INCARCERATED SUN - The Imprisoned Fate

STRATEGY

"you called for me suyodhana?" Ashwatthama, suyodhana's friend, not a too close one but not a far one too, they bond in the Gurukul as they both usually spend time together rather than with anyone else.

"yes mitr Ashwatthama, meet karna, our appointed adviser and helper and now friend" Ashwatthama look karna for a second before asking "Pranipat, was it you who suggested me?"

"Pranipat" Karna nodded as ashwatthama look at him for a while before asking "how can I help?" for which all of them also look at karna including the pandavas.

"Guru Dronacharya was a good friend with PanchalaRaj, so it naturally makes you to closer to the knowledge of Panchala too as you must have heard about them" Ashwatthama look at karna before a satisfying smile come on his face as he nodded looking at all of the Prince.

"you have got pretty intelligent person by your side" Pandavas and Suyodhana can't help but to feel proud at that as they look at ashwatthama who start with his story.

"yes I know about them, let me tell you"

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"we have to fight with a woman!!"

"technically saying.......she is raised as a boy...or prince"

"doesn't matter, in the last we are fighting with a woman" Dushasana exclaimed while yudhishtir also look worried as he look at karna who is staring at dushasana but before he could say anything, karna already beat him to it.

"she will not be a woman, she will be a warrior there and by rejecting the challenge, you are not only insulting her but also your own lineage and education"

"you-" Ugrasena was about to say something to karna but vikarna already opened his mouth.

"He is right. She will confront us as a warrior then we should fight her like a warrior too"

"I agree" Sahadeva says to which ashwatthama nodded and soon everyone else too including yudhishtir who is still concerned as he asks "who will fight with her?"

"can I suggest something?" karna asks as nakula says "you don't need to ask for permission"

"still, since I am not a Guru Drona's shishya. I know as his shishya you all have to avenge your Guru, he didn't said he need bloodshed, he just said he want avenge then we can do something else to other than fighting with Maharaj Draupad" Listening to karna, bhima was about to open his mouth but sahadeva beat him.

"if we can stop unnecessary bloodshed then why not? But how? I don't think a king like Draupad will ever agree and what if they attacked first? Most of all, what if Gurudev become upset with this decision?" To which all of them nodded looking at karna with questioning eyes as Karna blinked before shaking his head as he replies.

"No Guru in the world would want his shishya to hurt any person unnecessarily even if it is just a mere soldier, even a king too. If they attacked from their side first then we have all of you Prince who can fight, who are talented and strong. Rajkumar Vikarna and Rajkumar Arjuna are more than enough to fight against Rajkumari Shikhandi. While all of them will be fighting, Rajkumar yudhishtir with Rajkumar Suyodhana and Maharathi Ashwatthama can talk to Maharaj Draupad and convince him to give half of the Kingdom to Guru Drona and apologies to him, in the name of their past friendship which is still somewhere there in the dark of their heart. Afterall no one forgets their friends, no matter how much the time has passed or the situation has changed. If Maharaj Draupad still didn't convinced then Maharaj Draupad will have to face unnecessary humiliation as here, everyone is more than capable on their own and there isn't any need of situation to prove it"

Ashwatthama look at all of them, who still look unconvinced and worried before he decided to reassure them.

"I will talk to Pitashree if he came at any of you for this plan of talking to Panchala raj instead of directly attacking"

"no, it is my strategy, I will take the responsibility of whatever happens in the war or after the war. It is supposed to be my duty-"

"I have to stop you there, karna" Ashwatthama says as he stop the rambling karna, who look panic over the fact that ashwatthama will take it upon himself but he needs to know that he has done an indirect favour on them by telling them an important rule of being a King 'Never Shed Blood If Peace Can Be An Option'.

"you have helped us so much as your duty, my father has never been enough confident to send me to the war or for any fight as he has always been worried about me for which I have always been angry and bitter since I have wanted my father to notice me too but this time you really opened my eyes.......you are right, we are more than capable on our own, not for others but for ourselves and we should focus on ourselves than anyone else as they are not living our life. We all here are good and we don't need anyone to make us prove it since we know it. I will talk to my father and by one way or other, we will have half of Panchala and as a king I can't have unnecessary bloodshed nor will I let anyone else do it too unless it will not be the last option"

The others listen the words carefully and calmly as they all nodded agreeing to ashwatthama, internally before giving a grateful smile to karna which he noticed a moment later as he look at all of the Prince.

"I am happy, I could help you all Rajkuma-"

"I thought we are friends now" Sahadeva says with a smile to which at first karn taken back before smiling.

"we are"

"then you should stop calling us Rajkumar and call us by our name"

"but-"

"your but won't work here" Sushasana says shaking his head as they all chuckle including ashwatthama and karna to which karn nodded.

"thank you rajk- Sushasana"

"might need practice with removing of Rajkumar in sentence" Arjuna said teasingly as they all laugh before going back to get ready for their departure with ashwatthama and karna.

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