Hey Guys!!!! 

The Thirty seventh chapter. 

I don't own Mahabharat. 

Happy Reading!! 

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Third POV 

Karn had not even realized what he did until the gasps of his nephews reached his ears. He was just so adamant to stop Pranav from doing Whatever he was up to that he just did the deed himself.

The others who had been with Karn had thought of hundreds of possibilities of what they could come across on going in there. But this was not one of them. This was something that they in no way could have imagined of happening.
Yudhishthira- thank shiva for his calm mind- instantly had a sword across an unconscious Pranav's neck, they could not take chances at all. The others who regained their senses by his movement also joined him. Pranav would be suffering from their hand today.

Ananya was just sitting there, for a few seconds, she had not grasped the fact of Karn marrying her. How? And even more importantly why? When Karn fell to his knees in front of her realizing what he did. Ananya felt a chill run through her body, realizing the severity of the situation.
She loved her best friend Karn. She really did but marriage? Being a wife? Being a daughter-in-law? She did not understand that. She did know a letter about it.

"Your marriage is the luckiest one." The Priest says. "Marriage here, in front of Devi Parvati, the goddess of marriage, also the temple is guarded by the Banyan tree which is a blessed sign. Plus, marriage today, on the auspicious day of Vat Savitri, is considered the marriage will be the purest and praised upon amongst mankind and gods alike for ages."

Ashwatthama stared at his newly wed friend. He was not listening, and if he was, he was not able to really grasp the point of it all. He needed to do something. "Pandit Ji! Thank you. But could you please give us some solitude? It would be greatly appreciated."

The Pandit nodded and walked out.
Picking a rope that had been tied around Princess Ananya, he handed it to Yudhishthira who tied it around Pranav and one of the beams with help of Yuyutsu. While Duryodhana went to get some water. Ashwatthama did not really not know what to do, but clearly the newlywed couple needed to be brought to Earth.

Ashwatthama took the herbs- that they had collected- out and cautiously walked towards princess Ananya. "Princess?"

When Princess Ananya looked up at him, her eyes were lost, her face blank; it really broke his heart to see them like this. All because an old bastard of a prince! He was going to practice archery with that son of bitch later! How dare he! He messed with the wrong group of people.

"I have some ointment for your wounds." He says, softly, cautious of the fact that she may be scared or that she would not trust him.

Ananya raises a shaky hand to take the medicine from Ashwatthama. Who was not sure what to do. She looked in shape to do it herself. Karn was still in his 'oh god this is all going in a crap' world. Would it be alright if he did it? Or would that be a wrong move?

Before he could do anything, Yuyutsu took the medicine from his hand, "Can I apply the medicine to you, di? Your hands are so hurt! Can I do this for you?"

Ananya looked at Yuyutsu surprised for a second before a tight smile stretched her lips. "Yes, of course. Thank you!"

Duryodhana returned with a glass and a tumbler of water. He takes a glass of water and hands the tumbler to Ashwatthama, before he goes to kneel in front of Karn, to pursue the man to react in a form.

"Uncle Karn?" He lightly asks. "Come on uncle, grab hold of yourself. What happened?"

Karn looked up at him but there was a weird expression. His eyes flickered to where Ananya sat watching Yuyutsu as he worked on her wounds. Karn simply got up and walked out of the temple.
Not turning to look even once.

He did not see the look of the pure hurt that crossed Princess Ananya's face before Yuyutsu drew her focus back to himself.
But the other three prince's did, in a swift motion Duryodhana got up and followed Karn, leaving the water glass back here only.

"Uncle Karn!" He called. The man stood there near the edge of the mountain looking down at the village. It was a scenic view but Duryodhana doubted his uncle was actually seeing anything that was visible. He seemed to be too lost in his own world to notice anything other than his thoughts.

"Uncle Karn!" He forcefully turned the man so that they faced each other.

"What is this, uncle? Get your act straight! Is this a way to act? Let me tell you, you are acting like a kid! For heaven sake, you just married your best friend, act like a married guy!" Duryodhana scolds him. Karn was looking at him wide eyed but at the moment, Duryodhana was on a roll and he would worry about it later. "I understand that you were not prepared for it and it just happened. But acting like this is getting us nowhere, and it's not acceptable!"

"I destroyed her life, Dury!" Karn interjects.
Maybe he realized that Duryodhana would not stop until interrupted.

