Hey Guys!!!!

Here is the 28th chapter.

I don't own Mahabharat.

Happy Reading!!

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Karn POV

"ANG- RAJ" I heard a scream as I was about to head out of the palace, I would have left long ago had I not ran into Mata ji Gandhari.
It's a solider.

"Ji?" (Yes?) I ask.

"Rani Kunti aur Devi Ananya ne aapko bulaya hai. Kaha hai Bahut Zarrori hai." (Rani Kunti aur Devi Ananya have called you. They said its very important.) He gasps out.

Frowning , I get of my horse. Telling the solider to put the horse into place, I stride towards Rani Kunti's room.
First Rani Kunti called Ananya, now me. Is she alright? Did anything happen?

When I enter the room, I am surprised as to what I see. Rani Kunti is on the floor; her dress is disheveled. She has her head on Ananya's shoulder and is crying her heart out. Ananya is running her hands through Rani's hair, whispering words, I can't hear.
They have their side towards me. Ananya lifts her face and her eyes lock with mine.

"Bua" (Aunt) she calls softly. She loves her Bua, a lot, I note.

"Chod do Mujhe Putri, iss buri maa ko chod do." (Leave me Daughter, leave this bad mother alone.) Rani Kunti cries.
And I further fall in to confusion. What does she mean by that? She is such a nice mother, raised the Pandeva's all alone. And all of them are so nice. 

"Bua, Ang- Raj Hain yahan." (Aunt, Ang- Raj Karn is here.) She says softly and gestures me to come ahead. I follow her order, walking towards them.

Rani Kunti raises her head and looks at me. Her face is in worse state, her eyes bloody red, lips hobbling. Before I can react, she falls to my feet. I am too surprised to even move a finger.

"Putra Karn." (Son Karn.) She cries. "Mujhe Kshama ka- Kardo Putra. Mu- Mujhe Kshama Kardo." (Forgive me, Son. Forgive me.) I look at her in confusion.

I bend ahead and remove her head and hands from my feet. How can I let her stay like this? She is elder than me. Just like a mother.
"Rani Kunti, yeh aap Kya keh rahin Hain?" (Queen Kunti, what are you saying.) I ask.

"Ksh- Kshama Karna Pu- Putra, main... main tumhe kaise bat- bataon ke, tum mere Putra ho? Mere sabse... ba- bade putra ho. Mere- mere baki ba- bachchon ke jye- Jyeshta ho?" (Forgive me son Karn, how do I tell you that you are my son? My eldest son? Elder brother of rest of my kids?) She shutters out.

I stare at her in numb shock. "Mere- Mere pas ek vardan tha, kisi bhi bhagwan ka awahan kar sakti thi main... main... aur woh Mujhe ek apna ansh dete. Ma- main tab ek bach- bachchi thi. Nadan thi... Surya dev ko bula kar tumhe pa liya. Taki... Taki mere Pitah shree par.... Inzam na lage. unka... iman... bachchana pada... pada muj- mujhe. Maine... Maine tumhe ek tok- tokri me rakh... rakh kar Ganga... Ganga Mein... Mein.... Mein baha diya." (I had a boon; I could call for any God I wished and they would give me their son. I was a teenager then, silly girl I was, I called for the Sun God. And I got you. So that nobody questions my father, nobody blames him. I had to save his integrity. I kept you in a basket and floated you away in Ganges.) She whispers the last two words amidst her tears.

But I cannot utter a word. I am frozen in shock.

What does she mean? Am I not a Soot Putra?
Not the biological son of my parents? Or the people who I called parents?
I am a Kshatriya? Is that the reason I wanted to do archery?

Am I a part of Kuru family now?
What of my adopted parents?
What about Surya dev?
I am a demigod?

"Dekha Putri, Maine kaha tha na." (See, daughter. I told you.) Rani Kunti says as she stares at me, turning away she pushes herself away from Ananya.
"Tu bhi mujhse dur reh Putri, kuch mere karan na ho jaye." (Stay away from me, daughter, less something happens because of me.)

She tries to get up, when Ananya reaches out to help, she just moves away from that area. Standing up she sways a little on her feet. She is tries to walk. But she hasn't even taken two steps when she tremble's much more than before.

And I stare in horror as she faints, falling to the ground. Ananya catches her before, she can touch the ground.
While, I jump to Ananya, taking her from Ananya. I place her in the middle of the bed.

"DASI!" (Maid.) Ananya calls, running out of the room, worried for her Bua. I faintly hear her order to call the Royal Vaidya.
While I stare at m- my bir- birth mo- mother in shock.

Ananya rushes back in, she caresses Rani's head. "Unke hathon ko ragar do." (Rub her hands.) She tells me.
I follow the task given to me.

After what felt like hours, the Vaidya enters. "Pranipa-" (Greetin-)

"Woh sab chodiye, Vaidya ji. Aap inko dekhiye." (Leave all that, doctor. You check on her.) Ananya orders, her tone like a Queen. A royal voice she has.

The Vaidya follows her order. Checking Rani's pulse, eyes, etc., etc. He says, "Inhe bahut zyada thakavat aur chinta thi. Dekh kar aisa lag raha hai ki khana bhi nahi khaya theek se. Isi karan murchit ho gayi, thoda bahut bukhar bhi hai. Inhe thori der aaram karne dein, yeh theek ho jayiengi." (She was tired and was also worried. And I suspect, she wasn't eating nicely too. That is the reason she fainted; she even has a little fever. Let her rest for a while, she will be fine.)

"Bukhar ke liye kuch karna padega?" (Do we need to do something for the fever?) Ananya asks.

"Agar Thande kapde se saar sek dein, toh jaldi theek ho sakta hai." (If you use cold cloth for her head, it can treat fever faster.) He says and Ananya nods.

Bowing shortly, he leaves and Ananya calls for a Maid. "Mujhe ek katori Thanda pani aur kapda la dijiye." (Bring me one bowl of cold water and a cloth.) She says without looking up from her Bua, who is lying unconscious on the bed.

The Dasi rushes out seeing her Queen like this. I am still seated beside her, confused of how to go about with things.
Once the water comes Ananya starts with the procedure of putting the cloth on Rani's head for a while before removing it. Re- Deeping it in the water, she puts the cloth back on the forehead.

I stare at the lady who just told me about my birth. But I don't know if I want to trust her.
Do I want to believe her?

I turn to look at Ananya, she is concentrated at the work she is doing. Her eyes show deep worry in them, she is working as if treating her own mother. She is so kind, always caring for others.
Gently wiping the beads of water flowing down and removing the hair that is disturbing her, she tediously continues with her work. 

I take a deep breath.

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What do you think of Karn's reaction? What will he say?

What about Rani Kunti?

Thanks for Reading

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(1320 words.)

--Sxxxxx