Karna returned to his house in a light mood. He was feeling rejuvenated as if some had increased his strength. He took some break from Duruodhana as he was now busy with his new bride. Karna decided to help his father in his workshop. Roopmati went to Avantika's house to bring some massage oil for Radha as she had back pain. After returning she asked, 'Jyasht, did you meet Avantika today?'

Karna, 'Yes, in the bank of the river, after my Suryanamaskar. Why sister, is there any problem?'

Roopmati, 'Jyasht actually someone saw you talking to her in the bank of the river and told that to Mrinalini. Mrinalini went to Sarthak kaka's house and said many bad things to Avantika in front of the whole village. Avni is a polite girl but she never tolerates unjust behavior. She tried to explain but Mrinalini and Sumedha aunty and their temper tantrums. They insulted Renuka kaki and Avantika very badly using your name. They called her shameless as she was trying to seduce you.'

Karna, 'What..this is ridiculous. I was just thanking her for her help on the festival day. And by the way who spread the news that I and Mrinalini were engaged? Radhama, Pitashri did you give them any words about my marriage?

Radha, 'No son, nothing like that. You know you will not do anything without your consent. Actually once Roopmati told us about her and we just invited her and her family. It was them who gave the proposal but we said that we will talk to you. But you were so busy on those days that we did not have the chance to ask you anything. But after seeing her behavior at the festival, we decided that she was not the right girl for you.'

Adhirath, 'But putra, I have no idea that they are spreading those rumors. We shall stop this.'

Shon, 'Roop I told you not to befriend anyone without knowing them. That girl is mean.'

Chitrasena and Vrikarratha, 'Avantika didi is nice. Jyasht you should marry her.'

Hearing her name Karna felt a sudden heat on his face. Seeing her son's blushed face Radha understood his mental condition but she did not say anything. She wanted to check on the girl before saying anything. Karna said, 'I have to talk to Mrinalini and her family. They should not say such lies and insult an innocent girl.'

Saying that Karna and Radha both went to Mrinalini's house. Sumedha was overwhelmed as she thought that maybe they wanted to propose Mrinalini.

Radha, 'Sumedha you are our neighbors so I don't want any dispute between us. I just want to know why are you telling those lies about Karna? When did we agree to Karna's and Mrinal's wedding?'

Sumedha, 'Come on Radha, you did not decline the proposal.'

Radha, 'No declining does not mean accepting. I know what you did to Renuka today. How could you say such bad words to an innocent girl like Avni?'

Mrinalini, 'I don't regret calling her shameless. How dare she talk to my man.'

Karn (angrily), 'Devi Mrinalini, stay in your limit. I am not your man and neither your property. Most importantly I am not your fiancee. First, you tell such a lie about us and now you are insulting others.'

Mrinalini, 'Karna, you are insulting me for that girl? I am the most beautiful girl in this village and you are rejecting me? How dare you. I know it's all because of that shameless, idiot Avantika.'

Karna shouted, 'Mrinalini I am warning you. If you say another and word against her...Well, I never want to raise my hand on a woman but don't think I will not do anything if you try to harm her or anyone.'

Saying that both Radha and Karna left. The neighbors also heard their argument. No one in the village liked them for their arrogant nature and they were happy as Karna and Radha showed them their place.

Mrinalini (thinking), 'Karna you insulted me. I am not going to leave you. I will make you mine by any means.'

Krishna was tensed.

Rukmini, 'Swami why are you tensed. How will an ordinary girl like her harm Karna?'

Krishna, 'Devi, love is a dangerous emotion. When it is selfless then it is the purest thing in the world but when it turns into an obsession that it is more dangerous than a wounded tiger. Mrinalini's obsession will not only burn her but also will create a serious problem in Karna and Avantika's life.'

Both Karna and Radha went to Renuka's house and consoled her.

Renuka (crying), 'Jiji, she said such a bad word about my innocent girl in front of the whole village. My girl never did anything wrong.'

