Karna-The legendary ruler

Broken trust

Evening,

Dusshala spent her entire day with Radha. After her marriage, it was the best day of her life. Radha reminded her of Gandhari who had the same gentle, loving aura as her. And Adhirath was the father she always desired for....loving, caring but a little strict. Even he expressed his disappointment in his son for her who was a complete stranger to them. She always wanted to have such a nice, little family but alas what she wanted from her blood relative, they did exactly the opposite to her. Instead of protecting her, send her here. In the evening Radha went to the kitchen to prepare some dinner for her family and Dusshala went to her room. Then one of her maids from HP came, 'Rajkumari, the king will leave for Magadha after two days. So you just have two nights. I have already informed Mahamantri and he sent some elite soldiers who are waiting on the border. When you kill him, I will signal them and they will attack Anga. Do it tonight, after a long journey he will be tired and even if you are scared, mix this to their food.' Saying that she gave her a box of herbs, 'This is a special herb mixture which is enough to paralyze even an elephant. I know you are close to the Rajmata, so when tonight she is going to make the dinner, mix it so within an hour they will be completely immobile.'

Dusshala's mid was in complete turmoil. On one hand, her mind was telling her not to do it but on the other hand, her brain was instructing her to do it for her family. While thinking, she reached the kitchen and saw Radha was busy in preparation. She smiled at Dusshala and gestured her to come near her. Then Radha instructed the maids to leave them alone. 

Radha, 'Putri, I know what my son had done is a great sin. Whatever the reason, one should not do anything that can harm a woman. I am asking for your forgiveness dear, please try to forgive him. I will talk to him so that you can leave and go back to your kingdom if you want and I know my son will never deny my words. I never believe that a husband is the only important thing in a woman's life. You have a vast life ahead, so make your decision wisely. Just remember, you are the one who is the master of your life, so don't let anyone cloud your judgment.'

Dusshala was flabergasted. For the first time, someone told her that she could decide for herself. Till now she heard that only men had the right to take decisions. But today it was the mother of her biggest enemy who told her that she could go back to her home. She could not believe in her luck. But then she remembered about the herbs. What if Magadhraj denied his mother's request? No, she should take any chance. So when Radha was busy with her work, she slowly poured the herb on Karna's kheer. 

Later at night,

Dusshala was wide awake. For the first time after her marriage, she asked Eklavya to sleep in her room. Even she offered him a glass of milk spiked with sleeping herb so that he could not stop her. In the middle of the night, she heard a soft sound of a bird and realized that the spies had informed her that now she could complete her task. She slowly went to Karna's room. There was no guard as Karna informed them to secure the outer perimeter of the palace as there was no threat inside the palace. So slowly she reached Karna's room and opened the door. They had bribed a servant to damage the door lock. Slowly she entered the room and went near the bed. Slowly she took out the dagger given by the spies which was laced with poison. She stealthily reached the bed and saw Karna was sleeping. Slowly she raised her dagger and aimed it to his heart.........

Hastinapur,

Vidur was sitting in his room. Tonight was crucial for the future of HP. Yes.....crucial for all the planning he was doing for the last couple of decades. Everyone was aware of Gandharraj's anger for Kurus but no one knew how much Vidur hated this family. Everyone here was selfish, greedy and insensitive to others' pain. First Ambika, when she closed her eyes seeing Vedvyas, Satyavati ordered her to try Niyog again. But that time she sent Vidur's mother to take her place. That's how she had conceived Vidur.  At least sage Vedvyas gave him his name otherwise he also had to spend his life as a slave. He was the most knowledgable and eligible for the king's position as Dhritarashtra was blind and Pandu was mentally weak. That coward after getting the curse just deserted his kingdom and ran away. Vidur was angry with Ambika for making her mother a whore and that was why he stopped the coronation of her son Dhritarashtra. But what a cruel game Niyati had played. It was Dhritarashtra he had to serve now. But he was determined to make Kunti's sons the king. Vidur would never admit it aloud but he loved Kunti. When the first time he saw her, he fell in love. When Pandu left for the war after marriage, he saw her grief. Though he never crossed his limit and showed his emotions but in his mind, he only loved her even after his marriage with Sugandha. He knew that Kunti was also as helpless as her mother. First, her husband betrayed her and brought a co-wife. Then she had to leave everything and went with her husband and there because of that co-wife she lost her husband. She was such a pious lady that she even shared her mantra with her co-wife. She even loved Madri's sons equally with her sons. What a noblewoman she was and it was her who deserved to be the Rajmata of the Kuru dynasty. Vidur also knew that she was very knowledgeable and had a good sense of politics. So when he came to know that her sons were devputras and did not have Kuru blood in them, then he decided that it would be Yudhistir who would be the king. He almost succeeded in his plan but now Magadha was creating problems and he would do anything to protect Yudistir's reign. Till now he thwarted Gandhar raj's plannings, he was Vidur the great and most intelligent person of HP, but for the first time, he was feeling fear. He had seen many dangerous men but Magadhraj's aura was completely different. To be honest he was completely sure that Magadhraj had some previous connection with HP. Vidur was well aware that to reach the glory Kurus already harmed many lives but now someone from those oppressed ones' stood up against them. Vidur understood that this Magadhraj and his team were like a volcano that would erupt at any time and once it erupted it would destroy the entire HP.  To stop it he had to act fast. He remembered his conversation with Kunti a month back,

