"What's the matter?Why are you so annoyed?" Arshia asked, closing the doors of their chamber.

Arshia turned to Karna,her gaze burning him. He looked at Arshia with the same gaze. He won the dominance causing Arshia to gulp at how angry he looked. He walked to her and, sub-consciously,she backed away. His heavy and angry steps echoed in the room.

Trying not to appear weak,she stood firm in her place. Their bodies were almost a centimetre apart now. Arshia looked up to see Karna's blazing eyes on her.

Although Arshia was considered tall for a woman in this yug,she felt small against Karna. All the men here were way taller than the men in Kaliyug.

"You were with the Pandavas and their wife, weren't you?" Karna's harsh tone asked. Arshia frowned at how he presented his words. "Yes,I was with them. What about it?" Arshia asked, bravely. She scanned his face...his expression hardened and discomfort rose on his face.

"Don't act like you don't know Arshia" Karna spat. He walked away from her,not giving her the slightest chance to reply back.

He stood in front of the mirror and harshly removed all of his ornaments,his crown being the last. She saw how harsh his movements were and, somewhere deep down,she felt guilty.

Arshia walked to him and hugged his bare body,from the back. Her left cheek rested against his hard back as she mumbled

"I am sorry. I am helpless. They are my dharm-brothers and bhabhishree Draupadi wanted my advice in this grave matter. My priorities and loyalties lie with you, Karna. "

Karna rested his hands on Arshia's and leaned his head back. He sighed and turned around, pulling Arshia into a hug.

.

Arshia POV

I feel double-faced.

I feel guilty.

I feel horrible.

Just minutes ago,I had promised bharta Arjun that I would support him,his brothers and their wife through anything and then I am telling Karna that my priorities and loyalties lies with him.

Mahamahim,one of the most learned men of Aryavart, considers me the epitome of dharma...which I surely don't deserve to be. He told me that I was what he wanted to see on the throne and that surely warmed me. But do I deserve it?No. Do I deserve all the praise?No. The Pandavas, having someone like bharta Yudhishthir the son of dharma,came to me for refudge. They wanted my advice in their matter. Bhabhishree Draupadi considered me as an equal to her husbands.

All of them were important to me. They were my dharm-brothers after all. But Karna was my husband,my lover,my well-wisher,my everything lied with him. My soul and heart was devoted to the son of lord Surya. My priorities should lie with him but shree Krishna,the almighty God,has introduced me as his sakhi and ultimately, everyone views me as the face of dharma. Shree Krishna had glorified me in my swaymvar and later the praises in my name never left his lips.

I remember,when I was in Dwarka...when I walked down the street, people would say

"She is Vasudev Krishna's priya sakhi, Rajkumari Arshia. She surely has the looks to be his sakhi"

"Her beauty is remarkable!I heard,Kalinga's king was planning to marry his son to Rajkumari Arhisa!His son was so intoxicated by her beauty that he wanted her at any cost!But dwarka-naresh Krishna made sure nothing came close to her"

"If dharma was a person,it would surely be her. I mean,have you heard how highly Vasudev Krishna speaks of her?I am sure she is not some ordinary rajkumari. She must be the prasad of Gods!"

And what not.

I never got it.

What did I do to gain all these praises?

I looked at Karna,who was hugging my waist and sleeping. Light snores escaped his lips. I placed my hand on his face,slowly carreseing his cheek.

He is the best thing that happened to me,in this yug. I don't know what lies ahead and I don't know if I will have him in this journey but I am so greatful to have someone like him in my life. Obviously,Shree Krishna is my dearest friend but this man,who was sleeping beside me,takes care of my heart.

These feelings....are new to me. I never had a serious relationship with boys in my college and school. It was mostly me keeping to myself. Nor did I have friends who I could share my thoughts with. I had no one back in Kaliyug, execpt my brother and sister.

But this man made me experience everything in such a small period of time and I don't regret a bit to have saved my firsts for him because he was so worth it.

But,I am afraid. As the time slowly passes by,I am afraid with what lies ahead.

Karna is my strength.

But my dharma lies with Shree Krishna,who sides the Pandavas. I am Shree Krishna's,the world belongs to him and we shall do what he pleases us to do.

All this thinking exhausted my mind and I eventually fell asleep....

.

The next morning

"Angrani, Rajkumari Draupadi requested you in her chamber" A maid came in and informed me.

I looked up at Karna,who seemed to have freezed in his place. I looked at the maid and nodded at her.

Standing up,I walked to Karna and stood infront of him. I placed my hands on his wide shoulders and tip-toed to place a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I know why you are worried. You are afraid I might drift apart from you..."I voiced his thoughts. Karna looked at me,with no emotion on his face or in his eyes.

"But you are my strength,Karna. I can't possibly leave my strength!It is you who I need in every step of life. After marrying you,it is your support that I need to walk ahead—"

"But with every step,you support someone who is not me Arshia. How do you expect me to be okay with that?" He cut me off.

I rested my hands on my sides and said

"You have suffered so much more than this... although you are one of the best archers of this yug,no one accepts you because of your adopted status. You had to be indebted to Rajkumar Duryodhana for your whole life to prove yourself. You might have gained status but you are still vurnarable. Before,you were vurnarable because you had no status and couldn't prove yourself and now you are vurnarable because you are live-long indebted to that one man. I may sound harsh and I wish you could forgive me after I utter such harsh words but without the title of being the king of Anga,do you think anyone would pay you any attention? Anyone would want to battle you? No doubt you are a brilliant archer,for me you are better than anyone in this world,but without Rajkumar Duryodhana being kind enough to give you Anga...you possibly couldn't have battled Arjun."

I took a deep breath in and continued

"I cannot promise that I would be physically present with you,in each step of your life but I can assure you that I will always be with you. My heart and my soul lies with you...I will always be present in your mind. I promise"

I whispered the last part.

Karna seemed a lot more relaxed after my whole speech. He placed his hands slightly under my jaw and kissed my lips.

"You can go. "

I nodded at him and made my way to the door.

"Arshia"

He stopped me.

"If I have to go against the Pandavas today,when they prove their innocence,you shall not stop me. "

I didn't answer and left.

Of course I couldn't promise him that.

I have already promised bhrata Arjun.

. . . .

!Important!

Who are you all imagining as Karna?Just wanted ask..

I am personally imagining Karna as Aham sharma(cause why not)but y'all are free to imagine him as anyone.

And Arshia is completely your imagination.

.

I know,bit of a boring chapter and not that well written.

I will come back with a better chapter!

Thank you! Enjoy reading! Vote.