Times Intertwining Destinies (On Hold)

24. Sorting Names

"Shakthiselvi...Shkathi... Ujwalashni...Ujwala...Vibhuti..."

"Karna why are you chanting my names as if reciting prayer?" Shakthiselvi asked raising her eyebrows quizzically "And, what's Vibhuti? How many names do you intend on giving me?"

Karna smiled at her mischievously, placing an ornate paper weight on some documents they had been going through for the morning. He had been disinterested half way in the process and found Shakthiselvi sitting next to him the perfect break to his boredom.

"Ujjwalashni" he said "That's the only name I have given you. Ujjwala. "Vibhuti", the auspicious one, and "Shreeda", the giver of wealth, fortune and beauty, are the names the court poets and bards have given you."

"What?"

"They consider you Mahalakshmi incarnate"

The ink pot would have been emptied of its blue contents by a knock from Shakthiselvi's hand had not Karna's intervened just in time.

"Careful Shakthi" he exclaimed, placing it back in its place "The carpet and the ink are both expensive."

"Haw, those are more important to you than me" she said impishly "And what's with Shakthi again?"

"Let Ujjwalashni be reserved only for very special moments" he replied, adding softly "And only for me."

She stared at him for some time, watching the blush creep up to his face. Sometimes he would say such unpredictable things and other times he would react in such unpredictable ways. She too couldn't stop the blush from making home in her cheeks.

"Shakthiselvi " Karna said breaking the awkward silence "It is a bright and sunny day outside. Let's go out, on a picnic perhaps, but let's not stay locked up indoors."

"Are you serious?" she muttered under her breathe "What happened to your...um...I am a girl, you are a boy...We are young....We are unmarried....and all the other rules of propriety."

He never liked doing paperwork and he just needed to get away from it as soon as possible and take Shakthiselvi alongwith him, partly because he wanted to someone to share the 'sin' of running away from work with him and partly because he enjoyed having her around him as much as possible.

"How does it matter, Ujjwalashni?" he asked, cocking his head slightly "We are friends, there is trust and comfort between us."

"Karna" Shakthiselvi gaped at him in disbelief, "Karna, is that really you?"

She took a step closer to him, extending her hand towards his ear, giving him a sly look. Karna's eyes ranged from her face, to her hands which were increasing moving near his ears...

"NO" he screamed, jumping back "Ujjwala, don't even dare! No...no..."

He swiftly ducked away, sprinting back, as she followed him around wriggling her fingers at him, until both of them finally collapsed on the floor, drowning in uncontrollable laughter.

"So, Karna, where are we going?" she asked in between her laughs.

"We are going to Nityaridham hills" he answered getting up "They fall on the far borders between Anga and Hastinapur, and are considered to experience eternal spring time. Come, you will love it."

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