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

Epilogue

One and a half years later...

Hastinapur welcomed the horse and the army that had protected it, led by Prince Arjun, and drumbeats announced preparations of the Aswamedha yagna. The royal procession to receive Arjun was led by Samrat Karna, smiling with pride, followed by the emperor's four brothers. Trailing behind them, wearing scowls for old times' sake, came their cousins.

"Jyesht," declared Arjun, springing off his horse and kneeling to touch his eldest brother's feet. "I conquered the whole kingdom for you."

"So we have heard," said Karna, lifting him up. From the slight awkwardness of the gesture, it was clear he was not yet used to the gesture of respect. "Not that anyone doubted you would. Go and rest after greeting everyone, now, the sacrifice will be performed at dawn tomorrow."

"Maybe jyesht can postpone dawn if you are too sleepy, Bhrata Arjun," Nakul put in. "Surya Dev would surely listen to him."

Arjun went on to touch Yudhishthir and Bheem's feet, throwing Nakul a look. 

"I do not require sleep at all."

As he grabbed the twins in a fierce hug, having not seen them a whole year, Krishna came to join them. On the Samrat's countenance happiness battled with wistfulness. He might have been trying his best to hide the fact that he was feeling anything but undiluted joy at the success of the Aswamedha year, but Krishna's gaze turned solemn as he studied him.

"You hate the crown, do you not?" asked Krishna softly, so no one could overhear. "You wish you had been able to go on the journey enlisting the kings' subordination with your bow and arrow than being stuck in administration."

"I fail to comprehend the purpose of your questions when you know everything already, Vasudev," said Karna in an annoyed tone.

"Oh, I simply came to thank you," said Krishna, returning the frown with warmth. "Of course, both choices were forced on you--siding with the Pandavas in the war and taking on this crown--but if you had not, the Aswamedha yagna would have been a lot grimmer."

"Yes," said Karna sarcastically. "The greater good."

"Indeed. Do you perhaps wish for a glimpse of the alternative?"

"What?" said Karna uncertainly. "You mean if I had not switched?"

Krishna nodded.

"What was the alternative?" asked Karna, curiosity getting the better of him.

Krishna narrated: a total of twelve survivors of the war, Duryodhan dead, Dussashan mutilated by Bheem, all of Karna's kids except Vrishaketu dead, Karna a part of the many on one attack on Abhimanyu that killed him, Arjun killing Vrishasena in front of Karna's eyes, and the final Arjun-Karna duel that ended with--

"Stop it," said Karna, horrified. "Stop it, Vasudev, are you crazy?"

"There," said Krishna, with a strange grin that did not seem like a grin. "You helped me prevent that fate, Samrat. My gratitude towards you is boundless."

"Do stop with the drama," said Karna impatiently. "I am not Arjun to put up with it."

Krishna chortled. Karna, maybe to banish the image of their alternative fate, joined in. That drew the others' gazes towards them. 

"Madhav--" Arjun's tone was one of delight as he spotted him, then he registered his friend and older brother grinning, shoulder to shoulder, and his eyes narrowed.

Krishna tried to hug him. Arjun was reluctant to return it.

"Look, I know jyesht helped you with your schemes and all," he said in what he must have meant a menacing tone.