Dream - A Karna SI

14. INTERLUDE - RADHA

RADHA's POV

The sun had just begun its slow ascent, casting a warm, golden glow over the village. Radha, as was her daily routine, had just completed her morning prayers. The scent of sandalwood incense lingered in the air, mingling with the faint aroma of the herbs she had prepared for the day's cooking. The agni (fire) she had just lit crackled softly, the flames dancing as if in anticipation of something.

For twelve long years, Radha had waited for this day. She had watched the seasons change, had seen her family grow, and had sent countless prayers up to the gods, all with one wish in her heart-that her son, her beloved Karn, would return home. He had left when he was only six, a small child with wide eyes full of wonder, to train in the far-off Himalayas. Sangramjeet and Satrunjaya were merely toddlers at that time. In those years, she had been blessed with three more sons, Vipatha, Vikranta and Chitrasen, each one a joy, but none could fill the void left by her eldest. Karn had sent her messages over the years, passed along by traveling monks, expressing his excitement to meet his new brothers, but it wasn't the same. The absence of his physical presence weighed heavily on her heart.

She had seen the Pandava princes several times, during their visit to their locality, each visit a bittersweet reminder of her own son. They were fine young men, especially Bhima and Arjun, who spoke highly of Karn. They told her of how he had accompanied them from Gandhamadan to Hastinapur, how he had been a mentor, a protector, and a friend. They spoke of his kindness, his dedication, and most of all, his wisdom. Each word filled Radha with pride, but also deepened her longing to see him again.

As she bent to place a pot over the fire, a sudden commotion outside caught her attention. The usually quiet village was alive with excitement. She could hear the shouts and laughter of children, their voices rising in a chorus of joy. Wiping her hands on her sari, she moved to the doorway, her heart pounding with a mixture of curiosity and hope.

The sight that met her eyes was unlike anything she had ever seen. The village children, usually so shy and reserved, were gathered around a man, their faces lit with exhilaration. Among them, she recognized Sangramjeet and Satrunjaya, her two eldest after Karn, who were laughing and jostling playfully. The man at the center of the crowd towered above them, his presence commanding attention. He was tall and powerfully built, carrying a spear in one hand, while a bow and quiver of arrows were strapped across his back. His features were strong, chiseled, and though his face was unfamiliar at first glance, there was something about him that tugged at the edges of Radha's memory.

His aura was magnetic, drawing every gaze toward him as if he were a shining gem among common stones. The children's excitement was contagious, and yet, Radha felt a strange stillness within herself. Something deep within her stirred as she watched him. Her heart, which had been so heavy with longing, began to race with an emotion she could not yet name.

And then, the man's gaze met hers.

Time seemed to stand still as his dark eyes locked onto hers, and in that moment, Radha knew. The tears came unbidden, welling up and spilling over as she whispered the name that had been etched in her heart for so many years.

"Vasu... Karn..."

The man's face softened, and without a moment's hesitation, he began to stride toward her, his long legs closing the distance between them quickly. The crowd of children parted, their laughter fading into the background as the world narrowed to just the two of them. Radha felt her breath catch in her throat, her hands trembling as she reached out to him.

When he finally stood before her, his presence overwhelming, she could barely speak. "I have waited for you for so long," she managed to say, her voice breaking with emotion.

Karn, her son, her Vasu, knelt before her, his powerful frame bowing with the respect and love that had never wavered in all these years. "I have come back, Mother," he said, his voice deep and rich, filled with the promise of everything she had hoped for.

Radha reached out, her hands cupping his face, her fingers tracing the lines of his features as if to reassure herself that this was real, that her son had truly returned. Her heart swelled with a mother's pride and a mother's love, emotions that had been held in check for far too long.

She pulled him into her embrace, holding him as tightly as she could, feeling the solid strength of his body against hers, the warmth of his presence chasing away the cold loneliness that had settled in her heart during his absence. "You are home," she whispered, her tears mingling with the dust of the earth beneath their feet.

Karn held her just as tightly, his own heart filled with the love that had sustained him through the years of training, the love that had guided him back to her. "Yes, Mother," he murmured into her hair. "I am home."

As they stood there, locked in an embrace that neither wanted to break, the village seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them-mother and son, reunited at last.