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

The Prince of Dwaraka and the Princess of Panchal

Arjun's pov

"Why do they get to spend New Year in Hastinapur and we are forced to leave for the sake of peace, jyesht?" Nakul was complaining.

"Because we cannot compel them to leave, and someone had to leave, since I cannot compel my own brothers to stop encouraging Duryodhan's hostility towards us," said Yudhishthir.

"We did not do anything to encourage his hostility," said Sahadev. "We simply invited a friend of ours to sit with us--"

"Knowing perfectly well that he is Duryodhan's best friend and is obviously expected to sit with him, Sahadev," said Yudhishthir patiently.

"So," said Bheem. "Should we stop asking Aswa to come with us on hunting trips to? Because oh, look, he is Duryodhan's friend and he is bound to stay only with him."

"Aswatthama is different, he has always been friends with us as well as Duryodhan," said Yudhishthir, now starting to lose his patience. "On the other hand, the King of Anga's entire loyalty is for Duryodhan alone. You cannot separate the circumstances under which they met from their friendship. Duryodhan stood up for Karna when nobody else did, remember."

Arjun looked at the sky mutinously as he led his brothers towards Hastinapur's borders. It was a bitterly icy night, but rightful anger kept him warm.

"Then there was no point in trying to be friends with him in the first place," said Nakul, with a scowl on his face instead of the usual smile. 

"Which is what we kept saying, jyesht." Bheem didn't waste the chance of pointing  it out. "You thought we should--"

"Where exactly are we going, jyesht?" interrupted Arjun.

Yudhishthir hurried up to fall in step with him.

"Arjun, I know you're upset--"

"I am not upset. Did you hear me complaining? Where are we going?" 

"I am not sure," said Yudhishthir, attempting to put an arm around him, which Arjun shook off and sped up again.

"We must go wherever the road takes Bhrata Arjun, then." The cheerful lilt in Nakul's voice was back. "Let us just follow him."

Arjun did not respond, and sped up still more.

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

They stopped for a bite around noon the following day, when they were crossing Panchal. It was ruled by King Drupad, an old-time enemy of Dronacharya. Shortly before their graduation ceremony at the arena, Dronacharya had sent his students to capture King Drupad. 

The Kauavas had failed spectacularly. What would the King of Anga say when he got to know how spectacularly his precious friend had failed? thought Arjun viciously. He was as hung up on righteousness as jyesht. What would he say when he got to know Duryodhan had tried to poison Bheem to death when they were teenagers?

Make excuses, he supposed. Just like jyesht did.

He was just a kid. He got carried away.

Arjun clenched his fists.

"We have got to get out this city quick," said Bheem, who had gone out to scout for eateries. "All places to eat are shut down; turns out it's the Princess' swayamvar today."

"On New Year's Day?" commented Nakul irrelevantly.

"They must consider it good luck," his twin countered. "No places to eat then, Bhrata Bheem? How are you going to survive the journey to the next town?"

"This is the worst New Year ever," grumbled Bheem.

Then Nakul settled down on a low wall and claimed he absolutely could not go on without resting a while--no, not even for the sake of getting to an eatery faster. Bheem made fifty cracks at him about fake, impotent warriors who got tired after a mere ten hours of walking, Sahadev joined in in taking cracks at them both, and Yudhishthir tried to break up the arguement.