TRUTH

KARN

- What is troubling you Suyo? Do you want a sparring? It calms you down usually.

Suyo looks down at the hand that touched his shoulder.....fair skinned,  long slender  fingers..... archer's hand. He moves his eyes upto the face and long after those years really looked at him. Thick curly hair, obsidian black eyes, straight aquiline nose, petal lips. For the first time he understands the resemblance in his friend's features he used to feel is because it matches somewhat with ARJUNA  despite the latter's dark complexion. How come he never connected before.... broad chest adorned with divine armour and in his ears glints golden earings. Divine birth....pandava's brotner....theirs....no......noooo.....nooo!!! Trying to gain back some control over his dazed fragile mind, Suyo says..... 

- Let's fight.

Fight began. But today Suyo's mind is not at the fight....rather it is busy in finding similarities in his mitr to his cousins. He loses concentration just for a moment and falls on the  ground. At once all his doubts clears...... his eyes are straight in line with  Karn's feet. Those feet he has seen many times since his childhood....touched and worshipped ...they are ....THEY ARE HIS CHOTIMA'S........

His mitr promptly kneels beside him and asks with concerned eyes ......

- Where is your mind today , Suyo.....haan? Yesterday you did not come to Sabha..... you ok na mitr? May be we should fetch Raajvaid....

Suyo's eyes meet Karn's ....his mitr, HIS KARN, looking over him with worry in his face. He rushes to assure him-

-Nothing......it is just there is a lot in my mind. I am thinking.....

- Yes....SUYO ....

Karn is smiling gently at him with his beautiful smile...trying to cajole him to speech. Always caring...NO ..NO ....He won't be a reason for that to vanish. He would have to do something to stop aunt Kunti. And if the war happens, truth will definitely come out. His mitr won't be his anymore.He can't share his friend...his brother...atleast not right now, when his mind is so tumultuous. But he will never be able to hurt his mitr by engaging him into a fight with his blood brothers....THERE IS ONE, JUST ONE WAY TO STOP THIS...and that is........

Duryodhana's mind is made up. With a crooked smile he replies to his mitr

- you would know when we enter THE SABHA.