All for One

5| New Meetings

Karn chewed on the inside of his bottom lip, each passing second increasing the desire to leave this place as soon as possible.

But when was what he desired ever granted?

He stood among a group of Monarchs from different parts of Aryavart, each merrily boasting their prowess, clutching onto their goblets of fine wine.

Angaraj gripped his own goblet of Guava juice a little too tightly than necessary, listening to the crap directed towards him, poorly veiled under the name of nonchalant discussion. Dressed in the softest silk of fine fuschia dhoti and matching angavastram wrapped around his left arm, the right end dangling at his side, he felt out of place.

Even though he was adorned with the best Aurum accessories Hastinapur had to offer, which were personally selected by Prince Duryodhan, he felt bare in front of all these people of royal blood.

"Might and Status are an inseparable combination." The King of Kosala was saying. "One that does not have one is not worthy enough to have the other."

His insides burned at the implication that his birth status closed the doors for his might to be presented in front of the world. He wanted to use his goblet to repeatedly hit the old fool.

"Indeed, Your Majesty." Shalya of Madra sneered. "Those whose wears are lent and Kingdom provided by others have no valour of their own."

"Doing a few tricks does not make you a warrior. After all, the Kshatriya potency and the Royal grace cannot be found in any other person." That came from Magadh Naresh Jarasandh.

Karn's toes curled inside his golden slippers. His throat was tight and jaw clenched. Tears welled up in his eyes at the continuous mockery that everyone kept throwing at him. He was tired of it all. His armour may protect him from any physical danger, but what of the emotional arrows dipped in the poison of words that were fired at him and made him bleed every time? Who would protect him from them?

No. He won't let any of them see that their words had weakened him. He would not yield to some mean talks.

"Angaraj." Prince Vinda acknowledged him suddenly and his eyes snapped up. "Those Kundals of yours are beautiful."

Karn frowned. Where was the sudden compliment coming from? "Thank you, Prince." He answered politely. "I've had them since birth."

"Oh really?" Vasusen could easily see through the poorly feigned confusion as the Prince raised a hand to trace it, Karn jerking away at the touch. "But why is such a precious thing as this one the belonging of a Suta? It should belong to someone of Royal status. And by the mesmerising design, I am sure that it did. Are you certain that they are not stolen?"

That was it. He was ready to lash out at the Prince of Avanti and tackle him to the ground for such an inappropriate comment when a feminine voice laced with sharpness and wit intervened.

"O the Kings who cherish their Births as their Ornaments, do remember, in the actual Battlefield, all will know the truth of their Valour and Birth."

Karn turned to register the source of the voice and it turned out to be a dark skinned woman whose face radiated the glimmer of the Sun that had the blossoms of youth, yet her eyes held the alertness of a warrior and a wisdom only seen in the eyes that have witnessed a lifetime, but also a fire that was hardly seen in mortals. Her dark hair was tied in a loose braid that rested on her left side.

The enthralling beauty was clad in wine coloured dhoti and breast cloth, twined with golden angavastram and every piece of jewel known to womankind. She glanced around the men, who stood open mouthed at her beauty and those who had recovered and were eyeing her with lust, mirth dancing in her eyes as she looped her right hand around the left arm of the man who was accompanying her and pulled him close.