Arshia,dressed heavily,looked around the decorations. The mandap was set up indoors,a huge chandelier hung right above the mandap and the hall was filled with beautifully scented flowers. As Karna and Arshia entered the hall,they were showered with roses.

They walked to Abhimanyu,who sat in a groom attire with a small smile on his face. As he looked up to see Karna and Arshia,his smile widen. Both of them returned it back.

Karna knelt down and side-hugged his son.

"You have grown up,Abhi." Karna said,his smile growing wider. Abhimanyu quickly looked around, realising the attention wasn't on him,and hugged Karna back.

"I can't physically believe that you are here,for my wedding,beside me. Like,can you believe it,you are here with me!" Abhimanyu mumbled in his child like voice,his eyes looking up at Karna and there was glow and twinkle in it.

The glow of admiration and the twinkle of love.

"Yes yes,how can I miss your wedding,the most important day of your life? You are my son,afterall." Karna said,softly as he pulled away and fixed Abhimanyu's attire.

Arshia looked at the two, talking and hugging as a warm yet gut-wrenching feeling filled her up. She gulped as she felt a tear escape her eyes. She won't be able to take it when Karna and Abhimanyu face each other,in the most destructive war humankind has faced,

that is,if she fails to prevent it.

She softly shook her head and looked away, stopping all her tears. She gave out a big sigh and walked over to Abhimanyu. She stood, waiting to get noticed.

"Maa!" Abhimanyu exclaimed. Arshia smiled and knelt beside Karna. She looked over his attire, making small changes and nodded at him. "Handsome enough." She smiled. Abhimanyu turned to the two and wrapped his arms around them.

"I love you two,so so much." Abhimanyu mumbled against their ears. He pulled away, looking at the two of them.

"We love you too." Karna said, patting his cheek. Abhimanyu grinned, sitting at his place and stared at the two,his demure completely relaxed.

"What? Stare ahead,your soon to be wife will be entering soon. Looking at us won't do you any good." Arshia smiled, standing up.

"Sir,do I need to give you a personal invitation." Abhimanyu giggled as Karna stood up, passing him a small glare. "We will be here,okay?" Arshia softly said as the two of them walked away.

"Can't we stay with Abhimanyu? He is all alone." The king of Anga suggested,his eyes not leaving him. "He will be fine,anyways look at him,he has his eldest mother beside him."

Arshia's gaze stopped on Draupadi. She was more than gorgeous, beautifully draped in a red saree as her very long hair flowed. The jewelry she wore highlighted how beautiful her skin tone actually was.

"She is so pretty." Arshia mumbled in admiration,her face having a soft expression.

"You are prettier." He whispered.

Arshia turned and glared at him as he simply shrugged.

"Pranipat Angraj Karna." Draupadi greeted. Karna turned to her,with a small yet respectful smile. "Pranipat"

"Arshia, let's go,we have to look over the decorations." Arshia frowned. "What more do we have to look at, it's extremely beautiful and looking at it all over again is nonsense and-"

"You are over-talking." Karna shifted and whispered. Arshia hurriedly shook her head and turned her face at him,the proximity taking her heart out of her chest.

She instantly cleared her throat and backed away.

"Yeah,I was." Karna smiled at her and looked back at Draupadi. Arshia silently sighed.

The fire born pulled her away, forcing the girl from the future to look at the decorations that had little to no flaws in it.

Karna stood,alone,in the middle of the hall with the servents and guests roaming endlessly, paying almost no attention to him.

Arjun,who was passing by,saw the King standing alone. It would have been easier to ignore the man if he wasn't leaving a sun like radiance from himself.

It was a given that Karna wouldn't be as welcomed as a king should be. He was the enemy in the eyes of the people here and ignorance would be faced by Karna,it couldn't be avoided. Even Vrishaketu,Karna's son,was not welcomed like the kids of Draupadi and the five Pandavas.

Arjun sighed and walked to him.

"Pranipat Angraj Karna." Karna turned to him,wide-eyed. He had no interaction with the Pandavas after finding out his true identity and was,still hesitant,to have any sort of interaction with his 'brothers'.

He stepped back and greeted him back.

"Where is Arshia?" Arjun sweetly asked, burying the feeling of isolation from Karna. The king of Anga turned to Arshia's direction, trying to keep the conversation as limited as possible.

