A Different Path

Mistrust

"No." Karna interrupted him before he could finish his sentence. There was no way Karna was going to let him complete. "Don't. It's not selfish. It's not weak. It's not wrong."

He took a few steps forward and opened his arms, and for the first time in his life, he was doubtful whether Lakshman would let him hold him. But when Lakshman came to him, albeit with a little hesitation, the relief that flooded him brought tears to his eyes.

"I am sorry, Lakshman. I am so sorry. You deserve better." Karna looked Lakshman in the eye, "You are not alone. You never will be."

"Can you promise that Uncle?" Lakshman's words were laced with cynicism. "What will happen after the war? Will you leave again?"

Karna was at a loss for words.

"That's what I thought."

"Lakshman, you will have your parents, and your entire family with you. I promise you that."

"Well, I was hoping you would be there too but I suppose everything has changed now. There are things that occupy you. "

Karna opened his mouth to respond but they were interrupted by a soldier stating that a letter from Hastinapura had arrived for the Prince. Lakshman seemed overjoyed with the distraction and bid him farewell, all too quickly. Karna sighed as he watched him leave, upset that he had not been able to put his point across as much as he had wanted. Their relationship had suffered and Karna could sense that Lakshman was unwilling to afford him with the same kind of openness as before. It was just another reminder that things were so much different now.

Karna went back to the guesthouses and decided to spend the afternoon helping the soldiers. A few refugees had been granted access to the houses that were in better shape than the rest and he could see some of the families jostling about as the commander tried to enforce some discipline. Karna took out the buckets of disinfectant that had been prepared to stop the molding. Not the best way to spend the day, but it wasn't like Karna had a lot going on right now.

Hours later, he sat with Tejbrata to finalize who would live where now that the refugees had begun to arrive in the city. In two or three days they would be shifted to the guesthouses which Karna was sure were bound to get in better shape by then.

"My Lord, perhaps we could close for the day?"

It was the commander who had approached him and Karna looked around to see that most of the soldiers had been sitting on the ground, fanning themselves with their hands. Humidity had peaked in the last days and the sweat glistened on the foreheads of the men despite them having wiped it off seconds ago.

"Yes, you are right. Let's disburse now. We have managed to get most of the work done."

The commander nodded at him and began shouting orders to his men. Karna silently walked back with Tejbrata who was talking about something. He was finding it really hard to concentrate on what was being said to him, but he nodded anyway. When they reached Kaditula's residence, Tejbrata bade him farewell, leaving him alone at the doorstep. Entering the house he looked around and was surprised to find it deserted. He knew Kaditula had gone off for a meeting with the city council heads and was planning to have dinner with them. Lakshman, he supposed, was back at the army headquarters. Regardless, there should at least have been Kaditula's servants roaming around. The eerie silence was bothering him, was something wrong?