Chapter 24 24. The Princess Of Gandhar

Radha handed Karna to Gandhari, While Karna was looking at the two couples in front of him. It's not hard for him to guess who they are. After all, one was blind and the other one was blindfolded. Even if he didn't know much of Mahabharat, He knows them.

'Queen of Hastinapur Gandhari, She is the same as in those retellings, magnanimous and gentle.'

This thing thought Karna as he lay in her arms. Her gentleness was addictive. He just wanted to lie there and do nothing as that bosom of hers was a safe haven that protected some from outside words ruthlessness.

"Let me see, If he is as beautiful as you said."

Gandhari said jokingly and ran her fingertips over Karna's face. Her slender long fingers first landed on his forehead then slowly and carefully started moving downwards, They touched and felt his eyebrows and then his lotus eyes, After that, they moved and felt his small nose and the tiny plum lips.

"He really seems beautiful Radha, Unfortunately, I can't appreciate his beauty."

Gandhari really thought Karna was beautiful, Even if she can't see it, Her other senses are enhanced because of it, So she was able to create images in her mind that was 50 to 60 percent similar to Karna.

"So handsome little guy, What do you want me to give you?"

Gandhari asked as she unraveled his warped naked body. She first wanted to give him 1000 gold coins but now she changed her mind. How can only 1000 gold coins be worthy of him? So she was lost in thoughts, Thinking about what to give him.

Karna was embarrassed. Even though he is now a baby and it's totally normal for her to do this, he has the memories and soul of a teenager. He was stripped naked, and yet he can't do anything. His tiny body is not allowed. This makes him feel shy and ashamed.

But then he puts aside the shame for a time being, As he tries to remember her story.

She was the Princess of Gandhar, The precious flower of her 100 brothers. They used to spoil her and shower her with their love. She was the source of their happiness but one day everything changed.

The son of Ganga, Bhisma with the army of Hastinapur came to their kingdom. At first, her father gives respect and service as a host to them but when Bhisma asked him for the hand in marriage of Gandhari for his nephew Dhritarashtra, Everything changes.

Hearing this "request" both her father and brother were enraged. How can they marry their one and only sister to a blind man and throw her into a life of misery? So they outright denied it.

But Bhisma knowing Gandhari has got a boon from lord Shiva of having 100 sons adamant to let her marry Dhritarashtra, A future king. As he didn't want a situation like the past to happen as only the king of Hastinapur died without leaving any heir behind making him Kingless.

Seeing that they will not marry Gandhari that easily, He waged war on them thinking this make them give her up but surprisingly they did not back out even when they far out matched and fight bravely to protect the honor of their sister but sadly in front of world-renowned and demi-god warrior like Bhisma they were not able to put much fight. Even then they fought until they had breath in their body but even that at one point stopped.

Gandhari has to watch and feel the sorrow of the death of both her father and brothers on the same day. This broke her, She blamed herself for the fall of their kingdom, She fell into despair so much she didn't even know when or how they reached Hastinapur and married to Dhritarashtra. She was like a puppet following the command of strings.

It was not until the news of the survival of her one brother Shakuni that She recovered a little. It also helps that even though sometimes Dhritarashtra was moody, especially when someone pointed out his disability, He was a caring husband. So out of her respect and love for him and as the dharma of the wife, She blinded herself. She didn't want him to feel inferior to her, This was the main reason behind her actions.I think you should take a look at

'This piece of cloth is responsible for her misery and pain, This also will lay the base for the war.'

Recalling her story Karna had sympathy for this queen and immense respect, Even the emotions brought by cause and effect wanted him to change her fate, So he reached his tiny hands forward towards that cloth but found out, His small body is incapable of reaching that far.

"What happened Karna, You don't like being lied down?"

Gandhari sensing the struggle of Karn Thought that he was not comfortable on her lap, So she lifted his but naked body in front of her to make a change in her lap position.

'That's it!!!'

When Karna was helpless, Gandhari lent him an olive branch. When she held him, It was enough for him to reach out and snap that cloth from her eyes.

So he did it. He with his tiny hands reached out and grabbed that cloth and with force snapped it out of her face. He who possesses a sovereign constitution has enough power even as a baby to pull that cloth out.

*Bang*

The moment her cloth was snatched by Karna Up in the sky heaven trembled, The throne of Indra started to shake, Earth herself shows her joy, The celestial signs started to appear everywhere, Birds and animals also became happy, As they too were happy that cursed cloth taken from her eyes.

Karna held that cloth in his hand and looked at Gandhari, Just as she in shock opened her celestial eyes to look at him.

*Swing*

In a flash two beams of light shot from her eyes and fell onto his body. Karna didn't know what was happening, So in fear, he tried to yank himself out of that beam but because he was firmly held by Gandhari, He just spun around his back making that light fall on his back but he still tried making that light fall everywhere on his body.

[Ding!!!....]

Suddenly the voice of the system rang in his mind, Easing his panic and stopping in his tracks.

(A/N : Hey guess what crit reward he will get.

There is nothing else to write So,

Thank you for reading and have a good day�.)