Destiny or Accident?

Episode: 20 || Crimson Beauty

"I know these will all be stories someday.
And our pictures will become old photographs"

The sunrise that morning brought more than just light—it brought a whirlwind of emotions no one could have predicted.

Advika stormed ahead, her steps a furious stomp as if the very ground beneath her was too slow to match her fire. She was a walking inferno, her body language practically crackling with rage. Chandu followed a few paces behind, trying to keep up, while Arjun—his smirk betraying his satisfaction—strode alongside them, far too pleased with himself for anyone's comfort. They were headed back to the palace, retracing their steps along the river's path.

As they neared a small gate, Advika bent slightly, ready to pass through, when Arjun stepped in front of them, blocking the entrance with an infuriatingly casual gesture toward the palace's grand gate.

"Why go through this small one when you can walk like royalty through the main gate?" Arjun mocked, a playful glint in his eyes.

Advika's glare could have burned through stone. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, but she forced herself to comply, marching toward the main gate with Chandu silently in tow. They entered the palace and made their way down the long corridor toward the guest chambers, but as they walked, they ran into an unexpected sight—Pandavas, Duryodhana, Dushasan, and Karna—all headed toward the pooja-ghar for their morning prayers.

The princes, already grouped in their usual divisions, halted their conversation, their gazes locking onto Advika and Chandu with wide eyes. But it wasn't the direction they were coming from that left the princes speechless—it was Advika herself.

The princes, already divided into their respective groups, stopped in their tracks, their conversations falling silent the moment their eyes landed on Advika. For a brief second, their gazes were fixed, wide-eyed, on her before, one by one, their faces flushed, and they began shifting awkwardly, looking anywhere but at her.

Advika's eyes narrowed, her patience already at its breaking point. She quickly glanced down at herself, expecting to see something wrong, but there was nothing out of place—at least, nothing she noticed. Her frustration spiked. "What?!" she snapped, her voice sharp and commanding.

Everyone stiffened at her outburst, but Yudhishthir, ever the diplomat, turned to Arjun, who had just swaggered up to join the group. "Where were you, Arjun? Mata said you would come soon," Yudhishthir asked, raising an eyebrow.

Arjun, still fiddling with a small stone he'd picked up, shrugged. "Oh, nothing much, Bhrata. The Rajkumar and Rajkumari here got a little... lost. I just showed them the right way."

His words were laden with innuendo, revealing everything while saying nothing.

Duryodhana, sensing an opportunity, called for his sister, Dushala, who was standing nearby with Subhadra, the princess of Dwarka. The mention of her name drew everyone's attention, and as Dushala approached, he gestured vaguely toward Advika, still refusing to look directly at her.

"What's going on?" Dushala asked, frowning in confusion.

Duryodhana's gesture was enough. Dushala followed his eyes to Advika and immediately gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Subhadra, standing beside her, mirrored the reaction, her wide eyes sweeping up and down Advika's form.

Now even more agitated, Advika inspected herself again, trying to figure out what the fuss was about. But before she could voice her annoyance, Dushala and Subhadra had grabbed her by the arm and whisked her away toward her chambers, Chandu trailing behind them like a lost puppy.