Karna encountered a few Rakshasa tribes that were troubling the people who entered the forests. Those who agreed to peace, Karna gave them the route to the Dandaka, a mountain forest in the southwest of Dakshina Kalinga that borders with Uttara Kalinga too. He gave the forest to the Rakshasas and other demons. And then gave the ultimatum, either shift their home to the Dandaka forest or face extermination.
Under the tutelage of Lord Parashurama, to save the rishi and the villagers, over the 12 years, Karna has eradicated many rakshasa tribes with his sword, but now that he was a king, feeling responsible for the Rakshasas who were also considered his people as they were living on his land, he tried to make peace with them. Some accepted his peace offering, while some didn't.
As a result, about 27 Rakshasa tribes ended up in Dandaka forest and made it home, while the remaining 16 tribes were all eradicated by Karna's Vijayadhanush.
With his name spreading across the kingdoms of Bharatvarsh and Dakshina Kalinga's core relationship with Uttara Kalinga, those who were allies with Uttara Kalinga, like Utkala, Karusa from the north, and Andhra, Chola, Kollagiri, and Kuntala from the south, all send their messengers and envoys to establish friendly relations with Dakshina Kalinga.
Some of them included even swayamvara proposals, but Karna rejected them all. Karna only maintained trade relations with the other kingdoms; no military alliance was established except for Uttara Kalinga. As for the swayamvaras… in the past 2 years, Karna was invited 5 times from different parts of Bharatvarsh, but he never attended a single one, maintaining a firm stance of not marrying another one.
As for his personal life, Roshini also gave him some good news, making him a father, and at the moment, she is around 6 and a half months pregnant, and expecting twins.
In the Present;
Karna walked the streets like every morning.
He wore simple clothes with no crown or heavy ornaments. Roshini walked beside him, sometimes holding his hand, sometimes carrying a small basket of seeds to plant in the gardens.
People bowed when they saw them, some shy, some bold, but Karna always stopped to speak, asking about their well-being.
"How is the well holding water?"
"Have the children settled into the new school?"
"Is the roof leaking in the monsoon?"
After conversing with people during his morning walk, Karna returned to the palace.
Later that morning, the throne hall filled with its usual rhythm.
Karna sat on his throne in the majestic throne. Ministers gathered on both sides, some old, some young, scrolls and ledgers open before them. Commoners stood at the far end, farmers, merchants, village elders, allowed in to hear and speak. The air smelled faintly of sandalwood from the lamps that burned even in daylight.
Karna looked toward the Prime Minister.
"Prime Minister Timmarasu, kindly begin today's session."
The Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Timmarasu, a middle-aged man of average height with a pot belly, rose to his feet and bowed, "Maharaj. An envoy from Magadha is here."
"Magadha?"
Karna's expression shifted at once, a quiet frown forming between his brows. "We cannot have any relationship with a king like Jarasandha who doesn't have the values of dharma but looks only at strength and might." He said.
Timmarasu nodded carefully and replied, "Maharaj, we still cannot send away an envoy without listening to the message he carried with him. Moreover, the one who came as an envoy isn't a messenger but a special advisor to the King. It will be a violation of Rajadharma."
Karna sighed inwardly, but eventually nodded, "Alright. Let us see what he has to say."
A while later, a young pandit walked inside. He looked calm, and his steps seemed quite confident, and his gaze never wandered. He reached the center of the hall and bowed with his palms joined, "Maharaj, my name is Satyavakta, a special advisor to King Jarasandha."
Karna nodded, "Please go on."
The Pandit Satyavakta then took out what seemed like a scroll and said. "Rajan, our Maharaj is conducting a tournament for the wrestlers from all over the Bharatvarsh, on the third day after the next full moon. Our Maharaj was a worshipper of strength. And he was very impressed by your feats, and he would like to invite Rajan as the chief guest, and at the end of the tournament, he would like to have a friendly spar with Rajan."
"A friendly spar?" A frown appeared on Karna's face. He looked at the Prime Minister and said, "What do you think, Prime Minister Timmarasu?"
The Prime Minister replied politely, "Maharaj, Magadha is not our ally, and we didn't have any friendship treaty with the kingdom. We don't have any obligations to fulfill this invitation. Also, the invitation contained a sparring match against King Jarasandha, who is known to be invincible in Wrestling. And Maharaj isn't a wrestler either. However, Maharaj... Magadha is still a friendly kingdom to Uttara Kalinga and not our enemy either. Since King Jarasandha invited Maharaj as a chief guest, the reason should be valid, or else, it will appear as if Maharaj is afraid of a wrestling contest."
At that, as the envoy's face slightly fell, feeling as if this invitation was going to be rejected, Karna opened his mouth, "What if I go there and participate in the spar too. And if Jarasandha extends the friendship, would it violate rajadharm if I reject it outright? No need to hesitate because his envoy is here. Just say what you think."
"Huh?" The Prime Minister was taken aback, but he nodded, "No, it won't, Maharaj. We accept or reject the friendship based on the interests of our kingdom. But if you reject him to his face, a proud king like Jarasandha might turn into an enemy."
Karna nodded and then looked at the Envoy and said, "Envoy Satyavakta, you may return to your king and tell them that I will accept this invitation, but surely give a subtle reminder to him, however you want to give, private or public, that Dakshina Kalinga's values are different from Magadha. We don't care about the might of our allies. We care more about their code of conduct toward their citizens and their relations with other kings. That is why King Kamsa is our enemy, and one day it is possible that we might go into a war with him, too."
The envoy stiffened, but he could only nod and retreat from the room.
Once he was gone from sight, Karna then smiled, "Let's move on to the next agenda."
*
Magadha – Seven days later;
The throne hall of Girivraja, capital of Magadha, was dark and vast. Thick stone pillars rose like giants. Torches burned in iron brackets, casting long shadows. King Jarasandha sat on a high black throne, massive, carved with roaring lions, his body broad and powerful, scars crisscrossing his arms and chest.
His eyes, dark and intense, were fixed on the envoy who had just returned.
Satyavakta bowed low. "Maharaj… King Karna accepts your invitation. He will come as the chief guest… and he will participate in the friendly spar."
Jarasandha leaned forward, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his face. "Good. Very good."
The envoy hesitated. "But… he added a message. He said Dakshina Kalinga's values differ from ours. They do not care for the might of allies, only for their conduct toward citizens and other kings. And he treats Maharaj Kamsa as his enemy that he might go against."
"Okay, and what does that exactly mean?" As Jarasandha asked, the special advisor replied, "In a subtle way, he was saying that he had no interest in forming any friendship treaty with us, later on, as long as we align ourselves with Mathura."
The hall went still. Jarasandha's smile vanished. His leg slammed down, and the entire throne room trembled as if an earthquake had struck. Ministers stumbled. Goblets rattled. Some fell to their knees.
Then, silence.
Jarasandha stared at the envoy for a long moment. Then he laughed, deep, booming, echoing off the stone walls. "Interesting. I like kings with such strong personalities. Let him come first. Then we will see..."
He rose, towering, unyielding. "Prepare the arena. Make it as grand as possible."
His eyes glittered, not with anger now, but with something sharper. Anticipation.
The torches flickered. The hall grew quiet again, but the air felt heavier now.