I have a purpose for your pain, A reason for your struggle and, A reward for your faithfulness, Trust me & don't give up!! - Krishna.

Silence reined between the eight people in the arena. Karna was still burning with anger, while the Pandavas looked at each other. Kunti looked at both of them, and wondered how to start. Advika sighed as the silence reigned.

"Sakha, ab shant bhi ho jayiye! Why are you so angry?" asked Advika. Karna turned to look at her. Was she really asking that!

"You are asking me that? Really? He insulted you, and here you are standing as cool as a cucumber!" said Karna, anger still present.

"Arey nehi!! I am angry, but now is not the time to be angry, is it? " said Advika.

"Kyu nehi? You really should not have stopped me! I should have killed him by now!" said Karna, now sulking. Advika slapped her forehead.

" If he needs to be killed, I can do the deed myself! You do remember I have two daggers hidden within my clothes?" said Advika, absolutely exasperated.

"Kya? " said Kunti, shocked.

Both Karna and Advika turned towards her and blinked. They had forgotten all about her and the pandavas. Advika smiled sheepishly at Kunti, was still saying daggers in shock.

"Shama kijiye, we forgot we were not alone." said Karna, taking a deep breath to force his anger down. Kunti blinked and looked at her eldest son, as he turned towards her.

She did not say anything. Her eyes took in his appearance. Her eyes wondered over his strong warrior looks, his clothes, his ornaments and finally his face. His soft charcoal eyes, flecked with grey looked at her with respect and confusion. She took in his posture, his tensed body and the anger still simmering in the depths of his eyes. She saw red suddenly. Her eyes instantly took in his wound. She remembered that Arjuna's arrow had sliced past his biceps. She immediately went forward to look at it. Her mother's instincts rearing it's head at the wound on her eldest arm. She tore a piece of her veil and wrapped it around his wound, until they could visit the Vaidji.

Karna looked in awe and a bit shocked as well as in confusion. He did not understand, why was Rajmata Kunti worried about his wound? He also could not decipher why was he feeling such elation at her presence near him? Why was his heart beating fast, as if giving him a warning of something big to come? He had so many questions but no answer.

While this scene was going on between Mother and son, Advika had sneakily slipped away and joined the Pandavas. They all smiled at the scene in front of them.

"I am Yuddhisthira, that is Bhima!" introduced Yuddhisthira. Advika's eyes twinkled.

"Pata hai!! I was thinking, where you both were that day when these three got caught." said Advika, a teasing glint in her eyes.

Yuddhisthira and Bhima flushed red and Nakula, Arjuna and Sahadeva groaned at the reminder.

" You wont let us forget, will you jiji?" complained Nakul.

"Jiji? " said Advika, shock written on her face. No one else had ever called her that. Elder sister.

" Ahh..yes? I mean you are jyesht's friend and you are also elder to us so jiji..what else am I supposed to call you, otherwise?" explained Nakul.

"Oh okay! I have never been called jiji, before..so I was a bit shocked." said Advika, as she smiled warmly at him.

" Well, we will call you jiji, then..wont we bhrata Yuddhisthir?" asked Sahadev. Yuddhisthir smiled and nodded happily.

" By the way, where was I ? Haa haa yaad aya...You were the cabbage man, where you not?" said Advika, looking at Yuddhisthir, her smile turning mischievous.

Yuddhisthir again turned red. The four burst out into laughter. The laughter bought Karna and Kunti out of their scene. They turned to see that Arjun, Bhima, Nakul and Sahadev were laughing, while Yuddhisthir had turned red, and Advika smiling mischievously. Karna felt a smile playing on his lips at the scene, not realizing Kunti had a mirror smile on her lips.

He went over to them. Kunti followed.

"Ab kya kaha tumne? Why is Yuddhisthir so red?" asked Karna.

" Maine? Maine kuch bhi to nehi kiya! How can you even think such a thing, sakha?" said Advika, a mock shocked look on her face. Her smiled immediately turn innocent.

"Haa haa.. you are the most innocent person in the entire world!" said Karna, sarcasm in his

voice.

In reply, she simply beamed at him, a pure innocent smile.

"Satya vachan!! " said Advika happily.

Karna shook his head at her, a fond smile on his face. Kunti smiled joyfully at their antics. Pandavas had a big grin on their faces.

" Putra Karna, you should get that wound treated. Come with me all of you!" said Kunti, beckoning all seven of them to follow her.

She took them to the Pandava side of the palace. Kunti watched as Karna was treated by the Vaidji. She also saw her other children, sitting around Advika, as she told a tale, most probably about Karna. She smiled at the almost domestic scene in front of her. Karna looked at Kunti wondering, if he was going to get answers for his questions.