Radha, 'Please don't cry. It's not your or your daughter's fault. It is Mrinalini and Sumedha's wrongdoings. The whole village knew about the truth now. So no one will think anything bad about her. But where is Avantika?'

Renuka, 'She was very upset, so she went to the forest to calm herself'

Suddenly they heard a commotion outside. Karna came out and saw some woodcutters were excitedly screaming that Demos attacked the forest. They were killing the cows and were abducting the women from the ashrams of the forest. Hearing that Karna asked them to go to the palace and inform the crown prince Duryodhan, then he jumped on his horse and went to the forest. Renuka almost fainted as that was where Avni went.

Avantika went to the forest to calm herself. She always practiced fencing to calm herself. Today she was practicing suddenly she heard some roars and then crying of women. She ran towards the noise and saw a small group of demons were attacking the ashrams of the sages. She covered her face with a turban so that no one could recognize her. Then she jumped in front of the demons and started fighting. Avantika was the student of Sage Viswamitra who taught her sword fighting. She easily dodged their attacks and fought vigorously. Suddenly a demon tried to attack her from behind and then she heard a 'hush' sound and when she turned she saw the demon was lying on the ground with a glowing arrow in his chest. Then she looked up and saw Karna. He sent arrows from the back of the running horse in the accurate target. Then he jumped from the horse and raise his hand. Then lightning appeared from the sky and the lightning took the form of a sword and came in Karna's hand.



Then both of them started fighting with the demons. Karna was impressed with the other fighter's skill while Avani was highly impressed with Karna's fighting style. Karna's fighting was like he was dancing in a tune. His perfectly chiseled body was moving with such flexibility that reminds her that as if a Gandharva was dancing in front of her. 'Hey Mahadev, How could anyone be so perfect?' She thaught. Both of them killed most of the demons but suddenly one demon aimed at her head and while moving her head away her turban fell and then Karna recognized who she was. 'This girl never ceases to amaze me. She knows sword fighting as well. The way she was moving it seems like the dancing of a Goddess. Hey Narayan, how could anyone be so perfect?'

Avni lost her balance once and almost fell bet a strong hand encircled her waist and she saw a pair of brown eyes looking at her with immense concern. The last two demons attacked them but with perfect coordination, they raised their swords and killed the demons without breaking eye contact.

Both of them lost in each other's eyes suddenly they heard a cough, 'Hmm.. Hmmm... I think everything is good now?' Both of them came back to the present. Karna realized that was still holding her and he moved his hands from her waist in a jerk. While Avni also flushed thinking about their encounter. Both of them turned to see Duryodhana and Dusshashan with some soldiers in their horses. Duryodhana gave his friend an amused look saying, 'Well mitra, seems like you don't need our backup as you already have one.' Karna hurriedly said, 'Thanks for coming mitra. I need you help for the people of the ashrams.'

Duryodhana ordered the soldiers to help the inhabitants of the ashrams to fix everything. Karna introduced Avni to Duryodhana and he was very happy to meet her. While Dusshshan had very different thinking. He saw the girl with lust-filled eyes. Wine and women were his weakness but he was clever enough to hide that from Bheesm and other elders. But many women of the kingdom already suffered in his hands but nobody dared to open their mouth as he never left any proof.

Dusshshan thought, 'Who is that fiery lady, and what is she doing with this Suta? She should be present in my bedroom.'

Karna also noticed Dusshashan's motive. He knew about his intentions towards women but now seeing him ogling Avni boiled his blood. He felt like ripping him apart.

Dusshashan looked at Karna and realized that if he tried anything here then Karna would tear him in pieces and even Duryodhana could not stop him. So he decided to shut his mouth for now. Like Aswatthama he also never liked Karna as he thought that his brother was getting closer to Karna. But he knew that Karna was essential for their plan to stand against Arjun. So he just tolerated him. But he knew Karna never supported any sin so he never showed his true intention in front of him.

'So Deviji you are also an expert in sword fighting, Why don't you come to the palace for a practice match tomorrow,' said Dusshashan.

