Clapping could be heard when Arjun finished playing the instrument. When the thunderous clapping was over a slow and mocking clapping could be heard.

Arshia turned to the sound at the speed of light to see two men,one who could be described as lightning made of flesh and the other one shined brightly like a sun. She widened her eyes in horror realising who the man with the sun-like figure was.

Angraj Karna

Accompanied by Rajkumar Duryodhana,the oldest of the Kauravas.

The events came flooding in,a bit too much for her to handle.

"Arshia,are you okay?" Subhadra asked looking at her pale expression. Arshia nodded and stepped only a bit forward,to have a clear view of the three.

Duryodhana ripped his necklace apart and threw it at Arjun who subconsciously caught it.

"Dushasan,you should also give alms to the other musicians" His brothers laughed. Subhadra and Durshala looked at each other,not knowing what they should do to stop this. Arshia was fisting the fabric she wore,also not knowing what to do even if she knew what was going to happen if she didn't stop this.

"Vasudev,show me a path"

"You can rewrite fate,sakhi. What path can I show you?You have every single path in front of you, it's your choice"

Arshia inhaled and exhaled deeply, deciding what to do when the situation gets out of hand.

"Mitr Karna,do you know how to play any instruments?" Duryodhana asked with a mocking tone. Arshia turned her gaze to Karna and then Kunti. That was something different she had to bear in her mind at the moment.

"If someone else had asked this,I would have considered it an insult,mitr. For a true archer,his string and arrow are the only source of music to his ears" He smirked.

"You are right,mitr. He is just tarnishing the name of the Kuru Dynasty." Arshia saw Arjun's face tense up and Duryodhana's face gaining satisfaction.

When the two turned around to leave but Bheem stopped them with a comment.

"Did you forget how Arjun pinned you down with his arrows yesterday, Duryodhana!?"

"Yes,Arjun pinned me down with multiple arrows Bhrata Bheem. But did you forget how my mitr Karna freed me using one arrow,only?"

"Even a mouse cuts with the help of its teeth,it makes it useful not a warrior" Arjun replied a smirk forming on his face.

Karna stepped forward in anger but was stopped by someone calling him out. A small man came limping and Arshia widened her eyes, realising who the man was.

"The only one shree Krishna truly feared,Gandhar Raj. He was,after all,the only genius after Krishna himself!" Her mother praised.

Shakuni continued to add ghee to the fire and added up to the anger of Arjun. Finally deciding to leave,Karna turned his eyes to the three women. When his eyes finally reached Arshia,she didn't break the gaze like the other two did, instead she intensely stared into his eyes. He removed his gaze, feeling the intensity.

"To satisfy the maidens,why only sing Rajkumar Arjun?Might as well dance as well"

Arjun's expression turned horrific and angry. She panicked to see Arjun grab his knife.

"We have people to do that, Rajkumar Karna" Arhsia blurted out forcefully. Rajkumar Karna sounded weird,to everyone judging their expressions.

"Why?Did I say anything wrong?" Arhsia forced out. "Wow,Arshia. What acting!"

"It's Angraj Karna,not Rajkumar Karna" Durshala,who was beside her, whispered. Arshia's mouth formed a 'o'.

She turned around and looked at Karna,with a obvious forced smile. "Sorry,Angraj Karna. As I was saying,we have people to entertain me, Rajkumari Subhadra and Rajkumari Durshala. Many people actually. Forgive me for saying this Rajkumar Arjun(she turned her gaze at Arjun) but if he utmost wants to entertain us in anyway,even if it is by dancing (she looked at Karna,her eyes turning siren) it's completely his wish. You don't have any authority to even tell him that. I am Arshia,Shree Krishna's beloved sakhi if you wanted my introduction"

Karna and Duryodhana stared at the new girl,in shock,not knowing how a mere woman even had the mouth to speak to them in such a way. Arshia looked at Shakuni, following his gaze to see Arjun gripping the knife tightly while glaring at Karna. Soon enough,the Maharaj and Maharani with Bhishma and Vidur made their entry.

Arshia walked towards Arjun in a manner where no one could notice her. She stood on top of the stairs while Arjun was just a step down. Before the Pandavas could question,Arshia softly removed Arjun's grip on the knife and took it, gripping the knife in her very own fingers. Arjun turned around and looked up shocked, knowing she just landed into trouble.

"And as you can see,Arjun is currently gripping the knife, almost attacking the Ally of Hastinapur" Shakuni gestured as everyone turned thier attention to Arjun.

Bhishma and Vidur frowned seeing a knife in Arshia's hand and not Arjun's hand. Bhishma looked up at the girl who's stay and protection was requested by Krishna himself. According to him(Bhishma)the girl didn't look that fragile,that she needed protection. She had a strong appearance.

