Dhaksha's pov

Angaraj stood near the balcony, looking back with a heavy heart. It had been ages since I'd seen him; he had taken residence in the palace of Anga after becoming King, all at the behest of Duruyodhana. The weight of kingship was something he bore to confront Rajkumar Arjuna.

"Where have you been, Dhaksha?" he asked, concern weaving through his words.
"I just went to play with the kids outside. Please don't be upset," I replied, moving closer to him.
"So, you did use your bow?" His smile sparkled.
"I'm sorry," I said, pouting.

"And I met the Pandavas in the woods."
"What?"

"Oh, yes! I shot the same fruit as Arjuna," I laughed.
"What? You argued with him?" His expression shifted, the worry on his face evident.

"No, Karna, it wasn't like that. We had a friendly disagreement at first. Eventually, Rajkumar Yudhistran gave the fruit to me," I smiled, trying to lighten the mood.
"That's good, then," he replied, though his voice sounded weary.

"What's troubling you, Karna? Is there anything I can do to help?" I gently placed my hand on his shoulder.
"It's just... I feel so distant from Vrushali. I can't even care for her properly. She's pregnant now, Dhaksha," he confessed, the sadness palpable.

"Please don't worry, Karna. You have a wife who stands by you through thick and thin. You're doing a great job as Angaraj. Just make sure to visit her often; it would cheer both of you up," I comforted him.
"Thank you, Dhaksha, for being there for me," he said, a flicker of hope in his smile.
"Keep smiling, okay?" I encouraged.

"Is this smile good enough?" he asked, a playful glint in his eye.
"Nah, you still look a bit silly!" I teased.
"What?" We shared a hearty laugh, the tension momentarily lifting.

"I think you should visit your brother. It's been ages since you came to see us," he remarked.
"Oh, Karna, I got so carried away with the comfort of home," I admitted, smiling at him.
"This is your home, Dhaksha," he replied with sincerity, holding my shoulder with affection.

~~~~~~~~

"Are you sure you want to drive alone? Should I join you?" Karna asked, concern still lingering in his tone.
"I'll be fine! Trust me!" I insisted, struggling to get inside the chariot.
"Really? You're sure?" Karna chuckled, sensing the hesitation in my voice.
"Just stop it! I can manage!" I pouted again.

"Alright then, goodbye, Radhai ma! I love you! And you, Karna? Well, I'm not too fond of you right now!"
"I'll miss you," Karna smiled warmly as he waved goodbye. "I'm not too fond of you either!"

I waved back at him, overwhelmed by his radiant smile. The Son of Surya certainly had a charm about him. But after a few hours on the road, I realized I had lost my way yet again.

"Dhaksha!" A familiar voice called from behind.
"Who is it?" I turned around to see our Kanha ji.

"Have you forgotten about me, Dhaksha? Staying there for good now?" he teased lightly.

"No, I just found it hard to leave!" I replied with a smile.
"Alright then. Let's get going. Thank the gods I made it in time; otherwise, you would have been a meal for a wild bear!" he said, half-joking.
"What? Bears?"

Dwaraka was like a dream. Rukmini ka and Satyabhama ka took such wonderful care of me, and I had endless fun with all the children there.

But these kids were just like their father—so divine yet mischievous. Pradyumna's smile was an unmistakable reflection of his father. Everyone felt so pure and heavenly, except perhaps for me.

Many months slipped away peacefully.

"Dhaksha, my Aaraya is looking for you!" Rukmini Ka shouted from the garden.

I was fully absorbed in a game of hide and seek with the little ones, hurrying over to Kanha as soon as Rukmini called for me.

"Why did you call for me, Kanha Na?" I inquired, curious.
"Do you need a reason to see your brother?" he replied playfully.
"Okay, stop teasing me. Seriously, what's going on?"

"I'm planning to visit Panchalam to see my sakhi—"
"Sakhi Draupadi?" I finished for him, excitement bubbling within me.
"Yes! Would you like to come along?" he invited warmly.
"Yes, yes! I would love to!" I jumped in delightful agreement.

"You know, monkeys can sometimes be beautiful when they jump," he joked, walking toward his chariot.
"What? Are you comparing me to a monkey?" I ran to catch up with him.

When we reached Panchalam, I found myself lost in thought, hardly uttering a word to Kanha.

"So, Dhaksha, you've decided to give Vasudeva the silent treatment? You're the first girl in the universe to ignore me like this," he laughed softly.
"Aww, Kanha Na, who would ever ignore you?"
"I know," he replied, reading my mind.

Draupadi was stunning. Her dark skin and yellowish-brown attire captured my attention. Her fiery eyes held a mesmerizing allure.

"This is what every girl dreams of—PERFECTION!"

"Dhaksha, right? I've heard so much about you from my Sakha," Draupadi said sweetly.
"Yes, that's me," I stammered, suddenly shy.

"Why do you still stammer?" I thought to myself with a sigh.

"It's such a pleasure to finally meet you! I've always urged Sakha to bring you here, but he's always busy," Draupadi said, her warmth so welcoming.
"Busy teasing everyone else, right, Kanha?" I chimed in, sharing a knowing glance.
"Do you have any cute monkeys around here?" Kanha asked, a playful smile lighting up his face.
"Really? We're at Panchalam, Kanha. Not the time for jokes!" I pouted, unable to hide my amusement.

We spent hours talking, and she introduced me to her father, King Draupada. A genuine connection formed between Draupadi and me; it was easy to see why Arjuna was captivated by her.

"We'll visit you soon, sakhi," Vasudeva promised warmly.
I hugged Draupadi tightly before we prepared to return to Dwaraka.

(After a few weeks)

"Where are you guys? I'm on my way!" I called out.

Taking a few steps forward, I suddenly heard someone behind me. I turned around, catching hold of their shoulder.

"I got you, Kanha!"
I took the blinds off my eyes.
"You..."

To be continued...

Who do you think Dhaksha saw?

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