"Because you married her?"

"Yes! What else?"

"That is a shit reason!" Duryodhana says. "You are her best friend, how can you ruin her life, huh?"

"I am not a prince. She is a royal blood."

"That was a low blow, considering how she reacts to being called royal. Or how she reacts when people treat like she is above or below them."
Duryodhana points out. "As also, people may say that blood is thicker than water but what they forget is that blood is ninety percent or more water. Relations are made by bonds not by blood."

He did not know the repercussions of scolding his uncle, like this. But he hoped that he would be able to knock some sense into the man. It was desperately needed and with Princess Ananya .... being momentarily pre- occupied, he hoped that his words would work for the job.

When Karn still does not say anything, rather just looks gloomy. Duryodhana sighs, "Uncle! I know this is a very big thing but think of her, she has been kidnapped two times in the last ten Prahar. We should calm her down first, and return to Hastinapur. This can be dealt with afterwards."

"But-" Karn tries to speak, only to be cut off by his nephew.
This one had a lot of courage in him. It was a little un- nerving! Especially currently the way he was going on about.

"Think about Princess Ananya, uncle. Her condition since last ten Prahar. This all must do so much for her. Wife or not she is still your best friend. Think about her." Duryodhana says.
He did not know how exactly he should be dealing with this immature man aka his uncle. But having a hundred siblings had taught him something, and it was that in tense and weird circumstances people stop thinking. They sit stuck to one fact and do not move ahead of it.

"Alright." Karn nods. Taking a deep breath, Karn heads into the temple as Duryodhana follows a look of small triumph on his face.

Karn walks towards Ananya trying to not look at the red color filled in her hair partition. Duryodhana was right, as her best friend, he should first think of her. She has gone through a lot in the last few days. He should take her to Hastinapur first, and then think about anything else.

Yuyutsu was seemingly done with applying the medicine. Karn took the glass of water and walked to his best friend.

"Ananya here have, some water, It will give you some relief."

From the corner of his eyes, he notes that the others are dragging a semi- conscious Pranav away but he says nothing, he says nothing to stop them, lets them do their part. Rather he turns to Ananya, who had taken the glass of water gratefully and puts it down in front of them.

"Alright?" Karn asks. Ananya mutely nods.

"I was thinking." Karn begins slowly, testing the waters he was about to step in, "that we should return to Hastinapur."

Again, Ananya nods wordlessly. Her eyes were fixed at one place on the temple floor, un- blinking. She was looking nowhere else as if, if she looked away, she would miss something great happening there.

"Come on, we should leave." Karn gets up and Ananya- thankfully!- takes his hand, looking up at him. She was closed out of the world. Karn did not like it but he made no comment, maybe it was because of him, he did not want to worsen it in any way possible.

Karn walked out of the temple, his eyes once wandering to the Shivling and the Shiva family surrounding it. Hey Shiva! Help me. I have a new chapter in my life, one that neither of us are prepared for. But with your blessings we wish to do the best possible at both of our ends.
At least, I will. I cannot ask anything in this matter from Ananya, she is already married to me. I would accept the fact if she walked away right now.

When they walked out, only Yudhishthira was waiting for them, he says, "They went ahead to bring the horses, till then we could descend the mountain." And thus, the three of them were too lost in their own thoughts to talk to each other. It was better too, they did not have power to make awkward small talks, at the moment.

Yudhishthira is wondering of the reaction and what would be the path ahead. He still felt that Karn would make a great ruler but who asked for his opinion?

"What happened to Pranav?" Karn questioned silently.

"He is not going to trouble anyone else now." Yudhishthira answers, his voice dark and mysterious.

"Did you kill him?" Karn asks, curious.

"No, that would have been mercy. But yes, he would not be sitting on the throne in this lifetime." He smirks sinisterly.

Karn did not know that this nephew of his was so dark. His nephews were giving him shocks since the morning. The day was stretching far too long for his liking.   

********** 

How was the update for the day?  

Yuyutsu is a caring younger brother!  

Duryodhana scolding Karn!  
It would be a scene to watch, especially considering there current relationship, right? 

RIP Pranav, you have some of the harshest fighters of Hastinapur after you. 

What do you think of the conversation between the new couple? 
Well, it was only Karn talking, yet? 

A dark Yudhishthira, huh? 

How do you think will that turn out? 

(1845 words.)

--Sxxxxx