Arjun's mind was never this confused,it was always sharp and focused. He had no clue it would take this much effort to talk to his 'supposed' to be enemy.

"I—"

"Angraj Karna,a letter from Hastinapur has arrived for you." Karna turned to the worker and nodded. He took the scroll from the worker's hand and read it.

His peaceful expression turned bitter as the scroll tightened in his hands. His eyes looked up at Arjun,who had a conflicting expression on his face.

"Rajkumar,I will have to leave. I am urgently needed in Hastinapur. I am unfortunate to miss the wedding." Arjun's eyes widened.

"Angraj,I am sorry for the informal tone,but Abhimanyu requires you in his wedding. You have come,please attend the wedding and proceed."

"I wish the same Rajkumar,but I will have to leave. I am extremely unfortunate." Karna gave his closing statement and walked to Arshia.

"Arshia." Karna called out, gaining the attention of Abhimanyu, Draupadi and his own wife. "Yes?"

"I will have to leave,this instant."

"Pitashree!" Abhimanyu stood up, hurriedly. "Abhimanyu,I am required in Hastinapur."

"But Pitashree, it's my wedding."

"I know putra,but I am urgently required in Hastinapur. I am unfortunate." Karna looked at him, guilty.

Abhimanyu huffed,but understanding the duties of a king,he bowed down to Karna and bid him a goodbye.

"I will see you soon." Karna whispered, walking away. Arshia watched his figure disappear,as she tried to recall what was supposed to happen next,but nothing came to her mind. It was as if something was blocking her memory.

Her gaze turned to Krishna,who stood with a small and soft smile on his face.

...

"We want you to propose a peace treaty,to avoid this war."

Vidur had entered the hall,right after the wedding,to invite the Pandavas to Hastinapur and make them propose a peace treaty.

The Pandavas where inside a chamber, discussing the matters, prohibiting Arshia from being part of the discussion.

"Why would they deny you to participate in the discussion?" Draupadi asked, getting no reply. Arshia sat,with her legs hanging as she swinged them as she looked out the horizon.

"You okay?" The fire born asked. Arshia looked up and nodded.

"Mata." A deep and slow voice called out. Arshia looked up at Vrishaketu with one eyebrow raised. Her son joined his hands,an expression of guilty taking over. He bowed his head,not meeting her eyes.

"Mata,I will take my leave. I am going to Hastinapur,for further war discussions."

Arshia frowned. She stood up and looked at him. She sighed and nodded.

"Yes,please accompany your father"

Vrishaketu gulped and nodded. He bowed down and touched her feet,tears escaping his eyes.

"May you....always win."

He stood up straight and walked away, fearing that if he looked back,he would never be able to leave,never be able to support his father.

A tear rolled down her face as he watched Vrishaketu climb his horse and riding away, without sparing a glance at his mother.

"Go well,son." Her shaky voice escaped her lips,as she wiped her tears away.

"Arshia,stop him. You can't let him go away,how are you going to face him in the war? You can't,you have to stop him!" Draupadi exclaimed. Arshia let out a small smile, shaking her head.

"If I am destined to face my husband and son in the war,then I will face them. I am not capable of changing fate,bhabhishree. "

"He is your son,Arshia!Have you gone crazy?!" Draupadi grabbed Arshia's shoulders and shook her, trying to put some sense in her mind. Arshia's tear-filled eyes looked into her firey ones.

"Karna is bound by his oath towards friendship with Duryodhana and my son is bound to serve his father to extreme ends. I am—I am bound to stay quiet."

"How can you say this? Angraj Karna went against his friend in the dyut sabha,how is he still bound to serve Duryodhana?!"

"He defended us in the dyut sabha,for that,he is still being punished,Panchali. He has to remain on Duryodhan's side to remove the dent on his friendship,on his betrayal." Arshia walked back, wiping her tears.

"He would not do that!" Arshia looked at Draupadi,her eyes being heavier than usual.

"Dharma resides in him,he—he won't do that."

"Panchali, listen, carefully. He is indebted to Duryodhana,he wouldn't have got the title and respect he gets today if it weren't for Duryodhana. Yes,I personally believe that Duryodhana had his own evil motives to crown him a king,but it is already done. The only event which could have drifted them apart was the dyut sabha but because of me—"

Arshia gulped,not being sure if she should continue,not being sure what the circumstances would be.

