𝙺𝙰𝚁𝙽𝙰 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙴𝙼𝙿𝙴𝚁𝙾𝚁

࿇ ✥ ࿇ CHAPTER-47 ࿇ ✥ ࿇

Karna stood regally at the entrance of the grand palace in Magadha, overseeing the departure of esteemed guests from Dwaraka, Hastinapur, and Vidarbha who had gathered for the joyous occasion of Rukmini's wedding.

As the guests bid their farewells and prepared to leave, Karna approached Rukmini, his demeanor gracious and warm. "Take care, Sakhi," he said with a gentle smile, standing beside Krishna's chariot. "I will make every effort to visit you soon."

Krishna, known for his playful nature, couldn't resist chiming in with a teasing tone. "It seems I'm quite invisible to you, Vrisha. You'll have to wait until I meet my dear Sakhi ."

Rukmini and Karna shared an amused smile at Krishna's playful remark. Rukmini, curious, inquired, "And who might that be?" To which Krishna replied with a sly grin, "Why, of course, Vrisha's future wife ."

Karna responded to Krishna's teasing with a playful yet heartfelt tone.

" Madhav, things will unfold when the time is right. In the meantime, take care of yourself and my dear Sakhi. And rest assured, when the day of my wedding comes, my sakhi will receive a special invitation. You can certainly tag along, but for now, continue on your journey ."

As Karna and Krishna exchanged words and laughter, the chariots carrying guests from various kingdoms began to move forward, slowly departing from the majestic palace of Magadha.

As the chariots exited Magadha, Karna's mind was filled with thoughts of the princess who had captured his heart . Amidst his royal duties and responsibilities, her image lingered, and he couldn't help but wonder about the future that might unfold between them.

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one year later =>

Karna, while strengthening Magadha, aimed to make it a formidable and just kingdom. He didn't wage wars against good-hearted kings but rather focused on those who oppressed innocent people. In carrying out his duty, he had to take the lives of such malevolent rulers and expand his Kingdom.

Rukmini had informed him about Prince Arjuna's proposal to marry Subhadra, but Balaram had an intriguing response. He decided to conduct a swayamvar for Subhadra, allowing her to choose her life partner as per her own wish. Karna felt a sense of relief and joy wash over him.

An invitation arrived from the kingdom of Panchal. It bore tidings of the upcoming swayamvar, a grand celebration set to choose the future spouse for the Panchal princess. What intrigued Karna most, however, was the accompanying letter from none other than Vasudev Krishna himself.

Knowing well the diplomatic implications of declining such an invitation, Karna found himself caught in a web of conflicting emotions. While he harbored no intention of marrying the Panchal princess, the insistence of Keshav, weighed heavily on his mind.

"You should go and participate, Putra," urged Amba, her words tinged with curiosity. " I've heard that the Panchal princess is renowned for her extraordinary beauty ."

Karna's thoughts, however, were fixated on a singular woman who had captured his heart. Yet, he remained reticent, fearful that expressing his feelings might jeopardize the cherished friendship they shared.

"Subi, what should I do now?" Karna whispered to himself, his heart heavy with uncertainty. Despite his reservations, he reluctantly began to prepare for the journey to Panchal, his resolve wavering.

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Panchal was abuzz with an atmosphere of grandeur and extravagance as preparations were underway to welcome kings and princesses from every corner of Aryavart for the highly anticipated
swayamvar of the Panchal princess .