him?
Karna’s face was masked again in a brooding shroud, cocooning his cold, closed self. Uruvi wondered frantically how she could salvage the relaxed moment they had shared. ‘I know what happened at Princess Draupadi’s swayamwara,’ she said evenly. ‘But I invited you because you were the only one I wanted to marry. Had you not turned up, the swayamwara would have been called off and I wouldn’t have married anyone else.’ The finality of her words shocked him. He could not help being moved by her determination and love for him.
Watching the small, slight figure in front of him, Karna felt his rage subside. She was like a fountain of water, reviving him with the water of life and love. He felt a strange emotion, a surge of protective affection for this woman who had fought so desperately to get him. She had him, yes, she did, Karna thought with a sense of fond pride. He felt the first glow of her love and basked in it. He didn’t want to ever see her hurt. He recalled the pain in her eyes when she had been insulted by the angry suitors at her own swayamwara. Anger flamed in his heart but a larger guilt tore him. It was because of him that she had to hear those terrible words. His conscience, always sensitive, was troubled. A pang seized him when he realized that their future would be an uneasy one; he would be responsible for many more bitter blows to her pride. He had experienced this humiliation himself and knew he still would, but from now on he would be dragging her along with him.
It was his turn to relieve the thickening tension between them. ‘I would say I’m glad my curiosity got the better of me,’ he confessed. ‘When I received the wedding invitation from your esteemed father, I was naturally intrigued about why I was being invited to a swayamwara where everyone knew whom the bride was going to marry! I confess I was curious to see the bride. You were that perfect princess whom the perfect prince, Arjuna, was to marry. Instead, the iconic princess chose an interloper—it turned out to be a daring decision, which shocked everyone! And, dear princess, I was surprised too, amazed that you selected me over Arjuna.’
‘Don’t you think you are worth it?’ she murmured, a smile in her whisper.
He dared not touch her. His bride looked so beguilingly beautiful. His eyes raked her body. She was small and slim but straight-backed, deep-bosomed and tiny-waisted, with flaring hips. His eyes caressed her dark hair, her oval face, her trembling lips. He could almost breathe in her fragrance. And then Uruvi saw his beautiful face melting into a small smile for the first time, like the sun coming out of the dark clouds, spreading light everywhere. His smile shone through the darkest pools in his sunset eyes, deep into her soul.
Although an upheaval had occurred in the lives of Uruvi and Karna, the palace of the King of Anga was still quiet. That late morning, when the news of Princess Uruvi’s stormy swayamwara reached the palace, its tranquillity was rudely shattered, giving way to unaccustomed pandemonium.
The person to react most furiously to the news was Shona, Karna’s younger brother. ‘I am not against Karna bringing another bride home, but she’s a kshatriya princess, a stranger, an outsider who will never be able to mingle with us. She is sure to disrupt the peace of this house. Worse, she may take him away from us,’ he warned, voicing aloud his parents’ rising trepidation.
The old parents, Radha and Adhiratha, looked visibly worried. Shatruntapa, or Shona as they fondly called him, disapproved of his brother’s new marriage vehemently. Even Vrushali was unable to placate her angry brother-in-law. Her soft-spoken words made him more angry. ‘As his wife, you are the one who is the most affected, yet you accept the situation so calmly!’ raged Shona.
‘If he is going to be happy, so be it,’ she said evenly, smiling softly as she got ready to welcome the newly-wed couple who
Karna’s face was masked again in a brooding shroud, cocooning his cold, closed self. Uruvi wondered frantically how she could salvage the relaxed moment they had shared. ‘I know what happened at Princess Draupadi’s swayamwara,’ she said evenly. ‘But I invited you because you were the only one I wanted to marry. Had you not turned up, the swayamwara would have been called off and I wouldn’t have married anyone else.’ The finality of her words shocked him. He could not help being moved by her determination and love for him.
Watching the small, slight figure in front of him, Karna felt his rage subside. She was like a fountain of water, reviving him with the water of life and love. He felt a strange emotion, a surge of protective affection for this woman who had fought so desperately to get him. She had him, yes, she did, Karna thought with a sense of fond pride. He felt the first glow of her love and basked in it. He didn’t want to ever see her hurt. He recalled the pain in her eyes when she had been insulted by the angry suitors at her own swayamwara. Anger flamed in his heart but a larger guilt tore him. It was because of him that she had to hear those terrible words. His conscience, always sensitive, was troubled. A pang seized him when he realized that their future would be an uneasy one; he would be responsible for many more bitter blows to her pride. He had experienced this humiliation himself and knew he still would, but from now on he would be dragging her along with him.
It was his turn to relieve the thickening tension between them. ‘I would say I’m glad my curiosity got the better of me,’ he confessed. ‘When I received the wedding invitation from your esteemed father, I was naturally intrigued about why I was being invited to a swayamwara where everyone knew whom the bride was going to marry! I confess I was curious to see the bride. You were that perfect princess whom the perfect prince, Arjuna, was to marry. Instead, the iconic princess chose an interloper—it turned out to be a daring decision, which shocked everyone! And, dear princess, I was surprised too, amazed that you selected me over Arjuna.’
‘Don’t you think you are worth it?’ she murmured, a smile in her whisper.
He dared not touch her. His bride looked so beguilingly beautiful. His eyes raked her body. She was small and slim but straight-backed, deep-bosomed and tiny-waisted, with flaring hips. His eyes caressed her dark hair, her oval face, her trembling lips. He could almost breathe in her fragrance. And then Uruvi saw his beautiful face melting into a small smile for the first time, like the sun coming out of the dark clouds, spreading light everywhere. His smile shone through the darkest pools in his sunset eyes, deep into her soul.
Although an upheaval had occurred in the lives of Uruvi and Karna, the palace of the King of Anga was still quiet. That late morning, when the news of Princess Uruvi’s stormy swayamwara reached the palace, its tranquillity was rudely shattered, giving way to unaccustomed pandemonium.
The person to react most furiously to the news was Shona, Karna’s younger brother. ‘I am not against Karna bringing another bride home, but she’s a kshatriya princess, a stranger, an outsider who will never be able to mingle with us. She is sure to disrupt the peace of this house. Worse, she may take him away from us,’ he warned, voicing aloud his parents’ rising trepidation.
The old parents, Radha and Adhiratha, looked visibly worried. Shatruntapa, or Shona as they fondly called him, disapproved of his brother’s new marriage vehemently. Even Vrushali was unable to placate her angry brother-in-law. Her soft-spoken words made him more angry. ‘As his wife, you are the one who is the most affected, yet you accept the situation so calmly!’ raged Shona.
‘If he is going to be happy, so be it,’ she said evenly, smiling softly as she got ready to welcome the newly-wed couple who
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