"What did you do Arshia?"

"Arshia." The both of them looked back at Krishna,who stood alone.

"Yes?"

"We have to go to Hastinapur,to propose the peace treaty." Arshia and Draupadi stood still.

"Why should I go?" Arshia frowned.

"Because I asked you to?"

"You are agreeing to this peace treaty?" Draupadi interrupted, gaining their attentions.

"Because that is the requirement,Krishnaa. A peace treaty is always proposed before a war."

"I,with great difficulty,have finally convinced myself to let this war occur,to cause mass destruction,to let the people I love die and suddenly,we require to give a peace treaty to them? We cannot avoid this war,Govind!" Draupadi raged.

A soft and enchanting smile took over his face and he spoke

"This war is going to happen at any cost."

His gaze fixed on Arshia. He blinked and looked at Draupadi, continuing

"Trust Duryodhana,sakhi. His ego and arrogance will never allow him to avoid this war."

"That doesn't answer my question. Why should I go?" Arshia grew restless.

"Because Mahamantri Vidur suggested it and the eldest Pandava agreed, ordering you to accompany me." Krishna mocked her tone.

"Ordered." She scroffed. "Like I am going to agree with it."

"You can disobey brother Yudhishthir,you can't disobey me." He innocently said,just to receive a mocking look from Arshia. "I might as well,you just sound too sure."

"Well, let's go."

When Arshia was about to deny, Draupadi spoke

"Just go Arshia. Govind isn't going to give up and he promises that the war is going to happen,so no worries." Arshia forcefully smiled at her.

"Like I want the war to occur." She thought as she nodded at Krishna and ordered a chariot for her.

.

Krishna's chariot was ahead of Arshia's chariot as the two entered the grounds of Hastinapur. As the palace came into, people showered the two with flowers,that smelled awfully well. For a second,just a second,Arshia let a smile on her face and streched her hand to collect the flowers.

Soon, realising what she was doing,she dropped the flowers and sighed. As they entered the palace grounds,she saw the sky lit up with purple and pink mist. Starring upwards,she looked at Karna,who created the phenomenon. A small smile escaped her face and,this time,it didn't leave as her eyes looked at the godly figure,who was also her husband.

After paying respect to Vasudev Krishna,Karna looked behind to notice Arshia and smiled at her.

Both Arshia and Krishna claimed down their chariots,Arshia being the most hesitant one. She felt her covered feet step on flowers that had covered the ground as she sighed.

How she wished the journey here was as soft and pleasant as the flowers beneath her feet.

How desparately she wished that the leave treaty to be accepted,

even though she knew it won't happen.

The two visitors climbed the stairs,as memories flashed back for Arshia.

How she was so close to going to Ang Pradesh that night.

How she begged Draupadi to come with her,but she constantly denied.

How she heard Draupadi's screams when the male guards entered her chamber.

How she ran to Draupadi,not giving a thought to what might happen afterwards.

The memory lane came to a halt when Krishna spoke

"The last stair. Snap out of it."

Arshia looked at herf feet,which was raised and one more step would result her to bump into the king. She cleared her throat and stepped back.

She thankfully looked at Krishna who nodded with a soft expression.

"Greetings to the King!" Krishna announced his arrival. The kind greeted back,the guilty expression ever-lasting.

Krishna looked back at Arshia, urging her to greet the king as well. She gritted her teeth,but joined her hands, mumbling a 'Pranipat'.

"Pranipat Maharani Gandhari." Krishna moved to the side. Arshia closely followed behind, mumbling small greetings that lacked respect and affection.

"Pranipat Mahamahim Bhishma." Krishna smiled. Bhishma smiled and looked at Arshia, expecting a similar greeting. But Arshia,still had her face down and hands joined together,which looked more than forced.

"Arshia,can you look at me?" His voice called out as she looked up,her eyes carrying no emotion. "Pranipat."

Bhishma smiled sadly and nodded.

Krishna soon greeted everyone and stood aside.

Arshia sighed, playing with the hem of her saree,not imagining what might(will)happen tomorrow.

She just has too much to think of.

. . . . .