Guys, I am really disappointed with the response this book is getting. Especially, the previous chapter..

So I intend on making it clear- That if we can't reach the target this time within a week- I will discontinue the book. I am clear with my decision.

I don't want to do this but next chapter will be updated only after this chapter reaches 20 votes and 40 comments...

Till then, enjoy this chapter which will leave you on a cliff hanger.

Also I have some questions..

Should I get dhriti back into the plot line for more torture?

Who should rule khandavprath- Yudhishthira or Karn? 

Should I marry yuvika first or arsu?

I personally prefer karn since he is eldest but I want to include your opinions in this story, so please comment whom.

Regards,
Ira

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In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Ask maharaj if I can enter...." Yudhi said to the guard..

He thought of Krishna's words when they were resting, When he was alone with his cousins, Krishna said, "I will wager anything the blind king will not give you a fair inheritance. His words are warm, but his heart is cold."

When he got the permission, he entered the room and sat down.

"Yudhishtira, the Kuru kingdom is what it is today only because of your father's campaigns." A murmur of approval rose from the room.

"We hear to our sorrow that there is some dissension between yourself and our own son, the yuvaraja Duryodhana. Everyone here knows what anguish this causes me. But I have decided to make a clean end to it." Dhritarashtra said. Only yudhi, bheeshma and vidur were present, they all visibly stiffened.

"We shall discuss this in the court. That is final." Bheeshma said or rather declared.

In the court

It seems this ancient kingdom must be divided. So be it, for we shall be just. Yudhishtira, I hereby give you half the Kuru kingdom to rule. Duryodhana will have to wait for his inheritance, since I am still king in Hastinapura. From now on, all the lands of Khandavaprastha, which of old was the capital of the Kurus, Pururavas, Nahusha and Yayati's capital, shall be yours. Restore it and rule from there. Not a foot of land more or less shall there be between your kingdom and the one that remains with me. I hope this satisfies you. Tell me what you feel, you and your cousin Krishna."

Dhritarashtra turned his face to where the Pandavas sat. Krishna glanced at his cousins and a sardonic smile lit his dark face. He said nothing yet. None of the Kuru elders, all of whom obviously supported Dhritarashtra's plan, dared look at Krishna: not Bheeshma or Drona. Only Vidura did.

Yudhishtira rose from his place and crossed to the king on his throne. Taking his uncle's hand, he said, "I have always done your bidding. I see no reason to change that now. We will go gladly to Khandavaprastha."

A smile dawned on Dhritarashtra's face also. "Vidura, my brother, let no time be lost. Ah, I am a happy man today that I will see my Pandu's son become a king. A heavy burden has been lifted from my heart, let the city prepare for the coronation!"

Still avoiding Krishna's mocking eyes, Bheeshma and Drona said, "Let it be so."

Yudhishtira turned to Krishna. "Krishna won't you say something?"

Dryly, Krishna said, "We understand your eagerness, my lord Dhritarashtra, better than you think perhaps. We are all keen to see Yudhishtira become a king. So let no time be lost."

Just then, the kshatriyas at the back of the sabha rose, for a revered figure had entered. 

Vyasa was among them once more. He strode in, crying, "I have come to name an auspicious day on which my grandson may be crowned!"

While the younger 4 pandavas looked at Yudhishthira with betrayal and a look you-knew-about-the-division??

Yudhi did not look up into their eyes as he nodded softly.

"Why? Why jyesth?" he heard arjun whisper.

"Order me, I will get the whole undivided kuru kingdom at your feet. You deserve it." Bheem whispered to him again.

"Jyesth, I know you are selfless, but what about the citizens.." nakul asked him in a hushed tone

Even kunti was shaken by this.. It was time, time for the truth.

"I hereby declare khandavprasth as the pandavas kingdom.." they heard Dhirtarastra declare.

"Wait- Yudhishthira cannot rule in presence of his elder brother." They heard kunti stand up. Yudhishthira looked up shocked as his brothers ran up to their mother along with Krishna as they hugged her tight providing silent comfort.

