"Can I exchange communications with my family in Panchal as well?" she asked instead, knowing very well that the disastrous visit made the likelihood of permission stand on very flimsy grounds.
"As a family member, I meant, not as a Queen" she explained apprehensively, on getting no response from her husband who sat as still as a stone forth her, with only the drumming of his fingers against his knee almost touching hers, indicating he was still listening.
"Aarya... please answer me" Draupadi called softly, gently drawing his restless hand inside her palm.
Karna looked up at her with an unreadable expression, Draupadi inhaled sharply, wondering if this would be the first time that Daanveer (generous hero) Karna would deny something.
"Dhristyadyumna is a good brother, I have spoken to him personally..." Karna said more to himself than to her, "Rajkumari Sikhandini too must be a caring sister...."
"She is the best, Jiji(elder sister) really is!" she nearly exclaimed only to be brought back to reality by the unfaltering expressionless look of her husband.
"It would give you some familial contentment" he continued, not reacting to the hopeful smile slowly tugging at her lips, "It is your father's kingdom..."
His voice trailed off, while his mind was sprinting ground, one thought racing against the other raising a dusty confusion. This may please her, he thought, but it may not please him.
He was already allowing her way too much freedom than what comforted him but the other Queens of the land were mere formality and this was her family, the head of which had practically insulted him at his own place.
He would be the laughing stock of the land of the Aryans if his wife were to pull off a disappearing act in response to her discontentment in his home, no matter the promises they had made to each other in moments of emotional apexes.
"I will go through the communications, the initial ones at least" he said breaking the long unbearable silence of the room at last.
He saw Draupadi's slender fingers resting on his knuckles move away before he looked up to be met by a disappointed look marking his wife's pretty face.
"But those are my private letters" Draupadi said quietly trying not to sound argumentative, "Aarya, do you not trust me?"
'I have no reason to trust the former wife of one of my greatest foes' he thought a little harshly, 'Especially when she is interested in regaining lost contacts with the former allies of my enemies.'
He only responded with a cold, impassive face, steadily watching his wife's eyes widen for some seconds, before dissolving in quick blinks.
"But I am your wife, Aarya" she continued in a soft voice, raging disbelief ringing through every syllable she uttered, "I walked around the holy fire of matrimony with you."
'You did the nothing different with the Pandavas as well' an ugly voice inside him quipped in before he could stop it, startling him to no end, but he quickly regains his composure.
"Panchali, it is you I am worried about, I don't want you to get hurt if I can help it" he explained half truthfully, "And also since the relationship of Panchal with Anga is still submerged in uncertainty...definitely without any...much geniality, it is only pertinent."
"But Aarya, what harm could some caring letters of love between siblings and maybe some exchanges of general enquiry of health and well being between a daughter and her father, possible bring about?" she questioned back.
"Draupadi" Karna said firmly, sitting up straighter almost in an admonishing manner.
Draupadi winced slightly at her husband endearing her with that name which as she had observed he used only in anger.
"I need not have told you, anything that leaves the kingdom is the King's concern" Karna's continued, "But I do not want to do things behind your back so I told you. And you respond only when you get back a response, if you don't you receive one, you do not write back."
Karna took a deep breath, fixing her in an unwaveringly intense gaze, she looked shocked and sad, but he would not listen to her this time. He knew this may make her dislike and even loathe him but he had his own insecurities and if she truly considered herself his wife she would concede.
"Choice is yours—Either you accept my conditions or cast aside your wish" Karna stated with an air of finality, his mind already tearing up at the partial denial of Danveer (generous hero) Karna to fulfill his own wife's wish.
"I accept your conditions" Draupadi replied emotionlessly but the drooping corners of her lips told another story.
Karna nodded satisfied while Draupadi sighed, mentally reminding herself that she had expected an outright no, convincing herself that this was a far better arrangement and would only be in place for a little while.
She wondered if she should thank Karna, when she felt a tiny pull at the back of her head and then to her great surprise found her half done braid in her husband's hands.
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Hello everyone
So here we have Karna's response for Draupadi's request. what do you think of it?
Will this help clear the stage for future bliss for them? what do you think will unfold in the larger political arena of the land?
What did you like best from the chapter? What do you think will happen next? And this hopefully ends this chapter series, I am planing on following up with bringing them closer!
Please drop by your votes and comments generously:) It is always a delight to read your thoughts on the chapter❤❤❤