People say the longer the distance, the heart grows fonder.

As dawn broke out, birds chirped and sang. The people of Hastinapura started to come out of their house and started their daily work. Farmers went to their fields; women started their household chores and men went to their respective works.

A slim and petite figure can be seen approaching from the direction of the trees as she entered the main road leading to the dakshin dwar of Hastinapura Kingdom. Her face covered by a red cloth and only her beautiful kohl laden eyes can be seen.

She approached the gates. She looked around the area and found the guards sleeping. She shook her head and an amused smile spread across her lips behind the cloth. She quietly slipped inside.

She watched as the city she was brought up awaken and the usual hustle bustle increased. Her feet took her around the markets simply watching and moving as people rushed and walked in a hurry.

She smiled as she walked around her home town after fifteen years.

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Karna returned after he prayed to the sun. He looked around the small house again. It was the same as it was before. A small backyard at the back. The rooms were sparsely decorated with essential. He sighed happily at the familiar surroundings after so many years.

As soon as he entered, Radha called with a smile. "Putra! Good you came. Come have breakfast! Ajj maine tumhare priye baynjaan banai hai."

Karna smiled seeing his mother's love.

"Coming maa!" he replied back.

He went to his room to keep the kalash. He heard his father's voice coming inside the house.

"Kya baat hai Radha? You have been smiling since yesterday. What has happened to you?"

Adiratha asked, a bit exasperated seeing his wife's smile from the morning.

Adiratha had not known Karna had come home. He was already asleep by then and today he went before Karna woke up.

Karna heard his father's question to his mother. He smirked, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Before Radha can answer her husband's question, a serene, calm and soft voice spoke from behind Radha.

"Mere karan devi ke adhro mei muskan hai. It's not my fault you can't make your wife smile, is it?"

Radha turned around to face Karna. A warning looks on her face, but it was not effective with the sweet smile still playing on her face. Karna did not look at his mother. He was in a staring competition with his father, who had no idea about him.

Radha saw the mischievous glint in his eyes. She felt her smile widen, at her eldest son's antics. He was always like this in his childhood. Troubling her with his mischievousness. He had lost this spark somewhere along the way. But then he had met Advika, and the spark within her eldest was slowly coming back. Then he had left, with his celestial father, and she could not see her son for years.

She was glad he had finally regained the same spark he had when he was small. These fifteen years had been good for him and she was grateful to the Lord Vishnu for helping and protecting her son.

She sent a small prayer to the lord and her heart swelled with happiness.

"Kaun ho tum? What are you doing in my house?" Adirath asked a bit rudely.

"Nam to mere bohot hai, aap konse nam se pukarna chahenge? And about being in your house, well your beautiful wife had prepared my favourite dishes. I can't exactly leave without eating, can I? That would be a wastage! Anna ka apman nehi karna chahiye! " Karna retorted in a dry tone as he went and sat on the chair regally.

He was laughing inside at his father face, which was turning from purple to red and back to purple. It seems his father cannot decide whether to be angry or jealous. He pressed his lips together to stop his laughter.

Adiratha walked to the chair beside the very amused young man. He was fuming thinking about how impudent the young man was. How dare he call his wife beautiful? That also in front of her husband? Only he can call her beautiful!

He thanked God that his sons were well behaved and respectful. He glared at the young and extremely radiant and handsome man beside him, whose eyes were dancing with mirth. He glared at him even more, at the young man's audacity to laugh at him, hoping he would combust at his glare. So engrossed was he in glaring at Karna, that he missed his wife coming back from the kitchen.

Radha entered the room and looked at the scene in front of her. Her husband furiously glaring at their eldest and her priye son had a slow and very handsome smirk playing on his face, with mirth dancing in his beautiful charcoal eyes.

She could not help herself, she giggled. Her laughter bought the men out of their staring competition. A slow and beautiful smile appeared on Karna's face seeing his mother laugh. Adiratha had no idea why his wife was laughing and why was the young man smiling at his wife.

"Vasusena! Stop teasing your father. Here is your food. Eat!" Radha said looking at her son whose smile has turned sheepish.

