Different Yet Pleasant (On Hold)

16. Tracing Back Our Steps- 11

"Arjun look where you are going!"

"oh... Thank you bhrata Bheem" he replied as he narrowly dogged a tree.

"Arjun you are still thinking about Rajkumari Sonakshi?"

It was more of a statement from Yudhistir than a question.

"Her father was killed in the battle-" Nakula said.

"By Angraj Karna" Arjuna hissed, gritting his teeth "I know that. But what no one knows where she is now."

A strange silence fell on the usually lively brothers. Arjun had been rather disturbed ever since the battle and Sonakshi's disappearance for the past few days although he wouldn't openly admit it. Their mother was also not handling the incident well.

Yudhistir sighed. He was to take care of his family but he couldn't see any way to distract Arjuna from his melancholic state- his little, sensitive, warrior brother whose conscience pricked him constantly for being unable to defend the woman he had begun loving because circumstances had disabled them from revealing their true identities.

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Sonakshi was frustrated. She couldn't understand why Karna was acting like this around her?

She angrily pulled out some pieces of jewellery adorning and threw them on the bed before plopping down on it herself. It was his palace, his jewellery, in fact everything here right down to the kajal in her eyes belonged to him.

Yet whenever she tried to indirectly broach the matter with him as was appropriate of a woman, he would talk as if no such issue even existed.

He was amiable with her but always courteous, humorous but always respectful, he was a perfect gentleman, warrior and king but she often she was often irritated because he was like that with almost everybody else.

She was almost tempted to go to the riverbank where he offered his morning prayers and just make her wish to him.

A few tears of frustration rolled down her cheeks.

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"Sonakshi"

She stirred slightly. Hearing footsteps coming nearer, her subconscious was alerted making her lift her head.

"Rajkumari is everything alright?"

"Karna..." she said now sitting up straight.

"Here have some water" he said pouring from a golden container.

He wondered whether he should sit next to her or in an armchair farther at the window. He gestured to the servants to being him a chair near her bed where the princess of Pirajshya was sitting having been woken up from her slumber.

"Rajkumari Sonakshi I was informed by your attendants that you were very upset about something. So I came to speak to you."

He asked nervously. Her eyes still had traces of sleep with the kajal smeared around. She did not respond to him but he could swear he saw her eyes flash for a split second as if in some strong emotion. He knew her silence was not due to sleep.

"Rajkumari Sonakshi please don't hold back. Feel free to speak your minds out."

"Angraj  Karna my parents loved me a lot. I was the lifeline of my family..."

He cast his eyes down. He couldn't bear to see the pain make itself room on her face.

"And now they might be far away from me yet they still reside in my heart. I know they would certainly not like to see me without a place in this world seeking revenge which is unjustified."