Duryodhana, 'Great idea, mitra Karna please bring your lady friend tomorrow. Bhrata Dusshashan needs someone to practice.'

Avantika being an intelligent girl also understood Dusshashan's motive but she also realized that Duryodhana had no bad intention behind inviting her. He was just curious about her. So she politely agreed.

Karna offered her to take his horse to the village and he took another one from a soldier as it was not good to sit with an unmarried girl on the same horse. Then they returned home and Karna told everyone about Avni's fighting skill. First, everybody was stunned hearing about a Shudra girl so expert in sword fighting. Then everyone praised her. Radha thought, 'This girl looks like a perfect match for my Karna. She is humble, respectful, intelligent, selfless, brave and a skilled warrior just like my son. If my son agrees then I will bring her as my putravadu in our house.'

The next day Hastinaur Arena

The next day both Avni and Karna went to the Palace. Duryodhana was practicing in the arena and he welcomed Avni. Dusshashan came a asked her for a duel slyly. He thought, 'A Shudra woman, what will she do in the arena. During sword fight, I will take advantage of her.'

Avni clearly understood his intention but she agreed. The fight started. After 5-7 minutes Avni easily disarmed him. Dusshashan did not believe that a woman disarmed him.

Bheesm also came there and when he saw the fight he asked her, 'Putri I am stunned. I have never seen a girl fights so well. May I know your Guru's name?'

Avni. 'Pranipat mahamahim. I learned sword fighting from Guru Viswamitra.'

Drona was angry at first as a Shudra was fighting with the princes but after listening to Sage Viswamitra's name he did not dare to say anything. He did not want to repeat his mistake again.

Then Duryodhana suggested, 'Why not mitra Karna you have a duel with Devi Avantika? Let's see who wins?'

Everybody cheered. Duryodhana said, 'Devi if you can disarm my mitra then I will give you reward. '

Avni, 'Yuvraj, I don't need any reward. But yes it will honor to fight with maharathi Karna.'

Aswatthama, 'What happened Sutputra, want to fight a woman? Don't you feel shame?'

Karna, 'Aswatthama I don't think women are weaker. In fact they are the manifestation of Devi Shakti so they are much stronger than us. If a woman can give birth to a man, they can do anything.'

Avni was impressed with his thought. Then they took position and started fighting. Both of them are skilled warriors. The fight got intense. Both of them were trying to disarm each other without injuring others.

Bheesm, 'I have never seen anyone can fight so long with Karna. This girl is special. '

Both Karna and Avni fought hard. Their styles were different, where Karna was using an attacking stance but Avni's moves were mostly defensive. But both were moving in perfect synchronization. Both of them were equally skilled but suddenly Karna's sword touched Avni's wrist and due to the scratch blood started trickling out from the wound. Karna was stunned as he never intended to injure her. He moved backward and his sword fell from his hand. He jumped and took Avni's hand to see his wound. Avni was also shocked to see Karna threw his sword voluntarily. Bheesm declared Avni the winner but he was amused to see Karna's reaction. The best student of Lord Parshuram, who could defeat him, Drona and all other Maharathis single-handedly, could tear Jarasandha like a twig, could fight with hundreds of demons alone, today accepted defeat after seeing a small scratch on his opponent's body.

Bhanumati, Kunti, Draupadi, and Gandhari also came to the arena. Bhanumati was describing the fight to Gandhari and all of them except Draupadi chuckled seeing Karna's reaction. Duryodhana also understood Karna's condition. His naive friend was in love but he himself was oblivious.

Karna gracefully accepted his defeat and praised Avni's skill. But Avni felt shy as she knew Karna himself threw the sword on the ground.

Krishna smiled, 'Karna your soulmate is here for you. Now you are bound to her till eternity. She will protect you from all the problems you are going to face.'

Draupadi's heart was filled with jealousy for the girl but she herself did not know why?

next- Dusshashan accuses Karna for having illicit affairs with Bhanumati.