INCARCERATED SUN - The Imprisoned Fate

START FROM BEGINNING

Karna took a deep breath as he lean back on the chair, moving his neck to side while cracking his knuckles..........It was truly some work ekalavya left for him as revenge, for real.

He walk out of the work room towards the garden, the only place that gives a soothing feeling only to find Shikhandi there.

"Rajkumari Shikhandi"

Hearing the known voice, Shikhandi turn around as she greeted karna.

"Pranipat"

"I did said you can be unofficial with this now, ekalavya calls me bhrata"

"Are you older than me?" Shikhandi asked while raising an eyebrow as Karna look at her before chuckling saying "I don't think so, are you?"

"am I?" Shikhandi repeated his question while fakely thinking about it as she answered "I don't think so too"

"maybe we could be friends then" Karna offered as warrior woman look at him from head to toe before nodding but her eyes are on the flowers in front of her.

"are you happy here? With Ekalavya?" Karna ask as he notice Shikhandi's silnec before she nod saying "I am, you know when I first came here...........I was like I never thought I would wear these.....women's clothes...........or whatever"

Karna couldn't help but to laugh when he hear Shikhandi saying 'whatever' as he nodded before asking "I don't mean to offend you but......is there any complications between you and and Maharaj Draupad?"

Shikhandi look at him more a while before shrugging as she says "I don't know.....I think he didn't wanted a daughter at first or maybe he is like.....I don't have anything to say to him beside, he gave me everything.........I just knew I want to learn weaponary.....to reach my goal"

There was whisper at the end of sentence as Karna nodded before walking towards the tree in front as he asks "and......what is your goal?"

He observe shikhandi's hesitation and the way she avoid eye contact with him unlike other time when she was answering as he himself calmy speak "Gangaputra Bhisma?"

Their is complete silence covering the area like a blanket as Karna hear breath hitching sound making him sigh "The most brave, beautiful, strong, independent princess of Kashi, Rajkumari Amba-"

"I am not amba now" Shikhandi muttered while looking away as karna asks

"....is there any difference right now?"

"huh?" Shikhandi look at him in confusion as Karna sighed before looking towards the sky.

"you are still brave, strong, independent and beautiful princess of Southern Panchala. I have heard your story in my childhood from. There is nothing about you that can't be admired, that hadn't left in aww. Your valour is something generations of women could learn from. You did austerity just to get boon from Mahadev so that you can kill Gangaputra Bhisma from your own hands even if you have to die for that. Immediately after you took rebirth, you just started preparing to kill him.........very admirable and truly astonishing but may I ask one question?"

Shikhandi nodded cautiously as she hear karna saying all this before he asked his question.

"why?"

Shikhandi tilt her head in confusion before realisation hit her as she asks, anger clearly visible in her voice"why? Should I just forget about the humiliation? Should I forgot about what he did to me?"

She yelled asking as Karna imperturbably says "you said you are not amba now"

Feeling herself answer less, Shikhandi just stare at him, not moving her gaze anywhere as Karna also look at her.

"you have a whole new life where you don't think you're amba anymore then why are you living in her fire of revenge? It is your life, the first princess of Panchala's life, the feared lady warrior of Panchala's life, the chief commander of Magadh's life, the wife of Ekalavya's life........Shikhandi's life"

Karna watch Shikhandi biting her lips cause she couldn't find anything to say back which karna understood clearly so he continued.

"it is your new life. Live it like it is new. Start from beginning, start from being chief commander of Magadh, start from being Ekalavya's wife............I hope you did not married him for..........you know beside I don't think he is that bad as husband, is he?"

Karna asked looking behind Shikhandi as she also turn around to find her husband grinning with the kids who are trying to get the apples from tree by kicking the tree as she reply back.

"no he isn't"

"I knew it" Karna said proudly as Shikhandi couldn't help but to chuckle at that before looking at him as Karna also smile while asking being dramatically cautious.

"so? Now are we friends? Wait-.......are you........like my mother?"

"hey!!........You are quite a clever foxy person, I have to say" Shikhandi said seriously but smile could be clearly seen on her face as Karna burst of laughing before they both walk inside until Shikhandi stopped on her track, curiously asking karna "by the way how do you know about me being......Amba?"

"let's just say I am Gurubhrata of Mahamahim" Karna replies, smiling teasingly as he left a surprised Shikhandi alone in the corridor since her husband is coming from behind.

"Shikhandi, are you okay?" Ekalavya asked concerned as he notice shikhandi standing stiff there before she shake her head.

"yes.........by the way, did you really wanted to marry me?" Shikhandi asked in a stern tone which is obviously fake but the panic husband of her couldn't comprehend it as started rambling immediately.

"of course, I really love you. The first time- wait, have I done anything? Is it because of morning? I didn't mean too, I was just worried if..........."

Shikhandi just let Ekalavya babbling as she chuckle silently. Oh, how could she miss this life because of a certain individual who is nothing but an enemy to her. This kind of life is much better.......especially when she have a husband like ekalavya to tease though he does not need to know that.

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Karna chuckle to himself as he hear echoes of ekalavya's rambling. It is good that Shikhandi changed her mind but poor ekalavya became her victim, no problem, not like ekalavya would think of leaving her, even.

Massaging his face karna thinking to himself before his brain suddenly rewinded over a sentence.

Start from beginning

Karna look at the tree down in the garden as he mutter to himself  "Start from beginning"........hmm, maybe he has to start from beginning too. Curling his fist, karna start marching towards the garden as he punched the tree with his whole power only to feel a sting on his hand as he watch his knuckles oozing blood, Sighing to himself, before going to start punching continously.

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