Draupadi shifted uncomfortably. Every time she tried to move she felt constricted. She opened her eyes. It was still dark in the room although rays of light were streaming in through the chinks of curtains. She was sweating. As the last traces of sleep left her, she found three or four layers of sheets and blankets wrapping her in a cocoon. The more she tried to move the more they twisted around her.
"It must be dawn now. But how did all this come here?" she muttered to herself as she struggled to sit up.
At that precise moment the majestic doors opened and bright sunlight rushed in and so did her husband. Karna walked in heaving. He was dressed in his simple white dhoti. His chest glistened with sweat under his white angvastra (upper garment) thrown around his neck carelessly.
Darkness enveloped the chamber again as he shut the doors. He strode towards one of the giant windows and peered out through the slight parting of the curtains.
"Aarya"
Karna turned his head towards the direction of his bed. Although he could not see his wife clearly, could feel her peculiar gaze on him. He drew one of the curtains aside letting the light pour in. His hair and face and his entire body was dripping with sweat.
"I didn't realise you are awake Panchali. That's why didn't open the curtains" he said, continuing to draw out the other curtains.
"Aarya why are you sweating so much?"
"Oh I was exercising" he replied smiling the satisfied smile of a man who has just accomplished a much cherished goal.
"But what about your morning prayers?"
"I did my prayers and then I started with my training."
"Why didn't anyone wake me up? It is so late."
"Well I ensured that. I thought it would be good for you to rest a little more today" he said sweetly, "But Panchali, I practised all the techniques of archery in least time today, did more than a thousand push ups without a break, practised the various stances of sword fighting, I am even working on a new stance which I have named 'Leaping Stag' stance, do you know Panchali I also thought of a new battle formation..."
And he rambled on with Draupadi looking up and nodding every time he took her name, her attention divided partly because she did not understand half of the things he kept talking about and partly because she now desperately wanted to get out of the tangle of blankets.
"Aarya" she said finally giving up "Please help me out of this."
Karna's now looked at her intently. His lips twitched unnoticeably. She did look funny. His mind recollected the events of the past night. The princess of Panchal had bared her heart out to him. She wanted her present and future with him. She trusted him.
"Aarya, how did all this come here? I don't remember putting them on myself" Draupadi said breaking his train of thoughts.
Karna had woken up on time for his morning prayers. He lied still on the divan listening to the chirruping of the morning birds and the faint murmurs of servants assigned with early morning duties.The horizon had started colouring pink against the inky blackness of the sky. He sat up. The sun would rise soon.
He was nearly exiting the chamber when his eyes, as if on their own impulse, steered towards the sleeping figure of his wife. A serene look possessed her face; her full lips more relaxed than how he was usually saw them. Her long hair fell loose all over the pillows. Her clothes had shifted out of place, exposing her midriff and the calves of her legs...quite dangerously.
His gaze roved perfect curves of her waist. He could make out the parting of her breasts beneath her red breast clothe. The smooth flesh of her neck and shoulders was well exposed. It was an intoxicating sight.
In no time he could see his hands tenderly stroking her feet moving rhythmically from her toes up till her mid calf. He could feel the heat rising to his neck...
"Stop it" his conscience screamed "This is unmanly. Taking advantaging of a woman when she is sleeping. Stop."
He removed his hands instantaneously. He spotted the blankets kept neatly at the end of the bed. Wasting no time, he piled them one after the other over her form, covering her into a ball.
Giving his work satisfied look, and making sure that all the curtains were drawn, he finally left.
"I put them on you Draupadi" he mumbled "I thought you were feeling cold."
"But it is not even the season of fall" she replied incredulously, finally managing to untangle herself from the cocoon.
"Well I thought... Panchali" he said softly "Yesterday you bared the depths of your soul to me, your wishes and perspectives. I will always give my best to uphold them."
She did not say anything but only looked at him intently. In his eyes she could see an new depth, a certain fierceness but at the same time something more tender.
She stood up.