Draupadi couldn't contain her fear.

"Now, Kumar Duryodhan has to come", Drishtadyumna said. "My mitr Karn will participate", Duryodhan said.

"You can't make someone else participate for you. Angraj, you need to participate only for yourself. If you participate for someone else, your participation won't be accepted", Drishtadyumna said calmly.

Karna hesitated but on Duryodhan's continous nudges, stood up.

He completes this task and gives the Princess or the three princesses to Kaurava princes.

He told himself.

He went to the bow but he was having terrific thoughts of his wives at home, whom he told, he's not gonna participate. Also, he was not a Kshatriya, the Princesses were fire born, they deserved someone of royal lineage, even if he wins, what good it has on him? Other kings might be looking ok now but they won't accept anyone of non royal lineage to marry the Princesses.

He closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes and sweat drops came on his forehead.

He held the bow and lifted it very easily. He held the string and bent down the bow, with good grip on it. 

"Arjun is saying with confidence that Karna will surely hit the target but there is the same amount of fear and praying of him failing, like you Sakhi", he said glancing at Draupadi who was constantly praying, he failed.

Karna was almost about to string the bow when suddenly, tormented with the thoughts coming in his mind, the string fell from his hand and the bow lightly hit him. It didn't affect him, of course.

But everybody gasped.

"How come he can fail?" These whispers started going on.

While Draupadi and Arjun, sighed in relief.

But, the other three were now stuck. Now, only Arjun was there who could win. And, if he wins, he will definitely give the three to his brothers, which shouldn't happen.

They were supposed to marry the mightiest warriors. Which were Arjun and Karna.

So what now?

"Wait, Angraj", Krishna said. Karna looked at him. He identified him as Dwarakanaresh.

Krishna could see the amount of relief and sadness both. Relief as a husband that he failed and sadness as an archer, that he failed.

"Do it again", Krishna ordered.

(In authentic versions, Karna failed. Which is included here, but for the other three princesses, this part is added, however it's not in real Mahabharata)

Everybody looked at him in shock.

"W-what?" Karna stammered.

"This is unfair"

"He can't participate"

"Have the Princesses already chosen their husband?"

Everyone started protesting. This angered Duryodhan while Karna stood in shock. Why was he getting offered second chance?

"Enough", Duryodhan roared. He stood up angrily.

"First, those who couldn't even lift the bow, kindly shut up. Second, those who reached stage two of stringing it, he was about to string it so he's still ahead of you while you couldn't even pull the string, half distance up. So please don't debate. And, if you want to, come and do the task for the second time, that's what you are protesting for right", Duryodhan said.

Everybody got silent hearing it.

"That's why I am telling you, Angraj. You have to do it second time, if you see, you missed by just a breadth of hair, that means you have that capability to win it. Your only issue is, you are distracted. Focus, Angraj, Focus. And do it again", Krishna ordered.

Karna somehow got motivated by it. He looked at Abhilasha, Esha and Kalyani who were looking at him in anticipation.

"The left eye was in your view, I suppose. So, for Draupadi, you failed the task. You have to target the right eye now", Krishna said further.

Karna nodded, obediently.

He went ahead, erasing all thoughts in his mind and just focusing on the task in hand.

The Princesses were very happy seeing him going to complete the task.

Abhilasha and Kalyani hugged Esha sideways happily as she hugged them back.

Krishna noticed, this time Draupadi prayed that he wins her sisters. And, Arjun looked equally confident about him winning as he could see Karna was not looking distracted now.

Arjun never viewed him as his enemy, but arch rival in archery.

While, Karna had hatred for him, though, he was not wrong. All, he wanted was recognition for his capabilities. 

Krishna sighed, how complex could this world be?

Here, Karna had again lifted the bow and going to string it successfully.

"Wait please", Esha got up.

Karna was involved in Varnavrat Conspiracy.

If Arjun is dead, I don't need Draupadi. I curse her to suffer throughout her life.

They are hiding because of their cousins.

Karna stopped. He stared at the Princess.

Esha had been scared as she wasn't supposed to marry Arjun and urged Karna by her eyes to participate. But, she couldn't ignore how pained her sister, Draupadi was due to that conspiracy.

"You hit this eye and you will win us. But, I won't marry a Sutputra", Esha stated.

That shocked everybody.

Karna felt really furious and broken at the same time. He was not ashamed of his caste, but the way, it was reminded to mock him, always hurt him.

Draupadi, Abhilasha and Kalyani widened their eyes. Shikandini and Drishtadyumna stared at Esha in confusion while Drupad stood upset.

Didn't she know, the goal of her life?

"How dare you insult my mitr?" Duryodhan shouted before Karna could say anything. Karna sighed and let out a sad and low chuckle.

Draupadi stared at him sadly and angrily at Esha.

They were not here to get engaged in caste politics but fulfill their duties.

Marry these archers.

What was she even doing?

"Wait...no...please", Abhilasha begged and stood up, as Karna started to back off and keep the bow back.

"Please complete this task", she said. Her voice cracked and the desperation to marry him could be seen.

Karn didn't want too.

First, he gets rejected and then he should participate.

"Please", Kalyani added, standing up.

Karna saw their eyes and something in their eyes forced him to complete the challenge nevertheless. He calmed down furious Duryodhan by his eyes and started to complete the challenge.

Karna lifted the bow, string it successfully, positioned the arrow while looking intently in water, his gaze on the right eye of the fish, he took a while as the fish was moving and adjusted his arrow, he shot it immediately.

IT HIT THE RIGHT EYE!

Everyone gasped. Maybe, Karna was definitely distracted. However, distraction was the biggest enemy of a warrior.

"Told you he has the power to win"

"He was surely mentally absent"

"It was so easy for him"

Whispers started again.

Karna closed his eyes and sighed. Now, he was happy and satisfied as a warrior but, he was worried about his wives reactions.

"Yess", Duryodhan and Shakuni cheered.

"Finally mitr", Duryodhan said.

Anga

Arundhati was praying when the fire suddenly lit off from the candle.

She gasped in horror.

She felt tears welling up in her eyes and ran outside, barefoot in the garden, where the other three were checking the plants.

"Jiji, Supriya, Kirti", she sobbed.

She called Vrushali as jiji because Vrushali was elder.

"What happened?" They asked together in concern. Vrushali held her shoulders worriedly as she cried nonstop.

"A-Arya", she cried. "The fire blew off", she said.

And the other three gasped hearing it.

This was not good!

Swayamvar

Duryodhan happily hugged Karna. Karna hugged him back.

The Princesses stood up.

Esha stood still at her place. The maids brought garlands toward them.

Esha took the garland along with Kalyani and Abhilasha. Esha could see her sisters were upset by her behavior but they didn't know about Varnavrat conspiracy, otherwise, they would have behaved the same way.

They reached towards Karna with garlands in their hands.

"Stop".