"We have another brother." said sahadev but Yudhishthira was too numb to hear. First the heart stops, then it races. First comes the shock of not understanding what's happening, then comes the shock of realizing precisely what's happening. Karna stood numb, he never hated the pandav brothers, but for his friend's sake he did, and now another one.. 

Arjun's thoughts

The feelings that hurt most, the emotions that sting most, are those that are absurd - The longing for impossible things, precisely because they are impossible; nostalgia for what never was; the desire for what could have been; regret over not being someone else; dissatisfaction with the world's existence.

All these half-tones of the soul's consciousness create in us a painful landscape, an eternal sunset of what we are. I really wish I could go back and do it all over again- would have never hated bhrata karn. I would have literally worshipped him.

Yudhishthira's thoughts

It all hit me like a cold hand on my shoulder, a complete standstill in my brain and chest and veins.

I learned how to stop crying.

I learned how to hide inside of myself.

I learned how to be somebody else.

I learned how to be cold and numb.

The moment when I realize no one understands, no one ever did, no one ever will.

I was alone, I always will be.

But may be, just may be, someone will look up to me someday. And when they do, I will remember to hide those tearful eyes, to smile and to say - "look, life's so good.

Sahadev's thoughts

I looked up in ma's eyes. It screamed determination and then I looked at bharata yudhishthira's eyes- there was a look I had never seen- distant and cold. I wanted to tell him everything, maybe if I'd been able to, we could have lived differently, maybe you would not be so shocked. Maybe your eyes would not be impossible to look into.

 Maybe, but I couldn't do it, I had buried too much too deeply inside me. And here I am, instead of there with you. I did not confide something so important to you.

Kunti's thoughts

To become spring, means accepting the risk of winter. To become presence, means accepting the risk of absence. As karn's mother- the truth had to be out. He had to get what he deserved. This one thing could end everything- but I decided to take this risk. 

With Krishna and my sons with me what could go wrong, I am only worried about Yudhishthira but he might understand. Karna is the real problem. There is no intensity of love or feeling that does not involve the risk of crippling hurt. It is a duty to take this risk, to love and feel without defense or reserve. At the same time, the whole family could fall apart but maybe.....

Duryodhana's thoughts

What! These pathetic pandavas have another brother who promises to suck like them? GOD DAMN IT! Stagnant water becomes dirty, stinky, disease-ridden, poisonous, deadly; that is my hate for these 6 brothers. I already know you know how much I hate the pandavas. I don't like them. I don't like most people, but I especially dislike them. I could start my own religion based on how much I dislike them.

Isn't it funny. I'm enjoying my hatred so much more than I ever enjoyed love. Love is temperamental. Tiring. It makes demands. Love uses you, changes its mind. But hatred, now, that's something you can use. Sculpt. Wield. It's hard, or soft, however you need it. Love humiliates you, but Hatred cradles you.

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What, in all very seriousness, the hell is going on?" asked shakuni.

To which kunti stared at the ground and nodded sofltly..

She felt her 4 sons beside her, comforting her, providing her silent comfort, sometimes you don't need words to convey what you feel, just the presence of the ones you care about is enough, some one who be your fire in the dark.

"Maharaj can everyone except family leave the court." Sahadev said as Dhritarashtra ordered everyone who is not family to leave of course except his brain, shakuni.

"Say it, Ma." She heard the firm yet husky and masculine voice of the great archer in her ear.

"Angraj karna is my son." She said in one go because she knew, if she paused, she would never find the strength to say it again.

''WHAT DO YOU MEAN WOMAN?" she heard Duryodhana roar as she nodded softly. Her eyes were full of a hot liquid which, without disturbing the firmness of her lips, made the air thick, rolled down her cheeks. She had perfect control of herself-Oh, yes!-in every other way.

Duryodhana was in a parallel universe, his best friend being his enemy. What irritated him most in that entire situation was the fact that he wasn't feeling humiliated, or annoyed, or even fooled. Betrayal was what he felt. He hated karna and now he would kill karna also.

