After deciding what to do with the baby, Adhiratha and Radha went to their house. Next day Adhiratha woke up the horses and attached them to the chariot. He then headed towards the Hastinapur while Radha decided to go their next day. Since Karna was floating in the Ganga River they feared Karna might be sick.
Next day, Radha too got ready and packed things for travel. She was determined to ask the royal family to allow them to adopt Karna since she was sure it was the blessing of gods. But they had to inform the authorities since they can't just adopt a kid. Especially since they work for the royal family. Since the royal family have a favorable impression of them it would be easier for them than others.
While Radha and Adhiratha were busy with their own duty and problems of adopting a baby, there was a panic attack having in little Karna's head.
'Hey, are you really taking me to Hastinapur. Can't you just forget about it and stay in the village? Do you have to have to take me there?'
'Master, why are you panicking?'
'Why am I panicking? Can't you see they are taking me to Hastinapur to Bhisma Pitamaha?'
'Yes I can see it through the information in your mind.'
'And you are still asking me, why am I panicking?'
'Yes, I am'
'Pitamaha Bhisma is a demigod. His mother is daughter of Lord Brahma and his father is a very powerful mortal who could grant boons like only dying when one wishes. He is over the top just from his birth alone and on top of that he has trained and learnt from Lord Parshuram. He is basically a god and he can instantly recognize that I am a child of a god.
And I will be connected to the Hastinapur kingdom in one way or another. I don't want that. I want to stay as far as possible from the Hastinapur kingdom. I want to enjoy this life and bring many changes but I can't do that if I stay in Hastinapur kingdom. If I am connected to the kingdom then either I will be suppressed like the original Karna or I won't be enjoy thing I create.'
'Master, your father lord sun has blessed you to not have your origin revealed unless it is done by the beings in the room at the time of your birth. Meaning only 3 beings can reveal your origin, your father, your mother and on the base of technicality you. Pitamaha Bhisma won't know that you are a demi-god at all.'
'Oh if that's the case then it's okay. But I still don't want to come into their attention if I can help.'
'But you can't. Moreover I don't think they will give any extra attention to you. You won't be that special in their eyes. At most they will occasionally ask about you if they have a mood otherwise you won't be noticed at all. Right now, Hastinapur finally has a king after some generations. They will be more focused on solidifying his power and marriage than a mere boy adopted by one of their charioteer.'
'Well, then it's a relief.'
After sometime Radha entered the city and went towards the stable to meet Adhiratha. Adhiratha then took her towards one of the castle and waited in the stairs. Seeing that they were not entering the castle Radha asked, "Husband dear, why are we waiting here? Didn't you tell the Pitamaha Bhisma about the baby and request a meeting?"
"Oh my dear fool. Of course, I did. But we are small people. We cannot go into the palace unless we are summoned. I told Pitamaha Bhisma about the baby yesterday and also that we wish to adopt him. He said that he will meet the baby today and decide. Right now, he has gone to the Ganga River to pray. We will meet him when he comes back."
As they were talking there was some sound of horses and wheels. Radha and Adhiratha looked towards the gate and saw a chariot coming towards the castle. The chariot stopped in the courtyard and someone stepped down.
The man who stepped down was excluding a very huge aura which is sensed by only those who have the special ability. The aura was so great that the baby Karna who had fallen asleep woke up and looked towards the man. The sight stunned the baby Karna.
The figure stepping down from the chariot was unlike anything Karna/Shaurya had ever imagined in his life. Bhisma, the name itself carried a weight like a presence of a mountain or the endless flow of a mighty river. His name is like MADARA from the Naruto anime in his old life whose name alone could make the powerful leaders of the world who had been enemy for a long time band together.
The majestic feeling Madara gave to his enemies when he stood against the entire shinobi world would be nothing compared to the majestic feeling this man is excluding just by walking. Shaurya had read about Kings and warriors, he had seen movies and anime that tried to capture their majestic feeling but nothing compared to this.
His silver hair, still damp from his morning prayers in Ganga River, caught thee sunlight like strands of pure moonlight. His board shoulders seemed to not just carry the weight of the armor but the invisible burden of the lifetime of sacrifice and duty. He moved with elegance that no mortal should possess.
Shaurya watched, transfixed, as he descended from the chariot. The golden lights of the sun itself paled in comparison to this man. The charioteer and everyone in the courtyard bowed to the man and Shaurya felt as if he himself would bow if he could. He watched in awe unable to tear his eyes away.
Bhisma walked towards the palace. Both Adhiratha and Radha were bowing to him and baby Shaurya was looking towards him without blinking his eyes. When Bhisma looked towards him, Shaurya felt as if his breath being hitched.
"Adhiratha, this is the baby you found on Ganga River and wish to adopt."
""Yes, my lord"
"Hmm very well. You can adopt him." After saying that Bhisma walked away.
