The formal welcome was grand.
Conches echoed.
Flower petals were scattered.
Servants and royal guards bowed deeply.
After the greetings concluded, Dushala and Ratnaprabha were respectfully escorted toward the women's royal quarters by palace attendants.
Princess Dushala glanced backward once toward Karna before disappearing beyond the corridor curtains.
Ratnaprabha too looked briefly toward him before following the attendants silently.
Meanwhile…
Karna, Duryodhana, and King Indraverma moved toward a more private chamber for discussions.
As for Ranadheera…
Though he remained a respected commander of Matsya, he was still neither prince nor king.
Thus, after proper hospitality, he was escorted separately toward the guest quarters reserved for high-ranking military officers rather than royalty.
Inside the private royal chamber of Kashi, the atmosphere was far calmer compared to the noisy military camps outside the city walls.
The chamber had wide carved windows through which the early morning breeze entered gently, carrying the scent of the nearby Ganga river mixed with sandalwood incense burning slowly near the pillars.
Golden lamps still flickered softly despite dawn already arriving, and servants quietly moved around pouring warm herbal drinks before withdrawing to the corners without disturbing the discussion between kings and princes.
Prince Duryodhana sat across from King Indraverma while Karna remained nearby, calmly listening.
Compared to Hastinapura's heavy political atmosphere, the mood here felt strangely lighter for Duryodhana.
Perhaps it was because there were no Pandavas present.
Perhaps it was because Bhishma, Vidura, and Shakuni were not constantly watching every word spoken in the court.
Or perhaps it was simply because during this journey, for the first time in many months, Duryodhana felt like someone was looking at him not merely as the rival of Yudhisthira or someone who only exists to make trouble, but as an individual himself.
Duryodhana explained the purpose of Dushala's travel toward Prayag and the arrangements regarding the return journey through river boats. As he spoke, however, his attention repeatedly drifted back toward Karna.
And then, almost unconsciously, admiration began entering his words.
"Maharaj Indraverma," Duryodhana said while leaning slightly forward, "even now I still cannot properly understand what we experienced yesterday. We crossed such an enormous distance in less than a day while transporting thousands of cattle, war horses, soldiers, and supplies together. Even the fastest cavalry divisions of Hastinapura would require weeks for such movement."
His voice carried genuine amazement.
"Above the skies itself," he continued, "without roads, without river crossings, without fear of bandits or enemy ambushes… the experience was quite surreal."
Indraverma smiled after hearing that.
"Maharaj Karna is different from other rulers, Prince Duryodhana," he replied calmly. "Comparing him with ordinary kings is like comparing a torch to the sun. Both give light, yes… but one merely pushes away darkness nearby while the other shapes the very rhythm of the world."
Duryodhana listened silently, but he agreed.
Then Indraverma continued further.
"If you truly wish to understand him better," the young king said, "you should visit Kanipura itself. Many kingdoms possess wealth. Many possess armies. Many possess beautiful palaces. But Kanipura…" He paused briefly while smiling faintly. "Kanipura feels different."
Even Karna looked toward him quietly.
Indraverma leaned back slightly before continuing.
"That city was designed by Dev Vishwakarma himself. The roads, canals, markets, temples, military districts, gardens, ports… everything feels alive there. It is not merely a capital city. It feels like someone imagined what a kingdom should become and then forced reality itself to match that imagination."
Duryodhana's interest visibly deepened.
"I will definitely visit one day," he said almost immediately.
Then, after a short silence, bitterness slowly entered his expression again.
"It is not like I carry many responsibilities at home now anyway," he added with a dry laugh. "After all, Yudhisthira already stole away my rightful heirship."
The frustration hidden beneath those words did not escape Karna.
Still, before Karna could say anything, Duryodhana looked directly at him.
"Maharaj Karna," he said more seriously, "if you permit it… I would like to accompany you to Kanipura myself."
The room became briefly quiet.
Karna observed him for a moment.
Then he replied calmly, "Rajkumar, from here onward, we will not travel through the skies anymore. The rest of the journey will happen by land. We will stop at multiple kingdoms first, beginning with Magadha and afterward Uttara Kalinga. At last Kanipura."