The hall looked at Arshia who was softly gripping the knife with no intend to attack anyone. She bent down and placed the knife on the platform before walking towards the crowd,as she considered it.

"Formally introducing,I am Arshia belonging to Dwarka." She then greeted everyone. "We know putri, Vasudev himself had wrote us a letter" She smiled knowing he couldn't quite see her.

"The fact that...." Arshia had to act like she didn't know the man so she turned around and faked the confusion.

"I am sorry but you are?" Arshia asked looking at Shakuni. He simply glared but replied "Gandharaj"

She joined her hands and greeted him,not caring if he had greeted her back of not. She turned to Dhritarashtra and spoke

"The fact that Gandharaj just spoke at this very moment was very wrong. You can be assured by..." It annoyed Arshia that she had to pretend to not know the people here as she always had to stop mid-sentence. She looked at Bhishma and Vidur,her eyes begging for a name.

"Maha mantri Vidur"

"Mahamahim Bhishma"

She joined her hands and greeted the two .

"...Mahamantri Vidur and Mahamahim Bhishma. The knife was in my hand and I certainly had no intend to attack Angraj Karna."

Shakuni's glare deepened when he realised his plan was turning out to be a failure

With assurance, Maharaj Dhritarashtra declared that what Shakuni had said was just a misunderstanding and the party should go on.

Arshia sighed and turned around to see Durshala and Subhadra proudly *fake* clapping at her. She smiled back in reply

.

"Subhratri Arshia!" The three greeted each other as they split there ways.

.

I saw Rudra bhai and Amiya crying and felt them shaking me. I tried to sit up but I couldn't. Something held me back. I felt my voice dissapear,as I tried to scream and get their attention. My father came with a doctor. Was I sick? Why can't I wake up?I tried my best to scream and best to move but nothing worked.

Arshia sat up and streched her hand to what she doesn't know. Coughing,she gulped down a glass of water. She looked outside to see the moon shining brightly indicating that it was 2-3:00 am.

She sighed and wore her footwear,not being able to get over what she saw. It all just felt too real.

Exiting the room,she rubbed her bare arms as the cold wind hit her. She walked out of the castle, pitting the soilders who were still awake and greeted her. She walked to the near-by river and sat down on a huge rock,still rubbing her arms because of the intensive cold winds.

A smile made on her face,the comfort and peace running through her body.

"Rajkumari?" Arshia opened her eyes in a hurry and stood up, walking back scared that she was in the presence of another man.

Not knowing the water was just behind her the man hurried and grabbed her so that she doesn't fall back in the water. He wrapped his arm around her covered waist securely and a hand on her enterlocked arms and pulled her back,saving her from falling into the fast and cold currents of the river.

Arshia,not having the time to think,grabbed onto the man's shoulder feeling her getting away from the water.

She looked up to stare into Karna's eyes and for some reason no one could look away. Karna's grip on her only tightened but her arms slowly slipped off his bare shoulders. Upon feeling the absence of the heat that certain part of his shoulder felt because of her,he came back into reality and removed his grip on her.

Arshia stepped a few steps back,not too back that Karna had to save her again,and looked at him with a gentle smile on her face.

No matter how her mother may have described him and how bad he was,Arshia could never come to hate him. Not when she listened to her mother's recitation,not when she had to go against him and never here. She understood what he did wrong but also knew what wrong happened to the guy. She could never hate Karna,no matter what he did in his life,no matter how many wrong choices he did,she would never.

"Thank you,Angraj Karna" A smile formed on his face once she completed the statement.

"Your welcome, Rajkumari. But what are you doing here,at so late in the night? It's not really save" Karna expressed his concern.

"Don't you think I should also be the one asking you the same question?"

"I was up. A soilder had infromed me about you. That's the reason why I am here"

"You wake up at 3 in the morning? That's amazing" Arshia said with genuiness in her voice. "It's normally 4-5 in the morning. I couldn't sleep today. Now, about you?"

"I had a nightmare and I couldn't forget it. Thought of coming out for fresh air"

Karna nodded and looked at the strong river currents. Arshia smiled at him and looked at the river.

"I think we should go. You will catch a cold because of the strong winds" Karna said concerned. "And like you wouldn't. Let's go together and you could get ready for your Surya Puja" Arshia blurted out.

Karna frowned.

"How do you know that I always do Surya Puja?" Arshia froze while looking at Karna.

Arshia covered it up well with half the truth.

"When I first saw you,I was reminded of Surya Deva himself. And why would anyone wake up so early every single morning for no reason?" She said calmly. Karna beleived her and the two head to the palace.

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Hope you enjoyed reading. I don't mean to hurt anyone's religious beliefs. Stay tuned for updates! Vote! Enjoy!