Karna stood numb, it was too much for him to take in, It hurts to breathe. It hurts to live. I hate her, yet I do not think I can exist without her. It is hard and numb, his mother was supposed to be purest creation, well, not for him.

"What exactly happened?" vidur talked sense.

"Once when I was young, I was deputed by my father to render my services to the great sage Durvasa. I was highly dutiful and sincere in my offering and could therefore please the sage beyond compare. At the end of my stay with the sage, the sage blessed me with a powerful mantra that would help me get a son from anyone I wished. I was very innocent at that age and therefore wanted to have some fun testing the mantra. I looked at sun god moving in the sky and chanted the mantra in all my devotion. At once, the sun god appeared before me in all his splendour. I could not bear the radiance and effulgence of sun god and prayed that he left the scene. But, the sun god said due to the power of the mantra, he had to bless me with a son and I at once gave birth to Karna. However, due to the boon given by the sun god, my virginity remained untainted. I was highly frightened due to the possible doubts that the people might have regarding my son and was afraid of the social stigma connected with a virgin girl giving birth to a boy child at a very young age. Therefore, I decided to abandon the child. I covered the baby in nice garments and floated him on the waters of a river. Ah! Yes, I remember how he held my hand with his little palm and gave birth to the motherhood in me, and his kavach and kundal were the reason the sun god told me to name him karna... That fateful day..." she said in a whisper.

Kunti could swear she heard shakuni whisper slut to her.

And this was the last straw, karna stormed out of there in anger, overwhelming feelings, undying love, feeling he could not describe..

____

In the court, Duryodhana, kauravas and shakuni also left with dhritarashtra, this was a shocking truth.

Now only 5 pandavas, vidur, bheshma, draupadi and kunti were left.

Arjun, nakul, sahadev and bheem comforting kunti, Draupadi was offering words of solace, bheeshma and vidur shook by the turn their dynasty was taking. Yudhishthira so silent, frozen like a statue on his place, he even doubted anyone remembered his presence. Maybe that was why yudhi couldn't cry, he realized, staring dry-eyed at the ceiling. Because what was the point in crying when there was no one there to comfort you? And what was worse, when you couldn't even comfort yourself?

He felt selfish, he knew everyone here was going through a lot more than him, but he could not help it.

"Why did I do this?" kunti asked broken, shattered.

"Be fearless ma. Have the courage to take risks. Go where there are no guarantees. Get out of your comfort zone even if it means being uncomfortable. The road less traveled is sometimes fraught with barricades bumps and uncharted terrain. But it is on that road where your character is truly tested And have the courage to accept that you're not perfect nothing is and no one is — and that's OK. You tested your limits today be happy." Bheem said and yudhi also left the room without anyone noticing he left.

"Bua, you are a lioness." They heard a voice from the door, the voice which played the flute so skill fully, as the lord of 3 worlds stood at the door.

"Krishna, how can I ever make everything right? Karn hates me..."

"He does not hate you, he is the purest soul I know, there is no place for hatred in his heart. Go, talk to him, Bua, he craves your love." Krishna said.

"Kunti, madhav is right try at least." Bheeshma comforted her.

"We accept your son like our son, how can a kaunteya not be my beloved grandson." Bheeshma added with a bright smile.

"Now there is one more person to pull my beard." Vidur asked at which nakul burst out laughing.

"Uncle, jyesth karn is not one year old.." at which vidur sheepishly smiled.

"Will he agree? Will he forgive me?" kunti asked wiping her tears.

"He will, he is highest form of humanity." Krishna assured her as kunti stepped out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karn was below a river, throwing pebbles in the water.

"Putra.." kunti said, she did not need a million waords to conve her emotions, this one word was enough.

"You teach me now how cruel you've been - cruel and false. Why did you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, royal mother? I have not one word of comfort. You deserve this. You have killed yourself. Yes, you may kiss me, and cry; and wring out my kisses and tears: they'll blight you - they'll damn you. You loved me - what right had you to leave me? What right - answer me - for the poor fancy you felt do you feel for me? Because misery, and degradation, and death, and nothing that God or devil could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will did it. I have no broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.'' he paused.

