"Have you gone crazy Arshia?" Karna gritted his teeth. Arshia nodded her head. "Don't give me that"

"I am saying it for you,Arya not for Duryodhana. How can I even think of a situation where he gets to live happily and I don't?I have vowed to kill him,if you don't remember" Arshia reminded. "Then why in the world are you telling me to befriend the man who insulted my wife?" Karna raised his eyebrow.

"Would you be able to survive alone,for 13 years? Would he stay quiet, knowing that once the Pandavas return and they wage a war,you will be standing by their side?Now,he doesn't know that you are their eldest brother,now does he?"

"I am not their oldest brother" Karna mumbled. "I didn't take care of them as their oldest brother and Arjun is someone I still vow to kill"

"I understand and I am not going to stand in your way. Promises made to oneself hold way more importance to promises made to one-another." Arshia said.

"What is your point?" Karna raised his eyebrow. "I have no point. I don't look like Vasudev Krishna,do I?" Arshia joked.

"Let's go back to the topic of you wanting me to befriend Duryodhana again?"

"Oh,you broke your friendship?" Arshia asked,with mock genuiness. "Watch him falling on his knees to get you back on his side"

"Falling on his knees when he has Mahamahim and Mahaguru Dronacharya?" Karna questioned. "If he could give a total stranger a whole kingdom just because he saw that,that stranger might be the only one who could defeat his divinely gifted cousin,I am sure falling on his knees to get back that stranger isn't such a big deal for him" Arshia reasoned.

"Let me tell you something. I agree that I was gravely insulted in that court and I ought to take revenge but you have been friends with him way before I came into your life. I am not convincing you for him,Arya. I can't,I rather see him die in hell than you being friends with him again. But the whole world knows what power friendships hold and honestly I don't think you can live without a person who has done so much for you"

"I don't understand you Arshia. I seriously don't. At first you didn't want me to befriend Duryodhana,even before the dyut sabha and now suddenly you want me to befriend a man who tried to disrobe my wife?Are you drunk Arshia?" Karna dead-paned.

Arshia shook her head. "I don't like to drink. And when he tried to disrobe me,he wasn't disrobeing his best friend's wife,he was trying to disrobe the Pandavas only sister." And that hit Karna like a truck as he fell silent and into deep thought.

"I think it's my time to leave. Take care of Vrishaketu and take care of yourself. Keep yourself healthy and don't make harsh decisions" Arshia said. Karna snapped out and looked at Arshia. "How do you want me to leave you for 13 years?"

"Unfortunately you have to. We will meet after 13 years." Arshia walked closer to him and hugged him. "I am so proud of you Arya." Karna nodded against her neck.

.

Karna stood at the sideline as he watched Vasudev Krishna assign tasks to the Pandavas. It was mostly pleasing the Gods above and gaining important weapons.

"Arshia,you too,go to Kailash alongside Arjun." Krishna advised to which Arshia nodded. Krishna whispered at Arshia.

"Why do you want Mahathi Karna to befriend Bharta Duryodhana again?" Krishna asked, innocently. "You were spying?" Arshia raised her eyebrow. "Hey!I am the creator of the universe,I get to know by default" Krishna defended.

"As you are the creator of the universe,you already know why I told that to Arya. And correct your words, Vasudev. I would die but not want Arya to be friends with Duryodhana again."

"Then why did you tell that to Maharathi Karna?" Krishna asked.

"Well,the last time I tried to change something I got punished big time. I don't want to change anything anymore,rather I just want to go with the flow and forget that I already know what is going to happen in the future" Arshia shrugged.

"You are giving up?" Krishna raised his eyebrow. "I thought that's what you wanted" Arshia said innocently. "That's not what I wanted"

"Let me frame your words again, obviously I can't say it like you

"You can't stop the war Arshia. You can't stop the only reason I was born in this yug"

Or something. I forgot" Arshia shrugged.

"You are giving up?" Krishna repeated. "When the supreme lord has himself advised me to give up,I shall obey his orders and we are getting late. Talk to your after 13 years" Arshia said,a bit louder this time.

"What did he advise you to do?" Draupadi asked. "Oh,he advised me to not kill his cousins during the 13 years and,mainly,not kill his Parth. You know,I am accompanying him to Kailash and all" Arshia mockingly smiled. "She did read my mind" Krishna bitterly smiled.

"Give me a second" Arshia excused herself and went to Karna. "Come on,you have to smile. It's 13 years,not a lifetime"

Karna sighed and nodded at her words.

"Do I have to touch your feets?I mean if you want,I can" Arshia said. A small giggle escaped Karna's lips as he shook his head. "No,you don't have to" Karna said. "A hug it is" Arshia said childishly.

Karna and Arshia shared a big hug and parted.

"Think about what I said and remember,pran jaye par vachan na jaye"

And Arshia joined the six.

The citizens of Indraprastha laid on the floor, trying to prevent their king and queen from leaving their land but with Yudhishthir's strict orders they sat on their knees and cried in pain.

Arshia looked down to see a small girl holding her feet. She bent down and looked at the girl,who had tears in her eyes.

"You are Angrani Arshia, right?I have heard a lot about you and many people call you the face of Dharm. Please stop the king and queen. Please" The child sat on her knees and begged. "Child,they are coming back after 13 years to acquire what truly belongs to them. If you really love them,then wait patiently for 13 years okay?" Arshia whispered as the girl's cries increased.

"Arshia" Sahadev called out.

"Yes" Arshia stood up and passed a smile at the child. The child looked up at her with teary eyes and joined her palms, bowing her head as Arhsia returned the gesture.

"Mata!!!" A loud and teary tone called out. Arshia froze at her place, knowing it was her child. The Pandavas and Draupadi,too,stopped and looked back. Arshia slowly turned around and saw Vrishaketu running at full speed at her and Karna following him.

Arshia sat on her knees and opened her arms wide open with a sad smile on her face. Vrishaketu jumped in her arms and hugged her tight.

"Mata,where are you going?Why are you going?" Vrishaketu whispered,tears streaming down his eyes. Arshia pulled away and wiped his tears away. "Vrisha,you know how Shree Ram and Maa Sita went to 14 years of Van Vas?I am going on something similar"

"No,why?I can't live without you!I will come with you" Vrishaketu cried.

"There will be a day where you have to raise weapons against me, Vrishaketu"

Arshia thought.

"For me, Vrishaketu. Stay with your father. I have them with me for 13 years and if you come with me,your father is going to fall all alone. Give me a promise Vrishaketu,once I return you will be a strong warrior who will act as a shield to your father" Arshia said, extending her hand and surprisingly, Vrishaketu seemed to have agreed and placed his hands on hers.

"You are going to be alright,the both of you will be alright" Arshia said looking at Karna and Vrishaketu. Arshia stood up and turned around just to momentarily pause feeling the grip on her fingers. She gulped and walked straight,not looking back.

The grip was lost and all Arshia could hear was her child's desperate pleads.

. . .

I felt like killing myself when I wrote this.

Thank you.

(This might be my last update for a week,maybe. Exams and all. So see you guys!)