" Putra..I know you have lot of questions. I will explain." said Kunti.

Karna nodded, waiting for her to begin. Before anyone can say anything, a soft and sweet voice spoke out.

" Rajmata, I believe I will let you both speak among yourselves." said Advika, as she got up from her seat.

"Putri..there is no need!" protested Kunti.

"Nehi maa...Jiji is right. Both of you should speak among yourselves. We will show jiji the palace till then." said Yuddhisthir.

Kunti nodded resigned, but still a hope gleamed in her eyes a she looked gratefully at both Advika and her sons. Advika smiled softly at Karna, when she noticed his confused and panic look at her. She hoped he would get his answers today.

" Chaliye jiji...I will show you the best place of the palace. That is the sparing room, that has thousands kinds of swords. You will love that." said Nakul, excitedly, dragging Advika by her hand.

" Nehi...the best place is the archery room!" said Arjun, disagreeing with Nakul.

" Ye kisne kaha? The best place is the mace room and of course the kitchen." said Bhima. All three started to argue which was the best room in the palace.

Sahadev joined in while Yuddhisthir followed after them with a big smile on his face,. Kunti and Karna watched with a smile as they left arguing.

Kunti and Karna sat opposite to each other.

Karna looked at the women sitting in front of him. While she looked regal, her face spoke of her nervousness. Kunti took a deep breath.

" I am going to tell you a story. Please listen..after that you can ask me questions. Alright?" asked Kunti, her heart beating fast. Karna nodded, wondering what was she about to say, that has her so nervous and tensed.

"I was eighteen when I got a special boon from Rishi Durvasa, after serving him faithfully during his stay. I was curious to see what would happen, when I chanted the mantra given to me by him. I had absolutely forgotten the fact, that a child will be given to me. When I prayed and chanted the mantra, I had called Surya dev. When he appeared, I was satisfied that the mantra worked as it was suppose to. When Surya dev reminded me, that a child has to be born...I was shocked and very guilty. I requested him to return, as I was not married. A child would have questioned my Father's honour and reputation. But he could not do so. He blessed me with a child and said that the child will be born with his divine nature, specifically with his Kavach and Kundals. He had also blessed the child that he would also have his radiance. I gave birth to the child, nine months from then, in secret. He was born with Surya's radiance. When he was just a few hours old, a divine Kavach and Kundal appeared, just like Surya dev has blessed. I took the child and placed him in a basket filled with flowers and a soft blanket. I prayed to the river to take the child away, to the place where he could gain the love of parents. The same love I could not provide. " said Kunti, her eyes downcast.

Karna's eyes had widened at the first line spoken by Kunti. He had immediately understood, where this was going. The entire time she spoke, his face remain stoic. He did not say a word. His emotions were all over the place. How could she do that? It was not his fault, she forgot about the specifics of the boon. He did not asked to be born. He took a deep breath as he realized that he was getting angry. He was already very sensitive when it came to his emotions. He had been angry, when Gandhar raj had spoken such words at Advika. He realized, that anger was feeding his hurt. He needed to calm down and get answers.

" Putra? please say something!" said Kunti, nearly begging. Her eyes were filled with tears at her eldest son's silence.

Kunti watched as her son's face remain stoic. But his eyes, they were very expressive. She noticed the hurt in his beautiful charcoal eyes. They glinted with immense pain at his abandonment. Karna took a deep breath, to try and calm his heart and emotions both.

" Is the tale finished?" asked Karna, his voice a mere whisper.

" No, there is more." said Kunti, her heart breaking at her son's nearly broken voice.

" Please continue then,Rajmata!" said Karna, his posture tensed. Kunti's heart broke into pieces as her son addressed her as Rajmata. Not Mata, or maa. She thought that she deserved it. She vowed she wont force him to call her mata, if he did not forgive her till the end.

"After that I got married to Maharaja Pandu. He was cursed to never have children, as that would mean his death. I used my boon to give him three children and taught the same to Madri, so she could give birth to the twins. Yuddhisthir, Bhima, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev are your younger brothers. Then one day I saw you. You were on a cliff, near the ashram we were staying in. Wait, I will show you something." continued Kunti.

Kunti got up and opened one of the small sanduk, kept on her dressing table. She got something out and came back to Karna. She took his hand, and kept it on his palm. Karna looked at the small ring in his palm. He noticed the gold ring and sun mark, before his eyes widened. This was the ring his father Surya dev had given him, years back. He had lost it, when he was ten-twelve years old, when he came to visit Bhulok for the last time. Kunti watched as her son looked at the ring in wonder.

