Alternative | ✓

8 - Valid Truth.

'Checkmate' 

Krishna heard another female voice say the same as he. Both had spoken within their mind, yet he had heard the voice as well. He did not know who the female was, as surprising as it was; he was sure that Vasusena was actually alive and his death was nothing but a rumour spread to bring the truth of his identity out. 

Looks like whoever had made this plan had wanted the truth of Vasusena to come out, thought Krishna with a small smirk, Impressive.

"Mata?!" asked Arjuna with a shocked voice as Kunti came inside with a tear-streaked face. Hearing that her eldest born son was dead seemed to have bought out non-existent maternal feelings as she said, "Yes, it should be the Pandavas, specially Yuddhisthira, who should do the last rites."

"What are you saying Mata?" asked a confused and enraged Bheem. Arjuna glanced at Krishna, who had a blank face but his eyes held a knowing look, which provided no answer to the Phalguna. 

"I am speaking the truth," said Kunti; she was followed by a surprised and startled Draupadi and Subhadra as she continued, "Karna was my son, eldest of you all. He was born before my marriage to the late Maharaja Pandu. His father is Surya deva. He was a Suryaputra not a Sutputra!" 

Weapons fell on the ground with a loud thud at those words, which were spoken by a distressed woman.

"Rajmata, what have you done!" said another voice. Priyamvada looked distraught at the secret being out in the open, as she came running towards the tent, the moment she had noticed Kunti coming there with her daughters-in-law.

"You knew about this?" asked a surprised Draupadi as she whirled to face her mother-in-law's handmaiden. 

Priyamvada nodded with a bowed head, hiding her unhappy expression at the revelation of the once well-kept secret. 

Subhadra went forward to wrap an arm around Kunti, who looked at the people present in the tent helplessly, "I at least wish to see his dead body. Please don't deny me this, sons."

"Calm down, Bua," said Krishna, taking control of the situation as the Pandavas and Kauravas looked too stunned to speak or even comprehend the current situation. As he regarded the shocked faces of Duryodhana, Dusshasan, Vikarna and the overwhelmed five brothers, he said gently, "I think Angaraja is not dead."

"Krishna?" Kunti asked, eyes wide with slight horror present within those dark depths of her eyes.

"I believe someone had spread a rumour in both the camps to bring out the truth of Angaraja's birth truth," said Krishna as he turned calculative eyes towards a contemplative Bhishma, "I have a feeling Mahamahim-" Bhishma turned his eyes towards him as he continued, "-that whoever healed you may also be responsible for this rumour. May we know who actually healed you?"

Duryodhana turned wide-eyes at his Grand-sire. His bhabhishree had spread this rumour? If she had, then why? He shook his head as thoughts startled to muddle within his brain. 

"Uh---It was Angarani," said Bhishma, almost whispering. He stared at Duryodhana, who did not look very shocked, rather his grandchild stared back at him with steady and determined eyes, "Do you know where bhabhishree is, Mahamahim?"

"No," said Bhishma, a bit surprised at the respectful tone of Duryodhana's voice, "I don't know. She never said."

"Jyesht," said Vikarna, finally speaking up after the staggering news, "Perhaps she could be found in one of the other tents of Anga? This isn't Angaraja's tent, after all."

Duryodhana nodded before leaving the tent without a single glance at anyone else.

After a stunned silence, Arjuna asked with a hesitant voice, "What should we do now?"