Duryodhana immediately nodded.
"I do not mind."
Then a faint grin appeared on his face.
"As a mace warrior myself, I have long wished to visit Magadha one day. Even if Kuru and Magadha will never establish proper relations, I still admire Maharaj Jarasandha greatly."
Karna smiled slightly after hearing that. "Then, you are welcome to join us."
The answer visibly brightened Duryodhana's mood.
And somewhere nearby, unnoticed by the men speaking below…
Princess Dushala silently listened from behind a decorative curtain separating the royal women's side corridor from the audience chamber passageway.
Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the silk fabric when she heard that Karna would continue traveling for many more weeks.
Three days later, preparations for departure finally began again.
The camps outside Kashi became active before sunrise itself. Soldiers moved through the mist-covered grounds while elephants trumpeted heavily from their enclosures. Large river boats arranged by Kashi floated across the Ganga nearby, prepared for Matsya's return transport.
Because of the altered travel plans, Commander Ranadheera and Matsya's army would now transport their share of elephants independently through the river route. The Kuru elephant divisions, too, remained temporarily near Kashi under Hastinapura's protection camps.
Meanwhile…
Karna's own journey southward was prepared to continue.
From the balcony of the Kashi palace, Dushala watched silently as the massive Suryasena columns assembled outside the city. Endless banners bearing the golden emblem of the Sun fluttered beneath the morning winds while cavalry units organized themselves in disciplined formations.
And there…
Near the center…
Karna stood beside Ratnaprabha, speaking calmly with commanders.
Dushala's eyes lingered on him quietly.
But when she saw Ratnaprabha standing so naturally beside him again, gently holding his arm while listening to him speak… A faint sadness appeared within her gaze.
Down below, Duryodhana approached Karna before departure.
Their farewell toward one another no longer carried the stiffness of two unfamiliar rulers.
Instead, there was familiarity now.
Respect.
And perhaps the beginning of something more dangerous.
Friendship?
The journey toward Magadha began.
Weeks passed on the road.
Dust-covered highways stretched endlessly through forests, villages, riversides, and mountain paths while the massive Suryasena escorted the trade caravans steadily southward. During the day, sunlight reflected against thousands of weapons and armor pieces, while during the nights, countless campfires illuminated the temporary military camps like fallen stars across the earth.
And throughout these weeks…
Karna and Duryodhana grew significantly closer, especially through sparring.
Whenever the camps settled for the evening and military duties concluded, both of them often entered the training grounds together carrying heavy maces. Soldiers from both sides gathered around constantly to watch because the sight itself was overwhelming.
The sound of their mace clashes echoed like thunder.
The impact vibrations traveled through the ground beneath their feet.
Sweat mixed with dust while sparks occasionally burst from metal collisions.
Duryodhana fought aggressively.
Powerfully like a warrior trying to break through obstacles through sheer force.
Meanwhile, Karna fought with frightening calmness.
Even during heavy exchanges, his breathing remained controlled while his movements carried terrifying precision.
Again and again, Duryodhana found himself pushed backward despite his enormous physical strength.
Yet strangely… Karna never humiliated him.
Instead, he corrected him like a trainer, maybe an elder brother?
"Your shoulders tense before heavy swings," Karna once said after blocking a brutal strike. "A mace is like anger, Duryodhana. If you swing wildly, it controls you instead of serving you, and your opponent can easily use it against you."
Another day, after Duryodhana lost balance during a rotational attack, Karna stopped the spar immediately before explaining calmly,
"When a king loses balance emotionally, the kingdom falls with him. Remember this. In battle, an imbalance costs a position. In ruling, imbalance costs lives."
Duryodhana listened seriously every single time.
And as the days passed, Karna's impression of him slowly improved.
Because beneath the jealousy and frustration…
Duryodhana was not foolish.
In fact, far from it.
Many nights during campfires, they discussed governance, dharma, administration, war strategy, taxation, social structures, and political authority.
And surprisingly…
Duryodhana's thoughts often impressed Karna deeply.