Karna: The Boy Who Was Told "No"
The sun was high over Hastinapur.
Karna stood at the edge of the royal training grounds, barefoot, dust on his knees, a reed bow slung across his back.
He had walked all morning to reach this place.
He had heard stories—of princes learning archery, of warriors spinning spears like wind, of a boy named Arjuna who could hit a moving target blindfolded.
Karna wanted to watch.
He wanted to learn.
He stepped toward the gate.
A guard blocked him.
"Name?"
"Karṇa."
"Lineage?"
"I live with Adhiratha, the charioteer."
The guard didn't ask anything else.
He simply stepped forward and said:
"Not allowed."
Karna blinked.
"I only want to watch."
"Not allowed."
"I can stand outside the ring."
"Not allowed."
The gate closed.
The Glimpse
Karna didn't argue.
He walked around the perimeter, found a gap in the wall, and crouched low.
Inside, boys in silk tunics trained with polished bows.
One of them moved differently.
Focused. Fluid. Fierce.
Arjuna.
Karna watched him for hours.
Every shot was clean.
Every movement was deliberate.
Karna didn't envy him.
He studied him.
"If he can do it," Karna whispered, "so can I."
He didn't know they were destined to clash.
He only knew that the fire had begun.
The Return of Dhira
Far to the south, in the Varha ridgelands, Dhira returned home.
His journey through the forest had left him with bruises, stories, and a new kind of silence.
He had met a Crescent scout who spoke in riddles.
He had found a cave where the wind sang in Sanskrit.
He had chased a bull that vanished into mist.
Now, he stood at the edge of the settlement, mango leaves in his hair, a crooked stick in his hand.
His father, Raghvan, waited at the gate.
A Rathi-level warrior. Calm. Precise. Unshaken.
"You're late," Raghvan said.
"I got distracted by a goat with attitude."
"Did you learn anything?"
"Yes. I want to travel the world."
Raghvan raised an eyebrow.
"You're seven."
"I'll wait till I'm older. But I want to be ready."
Raghvan nodded.
"Then you'll train with me."
The First Lesson
That evening, Dhira stood in the courtyard, holding a wooden staff.
Raghvan circled him.
"Balance is not just about standing. It's about knowing when to fall."
"I don't plan to fall."
"Then you don't plan to learn."
Dhira grinned.
"Teach me, old man."
"Call me that again and I'll make you spar blindfolded."
"Deal."
The training began.
Karna's Resolve
Back in the village, Karna returned home.
Radha saw the dust on his feet, the silence in his eyes.
"Did you find the palace?"
"Yes."
"Did they let you in?"
"No."
She hugged him.
He didn't cry.
He didn't complain.
He walked to the backyard, picked up his reed bow, and aimed at the sun.
"I will learn," he whispered. "Even if no one teaches me."
"I will enter every gate they close."
"And I will never ask permission to be who I am."