Karna-The legendary ruler

Varnavart

Hastinapur

After the dreadful attack in Anga and their defeat, the entire Hastinapur's situation was becoming grim day by day. While some honest, well-wishers of HP were tensed about the future, the Pandav fans were busy licking the so-called demi-Gods feet, the Kaurava fans were trying to remove the Pandavas from their paths. Duryodhana was a strong and good administrator who understood that time was changing and it would be inevitable that soon the lower class people would start demanding their rights in society. In fact, it was the workers and businessmen who were maintaining the economy of the kingdom and it was their hard work due to which the other people could get food, clothes, weapons and other things to live their lives. So now after the rise of King Karna, it was just a matter of time before they would start a rebellion against the stupid laws. Duryodhana contrary to elders' ideas, was not a fool. He understood the situation well. The way the poor soldiers, businessmen, farmers and workers were migrating to Magadha, Anga or Banga was really a matter of concern. But that foolish Yudhistir, instead of salvaging the situation was busy in arranging religious meets, donating to the ashrams and several other rituals. What a fool? As if God himself would come down and solve the problems. Duryodhana understood one thing clearly, if this crown prince remained on the throne, in no time Hastinapur would crumble under Magadha. Though Dury never was fond of secret assassinations, his favorite part of war was to take out the mace and break his enemy's head but now agreed to kill the Pandavas by burning down the wax palace in Varnavat. 

Shakuni's POV

Shakuni was sitting in his room, looking at the dices. Many years back, he vowed revenge against HP. The atrocities he and his family faced due to the Kurus especially that Bheesm were unbearable. Sometimes he wonder, why the Kurus wanted his sister so badly. It was true thast they needed her to get heirs but her sister never got the respect she deserved. She was married to a blind and after her marriage, she was always belittled for her blind husband. They forced her to marry Dhritarashtra for her boon but after Duryodhana's birth, that boon had turned into a curse. The boon of Mahadev, for which her life was ruined, now became a bad omen just because of a stupid prediction by Vidur.  Since childhood, his nephews were neglected and belittled. They were always blamed for all incidents that happened in the palace without any questions. Shakuni first wanted to destroy the entire kuru family either it was his brother-in-law or his sons but when Duryodhana was born and he took that little baby in his arm for the first time, Shakuni realized that his stone heart was melted. On that day he decided to make his nepew the king of HP. First, it was just for his own revenge but now he also felt that at least his nephews could give basic education and equal opportunities to all the people of this kingdom. Bheesm after making Gandhar their vassal had completely destroyed it. They forced their own culture on Gandhar, crippled its economy by destroying the business and made the people of Gandhar completely dependent on HP. Shakuni was a king but he was nothing but a puppet to HP. So if he could make Dury the king then he would be able to renovate and Gandhar and make their people happy. Shakuni was also a master politician and there was only Dwarkadhish Shree Krishna who could understand his intelligent moves. But now he had a new player on the field.....Karna, the king of Magadha. Shakuni knew that this new king was no less than Dwarkadhish himself. The way he manipulated the renowned sages, Vaishyas and Shudras even some Kshatriyas to move to Magadha was remarkable. Shakuni knew that it was Karna's men who attacked the HP soldiers' families and forced them to seek asylum in Magadha. He also felt that Karna had a personal grudge against HP, especially Bheesm, so he sent his spies to know more about the King. Then he came to know about the true identity of Karna. He remembered that incident when Bheesm, Vidur and Kripa gave that poor boy death sentence. Shakuni was not a good person, infact many thought him heartless and cunning. But even he was shocked seeing the gruesome punishment given by that so-called protector of Dharma. Was Dharma bigger than humanity? That was the exact question he asked himself that day. He knew by killing that boy, the HP royals had no intention to preserve Dharma, but their main goal was to install fear among the lower class people. To show them the consequence of going against the royal rule. That day Shakuni saw fire in the eyes of the Suta boy and today that spark had turned into an inferno. If Bheesm was really an intelligent person, he could have kill that entire family but he underestimated the boy and let them go. But Shakuni was not a fool. He would never let his enemies go, that was why he prepared the trap for the Pandavas. He convinced the blind King to let the Pandavas go to do the ritual for Pandu's death in Varnavart. Bheesm also agreed to allow Kunti went there as he was angry with her and it would be a perfect opportunity to remove her from the power game of HP palace for a while. The Pandavas would stay there for a year to foresee the condition of the people and in the mean time Bheesm and Kripa would clear the mess they had created in HP. Shakuni smirked, Bheesm did not know that it was his planning on which they had stepped unknowingly. Bheesm wanted to send the Pandaavs away for a while and when everything would be cleared, then he would bring them back with full glory. But unknown to them the Pandavas and their mother would never come back. They would burn in the fire of Shakuni's revenge.