The Bend in the Road (A Karna-Arjun what-if story)

A chilly alliance

Karna's pov

Anga

By the time Karna had returned to Anga, he had shed all the tears he could and, he believed, risen above all his misery.

Vrushali proved that wrong the moment she set her eyes upon him.

"What is wrong?" she asked in a hushed voice.

"Everything," said Karna dully.

His wife listened quietly as he narrated the whole horrible story.

"I would never have thought it of Krishna," said Vrushali. "Never. I thought he was all right--the things people say about him, the praises--"

"Half the praises are probably spread around by Arjun himself," said Karna with a strange, bitter laugh.

"Do not try to crack jokes," said Vrushali in a listless sort of manner.

"Sorry."

"Do not say sorry either."

"Um."

"There is nothing we can do to work around this, is there?" asked Vrushali.

"I cannot see anything."

"Did you...tell Duryodhan?"

Karna put his head down in his arms.

"Is he all right?" asked Vrushali anxiously.

"Do you think he is? He did not walk me to the border of Hastinapur. He did not even walk me to the gates of their palace."

"If one can get over the stupid sentimentality of that custom of his to drop you off to Anga every time, that must mean he is really cut up."

"So am I," said Karna, nettled. "Yet all you care about is Duryodhan. All I care about is Duryodhan."

Vrushali's laugh was a bit out of control. Normally, she was calmer than anyone in crisis. Today, she seemed beyond herself.

Her crazy laugh brought Vrishasena, their oldest, rushing to their room.

"What happened, Maa?"

They had not told any of their sons about Karna's true birth, but an exchanged glance confirmed they both thought this was the right time to tell them about their changing loyalty.

"But that is impossible, Father," said Vrishasena, aghast. He peered out of the window, from where his three youngest brothers were just visible running on the lawn. "How can we fight against Uncle Duryodhan, Lakshmana and all of them? How can we stay in an unknown enemy camp?"

"I wish I knew, my son," said Karna.

"Pretend like this was inevitable to your brothers, Vrishasena," said Vrushali. "They are not mature enough to get the extent of it all. Do not let them understand."

"They are not stupid, Maa. They will understand something is wrong."

"Maybe we can keep them from understanding how wrong."

Karna got up with a sigh. "I must go to Panchal and inform that treacherous Vasudev and request him to let Anga remain on Duryodhan's side."

But he knew, of course, Anga's army would not make the slightest difference to Duryodhan. As they crossed the lawn, his youngest son came sprinting up to him.

"Father, are you going somewhere?" asked Vrishaketu.

"Yes, I have to visit Panchal for an important chore--"

"Let me come with you," his son wheedled. "I have never been to Panchal."

"You will soon be there," said Karna drily.