Destiny or Accident?

Episode: 9 || For Her Sake

"After all this time?"
"Always"

Karna had experienced many things in life. He had dreamed of learning archery, martial arts, and mastering various weapons, but he was rejected by many gurus. Though he faced disappointment, but did not let it affect him. He had been called a sutputra, humiliated countless times, but never let his hope die. He was determined to reach the stage where he would find what he longed for. He was even cursed by his gurudev for lying to learn weaponry, for which he gave him a loophole, but he wasn't much scared if he would find what he had forgotten.

But for the first time, he was scared, confused, and hesitant. And why wouldn't he be? This was about Advika.

Karna found himself drawn to Advika in ways that words could scarcely capture. Every glance she cast, every laugh that spilled from her lips, seemed to tug at something deep within him, something ancient and restless. He admired her strength—how she moved through the world with a grace that was not born of privilege but carved from grit and perseverance. She was unlike any woman he had known; she was a force of nature, fierce and tender, a blend of fire and calm that left him both awed and comforted.

In quiet moments, Karna's thoughts often wandered to her. He marveled at how she could make the simplest acts—like the way she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear or furrowed her brow in concentration—feel like poetry. Her presence was a balm to his weary soul, a reminder that there were still things worth fighting for, still hearts worth guarding.

There was a quiet magnetism about Advika, an effortless allure that made Karna's heart stir in his chest. She was a mystery wrapped in layers of kindness and strength, and each time she smiled at him, he felt an unspoken promise in her eyes—a promise of acceptance, of a place where he could be seen just as Karna. And in those fleeting moments, he found himself longing for more: more time, more laughter, more of the small, precious pieces of her that made the vast unknown of this new world feel like home.

He often imagined what it would be like to reach out and brush his fingers against hers, to close the distance that seemed both insignificant and infinite. But more than anything, he found solace in the simple truth that she was near, that in a world of strangeness and change, Advika was his constant, a quiet beacon of light guiding him through the dark.

Given all of this, when Advika asked him for something, Karna believed he should be able to give it to her. He had seen his father respond to his mother's every request without hesitation, often providing what she needed even before she asked. But, as they say, imagination and reality are often very different. When Advika actually asked him for something, he refused. Why? Because it went against his dharma.

Earlier that morning, after Karna woke up and freshened up, he and Chandu met Advika in her room. She hesitantly and nervously shared her reasons for not wanting to attend the function—reasons that were different from Chandu's. Then, in a voice so small he almost didn't hear it, she asked Karna to pretend to be her husband for the day. He was stunned, his breath caught in his throat, as he processed her request.

Advika stood there, head lowered, her face flushed with embarrassment, while Chandu looked out of the window, struggling to contain his laughter at the scene unfolding before him.

When Chandu finally couldn't hold it in any longer, he laughed loudly, trying to mask it as a cough. Karna snapped back to reality, clearing his throat as he felt his face grow warm, likely turning a bit red. He attempted to respond, but stammered, which only made Chandu laugh harder. Advika shot her brother an embarrassed glare, but he didn't seem to care.