Dream - A Karna SI

28. COUNSEL

Karn - 30 years

Yudhisthir - 27 years

Bhima & Duryodhan - 26 years

Arjun - 25 years

Nakul & Sahadev - 23 years

Abhimanyu - 3 years

(After Rajsuya Yagya, Indraprastha)

(Karn's POV)

I sat awkwardly before Kunti, who seemed equally unsettled. She had called me for a private discussion before I departed for Hastinapur. During the months-long Rajsuya Yagnya preparations, our conversations had been fleeting and superficial, avoiding any deeper connection.

"Can't you stay here a little longer, putra?" she asked, her voice tinged with a motherly warmth that carried an underlying tension.

"I want to visit my parents, Rajmata. It's been too long," I replied, my voice steady, yet betraying a sense of duty that extended beyond familial ties.

"I don't know how to say this, Karna, but... would your parents consider moving to Indraprastha permanently? You all could live here. Many from Hastinapur have migrated, and this city has ample land and opportunities. They would be happy here," Kunti said, her tone revealing a longing that went beyond her words.

"It's not easy to leave one's home city, Rajmata. I've asked them before to join me in Dwarika, but they're not ready. It's where their roots are," I explained, sensing the unspoken desire behind her suggestion.

Kunti's eyes met mine, and in that brief moment, a wealth of unspoken emotions passed between us. I knew what she truly wished for, but that path was closed to me. I couldn't be an honorary Pandava, nor could I disrupt the delicate balance of the current situation. Yudhisthira, with his unwavering sense of morality, would renounce the throne if he discovered I was the eldest Kaunteya. But I had no desire for the throne; my heart was set on the open roads and the thrill of adventure.

Kunti leaned forward, her desperation barely concealed. "I will request them personally. Indraprastha is not very far from Hastinapur. The people here are of the same kingdom of Kurus. They won't feel alienated here as they might in Dwarika."

Her words hung in the air, and for a moment, we exchanged a glance that conveyed what both of us knew but could never openly acknowledge. She wanted to keep all her children close, including me. But the path I had chosen, and the path that had been chosen for me by destiny, did not allow for such a simple resolution.

I broke the silence, "Rajmata, their decision is their own. Besides, their age makes such a journey difficult. They have their entire family there-brothers, children, grandchildren. They live comfortably, surrounded by those they love. It wouldn't be fair to uproot them now."

"And what about you, Karna? Why do you still wander unguided? Why have you not married? Is there someone in particular you wish to marry? You're already past the age for it, and even your younger brothers have families," Kunti pressed, her tone shifting to that of a concerned mother.

"I have too much to do, Rajmata. Moving around the country leaves little time for marriage and settling down," I replied, attempting to evade the question with a well-worn excuse.

"But why this endless wandering, Karna? A family wouldn't hinder you; a wife would support you in times of need. You are already living the life of a householder, but without the comforts that come with it. Look at Krishn-he travels even more than you and has no trouble maintaining a large family," Kunti countered, her persistence unyielding.

"Vaasudeva Krishn is divine; I am but a mortal. There's simply no comparison," I said with a light-hearted jest, hoping to deflect the conversation.

But Kunti was not to be deterred. "Karna, what is the real reason you haven't married?"