The streets of Indraprastha were bustling with people and animals. Everyone was busy at this time of the day. At one side people were bargaining with the shopkeepers, at the other side a young couple was bickering among themselves.
On the mud road, a man walked with a moustache and wearing a yellow coloured dhoti - kurta.
That man was none other than Karna.
He always dressed up like a commoner and walk on the streets of his kingdom with the name Suryansh trying to find out his people's problems.
But the more accurate reason for this was to relieve some memories of him and Draupadi, when they used to walk on the same lanes as common people and enjoyed each other's company.
Suddenly he heard a noise which made him jump.
The noise came from the Seth Daulat ram's house and it sounded like if he had just thrown a large vessel.
Karna went to investigate the matter.
A lady was standing on the Seth's doorstep with two boys hugging her from both the sides and the lady's hand drawing them more nearer to her. It felt as if the lady was very much scared.
Karna felt weird. He felt that he knows the lady though he couldn't see her as her back was facing him.
He felt a certain aura which attracted him towards her. Like the same way he felt for Draupadi.
Karna chuckled as he imagined Draupadi's face as he told him he got attracted to another woman.
Suddenly the Seth shouted breaking his chain of thoughts, "We hired you so that you can mix poison in our food ?"
the Seth's voice was loud and clear and terrifying, scaring the lady more as she quivered.
"I did not do anything, my lord." the lady said in between of sobs and hiccups.
Karna's breath hitched as he heard the same voice which he was longing to hear for 5 years. The same voice who used to take his breath away.
Could it be? Was she his Draupadi?
Karna could see the Seth's wife, smirking as she watched her husband scold the lady.
Suddenly Karna remembered, one of his peasant friend had told him that Seth Daulat ram's wife had a brother, Kuvar. He used to misbehave with ladies. But a lady slapped him when he tried to assault her. Maybe she is that lady only.
Seth's wife made a fake crying face and said to Seth, "See first she tried to defame my brother by slapping him in public and when we hired her she wants to kill us and take away our wealth." And she started crying.
Karna was now angry. This matter of accusations have gone too far. The wrong needs to be punished.
As he was about to step in, one of the boy spoke up, "My mother has done nothing. It was your wife who had mixed poison in the food. " The boy's voice was very confident as if he wasn't the boy who was some seconds earlier clinging to his mother.
"See even her kids are blaming me. Don't know what she has taught them. She might be a bad omen, you know. Her husband is also not with her and don't know whose illegitimate children these kids are. Why did we even..." The Seth's wife started but was cut in between by Draupadi, "Stop, not a single word about my children." Her voice was fiery and anger flashed through her body. "I don't want to work here anymore. Come Abhi and Vindhya." and she started walking away.
Again Karna was perplexed. Same voice as Draupadi and the same name which Draupadi and he had chosen for their boys. Was she really her Draupadi. Only one way to find out.
As Draupadi neared Karna, she felt as if she know him. Draupadi was veiled so from beneath her Pallu she thought she saw Karna, but quickly brushed the thought off. What would he be doing here?
As Draupadi started passing by him, Karna looked towards her and called out her name softly, "Draupadi."
Draupadi stopped on her tracks and Abhi and Vindhya looked back at Karna.
Draupadi closed her eyes as tears started to spill from them. The same voice, the same sound and the same melody when Karna called her name.
She turned to see the face of the man who called her.
And she saw the face which she was longing to see for 5 years. The face but now had tears in his eyes.
Karna slowly came near Draupadi with tears and held her pallu to lift it up and caress her beautiful cheeks.
But they were interrupted by the voice of Abhimanyu, "How do you know our mother? Who are you? "
Suddenly Karna and Draupadi's trance was broken.
"Come Abhi and Vindhya. We need to go. " Draupadi said as she held their hands and started to leave.
"Panchaali wait. " Karna called out as he started to walk behind her.
"Mata who is he? " Prativindhya asked.
"I don't know him and you shouldn't too." Draupadi replied in a stern voice.