Kunti, 'Vidur, it was not possible to defeat Magadhraj in a war. That man is intelligent and he has the most strong and intelligent group of ministers. Everyone knows that minister Vishnugupt is the most intelligent man of Aryavart.'

Vidur flinched, yes Vishnugupt, his father's best student whom he loved more than his own son. Vidur was always jealous of him and when Vishnugupt came to HP to ask for his help to take revenge for his daughter's death, it was Vidur who not only denied him but insulted him and threw him away from HP. He had no idea that Vishnugupt would meet King Adiya and became such a dangerous combination against them. Now even Kunti was praising Vishnugupt. It hurt his ego. He would do anything and everything to defeat that Vishnugupt. So he said, 'Maharani, then what should we do?'

Kunti, 'Use your brain Vidur, use logic. We have someone inside his circle. Dusshala...she is the one who is close to Magadha king. Jiji is going to meet her. You also go with her and instruct her to make Eklavya against his king. Or she herself can kill him. In either cases we will be the winner.'

Vidur, 'But if Eklavya or Dusshala kill the king, then the King's men will not let them live.'

Kunti, 'Vidur why are you tensed about her. You yourself knew that all kids of  Gandhari are a bad omen for us. Now one of them gets the chance to fight for her country. Also even if Dusshala after the mission remains alive she will be of no use to us as no one will marry her. She will be just a burden on us. So order our spies to kill her as well so that no one will connect us with King Aditya's death. Everyone will think that Dusshala in her anger kills him.'

Vidur, 'Good idea, we will station some soldiers and when the king will die, they will enter Magadha and create chaos. It will divert Vishnugupt's attention and we will take advantage of the situation and win over them.'

Present 

Vidur already ordered the soldiers waiting near Anga border to wait for the sign. The spies informed him that tonight they would attack. Poor girl....she was thinking that her family would welcome her open hand. She did not know that for a married girl like her, there was no place for her in the Kuru palace. After marrying that Nishad she had turned impure and death would be her only liberation. 

Anga,

The two maids were waiting for Dusshala on the terrace. They saw her came running and said, 'Let's go.'

Maid 1, 'Did you finish your job?'

Dusshala, 'Ye...Ye.. Yes but please, let's leave.'

Maid 2, 'Yes princess, you will go but not to HP. But directly to hell.'

Saying that she took out a dagger and raised to stab her......

Sweesh.... a sound was heard. Dusshala closed her eyes but suddenly she heard a yelp. She opened her eyes and saw both the maids on the ground tied with Naagpash. She looked behind and saw 'Arya,' she mumbled. 

Eklavya was standing with his bow with his full battle regalia. Behind him were standing the guards of Anga. Eklavya roared, 'Arrest them.' Then he looked angrily at Dusshala and dragged her to their room and shoved her inside. He also instructed the guards to keep an eye on her and if necessary use force on her. Then he left hurriedly. 

Dusshala was shocked. She could not think and sit there numbly. Then she realized it was her end....first her own maids wanted to kill her and even if she was saved, she would surely be punished for treason. No...she had to leave. Somehow she went near the window and used her saree as a rope to go down. Then she started running to the backdoor of the palace which led to the forest.