The Tumble Through Time

45. New turn of events

Saanvi felt herself waking up. The wind around her was chilly. But she wasn't cold. Something warm and heavy was covering her. 
Saanvi's body welcomed the heat and she further snuggled into the warmth.
She felt something beside her moving and soon it came to rest over her.
Saanvi blinked open her eyes.
'Where am I?'
She looked around to see the garden through her blurry eyes and suddenly everything came back to her- 'Karna. The movie. Her sleeping in the garden. Shite! Was that karna beside her?'
Sleep suddenly fled her and she woke up startled. In her process to get up, she hit Karna directly on his face.
"Ouch!"- Karna grogilly replied. He opened his eyes to see Saanvi staring at him.
"What are you doing in my bed?"-He asked Saanvi.
"I have no interest in your bed mister! I slept here last night and you promised to keep guard and instead you fell asleep and that too beside me."- Saanvi shouted.
Karna blushed.
"Keep your voice down! You do not want the whole palace to know you slept with me. Do you?"
"I did not sleep with you!"-Saanvi replied indignantly.
"Yeah, try making the people here believe it!"
Saanvi huffed.
"Listen, just go back to your room, I will continue sleeping here. It is not proper for you to be seen here, that too with me."- Karna suggested.
Saanvi got up muttering incoherent words and rushed out to her room.

Later:
Siya cane running into Saanvi's room.
"Saanvi devi, Rajkumari Dushala is at the door. She is asking to meet you."
"Siya, how many times have I asked you to call me just Saanvi? Now let Rajkumari Dushala come in. Also, please do not tell anyone about last night okay."
"Okay Saanvi."
Saanvi moves to the living room to wait for Dushala.
Dushala rushed in worried.
"Saanvi, I need your help."
"What happened Dushala. You look tensed."
"Do you know of King Jayadratha? He is the emperor of Sindhu kingdom. He is coming to the palace today."
"Umm..so why is that a problem?"
"He is coming to ask my hand for marriage."-replied a pink-faced Dushala.
"That is some good news."
"Yes. So I want you come with me and help me get ready."
This was how Saanvi,  Subhadra and Dushala found themselves hiding behind a curtain peeking down on the scene playing at the palace porch.

King Dritrashtra, Mantri Vidur, Bhishma Pitamaha, Maharani Gandhari and Maharani Kunti were seated with some astrologers, discussing the date of the marriage. Whereas the  kaurava  prince  Duryodhan  with his 99 brothers and the Crown prince Yudhisthir with his 5 brothers, were in a conversation with King Jayadaratha and few of his friends who came along with him.

To Saanvi, Jayadaratha looked a bit old for Dushala's age but Dushala apparently had no qualms.
She was shamelessly eyeing Jayadaratha the whole time. 
Even Jayadaratha's eyes were drifting up towards their curtain time and again. He would look up, stare cautiously and look down with a smile.

Saanvi pinched Dushala to maintain some decorum and to stop being so obvious in their eye-game.
Saanvi was happy for Dushala. 
The only wierd thing happening was that, along with Jayadaratha, one of his friends was also eyeing Dushala. 
Saanvi felt uncomfortable. 
"Dushala, do you know that man sitting beside Jayadaratha?"
"The one in the blue dhoti?"
"Yes."
"He is Shantanu, the king of  Kanchi  Kingdom and Jayadaratha's friend."
"Why is he looking at you?"
"Me! No silly. He is looking at you!"
Saanvi looked hard at Dushala. 
"Don't believe me? I will go to the next window, you stay here. And then notice where he is staring at okay?"
Saanvi nodded.

Dushala moved away to the next balcony. 
And to Saanvi's horror, the man looked straight at her and not at all at Dushala.
Saanvi quickly hid behind the curtain. Her mind failed to register this new event.
She peeked through the curtains at the porch again. 
'Oh My God! He is still looking here.'
Shantanu smiled at her.
Saanvi, startled, quickly hid herself.
'It's better to stay hidden for a while.'

Now it was time for Dushala to enter the sabha and meet Jayadaratha officially.
Saanvi gathered her courage and entered the hall along with Dushala.
Jayadaratha was continually staring at her. Dushala blushed. 

"The marriage has been fixed on the coming Dashmi in the rohini nakshatra."- the astrologer announced.
Everyone rejoiced. Sweets were exchanged.
Dushala's brothers congratulated the to-be groom and Jayadaratha's friends came to congratulate Dushala. Among those friends, was present Shantanu.
He came bearing two pieces of sweets and offered one to Dushala and the other to Saanvi. 
Saanvi stared at him.
"If you give permission, Sweets can be distributed for us as well." - Shantanu murmured.
Saanvi was surprised. 
'Did he just state a marriage proposal? OMG what is wrong with him?'
Saanvi was speechless.
"I can wait for your answer as long as you like."- he told her.
Saanvi averted her eyes and a slight blush creeped up her face.
Shantanu left her alone and went back to his friends.

But this interaction was being sharply observed by one among those present there. 
Karna.
He had been observing Shantanu since the start. How his eyes would move up to the ladies balcony. At first, he thought he was another of the shameless creeps who objectify women. Karna decided to give a good hearing to him later. But when he actually smiled at someone up there, Karna himself looked up to see the centre of his attention.
What he found there was oddly disturbing. That creep was looking at Saanvi.
His saanvi.
Wait..not His Saanvi 'yet' but surely 'His Saanvi'.
And his poor innocent Saanvi was oblivious to his stares.
Karna waited and watched with anger rising in his eyes as that creep  Shantanu approached Saanvi. He was even more enraged when Saanvi blushed. 
'How could they behave like this in front of everybody?'
Karna burned in anger.