So Vallava & Brihannala decide that Keechak would have to be killed, or else he'd expose them.
However, Malini warns them that since Duryodhan & Shakuni are in town, killing him in a wrestling fight would make it obvious that Bhima was there. How to do it in a way that would dispel Kaurava suspicions?
M: We still have an issue. We can't just have you Vallav kill that suta in a duel.
B: What other choice do we have?
V: If we killed him using some adharmi means, nobody would suspect that it's us.
M: How do you suggest we do that?
V: Here is the plan. Tonight, you lure him to your chambers, asking him for dinner, and promise him that he'll get what he's bargained for after that.
B: Then what?
V: I'm going to poison his laddoos. Malini, ask Tantripala to deliver a pot of poisoned kheer as well. I'll mix cyanide w/ the rice. Essentially, everything will be poisoned.
B: But Vallav, that's adharm!!!
V: Precisely!!! If we do that, then Gandharaj will immediately eliminate the possibility of us being here.
Accordingly, Vallava poisons Keechak's food, & Malini invites him for dinner. Keechak invites her to join him.
M: Kshama kare, senapati, but I already ate.
K: But I'm your guest, how could you have eaten?
M: I was very hungry, was almost dying. So I had my meal b4 you came, so that I could feast my eyes watching you eat.
K: (thinking to himself) This can not be Draupadi.
M: Don't worry, after you are done, we'll both have a good time
K: Good time? A great time
Keechak has the meal and collapses, and a few minutes later, he's dead. Brihannala & Vallav remove him to a cemetary, and then raise the alarm. The Kauravas come there, shocked to see that he's dead.
D: Mamashree, he was threatening to expose the Pandavas. I'd have expected him to have been crushed to death by Bhima, or beheaded by Arjun. But that's not what happened.
S: Yeah. He's been poisoned. So the Pandavas couldn't have been behind it.
D: Sure, they could have. Bhima is perfectly capable of it.
S: Nahi, mere bachchey... there is no way Yudisthir would have allowed it. Nor Arjun.
D: I think you're right here. Let's return & see where else could they have gone.
So DSD leave Matsya. Kanka is busy w/ a game of dice w/ Virata.
V: I'm very happy today, Kanka. The threat to my rule is gone. Whoever killed them should be rewarded.
K: Maharaj, I agree that Keechak should have been killed, but the way he was killed - poisoning - was adharm. So I request you not to reward him
V: Naah, doesn't matter. Killing an adharmi like Keechak is good. No matter what the means.
An argument starts b/w Virata & Kanka, & in the end, Virata in frustration hurls the dice & gives Kanka a bloody nose. Malini comes & prevents it from touching the ground.
Ganesh Kartikeya
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