Arjun's pov
Karna shot to his feet. Arjun was surprised to see how white his face was.
"I will go and tell Duryodhan first," he muttered quickly. "I'll be back in a few hours, Arjun--"
Arjun made his disapproval known vehemently by tightening his fingers around Karna's elbow.
"No, jyesht--why can it not wait a bit?"
"I have to go--Arjun, I have to go right now!"
Karna could have twisted his arm out of Arjun's grasp, of course, but for some reason, he chose to wait till Arjun let him go.
Confused and rather hurt, Arjun watched him dash across the room and skirt around Kunti, Draupadi, Yudhishthir, Bheem and the twins at the door.
"What the devil are you doing here, King of Anga?" asked Bheem, more amazed than angry.
Karna did not wait to reply.
Only after he had disappeared, leaving Kunti behind looking like she had taken a blow on her face did Arjun realize why his brother had been running.
Their mother had some very important questions to answer.
******************
Bheem, Nakul and Sahadev turned on Arjun.
"What has been going on, Bhrata Arjun?" asked Nakul. "What did he want?"
"Who let him in?" said Sahadev.
"I can still catch up with him and show him the consequences of daring to come here after what he did--" Bheem clenched a fist as trial.
Arjun and Yudhishthir both spoke in raised voices.
"It is not like--"
"Brothers--"
But Kunti's quiet words made them all fall silent.
"Sit down, all of you."
*****************
Kunti rushed to Arjun's bedside to pull him into her arms. Panchali came to sit on the edge of his bed.
"We heard what happened. Are you okay, my child?" Kunti asked anxiously.
"Yes, Maa, I--"
His mother kissed the bandage on his head the exact same way his brother had been doing minutes ago. Arjun's heart jumped and sank at the same time.
"But, Maa--the King of Anga--"
Kunti appeared not to hear him. "I am so sorry, Arjun. I am so sorry. I could have stopped it all..."
"I know," said Arjun. "I know...your...your secret."
His mother looked at him for a long moment.
"You know?" she asked at last, and glanced around the room. "Do they all know?"
"No, just me and...jyesht, er, both of them."
"Karna knows?" This was the most anguished whisper of all.
"Not very long, though, he has just known for a couple of hours," said Arjun. "Why did you keep it from all of us, Maa?"
His mother buried her head in her arms, but not quick enough to hide her tears. "I am so sorry..."
"Why are you saying sorry, Maa?" asked Nakul, distressed.
"What's going on?" Panchali demanded to Arjun.
YOU ARE READING
Anuj's claim to affection (A Karna-Arjun what-if story)
Fanfiction~Book 2 of Mother's secret series~ At the graduation arena, Arjun is winded by a stranger's fierce hatred towards him. The stranger swears himself to his cousin Duryodhan and vows he will defeat him and prove the son of a charioteer can also become...
