The streets of Kampilya were crowded that afternoon. The arrival of so many royal guests had changed the rhythm of the city, and the people had begun gathering along the roads simply to see the banners and processions of kingdoms they had previously known only by name. Chariots moved slowly through the streets because of the crowds, soldiers rode alongside the royal carriages, and servants struggled to keep pace while carrying luggage and ceremonial gifts.
Among the many banners rising above the crowd, one stood out immediately—the Kuru banner.
Nakula noticed it first. He and Sahadeva were walking through another part of the city with their begging bowls, dressed in the simple garments of Brahmins as they had been every day. They had been returning toward the potter's house after collecting alms when Nakula suddenly stopped.
"Sahadeva."
Sahadeva followed his gaze. In the distance, the procession of Hastinapur was making its way through the streets. The sight of the Kuru banner was enough to make both brothers forget everything else around them. They moved toward the side of the road and remained among the other pedestrians, lowering their heads while secretly observing the procession.
Duryodhana was there. Dushasana rode nearby. And Shakuni was with them.
For a few moments Nakula simply watched. The realization came slowly.
"They invited Hastinapur after all."
Sahadeva nodded. "It seems we were wrong."
Neither brother had expected this. They had assumed that Hastinapur would stay away, just as Kunti had believed. Their entire reason for remaining in Kampilya had been that they could live quietly without becoming entangled in the affairs of the Kuru kingdom. Now that assumption had collapsed.
Nakula glanced once more toward Duryodhana. "We should tell Mother immediately."
Sahadeva's expression became serious. "And leave this place."
Nakula nodded. "There is one thing more important than everything else." His eyes followed the procession. "Brother Bhima."
Sahadeva understood immediately. "If Bhima encounters Duryodhana…"
"We have to be there." Nakula's face tightened. "If we aren't there to control him, he could expose us."
They did not need to say anything more. They turned around and began walking quickly toward the potter's house.
"Let's go."
Meanwhile, Duryodhana's procession eventually reached the palace. Drupada himself came to receive the Crown Prince of Hastinapur. But the welcome was formal. Polite. Nothing more.
Duryodhana noticed it immediately. Drupada stood before him with the expression of a king fulfilling his duty rather than a host welcoming an honored guest. There was caution in his eyes, and beneath that caution lay the old history between Panchala and Kuru. Even though Drupada had abandoned the inherited hostility between the kingdoms, abandoning enmity did not mean forgetting everything that had happened.
Duryodhana bowed respectfully. "Maharaj Drupada."
Drupada inclined his head. "Welcome to Kampilya, Crown Prince Duryodhana."
The prince's behavior surprised him. He had expected arrogance. Perhaps even some deliberate display of superiority now that Duryodhana had become the Crown Prince of Hastinapur. Instead, the young man stood calmly before him and spoke with courtesy. Drupada had to admit that it was not what he had expected.
Shakuni, however, immediately stepped forward with a broad smile. "Maharaj, what a pleasure it is to see how beautifully you have rebuilt Panchala."
Drupada's expression barely changed.
Shakuni continued. "After losing half of your kingdom, to restore it to such prosperity in only a few years is truly remarkable. One could almost think you never lost half of it at all."
The words sounded like praise. They were not. Drupada understood perfectly. The reminder of his defeat, the loss of half his kingdom, and the humiliation he had suffered at Drona's hands were wounds that had never completely disappeared. Shakuni had deliberately touched them while smiling.
Drupada's jaw tightened slightly. Duryodhana noticed. He gave his uncle a brief look but said nothing.
Shakuni continued praising the prosperity of Dakshina Panchala, each compliment carrying some small reminder of what Drupada had once lost. The king responded with the minimum courtesy required, and the welcome gradually became more uncomfortable.
Eventually Duryodhana was shown toward the quarters prepared for him. Shakuni and Dushasana continued ahead with the attendants. Duryodhana followed for a short distance before encountering someone coming from the opposite direction.
Karna.
Duryodhana's face immediately brightened. "Karna, my friend."
They greeted each other with a warm hug. Karna then looked past Duryodhana. Shakuni was still walking ahead. For the briefest moment, Karna's expression hardened. He remembered the Lakshagriha incident. He remembered Shakuni's involvement and the consequences that had followed. Karna had never forgotten it, nor had he forgotten how Shakuni had manipulated the situation around Duryodhana.
But Shakuni noticed him. He turned and smiled—an enormous, perfectly pleasant smile. Karna stared at him for a moment. Then, because he had no intention of creating a scene in Drupada's palace, he returned the greeting with a polite smile.
Duryodhana noticed the exchange. "Uncle, Dushasana, go ahead."
Shakuni nodded and continued walking. Once they were out of earshot, Duryodhana walked beside Karna.
Before Karna could say anything, Duryodhana spoke. "We did not travel together from Hastinapur. We met in Kampilya, actually. Perhaps he was waiting for me, I guess."
Karna glanced toward him and nodded. "I had reservations about Shakuni because of his involvement in the Lakshagriha incident."
Duryodhana remained quiet.
"But I understand that he is your uncle," Karna continued. "I cannot interfere in your relationship with him simply because I am unhappy with him. Still, I have to tell you this because you are my good friend, and because you are my Dushala's favorite brother." His voice softened slightly. "I hope you do not allow his thoughts to influence you. Always choose the noble path of a warrior. Do not take the sly path of a strategist simply because you find yourself in a difficult situation."
Duryodhana's smile remained. "You have nothing to worry about, my friend. You have seen that I am not the same Duryodhana I was years ago."
Karna nodded. "I have."
Duryodhana continued. "Even if Yudhishthira returns alive, I am confident that he will not be able to simply take the throne from me."
Karna looked at him for a moment. Then he smiled. "That is a good attitude. Keep that attitude all the time."
They continued walking. Karna's expression remained calm, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
*Sooner or later, the Pandavas will come into the light.*
He knew that. Truth could be hidden for a while. It could be buried beneath false names, distant roads, and years of silence. But not forever. And when that happened, Duryodhana would have to face Yudhishthira not as a dead prince from the past, but as a living claimant to the throne.
Yet Karna could not deny what he had seen during the past two years. Duryodhana had changed. His anger seemed more controlled. His speech carried greater maturity. He had learned to govern, to listen and to think beyond his immediate desires.
*It is good to see your attitude tempered.*
Karna glanced at his friend. For Duryodhana's sake, he hoped the change was genuine. Because once the truth about the Pandavas emerged, the real test of that change would begin.