Adiratha looked from his wife to the stranger and blinked utterly confused. Before his mind latched on to the name his wife spoke.

Vasusena! Karna! His eldest son. He looked at the stranger who was smiling softly at him. He blinked once and then reached his hand out to place it on Karna's head. And then swiftly before anyone can guess, twisted his eldest son's ear.

"Ow! " Karna yelped. "Pitashree choriye! " He pleaded.

"Aapne Pitashree se mazak sujh raha hai tujhe? You decide to prank your father, the moment you come home! Pita hu mei tumhara! You are impossible! " Adiratha said, slowly leaving Karna's ear. Karna rubbed his ear, though Adirath hadn't pulled hard at all. Radha watched the father son duo, happiness blooming in her heart at having her entire family after so long. A soft smile on her face.

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Kunti walked through the palace to the breakfast hall in their area of the palace, where she knew her five children were waiting for her. She entered the threshold of the room and saw a very peculiar site. Arjuna seemed to be in a women's clothes. He was dancing! Kunti blinked. She saw Sahadev and Nakul laughing. Yuddhisthir seemed a bit entertained. Bhima was not paying his brothers any attention. What was going on?

"Chal kya raha hai yeha pei? " Kunti spoke, absolutely confused at her sons' weird antics.

All her children stood up except Bhima, who was still eating his ladoos without paying them any attention. Arjuna stopped dancing with a sigh of relief. Yuddhisthira looked at bit chagrined. The twins shuffled their feet with identical sheepish looks on their faces.

" Well?" Kunti urged.

" Wo...maa..." Yuddhisthira began.

"Kya hai na maa, Bhrata Arjuna wanted to became a kanya. So, we dressed him up! He looks beautiful, right?" Nakula said, before Yuddhisthira could utter a word. Arjuna yelped and glared at Nakula. Kunti looked at her sons, stopping a smile from coming on her face. She arranged her face in a stern look and turned towards Arjuna. Her poor Arjuna seemed to try and fade into the earth.

"Aur Kanya banne ki achanak iccha kyu hui tumhe? " She asked with a stern voice.

Yuddhisthira looked guiltily behind their mother's back. Nakula and Sahadeva said a sorry with hands on their respective ears. Arjuna could not glare at his brothers with his mother standing in front of him. He would not utter a word about Brihannala. If he did so, his brothers would make al kind of jokes about him. He shuffled from feet to feet not knowing what to say!

Bhima suddenly spoke in his booming voice, " Maa, the culprit is the twins not Arjuna. They forced him in that dress."

All the brothers looked at him. Yuddhisthira and Arjuna sighed in relief. The twins looked shocked. Nakula shot a betrayed look to Bhima. Bhima noticed the look and said to Nakula, " Don't look at me like that anuj! You dug your own grave!"

Arjuna decided he is going to give Bhima his share of laddoos for a week, for getting him out of this mess.

Kunti giggled at their antics and said " Chalo bhojan prarambh karte hai! "Her sons smiled behind their mother's back. Happy that they managed to make her smile and laugh.

They had a jolly time pulling each other's legs and fighting who gets to eat from their mother's hand first.

Kunti smiled at her children, happy to have them with her. She tightened her resolve in finding her eldest and completing her family.

Karna walked around Hastinapura markets happy to see his childhood town still flourishing. No one knew who he was. He had been gone for years after all. No one would bother him now. His feet took him to the forest behind the Shiv temple. The very same place he had met her. He walked around the forest, that held so many precious memories. The forest had been so special and close to his heart. He had got his only and beloved friend here.

His feet took him to the hidden cave. He went and stood in front of the entrance. His mind replayed all those precious memories. The time spend here with her. Hiding from the society. Here, this place was their safe heaven. Only theirs.

He entered the place and looked around. His gaze stopped on a petite woman who stood with her back to him facing the pool of clear water. She turned around as if sensing his presence. A red dupatta hid her face from him, only showing her kohl lined doe eyes.

He walked towards her as she approached towards him. They both stopped within a few feet in front of each other. Their eyes not moving from each other's face. Time stopped and wind blew gently.