Travelling Worlds to Save Us (A Karna-Arjun story)

Hit and miss

Pov: Arjun from the world of light

The first person Arjun came across in the forest after the battle had ceased was Madhav. He was not as recognizable by his physique, which was covered in armour, as the evitable pull Arjun felt towards him. The same pull he had felt yesterday when he and Karna had visited a much older timeline.

"Parth." Madhav embraced him warmly. "I thought you were back there at the camp."

Someone going past bowed to Madhav, addressing him as Lord Krishna. Arjun put the name away in his mind.

"Yes, I was just looking for--er, for the King of Anga," said Arjun.

"You seem to be exhibiting worrisome tendencies regarding the King of Anga, Parth."

Arjun looked at him nervously. From the way Krishna smiled--a small smile of understanding--Arjun felt quite, quite sure that this man somehow knew he had crossed over from another world.

But there was still no certainty, so he chose to remain quiet.

"Do not forget he had a hand in killing your son," said Krishna.

"My--son?" Arjun gasped. "He killed Sru--" 

Then he pursed his mouth shut: he could not go around displaying his ignorance, or he would never accomplish what he had come here for.

"Abhimanyu," said Krishna gently. "Remember Abhimanyu when you pick up arms against the King of Anga tomorrow."

Abhimanyu.

Along with Krishna, so far Abhimanyu was the only one Arjun had discovered to be missing from their world. He wondered how the child looked like, what kind of a warrior he was, who his mother was, and what his older brother in this world had felt while killing him.

Probably nothing.

He, in this world, was also about to kill his older brother without feeling anything.

"He was one of bravest warriors in this battle," Krishna said. "He went down fighting till his last breath. Not that anyone expected anything less from your son and my nephew..."

So that was why there was no Abhimanyu in their world; Arjun guessed he had known his mother only through her brother in this world.

But to him, Abhimanyu did not matter, and his jyesht did. He had to get to the Kaurava camp and talk to Karna no matter what. There was no way he could go, however, without convincing Madhav.

It appeared that in this world, Madhav was Karna's replacement in his life. 'The most important person in my life.'

"I simply wished to have a word with him before tomorrow's battle," he blurted out.

"Regarding what?"

"Regarding the war. Regarding whether he wants to fight it."

"You are having second thoughts again, Parth?" said Krishna. "I understood that you did not want to kill your grandfather and guru--"

Arjun felt a sickening swoop in his stomach.

"But the King of Anga? After he egged on Duryodhan to disrobe Draupadi in the court, called her a harlot because she had to marry the five of you due to inescapable circumstances, you are having second thoughts about fighting him?"

"What did you say about Draupadi?" asked Arjun blankly.

Krishna smiled again. "You seem to have been living in a different world, Parth," he said teasingly.

"S-sorry, I am just tired. I will be right back." Arjun shot to his feet, horrified at his continual slip-ups.

But WHAT did Madhav mean about Draupadi marrying five men? Who were the other four men?