" I saw you that day. I was already regretting by decision of leaving you for years. My earning that day, grew so much that I could not hide the fact. I spoke to Maharaja about this. I told him I had a son, before marriage. He was shocked,but he was elated as well. He searched for you, but you were nowhere to be found. He then wrote a letter to Hastinapur, to jyesht, so that the Hastinapur army could be used to search for you. But before he could sent the letter, he died." said Kunti, a faraway look in her eyes, as she remembered those days.

Karna was shocked. His birth mother had spoken about him to her husband. They had searched for him. He felt an unknown emotion surge from his heart.

" Wait, I will show you the letter as well. Here, it is!" said Kunti, as she handed the letter to her eldest.

She hoped her husband's words in those letter would convince Karna. She prayed that her family become complete. She watched as her son read the letter. Her smile was soft as she watched the hopeful look came in her son's eyes, even though his face was stoic. She could see Karna was still shocked though.

" I searched for you when your brothers were away to Gurukul, but it was like you had vanished. Then the spy came..with news..I was hopeful, that I can meet you, give you the love and care you deserve. The Kala pradarshan was tatshree's idea to meet you." said Kunti. Karna was numb. So many emotions ran through him. Anger and hurt at being abandoned, relief at finding his mother, happy at seeing her regret her decision, shock and hopeful at reuniting with his family, elated at getting a father, a mother and five younger brothers, a Pitamaha. His heart shuddered, as he let a breath out. He had no idea what to think about the fact that Maharaja Pandu...no...Pitashree had accepted him. He felt his heart filled with happiness that they had searched for him. Thinking of Pandu, he wondered what kind of father he might have been.

" Putra? " said Kunti, wondering if she was about to loose her son for forever. Her heart started to beat fast with anxiety.

" You would not have found me either. I was in devlok or Suryalok, most of the time. When I came to Bhulok, I never left the ashram, during my student days. I started leaving the ashram when my education was over, which was a year ago." said Karna.

"Oh!" said Kunti, understanding why neither her husband or she had found him.

" Maa? " said Karna, hope and a slight fear covering his voice. He hoped he wont be rejected again, by his birth mother. She looked at him, a hint of a small on her lips, as her eyes widened. She had never thought he would ever call her maa. She gulped as she beamed at him, tears in her eyes..

" Haa Putra? " said Kunti..her voice breaking. Both mother and son looked at each other, before getting up and hugging each other. They stayed in the embrace.

Kunti hugged her eldest son. Her heart felt elated and her eyes filled with tears. She had never thought she would get to embrace her son like this. Karna felt his emotions weight him down. He chocked on his tears, as he felt his mother's acceptance. Her regret, her desperation, her love and her care overwhelmed him. They slowly separated. Kunti wiped her tears while Karna did the same.

"He won't mind i-f I called him P-ita-shree? " Karna asked, as he chocked over the word father. His mind still reeling that the late king had done so much for him.

"Arya would not mind. He considered you a son. He made sure you had a future, if we were ever able to find you. He would have been elated at hearing you call him father. You know, he wanted to name you Aarush. It meant the first ray of the sun. He was so happy, that he had an elder son...that he was desperate to find you and bring you home." said Kunti, giving a tearful laugh.

The mother son duo continued speaking to each other. As Karna spoke about his life, both Kunti and Karna had happy, tearful smile on their faces.

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Advika wondered how the talk between mother & son was going. She realized she needed to wait to find out.

The princes had given her a tour of the palace. From the kitchens, to the weapons room, they had led her to see even their bedrooms. They were like small children, she mussed as she smiled fondly.

" Ab hum Udyan jayenge. It's the best place according to me." said Sahadev. Advika smiled at him, before ruffling his hair, which made him pout.

She wondered how the brothers got along so well as the brothers had so many varied interests. Yuddhisthir loved his library, which was filled with ancient texts and peace. Bhima preferred his kitchen. Arjun gushed about his archery room's magnificence while Nakul loved his medicine room, where he creates various salves for healing purposes. While Sahadev spoke about his animals and the garden, he loved.

She knew her sakha would fit right in with them. He could speak about so many topics and discuss about them with Yuddhisthir. He could spar and cook with Bhima. His primary weapon was Bow. He could gush about it with Arjun, as they marveled over the bow. He could compete with Nakul in looks while he would love to spend time with Sahadev in the peace of the Garden.

She wondered where her place was in this?

"What are you doing here?" a rude voice spoke, from behind them.