Sootputra: The Unsung Hero

Varnavrat

"We should defeat them in battle.
We're not cowards."

"Like how we defeated Dhrupad?" Shakuni said sarcastically. Every door and window of the room was closed. No guard was standing outside. We allowed no one to. We have given every one of them leave for the day. The only light illuminating the room was of those candles and a central small pyre in a meshed container.

"Karna, Mama is right. Pandavas could subdue him even when we were not-"

"I wasn't in the battle with you at that time. But I am here now. I'll fight for you. But this cowardly act is beneath me." Why can't he just understand this simple thing? The mind of my friend often eluded me. Shakuni makes his annoying laugh before speaking.

"See nephew." He gestured through his face to me, "You're seeing this.You call him your best friend. What were you saying? Oh..yes 'Mama, I have ultimate faith in Karna. He can give his life for me. And I am ready to do the same.'But he neglects to even throw the first dice in this game of politics." Duryodhana's gaze went to him and with just a brief look he silenced Shakuni's voice. Shakuni stood up, crawling a little away.

"I'm not a gambler, Shakuni. Keep your dice to you. I am a warrior. A king.These roles are not games to me."

"So this is how you repay the kindness shown to you.By rejecting to help on the first turn. You're not a king!" He turned his face. "A few months ago you didn't even know what that word meant. You still don't." He looked at me through his narrow eyes, trying to sear me. The red face with biting lips wanted to do more than just insult, but they couldn't. Not even in his hundred livescan he dare to even touch me.

"You don't deserve the kingdom, the upliftment, given to you because you cling to it too much. You are afraid of sacrifices." Shakuni said with boiling words.

Afraid of sacrifices? Me? "Take the kingdom. Take the stature. My friendship's not based on that. Don't call me a king. But I'll always be a warrior and act by those ethics." I took a pause. The next sentence was important. "I hold those ways dear to me" I said, pressing on each word."And they forbid me to act like a wimp."

"You're not a wimp, Karna. But circumstances have forced us to take these steps." Said Duryodhana. As usual, he was calm and collected. He seldom lost his temper unless the subject was his stepbrother's.

"What circumstances?" Aswath was quick to question as he strolled in with a glass in his hand. All this time he has been eating away at the buffet filled table, like an elephant. But he was quick to notice Duryodhana's remark. I'll give him that.

"Pitama Bhishma and Vidur are trying to crown Yudhistir at a breakneck speed. They are forcing and enticing The King and the court to willingly give the throne to him. With no opposing factor. With no hindrance."

"Vidur Uncle even said that a blind king should not rule for much longer. I hate that atrocity of his. Ungrateful bastard." Duryodhana said.

"Vidur?" I asked.

"Ahh... you don't know him.He is the step-brother of my father. A bastard.My supposed caring Uncle."