The Unexpected Bride : Mahabharat

Four : From Barbs to Bonding

Parthavi

A week of hobbling had left me stir-crazy. The house felt like a gilded cage. So, with a mischievous glint in my eyes, I did a little victory lap around the room, ignoring the wince that threatened to betray my bravado.

"Bhratashri, look at me!" I chirped. "I can almost run again!"

Karna, who had been lost in some unspoken thought, jolted at my sudden outburst. "Parthavi!" he exclaimed, a mix of concern and exasperation flickering in his eyes. "That leg of yours hasn't fully healed yet. You'll be right back where you started, little devil."

I stuck out my tongue. "Haww," I teased. "Do you want me to tell Maa that you're calling me a devil? I'm such a sweet and innocent little girl, after all!"

He couldn't help but crack a smile, his hand ruffling my hair. But the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. A flicker of sadness, a shadow I didn't understand, clouded his features.

"What happened?" I asked, concern replacing my teasing. "You look so... glum, Bhratashri."

He brushed it off with a sigh. "Nothing, little one. Just a long day," he muttered, averting his gaze.

But I wasn't fooled. My sharp ears had caught snippets of a tense conversation between him and Pitashri earlier. Something about archery lessons he wasn't allowed to take. I may have been younger, but I wasn't stupid. Eavesdropping was an art I'd perfected. "I heard it when Pitashri was scolding you," I mumbled, my brow furrowed in concern. "Why won't he let you learn archery, Bhratashri?"

Karna sighed, "It's nothing for you to worry about," he said gently.

"You all treat me like a child," I huffed, puffing out my chest. "You keep secrets and then say I'm too little to understand."

He chuckled softly, the sound tinged with a hint of sadness. "You're right, Parthavi," he said, his voice gentle. "You're growing up fast. But some things... some things are just too complicated for even the sharpest little minds to understand."

My glare deepened at Karna's amusement, his laughter only fueling the fire of my frustration. "Then explain it to me, Bhratashri!" I demanded, stamping my foot for emphasis. "Don't treat me like I'm invisible! I may be little, but I'm not stupid. I can understand more than you think!"

Karna's chuckle died in his throat, replaced by a hesitant look that mirrored the worry etched on his brow. He scratched the back of his neck, a nervous habit I knew all too well, a telltale sign that he was wrestling with something unspoken. "Forget about it, Parthavi," he began, his voice low and strained. "Maybe you'd like to come with me to the place where I practice archery."

My eyes widened. Archery! The very thing that seemed forbidden for Karna. The thing that made Pitashri scold him so fiercely. But the thought of seeing him with a bow and arrow in hand sent a thrill through me.

"Can I really come?" I squealed, barely containing my excitement. "Will you teach me how to shoot too?"

Karna chuckled, "Perhaps one day, little one," he promised, his eyes twinkling. "But for now, just watching is a good start. Remember, no mischief, alright?"

I crossed my heart with my hand, a mock expression of piety. "No mischief, Bhratashri. I promise to be the bestest, quietest little sister ever!" Whether I could actually keep that promise, well, that was a story for another day.

Just as I imagined myself perched silently beside Karna, a triumphant yell escaped my lips. "Vrushali!" I shrieked, making Karna flinch and jump a mile.

"Why do you have to scream like that, Parthavi?" they both said in unison, Karna exasperated and Vrushali scolding.

I offered them a sheepish grin, the kind that usually melted even the sternest guards' hearts. "Sorry, sorry! I was just happy to see her."