Sonakshi rolled on the palace grounds of Anga soaking in the soft sunlight. It had been a week since Karna had revealed to her about Gandhari's intervention. With the freedom she felt more at ease with herself. And moreover Karna had some unusual but charming ways of making her comfortable. She chuckled. Nowadays almost every moment she expected something.

"Rajkumari"

A daasi had come bearing a large golden jug and a goblet.

"Maharaj sent you some pomegranate juice."

She grinned gesturing for her to leave it beside her. Karna wouldn't be too far away.

And he wasn't, for barely 20 minutes had passed and she was alone no more in the green environment. Sonakshi gazed at his muscular form as his handsome face glowed radiantly in the golden rays of the late afternoon sun.

"You should have had the juice Rajkumari. You have been outdoors for a very long time" he said without even glancing at her.

She smiled. She had rather grown fond of the way he doted on her at times but at the same time let her free.

"You know Angraj, you could simply bring the juice yourself if you are so concerned ensuring that I drink it. Besides you are spying on me noting my every movement, what I am doing and everything?"

She grinned at him mischievously as he smiled at her trying to put on an air of importance around himself.

"Sonakshi, you should be knowing that kings don't go anywhere without announcing first" he said pointing at the juice, to which Sonakshi just rolled her eyes, "And about your second question, nothing in Anga palace goes unnoticed by me. Besides, Rajkumari you are a new here, it is only practical and safe to keep an eye on you. Who know what you are plotting or scheming hiding behind your innocent looks-"

A handful of grass and soil aimed with particular precision at the King of Anga's face stopped his sentence midway. Sonakshi could only laugh helplessly as he sat gaping at her incredulously. Her hands reached for tearing some more grass when Karna too decided not be left out of the action.

"No, no. You are not destroying my gardens Sona!"

And his exclamation drew an awkward end to their frivolous moment. Karna cursed himself for his stupidity. He observed Sonakshi looking down shyly brushing off the grass and leaves from herself she had not noticed until now. Why did he have to call her 'Sona'?

"No Rajkumari you don't need to do that. The smell and adornments of nature accentuate your beauty" he said reassuringly as she smiled again.

"Angraj you remind me of my father in some ways. He too would never restrict me from enjoying the outdoors unlike other princesses and royal girls."

"Rajkumari if you ever want to visit Pirajshya, just tell me. I will take you there myself. And i also have the palace and the kingdom well taken care of. You don't have to worry."

"Thank you Angraj" she said softly, "I don't think I can face my past any time soon now. But rest assured I am happy here."

"Rajkumari", Karna's gentle voice and profound black eyes made her heart swell slightly "You rarely talk about your life prior to this. I mean the little things. Your parents were probably planning your swayamvar or you may have been learning some fine arts or..."

"My marriage had been fixed." She let out without thinking and immediately regretted.

"To whom if I may ask?" he said, his eyes clouded with a range of emotions.

"It is my past now, Angraj" she said smiling sadly before taking a deep breath "We were perhaps not destined for each other."

"Oh but what happened..."

She recalled the day the news of the Varnavrat fire incident which had engulfed in itself the Pandavas and Rajmata Kunti reached her family. She had been terribly upset.

"There is no way I can be united with him, Angraj, and this happened before the attack."

She smiled trying to assuage his guilt and apprehensions. Yet the memory of the handsome Brahmin youth who called himself Sumeshwar made her heart beat a little faster.

But she could not join the dots.

"Rajkumari, I will be leaving for Panchal in two days."

"But why so suddenly?"

She turned her complete attention to him now.

"Maharaja Drupad of Panchal has sent an invitation to his daughter's swayamvar" he asked tenaciously unsure of how she would react.

And indeed she was shocked at the news. Somewhere it stung her that he should be a potential suitor for another maiden but had she not herself asked for time and space from him.

"I will not participate if you don't want me to Rajkumari" he stated hopefully.

"No you will you. There is no reason for you not to" she replied clearly. She couldn't be so ungrateful and selfish with him by denying him after everything he had done for her.