Recap: Karn has become the brother of the first 3 Pandavas. Yudhi and Duryodhan have also reconciled. Bheeshm and Vidur have realised their mistakes.
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Karn looked up to the sky as one of his eagles that he had sent to Vikrantpur returned. He smiled and held out his hand to see a scroll attached to it's claws. He scanned it and got to know the rulers of Vikrantpur were directly under the control of Magadh Raj Jarasandh. He grinned as he realised that he could kill 2 birds with a single stone. But meanwhile he knew he had to focus on the remaining Pandavas and Duryodhan.
As much as he was happy that Yudhi and his eldest cousin had reconciled he knew it would not be enough and that Duryodhan was still very vulnerable and confused.
The twin sons of Madri on the other hand were a whole other story. He knew that they were the youngest and the most impressionable of the entire group. They were naive and had not obtained the chance to make their own opinions yet. Karn knew that Nakul relied more on what he saw around him and his environment and made opinions and decisions based on that while Sahadev if not taught properly also would rely only on the scripture and the word of the elders. He knew that if he didn't make relations with them now then they would be warped by the society which he would not let happen even if he had to face the entire universe in return.

He was currently in the forest outside of Hastinapur where he was collected wood and herbs for Radha ma and Abhi when he suddenly heard desperate sobs near him. He quickly rushed to the spot to see a frightened Nakul and Sahadev crying. His heart broke as he realised that both his younger brothers were scared and hurt.

Karn: Arey Rajkumaron, aap iss van mein akhele kyun hai? Aur app ro kyun rahe hain? Aaapko chhot bahut zor se toh nahi laga na? ( Princes, what are u doing in this forest? And why are u crying? You aren't hurt too badly are u?)
Karn rushed forward to them and examined them with worry. Nakul and Sahadev were shocked to see a commoner address them that way but immediately felt warm inside when the stranger examined them in worry. Nakul looked at  Sahadev to see that his brother was looking at him as he would look at Jyesht.

Nakul: Kshama kijiye hame. Hum yaha iss van mein akhele aaye the kuch khaas jhadi bhootiyon ke liye par hum iss van mein kho gaye aur nikhal nahin paaye. Isiliye hum rone lage. (Forgive us. We came in this forest to search unique herbs alone but we got lost. We started crying because we got scared.)

Sahadev: Paranthu aap kon hai aur aap iss van mein kyun hai. Kahi aap bhi hamaare jaise kho tho nahi gaye na? ( But who are u and why are u in this forest. Have u also gotten lost like us in this deep forest)

Karn's heart melted at the fear and worry in Sahadev's voice. He gently bent down to their level.
Karn: Mein Karn hoon. Aur main iss van mein meri maa aur behen ke liye kuch khadi bhootiyan aur lakhad ke liye aaya tha. Aur nahi mein iss van ko acche se jantha hoon. Waise itne dar hone ka koi avashyaktha nai hai. Aap log agar thodi dur aur challenge tho hum van se nikhal jaayenge. Chale? ( I am Karn. And I came to collect some herbs and wood for my mother and sister. And no I know this forest well. By the way, if u come a little far then u will be out of the forest. Let's go?)
Nakul was a bit doubtful but Sahadev felt warm and safe with Karn and he was never wrong about people so they nodded eagerly. Karn hoisted both of them on his shoulders and led them a little way before the twins brightened up as they saw the entrance of the forest. As they came out Karn let the other two Pandavas down. Both Nakul and Sahdev pouted at not being carried anymore. Sahdev looked up at him and for a minute he stood still as he saw his father Pandu smiling back at him. He glanced at Nakul to see him also look at karn with shocked and unbelieving eyes. When he glanced back at Karn he looked normal.
Karn sighed internally. He knew he appeared like Pandu to the two madreyas. How would he not? After all the two had lost their father at such a young age. He hated the fact that his siblings and cousins had to go through the harsh reality at such a young age. When they should have been laughing and joking about with children of their age, they had to live in the harsh forest even though they had comforts. When they should be listening to stories from their father they had to listen to the priests telling their brother how to cremate their father. He gritted his hands and swore to himself no more would his brothers suffer at the hands of royal politics. No more would there be a rift between his brothers and his cousins. No more would they be puppets for the elders to manipulate. Not if he had anything to say about it.

