Elements of Fire

25. Ritual Fire

The essence of the hymns the priests were reciting went unheard by her. She was only mechanically doing whatever she was being told to do sitting in front of the fire altar.

The flames appeared to perform a ritual dance of their own. That was what her life had become in a matter of seconds- a ritual. She had anticipated this day with much excitement- their first official engagement as King and Queen. But now they were sitting beside each other, husband and wife to the world, but only strangers to each other.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. She mechanically did all her duties standing by his side. They greeted and smiled at the people. The people were very happy. She was glad. At least something went well.

She stared at the tall frame of her husband as they proceeded towards the palace in their chariot. He did not even spare a glance at her.

"Aarya" she called to him once they were on the corridors of the royal chambers or rather she followed him there "Aarya, please talk to me."

She was only met silence as he kept walking ahead.

"Aarya, stop" she pleaded.

"Listen to me, Aar—"She swung herself in front of him gabbing his bicep.

He stopped, glaring at her. He was feeling turmoiled. He had been tested and used way too many times.

"Aarya, whatever happened there" Draupadi began unsteadily, she had never witnessed her husband's naked anger before "whatever happened there was completel—"

"Draupadi, let me go to my chambers" he said quietly and firmly.

She shook her bowed head. She couldn't face his wrath.

"Move out of my way Draupadi" his voice had the strains of thinning patience.

"Draupadi I am telling you one last time" he warned pressing his hand to her shoulder in an effort to force her out of his way.

"Draupadi, move—" he was losing control over the force he was exerting on her.

And the tussle of countering forces that followed in the next few seconds was brought to halt by the clashing of the brass flowerpots on the floor as the Queen of Anga stumbled across those having lost her balance.

Draupadi took in deep breathes, holding the wall for support. The duppata covering her head had shifted out of position.

Before she could turn to face Karna, he was already standing in front of her. His face was possessed by a shocked, aghast look as he began readjusting her duppata back in place. Enclosed in his strong arms, Draupadi observed his eyes drowned in an intenseness as if in recollection of a painful fear and she immediately knew what.

He was reminded of the vastraharan incident when she was dragged in brutally, stripped of all her symbols of dignity and to be further... She sighed. She could watch the ever so slight shaking of his head as his fingers clumsily fumbled with the numerous hair accessories holding up her elaborate hairstyle. Her expression softened.

"There" he said, finally done with the work and then resuming his prior coldness, "Draupadi, I desire to be left alone for now."

She nodded in agreement, albeit disappointed.

"Maharaj, Maharaani"

A daas(male servant) had arrived apparently having run all over to them.

"What's the matter?" Karna asked urgently.

"Maraj, Shriman Adirath Mohoday and Shrimathi Radha have been seen coming towards the palace."

Karna'ss face immediately lit up.

"My parents are coming! Radha Ma is coming" he thought aloud happily.

He turned to face his wife. He noticed she was also obviously elated.

"Draupadi..." he began hesitantly. He had just told her to stay away from him. How could he ask her for anything now?

She observed his conflicted look.

"Don't worry Aarya. I will do every duty as a daughter-in-law of the house."

He nodded at her assurance as the couple headed to the palace steps with Draupadi giving quick instructions to the servants on the way.

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"Radha ma, Pitashri, why didn't you tell me you were going to come, earlier" Karna said cheerfully "I could have made better arrangements for both of you then."

He was sitting beside his mother grinning widely at her while his father sat across in front of them.

"We came only because your mother wanted us to" Adhirath said a little sternly. He had never truly liked his son's decision to accept the crown and the complicacies and intrigues of royal life and politics, whatever the conditions laid out might be.

"We wanted to surprise you two putra" Radha said gently, ruffling her son's hair whose smile had dissipated slightly.

Draupadi entered that very moment with daasis carrying salvers of refreshments. She folded her hands politely in front of Radha and Adhirath who smiled back in return.

"Putri Draupadi" Radha called to her warmly, "Come, come sit beside me."

Draupadi obliged as Radha gently touched her cheek drenching her in her affectionate gazes. Draupadi had been nervous but almost immediately melted under her mother-in-law's warmth.

"Look I made Karna's favourite pedhas (a type of sweet)" she said cheerily opening the silver box she had been clutching tightly to herself all this while.

Karna was about to plunge into it delightedly when she moved the box to Draupadi.

"Putri, you have the first pedha" Radha smiled at her.

"Mata, but..." she trailed off unsure of her husband's reaction.

"Putri, won't you listen to your mother"

"Yes Mata" she smiled sweetly at Radha, overwhelmed by her love. She however dare not look at her husband.

Had the morning not been so eventful, she would have been chattering away merrily and teasing her husband to her heart's content. She could only hope that Karna's parents did not notice anything unusual, but they did for parents seldom not notice when their children are hiding pain behind their smiles.