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

The naming of blood relations

Karna's pov

After the discussion was over and Bhisma given them all his blessings, there came a strange moment when the cousins stood at the threshold of the Kaurava camp.

Duryodhan was the first to stir into action; he caught Karna's arm in a painful grip and spoke smugly.

"If there is no war, there is no enemy camp. This is your camp again, my friend, let's go in." He glanced at his cousins. "And you may leave. Immediately."

Arjun caught Karna's other arm before Duryodhan could propel him in.

"Our jyesht's camp is still the other camp. He needs to tell his sons of the new developments, kindly excuse us, Bhrata Duryodhan."

The word 'jyesht' from Arjun sounded incredible to Karna. It was what he called Yudhishthir, easily the person he respected, adored and followed the most in the whole world. Simply the word coming from Arjun made Karna feel respected and loved by his anuj, too. Even if he was speaking rudely, as he was currently to Duryodhan.

Duryodhan had gone purple in the face.

"You better send his sons over here, because this is his home," he said menacingly, giving Karna's arm such a fearsome pull that Karna almost stumbled.

"Duryodhan," protested Karna.

But Arjun, in spite of being much less strong than his cousin, had managed to keep his hold, too. His pull wasn't quite as strong, but it hit Duryodhan's ego and was the cue for him to start pulling with all his strength.

"Stop acting like idiots, you two," said Karna in despair as he tried to free his arms, trying not to lose his balance, but neither heeded him as Duryodhan yanked so hard that Karna and Arjun both lurched into him.

"Bhrata Bheem!" Arjun shouted.

That sparked off Bheem's brotherly protection, who steadied Arjun and filled in his shoes--and since Duryodhan and Bheem were about equal in strength, which was a lot, Karna felt like he'd soon tear into two.

"Let him go, Bheem, you have no right--" roared Duryodhan.

"All of you let me go." Unfortunately, nobody heard Karna.

"Right?" drawled Bheem. "He is our elder brother. We are siblings."

Nakul joined Bheem; Dussashan jumped in to aid his jyesht. Karna's struggles were entirely for naught.

"We have more right on him than you do, Bhrata Duryodhan!" Arjun called from the side, now safely out of the tugging zone. "Were you not always the one who insisted Duhsala Di is more your family than ours?"

"Hypocrite!" yelled Dussashan. "Were you not always the one insisting that you were as much as her family as us?"

Duryodhan and Dussashan seemed to be winning the fight, so Sahadev jumped into the fray. Arjun tried to rejoin, but there was simply no space empty on Karna's left arm for him to grip.

"Why can you not act your age?" Karna demanded as his brothers' side overpowered for a moment. Duryodhan's grasp became so tight Karna wondered if he had succeeded in cutting off the blood.

"Bheem, Nakul, Sahadev, please stop it," Yudhishthir said half-heartedly.

"No, don't!" said Arjun. "We will pull our jyesht all the way to our camp if that's what it takes."

"They are forcing you, Karna," said Duryodhan dramatically. "They know you would not go willingly. Tell them they have no right over you!"

Karna glared. "Once you have torn me into half, none of you would have any right over me."