Karna was still walking behind them and was hurt when Draupadi said this.
He quietly followed them without their knowing, as Draupadi used to look back every few minutes to see if Karna has left.
Soon they reached the forest and started walking towards their cottage.
"Mata now what will we do? You lost your job. " Abhimanyu asked.
"I still have job at Seth Dhyanchand's house and I will find a job soon." Draupadi said remembering Karna's tearful eyes again and again.
Karna, who was following them, felt bad. Draupadi, who had lived her whole life like a princess, now have to work as a house help. And this condition was only because of him.
Suddenly A large thorn got stuck in Karna's feet and he let out a yelp.
Draupadi turned as she heard the familiar voice again. And she saw Karna sitting on the forest floor holding his feet while keeping his leg on the other knee.
"Arya" Draupadi whispered and rushed towards him forgetting about Abhi and Vindhya.
She sat down on her knees and near him and held his feet on her lap.
"What did you do, Arya? Can't you see and walk properly? Always getting hurt anywhere. You were same 6 years before also."
"Listen it will hurt. Please don't scream okay. " Draupadi said as she removed the thorn.
Karna let out a low shriek but had tears streaming through his eyes because of seeing his Draupadi and her care after so many years.
"Oh is it paining too much? I am sorry. It will be fine, okay. " Draupadi said as she felt his pain seep into her own body and quickly tore a piece of cloth from her pallu and tied it around his leg as it had started bleeding.
Karan slowly cupped her cheeks with his hands and wiped her tears.
"If you cry, it will pain me much more than this wound. " He said as tears continued to spill from his eyes and removed his hands from her face.
"Okay see I am not crying." Draupadi said as she wiped her tears and managed a smile.
"Mata who is he?" Two voices called out, bringing Draupadi into reality which she is living in.
For some few minutes, Draupadi had forgotten that she is living for her sons and Karna doesn't matter to her.
"Draupadi, are they our kids? Were you pregnant when you left? " Karna managed to ask.
"Come Abhi, Vindhya. It is getting late. We need to go." Draupadi said to them and started to leave.
"Draupadi, at least listen to me. I have the right to know." Karna said as he slowly managed to stand up.
"Right?" Draupadi turned back and fake laughed. "Which right are you talking about Samrat? The day you said to get out of my own palace, you lost all the rights on me or my kids." Draupadi said and started walking.
The word Samrat from Draupadi's mouth was like a arrow which hit his heart.
Perhaps the wind was with Karna cause it brought their conversation to his ears.
"Mata, was he our father?" a little boy's voice said.
"Your father is dead for us now. And I want that no further talks should be held about him in our conversations. Got it?" Draupadi's voice said.
"Yes mata." Two voices said in unison.
Karna stood there staring at the three figures going in front of him with tears in his eyes.
For the first time in her entire life, Draupadi felt hatred towards Karna. She felt helpless for the first time in her life.
Yes she had easily said that she would find another job. But she knew that it would be more difficult now.
News spreads like fire and rumours more quickly. Till the time she would have come tomorrow to find the job, people would have known that a house help with two boys had mixed poison in her master's food. People won't allow her to work in their homes. Maybe she would be turned out from Seth Dhyanchand's house too.
Several hurdles of hardships lay before her and she have to cross them. If not for herself then aleast for her kids.
And the only person responsible for her this condition was Karna. She promised herself that she would try to hate this man with all of her heart. But was it even possible to hate a person whom you truly loved once. Well I don't think so.
Precap: "I offer you a job in the palace. " The officer said to Draupadi.
I guess Draupadi would be hard to pacify by Karna as her hidden hatred has come up.
The next upcoming chapters would have Dhamaka, dhamaka and only dhamaka.
I had started a new story, "The girl and the guy. " Please read it's prologue. I will continue that story only if you all like it.
I apologize for any grammatical mistakes or spelling errors.
If you have any special scene recommendations, you can freely comment.
Love ❤