashtra, seeking clarity, asked his trusted confidant Sanjaya about the situation. Sanjaya confirmed, "Indeed, Rajkumar Arjun is only holding a pink rose." Realizing something had transpired, Maharaja ordered the soldiers to search for the supposed weapon, as Shakuni seemed very confident.
Maharaja Dhritarashtra then turned to Rajkumar Yudhishthira, known for his unwavering honesty, and asked if Arjun had raised a weapon. Yudhishthira, whose back had been facing Arjun, truthfully replied, "I did not see him raise any weapon against Jayadratha."
The soldiers reported back that there was no weapon found nearby, causing Shakuni's face to pale. Shakuni insisted, "I am telling the truth! You can still see the cover of the dagger on Arjun's hip." However, there was no outer cover, which further angered Maharaja Dhritarashtra, who stormed off, frustrated by the continued insistence of Shakuni.
Karna, sensing the potential trouble for Ira, intervened. He questioned Shakuni, "Why would Rajkumar Arjun need to carry a weapon when he is in his own home?" The other Pandavas supported this, echoing, "What need is there to carry a weapon here?"
Bhishma then addressed Shakuni firmly, "Gandharaj Shakuni, you owe an apology to Arjun. Your baseless accusations have disrupted the entire evening function."
Hearing Maharani Gandhari's plea for calm, Rajkumar Duryodhana's anger simmered. She offered to apologize on behalf of everyone and urged the guests to enjoy the rest of the evening. Respecting her request, the guests began to disperse, leaving a seething Shakuni and Duryodhana, who left the place in anger and hate.
Arjuna, still bewildered by the events, was whisked away by his brothers to a quieter place where they could talk freely. Yudhishthira, ever mindful of the spotlight on them, signaled for them to discuss matters later in their common room.
Meanwhile, Ira observed all this from her vantage point on the balcony. Sipping fruit juice made by Meera, she tried hard to stifle her laughter at Arjuna's confused expression. She told Meera, "Let's go and prepare for tonight," and then retired to her room with a smile on her lips.
About: "Tranquil Touch Point" [For Fiction Purposes Only]
Location: The Tranquil Touch Point is located on the lower back, just to the left of the spine. This point is about halfway between the lower end of the rib cage and the top of the pelvis.
Effect: When the Tranquil Touch Point is gently but firmly pressed in a specific manner, it sends a calming signal through the body's nervous system. This causes the person to become temporarily still and calm, effectively "freezing" their movements for a brief period. The effect is mild and harmless, lasting just long enough to allow Ira to complete her action. The person remains conscious and aware but finds it difficult to move until the effect fades.