The Tumble Through Time

25.Sacrifice

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"What happened bhratashri? You look tense."- asked Yudhisthir.
Karna looked hard at Yudhisthir.
Karna hadn't been able to sleep last night. An unknown and invisible force was making his heart heavy. He wanted to seriously injure Yudhisthir, his own brother!
"Nothing Yudhisthir. You are my brother right?"- Karna said.
"Ofcourse I am Jyesth. Is something troubling you big brother?"- Yudhisthir asked.
"I was not able to sleep last night. And I feel this wierd sensations in my heart. I think I should go see vaidhji."- said Karna.
"Yes bhratashri let's go right now only."- Said Yudhisthir.

They both went to see vaidhji but to Karna's disappointment, there was nothing wrong with him.

"Jyesth, if you do not mind me asking, is this about a girl?"- Asked Yudhisthir.
Hearing this, Karna's ears turned bright red.
"What are you talking about anuj(younger brother)?"
"Bhratashri, do you like someone?"
"I like you, all our brothers, maata Kunti..."
"No jyeshth! Not a Platonic likeness. But do you think you have someone in your mind that you would like to be yours? Someone you would like to be at your side?"- said Yudhisthir.
Both Karna and Yudhisthir seemed lost in their own thoughts.
Yudhisthir continued-"Someone you would like to wake up with. Someone who will be the queen of your heart. Someone with whom you can share everything without any hesitation. Your life partner!"
"Seems like I should ask Maata Kunti to get you married before me anuj!"- Karna joked.
"Bhrata, you are missing the point."- said Yudhisthir.
"I do not know Yudhisthir. Maybe I do like her. But I don't think she has the same feelings for me."- Said karna eyeing Yudhisthir.
"How can anyone refuse my brother?"- said Yudhisthir.
"When she has the option of you, my brother."- Said Karna.
"You do not worry about that jyeshth! I have my eyes somewhere else. You tell me about my bhabhishri and I will make sure maata Kunti approves."- replied Yudhisthir.
"May be some other day Yudhisthir."- saying this Karna went off to do his own business, all the while thinking- "why was Saanvi's face popping up in his mind while Yudhisthir was speaking?"

In his haste to walk away from Yudhisthir as soon as possible, he did not see a figure making a turn and coming his way. The figure seemed to be lost in its thoughts as well.
The Result?
They both bumped into each other. Karna's leg got entangled with the figure's, and she felt herself being pulled by gravity to the ground. But someone's hands snaked across her waist and held her tightly.

"Such soft Skin! Who is she?"- thought karna.
He looked up to see the face of the lady, and it was none other than Saanvi.
He quickly steadied her up. He noticed that she looked uncomfortable and was avoiding his face. Then he found out the reason for her odd behavior- his hands were ghosting her waist too intimately. He quickly removed his hands.
'She did not feel uncomfortable yesterday when she was entwined with my brother! She likes Yudhisthir. He was now sure of it.'
And without saying a word to her, he stormed off.

Later that night:
'I have decided that I like Saanvi. But as she and Yudhisthir like each other, I will not come in their way. I will accept her to be my sister-in-law if that is what their wish is. Anyway I cannot give her anything. With Yudhisthir, she gets to be the queen, the position she deserves. With me, she will be known as the wife of the elder brother who was too incompetent to be made the king.'

Thinking this, Karna went into a pained sleep.