"So much the worse for me that I am strong. Do I want to live? What kind of living will it be when you - Oh, God! would you like to lie with your soul in the grave? Did your hands not shake abandoning a new born baby? How could you?" karna said in a go, tears struggling break past his eyes.

He, who evoked the mother in him, who had done more than any human being to draw her out of the caves of her secret, folded life, now threw her down into deeper recesses of fear and doubt. The fall was greater than she had ever known, because she had ventured so far into emotion and had abandoned herself to it.

'Karna, please forgive me son... I was immature.."

"Yes, you were so immature, to discard me like garbage. Please leave me alone rajmata"

Heart broken kunti left but she remembered krishna's words...

At dinner time

No one dared to breath a word, there was an awkward silence looming on the table as everyone ate, that was when karna entered the room.

With a smile on his face he whispered "ma.."

The younger four brother's face lit up with smiles that could put the moon to shame. Yudhishthira did not dare to lift his gaze up, he was not able to comprehend anything, it was looming over him, after the court incident he did not leave his room for anything except dinner, he did not talk to anyone even now. He felt he would burst from everything going on in his mind.

''See, bua, I told you he did not hate you.." Krishna smiled.

"Haw ma, you thought I hated you.. I just needed time." Karn said settling his head on kunti's lap. Kunti had the brightest smile.

"I am so sorry putra." Kunti said playing with brown curls.

"Ma, past in the past, Also, I am very sorry for hating my own brothers, but now I will be worthy of being their brother.."

"We hated you too" nakul said.

"I swore to kill you.." arjun said looking everywhere.

"Even I did, but can we have a fresh start?" karna said smiling..

"Of course, we can."

"Welcome, welcome to our family bhrata karna! The grandest drama show on land or by sea. Inside you'll experience more insaness than most people see in a lifetime. A world built of love and trust. So while we want you to get swept away by our bonding, be careful of being swept too far away. Dreams that come true can be beautiful, but they can also turn into nightmares when people won't wake up. Family faces of this family are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future. " Nakul started at which everyone burst out laughing..

"The things you should not do are-

1. Demean your value;
2. Destroy your image
3. Drive you to loose yourself!
4. Dispose your dreams!
5. Discredit your imagination!
6. Deframe your abilities and
7. Disbelieve your opinions!" bheem said laughing..

"With all seriousness, you guys are actually right, jyesth beware to not loose yourself." Yudhishthira said with a smile.

"Bharat yudhi, can you once not be serious??" arjun asked laughing at which yudhi shaked his head..

"Duryodhana abandoned me after he found out the truth, I gave him ang back, I did not want to be bound by credit to him. Ma, I assimilated ubiquitously. Double thought my decision for anga. How long will I be bound to him? " Karna said smiling and which the 5 pandavas reciprocated.

"Right decision . Because-
The cause of fear: attachment.
The cure for fear: detachment" krishna replied.

"It was my letting go that gave me a better hold." karna said.

"So, now does khandavprasth belong to karna?" kunti asked.

"Yes, it does, he shall be the lawful ruler of khandavprasth." Yudhishthir smiled a little smile, he was free of those duties and hugged him, but deep down all yudhi wanted was someone to say, It is ok to not be ok.

"Good night everyone..." Kunti said as everyone left to their rooms.

"Today me and jyesth karna can share a room." Arjun said smiling as he and karna decided to share a room, they had to pack to advance to khandavprasth tomorrow..

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Guys, check out these amazing stories related to pandavas and draupadi, I personally love-

Hate from the past by Dharmanandini

After dyut- Emotions and confessions by Dharmaatmika

Six bodies- One soul by smooch_XD

Thoda pyaar hua tumse by Janaki14

Changing the tides by TheEvilDarkness

Lost feelings by AishRohitian

Karn's mission by Kalkis_pen

A twist by Rashmirathi984

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That is it for now! Bye everyone!