The Broken Bond

Heart Shatterer

***

The news that the king was going to svayamvara stirred up the courtiers like a stone thrown into the water.

The palace was enveloped in a cloud of rumors, like a swarm of bees. Gossip flew behind Karna's back, he knew that the courtiers, and especially their wives and daughters, were discussing him now, not missing a single detail. In what, and in love for gossip, people of high and low castes were no different, Karna knew this from the time when his father tried to make him a tolerable charioteer, assigning him to the warriors of Hastinapur.

What everyone was talking about, Karna did not know exactly: listening to idle chatter, in his opinion, was below royal dignity. But sometimes he wanted to stop, turn around and abruptly enter the rooms he had just left in order to catch someone else's conversation at the most awkward moment.

Every now and then it seemed to Karna that they should speak ill of him for daring to seek the hand of the princess. It seemed even despite the fact that it was the advisers, led by Jaswinder, who insisted that he go to swayamvara. Anga needed a queen, but in the depths of his soul Karna did not feel worthy of a girl from the royal family, and saw the reflection of his own doubts in the eyes of those around him. Even Jaswinder, who seemed to have long ago resigned himself to the will of King, suddenly began to slip hints of someone else's origin in his speeches. Jaswinder, a faithful son of his country and its laws, must have been embarrassed by the future marriage.

But then why did he do all this? Forgotten for a moment, seeing a chance to marry the king, or did he simply not care about the happiness of a foreign princess, moreover, from a country that had long been hostile to Hastinapur? Karna was angry from misunderstanding and disappointment in a person whom he used to consider albeit ossified in traditions, but decent.

You don't have to actually get married, Karna reminded himself. People go to swayamvars not only for this. However, these thoughts did not console him much.

***"††"***

A few days later, he met Abhilasha near his chambers.

“Will you allow me to speak with you, king?”

Her gaze was fixed on Karna without the previous feigned embarrassment, and burned with dark fire.

- Yes My lady!

Somewhat puzzled by this beginning, Karna waved his hand inviting her to enter. He expected that she, like the other girls, would back down from him, thinking that he was going to seek marriage with Princess Draupadi.

-“You are going to marry, king,” Abhilasha spoke, walking to the center of the chamber and turning around sharply. Now she resembled her father more than ever, despite the different features and the feminine tenderness of her face. With the same air, Ashoka threw troops into battle - adamantly and furiously.

-“You are right, lady Abhilasha."

Abhilasha froze for a moment, as if gathering her courage, but then she raised her chin even more.

-"A king can have several wives. I want to become one of them."

If a sword pointed at him suddenly flashed in her hand, Karna would not be surprised. But there was no sword, and there was nothing to repel an unarmed attack. Karna was silent, staring at Abhilasha and feeling the eyes of the maids on his back. Soon everyone will know about this conversation. Everyone...

-Why are you silent, king? What is wrong with you my love?

Abhilasha clenched her fists furiously, her dark doe eyes narrowing turning completely black. Karna suddenly realized that he remembered another pair of  pleading eyes. But ultimately both of the owners trying to convey the same message...