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

The 'enemy' camp

Karna's pov

When Uttar, the first one close to someone in their leaders' circle, had died on Day 1, Karna had not felt the necessity of attending his funeral. To him, the entire army had still been enemies who he was forced to fight alongside.

Somehow, today, it never occurred him to miss Iravan's funeral. In the process of the war, parts of the army must have have changed from his enemies to his allies.

Moreover, it was a nephew's death. No one in the two camps but himself and Vasudev knew, and no one acknowledged it but Vasudev, but Arjun's son was his nephew, and his denial could not change the fact.

Iravan's death had shaken everyone badly. Of course, there had been thousands of deaths everyday, including today. Among the survivors were thousands of grieving parents.

But somehow, it was the grief of the leaders that hit the common men the hardest. 

And not just the common men. 

Karna could sense the same restlessness and fear he felt in everyone around as Arjun lit his son's pyre, expressionless. Everyone seemed particularly determined to keep their sons close tonight. Standing a step behind Vrishaketu and Vrishasena on Abhimanyu's either side, Karna glanced around every few minutes to ensure all his sons were around.

Afterwards, as the crowd dispersed, Karna wondered if he should go and offer a word of solidarity to Arjun. If this had happened before he had lashed out at Arjun in the meeting yesterday, he would have. It was his duty as an ally and--as an elder brother.

Just thinking of the phrase made him sad.

No, he was not Arjun's elder brother. He was Duryodhan's best friend. Duryodhan had told him to go to his camp today. He had said he was not angry with him and just needed a bit of time to get over Yudhishthir's escape. Surely he would have got over it by now.

Karna whispered to Vrishasena to take care of his brothers and slipped away into the darkness.

***

A shadow shot out and caught him in a death grip when he was a few feet away from the Kaurava camp. 

"If you had come a minute later, I would have gone over," said Duryodhan.

The familiarity of his friend's feel, voice, tone, words made Karna want to laugh and cry at the same time.

"I am sorry I did not talk to you properly yesterday." Duryodhan gripped him harder. "I am sorry for making you feel guilty about simply going about your duty, Karna. I promise I will never do it again."

Relief and love had rendered Karna quite helplessly speechless, but Duryodhan did not mind going on without a response.

"I miss you so much if I go without talking to you for one day, I cannot imagine how I walked away without taking you along to our camp yesterday--I will take you today, though."

"Duryodhan," said Karna finally. "Thank you."

"For inviting you to our camp?" demanded Duryodhan.

"No."

"For not holding something against you that you cannot help?"

"No. I am just thanking you," said Karna, "for being my friend."

Duryodhan snorted as propelled him towards their camp, under a tree, and propelled him down to sit again.

"Please don't start to cry," Duryodhan implored at the first shine of tears in Karna's eyes. "If you cry, you will set me off too and there is not enough time to sunrise to waste on tears."