Jyesht's strife for kinship (A Karna-Arjun what-if story)

Karna's resolve: Part I

Karna's pov

The sun was low on the horizon and Karna had not moved from the boathouse he had taken refuge in on the banks of the Ganga. He stared at the setting sun, flaming orange, and wondered who his father was. It was common knowledge that none of Kunti's sons were Pandu's. They were blessings of Gods.

Kunti would probably not have been married to Pandu at all when Karna was born.

Adhirath, he told himself. My father is Adhirath.

Why should the knowledge even bother him? Kunti did not want him to know; he could perfectly well pretend to himself he had not overheard what he had.

But his brothers...

"Come here, my dear." He felt a familiar, loving hand on his head--his father's.

Karna discreetly tried to wipe away his tears as Adhirath pulled him up by his shoulders. Radha stood a step behind him, smiling at him.

"We guessed you would be here," she said. "This is where you used to run off to in childhood, remember? Every time someone made fun of your bow and arrow, afterwards, I would find you here."

Of course he remembered.

"And look at you now, dear. You are a king, and already on the way to establishing that right should not be decided by birth." Radha came forward and looked intently into his eyes. "Whichever mother abandoned you in a wicker basket in the river Ganga--I pity her, and I thank her, too. She handed over a great fortune of hers to us."

When Karna was still silent, Radha finally asked, "Who is she?"

"The--the Queen Mother," croaked Karna. "Maharani Kunti." 

Adhirath and Radha gasped.

"Oh, child," whispered Radha. "Is your skill with the bow any wonder? You are part of the greatest dynasty in the world."

"You are its heir to the throne," said Adhirath, sounding stunned. "Not Prince Duryodhan, not Prince Yudhishthir--you..."

"I do not want the throne," said Karna sharply.

"We know, son," said Adhirath. "I cannot believe, now, that I used to think the Queen was a good person. She must have known all along."

"What did I do to her?"

"The only one who can answer that is the Queen herself," said Radha. "Do you want to go and ask her?"

Karna shook his head.

"No. I do not want her for a mother," he said firmly. "Not when I already have got the best mother in the world."

And finally he gave in to what he had been craving to do since he had learnt of the news; he threw himself into his mother's arms.

Radha soothed her son's creased brows and wiped his wet eyes. Adhirath, not given to exuberant displays of affection, nevertheless put an arm around both.

Karna knew he did not need anything more.

"Have you eaten?" asked Radha tenderly.

Then it dawned on Karna why he had not eaten.

Duryodhan.

It had been hours since he had received the letter. Hours--and he had forgotten that his friend was upset and had called upon him.

"I must go, Maa. Duryodhan needs me."

******************

"What took you so long?" complained Duryodhan.