'This child definitely has the presence of my mother's power in him. Radha and Adhiratha may have been blessed by my mother with a child. I shouldn't take this child away even if he has the signs of divinity in him. But right now, I should focus on something else. I have heard that King Kuntibhoj is preparing for the swayamvar of his daughter princess Kunti. I have heard many good things about her. She would be perfect queen for Hastinapur. I should go talk to King Pandu about this matter'
The whole interaction wasn't even a minute yet it felt like eternity to Shaurya. Shaurya at that moment knew what it means to stand in front of someone truly capable and royal.
"Husband dear, did you hear that? Pitamaha has allowed us to adopt the baby. Now we can raise him as our own."
"Yes dear, I heard it. We are now parents. Now what should we call our baby?"
Time skip: 4 years.
"Radheya, oh Radheya. Where are you, my son? Look mother is searching for you. Don't make your mother search all day for you, my son." Radha shouted while searching for Radheya (son of Radha) in the bank of Ganga River. Radheya has been a mischievous from the moment he could walk. He would walk, run as much as he can which caused tension for his parents. And nowadays he has started to swim in the fierce Ganga River despite them forbidding him many times, like right now.
"I am here mom." Radheya said as he came up from the middle of the River.
"What are you doing there? Didn't I tell you it's dangerous in the River? How many times are you going to ignore me, huh? Come here I will teach you a lesson today?"
As Radheya reached the shore, Radha Maa boxed his ears and started to take him towards home. "Ow ow ow ow ow. It hurts Maa. It hurts. Please I won't do it again."
"Oho ho ho as if I would believe you. How many times have I forbid you from going into the river and how many times have you disobeyed me? Every time you say I won't do it again and every time you do it again. This time I am tying you to a tree in front of me and not letting you anywhere."
Radha took him and tied him to a tree in front of her. As these things were happening, Shaurya was talking to his personal A.I
'Hey when can I actually train in martial arts? I can't continue to swim if I do Radha Maa will be angrier and I don't want to face any punishment. When will my body be ready?'
'Don't worry master, your body will be ready in few months. If you don't want to be punished then search for something to do because right now the only exercise you can do is swim to increase your stamina. Other exercise would be harmful for you since your body foundation hasn't been set.'
'Alright, alright I will search for one.'
After Radha secured Radheya in the tree, she sat in front of the tree and started to do her daily work. Just then a female neighbor came to their house.
"Are oo Radha, why have you tied the poor boy? What did he do?"
"What do I tell you Sumitra? This boy has made me mad with his antics. You know how many times I forbid him from going into the River and each times he disobeys and goes there. Now that I have tied him, I will see how will he disobeys me."
"Ohh that's why you were looking angry. My daughter Vrushali was coming here to search for him and suddenly returned saying you were tying him. She plead with me to have him freed, you know. That girl, ha ha ha ha"
"Ahh how much she cares for him. She is younger than him but she still tries to save him whenever he is in trouble. Hey what say you, let her become my daughter-in-law?"
"Huh. What are you saying? She is just 3 years old and you want to take her away. Her spending every day here isn't enough for you?"
"I am not talking about right now. I meant when they grow up. Look both of them are fond of each other and our families also match each other. And we know each other very well. When the time is right, we will become in-laws from neighbors."
"Well I will talk with my husband when he returns tonight and you also talk with yours. We will discuss further tomorrow, okay?"
As the two mothers were discussing this, the tied up Shaurya who was hearing all of this was making a paler face as the moment passed by.
'Ey ey ey, what are you guys talking about? Why are you guys talking about our marriage? We are still child. Don't you know, it is illegal to have child marriage? And even if the marriage is to happen later, how can you guys decide to just get us married without asking us? Don't you know that the consent of both parties is required for marriage? We should be able to choose our own partners like the swayamvar.'
'Master I think you are little confused. The concept of choosing owns partner by themselves is new. At most it has history of 2 centuries. Having partners selected by parents is normal. And even in the case of Swayamvar, the options of partners are also arranged by the parents. The girls choose the one they like from the presented options.
And also in case of child marriage, I don't know, if you are paying attention or not but most of the marriages here are teen marriage. The body of people of this era is very strong and full of vitality. The problems that occurred in Kaliyug due to early marriage doesn't happen here. So, if my information is correct, then the marriage at 13-14 years is normal in this world among the common people.'
'Even if the marriage is fixed at the early age what makes you think I will follow through? There is a huge chance that I would be learning divine arts from a teacher, most likely and preferably Parshuram, at that time. What makes you think that I will marry her? There is a chance she will be married to someone else by then. And I will be from early marriage.'
'Considering the fact that the fact that original Karna's wife's name is Vrushali. And she waited a long time for him till he came back from lord Parsuram's ashram. I think there is a huge chance of you marring her before going to learn.'
'NOOOO.'