A Different Path

Mountains

"They told me to take him home........Chandran was there and he vouched for me......not that it was needed......anyways I brought him straight here. Oh Radha! Isn't he beautiful!"

"Yes. He is."

"We'll take care of him. I am sure Chandran will find his parents. They are out scouring the city. They even sent a letter to the officers in other kingdoms. Maybe some malefactor kidnapped this child. I feel for his parents, they too must be so worried for him."

She nodded. How tragic that this baby was separated from his mother! She brought the child's face closer to her and whispered. "They'll find your parents, little one. Don't worry. You will be safe here."

Hours turned into days, days turned into months, months turned into years. Chandran never found Karna's parents.

It would be foolish for her to pretend she wasn't perversely delighted by this. Oh, she tried to be selfless, she tried to be fair but her heart would not listen. She was certain that without Karna in her life, she would die. She loved him so much, more than she even loved her husband, or herself. This child was the rain that had quenched the thirst of her barren womanhood, he was the early rays of sunlight in a cold, winter morning, he was her everything. She couldn't bear to part with him.

In the early days, she used to wake up from nightmares that Karna was taken from her and it was only after her husband would rub her back and wipe away her tears, would she be brought back to reality. She imagined a grand, golden chariot at her doorstep and aboard a beautiful young couple, a complete contrast to her and her husband. They would alight from the chariot hand in hand, dazzling the onlookers with their sheer beauty and prestige that were the hallmarks of royal, divine heritage. The woman with kohl-lined eyes that drew in the attention of every living creature by their loveliness would regard her house with bridled distaste and stretch her arms, hands wide open, demanding she return her son back. The man, perhaps a prince or even a king, would stand with his arms crossed waiting impatiently.

And Karna? He would recognise them as their true parents because of course it was natural that such a handsome and virtuous boy would be associated with a house of nobles.

But her dream never breached the surface of reality. It remained in the recesses of her mind, occasionally spilling over during the day and she would rush to Karna's cot and hold him, dear, until those fears subsided. But they never did leave her.

How could they when the brilliance of her son's abilities contrasted so sharply with the insignificance of their existence?

In those times she tried to remind herself that Karna had been abandoned in the Ganges by his parents and she would seek comfort in her heart that though she and her husband perhaps could not give Karna all that he deserved, they could at least love him with all of themselves, something that his birth mother and father could not do. And she hoped and prayed that it would be enough.

Ultimately, it wasn't.

"Grandmother, why are you sitting here alone?"

Radha looked up and saw Vrishasena standing close to her. He removed the bow from his shoulder and placed it against the pillar as gently as possible. He then wiped his face with his angavastram and stretched his legs as he sat down.