Sootputra: The Unsung Hero

Padmavati

" To do what.... Beg. " there was a moment of pause. The room was so silent with only two of us. I could hear the whispers of air." Karna, it was clear where we left. I just couldn't face you after that. "she sighed, "That's why I avoided you. "

I grabbed her soft cold palms and placed the small pouch I had on me in them. Also, all the rings and the only bracelet. Her hands were small, and they shivered in mine.

"Sorry, this is what I only have on me right now. If we were at Anga, I would have given more."

She chuckles, "you were never one to wear much jewelry, anyway."

" What are you saying! I'm the one person in this world who can't get rid of them. " I said, tinkling the earrings. "Why do I need to wear more?"

"And you can't even get rid of them. Still....." she placed it back. "I can't take this." She said wiping her eyes. 

"Why?"

"You already know why!"

A guilt was tripping me from inside. "Vrushali I am not doing this for you. I am doing this for your father. And also......" I stopped. I shouldn't have, but I did. Fool.

"Please just take it. I promise I will not pursue and I will not show my face to you ever again. But please don't let Uncle suffer for this. Because if something happens to him, you can never forgive yourself. " I sighed "Trust me, I know the weight of that feeling. And no one is strong enough to bear it. Not even me."

She looked at me for a second and her kajal eyes went a little wide. "I just remembered why I loved you, Karna. Why I left you. You still scare me."She slowly extended her hands and silently grabbed all the things back." But I would like to see you again. " she said in a low soft voice.

"Why don't you come back then? Anga's Palace has never been the same without its head caretaker. And I can't stand waking up to the face of an old man every day anymore."

She smiled. "I'd liked that Karna. But not now......" Her lips trembled, and the voice was low and groggy. "Maybe...Maybe sometime soon. When I'm ready? If I'm ready?"

" I would like that too. So shall I make you permanent? Exclusive only to me."

" Did you enjoy your night master?" She smiled.

" So much so I rewarded you with all the jewelry I had."

Both of us chuckled. Except my laugh was a little fake.

....................

" So? how was it?" Duryodhan's room was dimly lit, this time of the day. The lamps and torches had been on the verge of dying. It was the constant breeze that was beating them to submission. 

"it was - different........"

"Good different?" he asked.

"yeah..... Good. Duryodhan if it's not so much of a trouble, I would like to make her exclusive. Only to me.

Pay her what you do right now. But treat her like any normal servant....when I'm not around.

But her other nightly services will be exclusive to me."

"A weird request" he puts his hand on his chin. It raises his eyebrows. "You mean to say 'keep Dusashan's claws of her' don't you?" I didn't answer. "why don't you just take her with you"

He caught me a little off guard. "ah... She.. She has a family here. She doesn't want to leave them."

"One could say she has infatuated you"