¢нσятℓє | On Hold

➼ Jyesht Bhrata, Why are you here?

Angaraja Karna, mostly called Vasusena by those close to him, sighed as he watched the useless drama unfolding in the court of Hastinapura. He was bored by the arguing going amongst the adults. Even his Jyesht's most boring lecture on Dharma was interesting that the current on-goings of Hastinapura court. 

Honestly, was it it so hard to decide some simple matters like who would get which part of the kingdom?

If the Pandavas wanted Khandavprastha then just give them that and be done with it!

But no! 

The beloved Mahamahim Bhishma cannot see injustice done to his favourite grandchildren, so he was trying to convince Prince Yuddhisthira to choose some other place. But that obstinate prince was hell-bent on the barren land. On the other side, he noted with some amusement, Suyodhana was busy in trying to give them what they wanted. 

For the first time the cousins were working together, he smirked at the thought.

He sighed again, really wanting nothing else other than to sleep with his head on Radha Ma's lap, but as he glanced at the court hall, he could see that the thought would remain as a wish. 

"Bored?" whispered Ashwathama, one of his best-friend's beside him. He turned towards him nodding slightly so as to not catch attention from the Kuru elders. 

"Well, this has been going on for a while," said Ashwathama, while Karna snorted softly, "For the past hour, Drauni. Are there no works in the court other than this?"

"This takes precedence, apparently," said Ashwathama, his annoyance clear in his faint whisper.

"O Suryanarayan! If they don't decide in the next fifteen minutes, I am going to leave," murmured Karna with an annoyed glare at Bhishma's talking self, not noticing Ashwathama's curious look at him, "I have a sister's wedding to attend, for God's sake!"

"Your sister?" said Ashwathama, a bit surprised, "You never said you had a sister. We thought it was you relative's wedding."

Karna bit the inside of his cheek, closing his eyes briefly at blurting that out. He cursed himself for not paying attention to his surroundings. In his defense, how was he to know that Ashwathama was paying attention to him?

He gulped, slowly turning to meet his friend's curious dark eyes, "Ah, did I say sister!? No, not a sister. I mean, yes, a sister -"

"What are you saying Vasusena?" said a confused Ashwathama, "Do you have a sister or not?"

"Yes, I mean no...I don't know?" Karna blurted out, only to contemplate whether he should bang his head on a wall. Repeatedly. Until it burst open. Cancel that. His armour would protect him. 

He messed up, terribly! 

Sorry Bhrata Shani, he prayed within his mind as he glanced at his annoyed friend.

"You don't know whether you have a sister or not?" repeated Ashwathama with a 'are-you-serious' look, "What have you drank last night, Vasusena?"

"Uh, milk?" said Karna, mind drifting towards the tasty and warm Kesar Badam milk (Almond milk with saffron) that his Mata Sanjana had prepared for him. He unconsciously licked his lips, as if already tasting the warm concoction that he had drank the night before. 

Ashwathama watched his friend as he went into his dreaming state with an incredulous look. He slightly jerked his shoulder's with his own, the moment Karna licked his lips, "Are you sure you did not drink Madira (alcohol; wine)?"

Karna jerked to glanced at him with an annoyed look, "I have never touched alcohol in my life and do not plan to either. Where did you get that rubbish idea!?"