Rewritten Destiny

Chapter 3 : First Night in Panchal

Draupadi is standing in her chamber. The maids left after giving her a glass of milk. Draupadi frowned. What is she going to do with this milk?

Karn is having severe headache. After he filled her hair with vermilion, reality struck him hard. He just married the princess of Panchal. He wanted to kill Duryodhana for making him participate. Well, he is partly at fault too. Why did his feet moved on its own? He is supposed to go the the Princess's chamber for their first night. But he is sitting with this two no no three idiots. Dhrishtadyumna has joined the squad.

"Mitra, we don't wish to spend your first conjugal night with you. Please go to your wife," Duryodhana said with a fake horror expression in which Ashwatthama and Dhrishtadyumna bursted into laughter.

Karn glared at him. What will he do by going to her? Goddamn he is way older than her and she is a literal child. Not that age matters in their society, but damn he had no intention of getting married. He can barely talk with girls. And all the girls he has talked somehow he managed to piss them all off. And now he got a wife. He wanted to cry. He barely takes care of himself how will he take care of a wife? A freaking wife!

He got up from his place and began to move towards the Princess's Palace. He needs to clear things up with her. As soon as he entered the chamber, his breath hitched. His heart started beating like crazy. Blood rushed in his neck and cheeks. Draupadi was on the swing looking at the moon. She was decorated for their first night. Only a few dhoris are on her blous showing her milky white back completely. Her perfectly sculptured body was decorated with Jasmine. Her odhni laid carelessly on her shoulder. Her long bluish black curly hair which goes beyond her hips are open. He needed to stop the urge to run his fingers through them. Hearing a sound, Draupadi turned around. She stood up from her swing and approached Karn. Karn looked down after glancing at her once. He wanted to curse the maids for this misery. Draupadi's blouse did nothing to hide her beautiful bossoms. Like that small piece of cloth is only there to tease him. He almost lost his control by the swaying of her hips. His trance broke when Draupadi touched his feet. Karn gulped. He didn't realize he had stopped breathing when entering this chamber.

He pulled Draupadi up. Her eyes directly meeting his innocently. Karn mentally groaned. She has no idea how she is looking.

"Arya," Draupadi called seeing her husband deep in thoughts.

"Y..Yes...hmm" Karn stuttered.

Draupadi forwarded the glass of milk for him. Karn in panic drank the whole glass. Draupadi was surprised. She is supposed to drink half of it. Why did he drink all? Draupadi pouted. Karn wanted to bang his head on the pillar. Is this woman teasing him?

Draupadi thought they are still strangers. And he said in the wedding vows that he will be his friend. So she got another friend. She smiled brightly.

"Arya, come. Let's sit there," she pulled him to the swing.

Karn let her lead him. Suddenly amused at her shinning face.

They sat on the swing together. Karn was mesmorized seeing the scenario in front of him. Ashwatthama didn't exaggerate a bit. This is truly beautiful. The garden of Panchal Princess. Suddenly the marriage didn't seem like a bad idea.

"Arya," Draupadi called.

"J...Ji Rajkumari," Karn gulped.
(Y..Yes Princess.)

"Aap apki Patni ko Rajkumari kahenge?" Draupadi asked surprised.
(You will address you wife as Rajkumari?)

"Hae...Ne...Nehi,"
(Yes...N...No.)

Draupadi looked at him confused. What is wrong with him?

They sat there without exchanging any words. The full moon was showering all it's magic on the atmosphere. After some Karn felt a weight on his shoulder. He turned to see the princess who is his wife now is sleeping on his shoulder without a care of the world. She is tired of all the rituals. She was still holding his hand tightly. Karn was surprised. How did she fall asleep beside a complete stranger? They never met each other before. She trusts him so much to sleep beside him so comfortably? Is this what marriage does?
Karn realized from the moment he applied vermilion on her head, she became his responsibility. A partner for eternity. In the fear of his friends taking him to another swayamvar, he made the ought to never marry again. On that time Draupadi looked at him. Her eyes shinning with curiosity and gratefulness? But Karn isn't a person who lives in fairytales. Why did the princess agreed to marry him? Arjun is a born prince. Why didn't she choose him instead? A lot of questions are in his mind. But the person who can answer them, is sleeping peacefully.
Karn picked her up in his arms and gently laid her on the bed of their first night. He pulled the duvet upto her chest. Shaking his head he mentally chastised himself.
Finally he looked around the chamber and was mesmorized. Every inch of this chamber is decorated with flowers. Scented candles are illuminating the chamber. The bed in which they are supposed to spend their first night of love, his wife is sleeping like a child curling up.