"mending bonds", the changed epic, book 1✔️

2, the fight.

Bhishma was in a dilemma. What was going on? He had seen the two men somewhere, but where? He did not remember.

He saw the two men whispering among themselves. The dark-skinned man had a smile on his face that never left his face. His words rang in his mind again and again. "If he wants to challenge the prince, let him do so."

His voice was calm, but it held a power, an authority that Bhishma could not decipher.

)_()(*

Kanha, what in the world are you doing? What rights do we have to interfere in the matters of the Kuru family? Dau asked, disappointed at his Kanha.

"Dau, listen... Kunti, the mother of the Pandavas, is our aunt. She is our pitashri's sister. That is the reason alone why pitashri sent us here, to meet with her and her sons," Krishna said, his smile never leaving his face.

"You mean the Pandavas are our cousins?" Dau asked, still in shock.

"Yes, Dau, the Pandavas are our cousins," Krishna said, looking at all the Pandavas, including Karn.

Karn was literally feeling dizzy. What was going on? Never in his entire lifetime had he imagined that someone would stand up for him. He was granted the kingdom of Anga just because he could fight Prince Arjun now? According to the citizens of Hastinapur, the eldest Gandharinandan was evil. It was the same Gandharinandan who stood up for him, after this stranger...

Duryodhana didn't know why, but he felt a special connection to Karn. He felt bad, for the first time in his lifetime, for someone being insulted so badly just because he was a lowborn.

"I offer you my friendship, Karn, so that none would dare to call you a soota ever again," he said as the crowd did the jai jai kar of their prince.

This time, Krishna was not opposing Duryodhana's decision, as he gave a sweet smile to the prince, who did not even care to look at him.

Arjun was feeling like he would faint any moment. He was unable to take in so many shocks in such a short span of time.

First, this stranger standing up for this man and now, Duryodhana just like that proclaiming this man to be the king of Anga from now on?

Well, he was happy, for some reason, that the man was saved from his insults. He noticed the strangers looking at him, especially the dark-skinned one, who winked at him.

Why is he winking at me for no reason? Huh, strange.

Arjun thought as Dritarashtra stood up.

"I announce the duel to begin," he said as the two warriors came face to face.

Karn, for some reason, felt angry. It was just because of this prince's guru claiming this prince to be the greatest archer that he had to create this mess and got insulted so terribly. All because of this prince...

Karn took his bow in hand, as Arjun did the same.

Arjun was feeling like to fight him, yet not fight him. He didn't know why. But, this man had opposed his guru, his elders. So he had to accept the challenge.

Bowing respectfully to each other, they began showering arrows upon each other, none hitting its targets, but being crumpled into dust within seconds of its shot.

After a round of arrow play, both of them stared at each other, their competitive spirits high. Both of them wanted to claim their superiority over each other.

But unfortunately for them, they were evenly matched. Kunti watched in anticipation as each arrow was shot at her son. She knew her son well enough, but the mother in her could not help but worry about him.