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

A chance

Karna's pov

Karna strode out of the palace; he had tried to get the meeting with the ministers as fast as he could, since Vrushali was waiting outside, and he had promised her a tour of Anga.

He was faced with a baffling and most displeasing scene: Vrushali was talking to, of all people, Arjun. Why would Arjun be in Anga? What was he up to now? 

Vrushali came over when he spotted Karna. Arjun waited in the background; Karna gave him a glare before turning to Vrushali.

"You--you know Arjun?" he demanded.

"He's a friend of mine," said Vrushali with an easygoing smile.

Karna immediately felt his posture going rigid.

"I did not know," he said stiffly.

"Well, it is not like he has been my friend for very long, but he is now."

Karna didn't quite like the teasing tone she used.

"What the devil is he doing here, anyway?" he demanded. "What does he want?"

"He simply came to meet you," said Vrushali.

"Yes, I suppose I had better listened to his stand." 

Karna had started in Arjun's direction, but a hand on his arm yanked him back. He looked around in surprise to find Vrushali wearing a serious expression.

"He came to meet you," she said. "Not to make a stand."

"Obviously the meeting must have some underlying purpose to do with politics, Vrusha--"

"Why must it? Why can he not simply pay Anga a visit like I did?"

"V-v-visit Anga like--like you did," spluttered Karna in disbelief. "He--he is not even--he is Duryodhan's rival--he is my rival--"

"Why," demanded Vrushali, "are you stammering?"

Karna steadied himself, and found himself grinning every so slightly.

"The idea of you and Arjun visiting Anga with the same nature of intentions," he said lightly. "You are too naive, Vrushali. You do not know what goes on in the heads of Princes."

"And Kings?" asked Vrushali quietly. "Do you always think of politics, my friend?"

Dumbfounded, Karna groped for an answer.

"N-no--obviously--that was not what I meant--but..." He drew himself up and shot Arjun another ugly look to bring back his arguments. "I do not think of politics when I am with my parents, or Duryodhan, or you. But if I am with the Pandava brothers, I would most definitely always think of politics."

"Then it is your loss," Vrushali's voice rang out loudly, "if you insist on making enemies of nice people like Prince Arjun and his brothers."

"Nice?" said Karna in a feeble voice.

"What have they ever done to you? Give me one instance, Karna."

"In the arena." Karna scowled. "They made it clear they think our birth makes us lesser than them."

"All of them?" asked Vrushali softly.

Karna opened his mouth to say 'yes.' Then he hesitated.

"I was there, you know," said Vrushali. "I watched it all. Did Prince Arjun mock your birth? Did Prince Yudhishthir?"

"No," said Karna in a resentful mutter.

"So, if they extend you a hand of friendship, ought you not to accept it?"