Sahadev was shocked to see the immense protectiveness coming from Karn towards them. The last time he had felt such care and protection had been from his father Pandu when he had gotten hurt learning how to wield an axe.
Sahadev: aapko dekhkar mujhe itni khushi aur itni suraksha kyun anubhav kar raha hoon? (why do I experience so much happiness and protection when I see u)
Nakul looked at Sahadev gobsmacked. Was this his same younger brother who would not open a word in front of the elders and dive into the scriptures and books whenever he got a chance? Was this the same Sahadev who had closed himself off from the world after their father's death? The same brother for whom he had to work so hard and threaten to bring him out of his shell with the help of his brothers. Was it his same brother who would think a hundred times before speaking who now had just apparently blabbed what he thought. Even he appeared to be shocked.

Nakul was startled out of his reverie when he heard Karn chuckle. He looked at him and he suddenly understood why Sahadev had said whatever first came to his mind. When he looked at Karn he felt the urge to immediately go hug him and just bury into him completely. He who was afraid of contact with anyone else except his brothers and mother along with nature felt like suddenly going and hugging this complete stranger. Only it didn't feel like he was a stranger it felt like he knew him forever.
Nakul slowly approached him with hesitancy and hugged him. Karn looked shocked and he thought he would be pushed away with horrification but he only felt a pair of warm hands wrap around him and hug him back tightly. He saw Sahadev also hug him and suddenly he let out all his hidden emotions out.
He started crying as the emotions that he had tried to keep hidden after his father's death so that he would not trouble his brother came out in a huge mess. The barrier he built around himself was destroyed by Karn in one swoop in just their first meeting. Sahadev seeing his brother crying joined him as he was unable to stay strong anymore. All the scriptures he had read talked about politics while all his books he read talked about happy families. Both the twins were broken to the core and Karn felt like his heart had been wrenched apart from him as he witnessed the crying forms of the twins in his arms. He bent down to their level and slowly wiped their tears away and gently patted their hairs murmuring sweet nothings to calm them down. When the twins calmed down he smiled gently at them.
Karn: Achha Hua aapne roya. Varna kisiko yeh kaisa pata chaltha App dono ne itna chupa kar rakha. Mujhe pata hai mein aap dono kuch bhi nahi hoon par mujhse vachan do ki aap dono paise Kabhi apni aasuon aur jazbaatein paise chupa kar rakhenge. Chahe kuch bhi ho jaye dusro ki baath aur u ki soch ko Kabhi aise hi math maan lo. Puri tarah se stithi ko dekho aur phir nirna lelo.   (its good that you too cried otherwise who would know you would have so much hidden in your hearts. I know I am nothing to you just a Stanger but promise me that you will never hide your emotions and feeling away. No matter what happens you Will always express them. And no matter what happens you will never agree to others opinion. You will always form an opinion after thoroughly examining the situation.)

Nakul and Sahadev glared at karn when he said that he was no one to them. They had already recognised him as their brother and nobody could change their minds once they had made a decision.
They nodded eagerly when Karn advised them.
Nakul: Hum samajhte hain aur aapko vaada bhi dethe hain kintu aapko hum pasand nahi hai kya.? ( we understand and we promise but Dont u like us?)
Sahadev: Haan aapko hum pasand nahi hai kya? Aap ye kyun samajh liya ki aap koi anya vyakti hai jo hum nahi jaan the hai. Hamaare liye aap hamara bhaiya hai. (Yea you don't like us? Why did you think that you are some stranger who we don't know. For us you are our big brother.)

Karn laughed out loud. He grinned at the twins' confused face.
Karn: Acha par mein suth hoon wo tikh hai? Agar aapko woh tikh hain tho Mujhe bhi tikh hai. Agar tikh hai tho gale laga dijiye. ( oh really but I am sutha. Is that fine? If that's fine I am also fine and you can hug me.)

Both together came rushing into karna's arms who grinned at the sky where a morpankh was floating in the air. He grinned as the 5 Pandavas were now his brothers the only remaining being The eldest Kauravas Duryodhan.

