ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇꜱ | Republished ✓

21. The reunion between a mother & son

I have a purpose for your pain, A reason for your struggle and, A reward for your faithfulness, Trust me & don't give up!! - Krishna.

Silence reined between the eight people in the arena. Karna was still burning with anger, while the Pandavas looked at each other. Kunti looked at both of them, and wondered how to start. Advika sighed as the silence reigned.

"Sakha, ab shant bhi ho jayiye! Why are you so angry?" asked Advika. Karna turned to look at her. Was she really asking that!

"You are asking me that? Really? He insulted you, and here you are standing as cool as a cucumber!" said Karna, anger still present.

"Arey nehi!! I am angry, but now is not the time to be angry, is it? " said Advika.

"Kyu nehi? You really should not have stopped me! I should have killed him by now!" said Karna, now sulking. Advika slapped her forehead.

" If he needs to be killed, I can do the deed myself! You do remember I have two daggers hidden within my clothes?" said Advika, absolutely exasperated.

"Kya? " said Kunti, shocked.

Both Karna and Advika turned towards her and blinked. They had forgotten all about her and the pandavas. Advika smiled sheepishly at Kunti, was still saying daggers in shock.

"Shama kijiye, we forgot we were not alone." said Karna, taking a deep breath to force his anger down. Kunti blinked and looked at her eldest son, as he turned towards her.

She did not say anything. Her eyes took in his appearance. Her eyes wondered over his strong warrior looks, his clothes, his ornaments and finally his face. His soft charcoal eyes, flecked with grey looked at her with respect and confusion. She took in his posture, his tensed body and the anger still simmering in the depths of his eyes. She saw red suddenly. Her eyes instantly took in his wound. She remembered that Arjuna's arrow had sliced past his biceps. She immediately went forward to look at it. Her mother's instincts rearing it's head at the wound on her eldest arm. She tore a piece of her veil and wrapped it around his wound, until they could visit the Vaidji.

Karna looked in awe and a bit shocked as well as in confusion. He did not understand, why was Rajmata Kunti worried about his wound? He also could not decipher why was he feeling such elation at her presence near him? Why was his heart beating fast, as if giving him a warning of something big to come? He had so many questions but no answer.

While this scene was going on between Mother and son, Advika had sneakily slipped away and joined the Pandavas. They all smiled at the scene in front of them.

"I am Yuddhisthira, that is Bhima!" introduced Yuddhisthira. Advika's eyes twinkled.

"Pata hai!! I was thinking, where you both were that day when these three got caught." said Advika, a teasing glint in her eyes.

Yuddhisthira and Bhima flushed red and Nakula, Arjuna and Sahadeva groaned at the reminder.

" You wont let us forget, will you jiji?" complained Nakul.

"Jiji? " said Advika, shock written on her face. No one else had ever called her that. Elder sister.

" Ahh..yes? I mean you are jyesht's friend and you are also elder to us so jiji..what else am I supposed to call you, otherwise?" explained Nakul.

"Oh okay! I have never been called jiji, before..so I was a bit shocked." said Advika, as she smiled warmly at him.

" Well, we will call you jiji, then..wont we bhrata Yuddhisthir?" asked Sahadev. Yuddhisthir smiled and nodded happily.

" By the way, where was I ? Haa haa yaad aya...You were the cabbage man, where you not?" said Advika, looking at Yuddhisthir, her smile turning mischievous.