Elements of Fire

53. New Feelings -2

"Panchali" he whispered, bending down to the level of her waist, pressing a finger to the large red stone of the gold flower, set in the middle of the heavy kamarbandh (waistband).

She quivered imperceptibly as the stone dug into the skin of her slender waist, while her husband's eyes were fixated on the gold floral creation as though in some deep contemplation.

"Yes Aarya?" she asked, unconsciously taking a step back, as the pressure his finger was exuding increased.

"The design on his flower reminds of a battle formation" he answered snaking his hands around her waist, loosening the clasp holding the splendid piece of jewellery together.

He could sense her trembling faintly as he slipped it down the length of her legs draped in the luxurious red silk, to her feet.

"Is life not one complicated battle with no predefined rules or strategies?" she replied as the kamarbandh finally found its way to the floor like a glimmering serpent.

"Yes you are absolutely right, Panchali" he answered, standing up and leading her to the bed, "We are ever crafting our ever changing destinies in our own battles."

"With age we become better players" she said, resting her head on the overabundance of pillows while her husband helped lift her feet up on the bed.

"Age? You are saying this Panchali?" Karna questioned, raising his eyebrows at her, "One's experiences can force them to grow up ten years in a single day. Age and experience are very different from each other though interrelated."

He inserted a finger underneath her anklet, brushing against her soft skin, while his thumb maneuvered with the clasp and before long it fell free from her feet. The second one too followed suit and Karna flung them with much precision towards the heap of gold, their bells ringing as they clattered against each other.

"Hunn" she uttered barely a whisper, her eyes swallowing widely, as though meandering down distant far away thoughts and memories.

Then she shivered as he slid out her bangles and armlets, tenderly touching the supple, smooth skin marked and cooled from the luminous yellow metal. Her skin tingled wherever his warm touch fell on.

"But we become better players nevertheless" Karna said, trying to leaven her despondent state of mind, while his fingers picked out the floral hair pins from her long braid.

"You are right Aarya" she answered as his strong arms enclosed around her fiddling with her chudamani, "One can never know when life gives you a life altering experience."

Daraupdi noticed a reverent gentleness in her husband's eyes as he brought out the chudamani from her hair. The next moment she found his handsome face drawing near her own, his profound black eyes now possessed by an almost drunken expression, and then suddenly it withdrew.

Draupadi's eyes widened as she quickly raised a hand to her mouth, covering her yawn, while her husband laughed quietly at the slip in propriety and manners by his wife, always carrying herself with perfect poise and elegance.

"The wheels of fate rise and fall on whims indeed" he stated after some time, turning around to place the small trinkets on a little bed side table "And we have seen how..."

His beautiful wife's eyes were already closed in peaceful slumber, a tranquil expression on her face while a calm rhythm guided her breathing, one of her hands spread out like a child.

Karna smiled sadly. How old must she be? It was practically impossible for anyone to compute her age, Karna mused, but she could certainly not be older than him. By the closest approximation, she would at least be six to seven years younger than him, yet how much she had to see in her short life.

True his life had been a struggle, and continued to be, testing him in innumerable ways, throwing unforeseen hurdles and injustices for him to cross all alone, at unexpected junctions.

But at least he had childhood sprinkled with love and affection to draw strength from, but she did not even have a childhood to reminisce in dark times, but only a life that bestowed her with nothing but strenuous challenges and difficulties which no woman should ever be made to face.

Yet she never ceased to amaze him with her sudden childish antics drawing smiles from him effortlessly with her dynamism, her maturity spread out with bouts of simple innocence. He had nearly forgotten to smile but she still found herself reasons to smile and hope despite the odds.

"My fiery queen" he whispered, and then with an irrepressible tender fondness, "My little girl."

While his hands gently brushed aside some of her unruly tendrils of hair, his lips descended in a quick, soft peck exuding a flood of affection on her forehead.

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Hello everyone

With this I close the chapter series 'New Feelings'. I confess I was smiling ear to ear while writing this!

Also, I might be taking a short break from this story to focus on my other stories. Please do check them them out and show them the love you have been showing for this work so far. I am truly grateful for the support and appreciation I have been receiving from you all:)❤

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please drop by your opinions generously! It is a pleasure going through your comments! :)❤❤