Anuj's claim to affection (A Karna-Arjun what-if story)

Poison breeding poison

Arjun's pov

Arjun was shooting at a target one evening after sunset. Aiming accurately in the dark was a skill he cherished and was determined to maintain at the high level he possessed it. Not many could manage it. Even Aswathhama, whom Dronacharya had tried to teach for long, had never managed it.

He wondered if the King of Anga could shoot in the dark. He could, probably. Sahadev had said Karna's competence, as he claimed, was nothing more than a few fancy tricks, but Arjun knew better.

The King of Anga was an extraordinary warrior.

Arjun scowled.

Since he had been singled out by the son of a charioteer on his mission to prove that men of his birth could also become the best archer in the world, Arjun had found himself pondering more and more about Karna's skill. Which was irksome, because he did not want to waste his thoughts and time on someone so rude and uncivilized, and most importantly--someone who hung around with Duryodhan and Dussashan like a leech.

The twang of a bowstring made him look around sharply. He dodged out of the way of the arrow that came flying at him next, squinting into the dark.

"Not bad," came the King of Anga's voice.

He came into sight at a stride.

"Is attacking someone behind their back in the darkness your idea of competence, King of Anga?" asked Arjun.

"No. I was merely checking your reflexes," said Karna with an arrogant lilt in his voice. "Even if you had not dodged, the arrow would not have touched you."

Arjun could not deny that.

"You are free to check my reflexes anytime you wish," he said coldly. "Even if you aim correctly, which I doubt you can do in the dark, I will know."

"My friend was saying you were exceedingly conceited about how you alone could aim in the dark at the gurukul, Arjun. I wanted to show you that the gurukul's students were not the entire set of the world's great archers."

"Bit rich coming from you," said Arjun scornfully. "Who have you ever tested your skill against? Your fellow sons of charioteers?"

Karna's face tightened. "Being the son of a charioteer is not an insult to me."

"I did not mean it to be," said Arjun; he was being truthful, but he knew he would not be believed. "I simply meant that since people of your birth are forbidden from weapons, they would hardly be competent people to test yourself against."

As he had expected, Karna did not believe him.

"You Princes of royal birth," he said with supreme contempt, "who have been fed with silver spoons and upheld as the finest pieces of the kingdom would not survive in our world for more than a day."

"And yet," returned Arjun. "You do not mind sucking up to a Prince of royal birth for your personal interests. Can't deny you have got brains, King of Anga. You would be good in the royal circuit. Have you befriended Uncle Shakuni? He would love you. He would adopt you, probably."

For the first time, Karna looked truly furious instead of casually scornful.

"Yuvraj Duryodhan is my friend," he said quietly. "I will not tolerate you badmouthing him."

"I did not badmouth him, though there are several things I know about him that you don't, King of Anga."

"And there are several things I know about you too, Arjun. I don't know what Prince Duryodhan might have done in his earlier life, but I am sure he has not got someone's right thumb cut off out of jealousy of their skill."