As karn dropped the twins back at the palace and reassuring them that he would be fine be found Duryodhan in the garden looking to be in deep reverie.

Duryodhan, had just returned from his mother's chamber when he saw Shakuni head to him. He grimaced internally as he remembered Bhishm and Vidhur's conversation. Nevertheless he schooled his features and greeted his uncle with his usual cheer.
Shakuni: Mere Priya bhaanje, abhi kuch dinon mein tum gurukul chaloge. Wahan tum Guru putr ashwatthama se mitrata kar lo. Wo bhi tumhare jaise hi prem uthna nahi mila Guru Dron se. Agar Wo Hamaare taraf mein aaya tho tumhe simhasan milna aur bhi aasan ho jaayega (My dear nephew you will soon be going to your school. I want u to make friends with ashwatthama Guru Dron's son. He was also deprived of love from Dron and be would be a great asset to win the throne for u in the future.)
Duryodhan : Ji mamashree mein aise avashya karunga. Aap abhi jaaiye maa se mil lijiye. Woh aapke liye intzaar kar rahi hogi. (Yes uncle I will do as u say. Now u please go meet mother. She will be waiting for u.)
He sat down jn the gardens by the water falls and pondered about his uncle when he suddenly heard a melodious voice.
Karn: Itne paani ko gurenge tho paani bhi dar jaayega. (If u stare at the water so much then even the water will get scared of you.)
Duryodhan: Aap kon hai? Aur aap mahal mein kaise aaye hain? Agar aapko pandavon ya phir mahamahim ko dekhna tho main aapko u ke paas bhijwa sakta hoon. ( who are you? Are you here to see the Pandavas or the grandsire? I can send you to them through a servant)
Karn shook his head in exasperation. How was it that each of his brothers were so innocent and still nobody could understand them.
Karn: Nahi chahiye maine suna tha ki yaha mein zaroori thi aur woh bhi aapke liye rajkumar Duryodhan. (Not needed, I had heard that there was need for me here and that too by you prince Duryodhan.)
Duryodhan : Arre par aap hai kaun aur mujhse aapki koi zarurat nahi. Kyun zarurat hoga mujhse? Mein tho Rajkumar aur woh bhi Hastinapur ki. Mujhe koi cheez ki kami nahi hai. ( But who are u and I don't need you? Why would I need you I am the prince of Hastinapur I have no shortage of anything?)
Karn: Accha mera naam tho Karn aur Mujhe laga ki mera yaha koi jaam hai yaha. Par tikhe mein nikhaltha hoon. ( oh really my name is karn and I really thought I had some work here but if not I'll leave.)
Duryodhan went into shock and turned so fast he could have broken his neck when he heard the name Karn. He rushed in front of him and stopped him.
Duryodhan: Wahi karn jisne mahamahim ko mere taraf prem badaya ? Wahi karn jo Mujhe yudhishtir ko mera bhai banne diya? Wahi karn jiske baare meine itna suna hai ki usko khud bhai samajhne laga? ( The Karn who increased love of Grandsire towards me? The same who made yudhishtir my brother? The same karn of whom I have heard so much that I have started considering him my own brother?)

Karn chuckled at the enthusiasm in Duryodhan's words. He nodded in affirmation and drew him into a hug and whispered.
Karn: Bhai bas smjho mat bhai hi hoon tumhara. Wo bhai jiske saath tumhe kabhi kuch bhi nahi chupana hai. ( Don't just imagine I'm your  brother because I am your brother. That brother who you don't have to hide anything from.)
Duryodhan nodded fervently. He turned around to find the Pandavas and his own brothers Dushasan, Vivinsati, Yuyutsu and Vikarn look at him with love. They all ran to Karn and gave hima big hear hug which included Duryodhan and The brothers finally felt the peace they craved so much.

Hey guys. I know super late update sorry about that. The next update will also be a bit late because I have another set of exams coming up in August and I have to prepare. Thanks for all the love and motivation I received from u guys it was so helpful.
Hope u enjoy this chapter. Bye
Varsha