Posting double chapters... ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Title- A Vow for a Vow makes the whole world Wow.

With Urvi gone, Karna mingled with the other guests. Many princes from all the kingdoms had come. He saw Shikha standing alone, so he excused himself and approached her.

So many years have passed since he saw her.

Shikha smiled seeing him.

Shikha said teasingly. "Seems like your bride was snatched by a gang of giggling girls, Radheya".

"Oh please, princess Shikha...". Karna groaned like a child. "Not you too... Why is everyone teasing me... I have never encountered so much teasing in my life".

Both laughed.

Shikha was astonished as well. "Who are you and what have you done with the rough and tough guy I know from the Gurukul???"

Karna shrugged. "I think deep down I always wanted to be like this".  He smiled as explaining everything. He forever wanted his own identity and respect and love.

Shikha understands what he wants to say and feels about. "I'm so happy for you, Radheya. You really deserves all this happiness. My hearty congratulations to you'.

Karna beamed at her. "Thank you so much".

Shikha was looking at the hall but her mind was wandering somewhere else. "It feels like yesterday, you know, when you came to Guru Parshurām for being his disciple".

A nostalgic look came in both faces.

"Yeah". Karna laughed. But then he jeered himself. "I was lean and gangly".

Shikha chuckled. "You were only ten. What did you expect at the age of ten. I myself was like that. Weird. Boyish. Like an eleven year boy".

Both grinned.

Shikha continued. "But you are brave and valorous ever since your childhood, which I wasn't. I still remember the day, when a snake was going to bite me and you saved me. But you were crazy to hold it with your bare hand. It bit you. I got so scared for you".

Karna shrugged again and said nonchalantly. "No, princess. It was nothing . You are brave warrior yourself. I was only at the right place at the right time. And if it wouldn't have happened how would I have known that I have quick healing properties".

Shikha looked at him proudly.  "A right person, at a right time, at a right place. You're the first person dearest to me. As like Panchali".

Karna blushed a little. "I know. You coddled me like a kid until I was at Gurukul of Guru Parshurām".

"You're Still like a kid to me. It doesn't matter I'm only a year older than you". Shikha said.

She has a brotherly feeling for him. And was protective towards him.

Both smiled at each other again.

Shikha asked him curiously.  "So tell me about all this Prince Karna thing??? When did it happen??? You told me that you're a normal boy who wanted to pursue Archery. How did you become Prince???"

Karna started telling her. "I didn't tell you because I myself didn't know. Dronacharya rejected me saying a low birth boy couldn't be taught by him. But Pitamah guided me at that time to approach Guru Parshurām who took me under his tutelage and taught me under his benevolent kindness. As you graduated a year before me at 21, I was still there for one more year".

Shikha reminiscing their old days . "Yeah. I missed you then".

Karna reflected the same. "Me too. So, in my last year when my studies were at completion, Pitamah came one day. He said that I was the son of Mata Kunti, lost after my birth. I was shocked. When I returned home, I asked baba and Radha maa about it and they said that they found me on the bank of river Ganga. Pitamah said that it doesn't matter. He said, I was the Jyesta Kuru Prince and eldest to all Kauravas-Pandavas and coronated as me as Yuvaraj".

Shikha muttered to herself.  "Atleast the oldie had done one good thing in his life". She said to Karna. "Well .. all's wells that ends well. You really deserves it".

Karna smiled.

Karna spoke conversationally. "I love here that everything is good. Oh there's my Radha maa". He pointed at her who was busy with Kunti.

"And there are my brothers. The palace is full of them". He chuckled. "There were the Kauravas and Pandavas". He pointed with his chin. "And that's Yudhisthira and Duryodhan".

Shikha couldn't help herself from chuckling. "And it looks like they are after girls".

Karna laughed. "Idiots. Atleast they could have been discreet about it".

Karna pointed. "Oh and there's my brother Vikarna".

He pointed at him and Shikha saw them. Vikarna was with Ambika, Ambalika, Gangaputra and Mahima. They all were talking.

Shikha saw her sisters and was elated to see them.

She remembers the day of Swayamvar on how beautiful they looked.

How strange it feels to be under same roof and not knowing each other. She wanted to run to them and hug them but couldn't. How life has turned so much that she is not comfortable going to her own sisters and talk to them.

All because of Gangaputra.

And it seems her sisters have the full attention of Gangaputra. Her mouth twisted automatically in spite, seeing them together. Big happy family.

Karna was intently looking at Shikha's expression. And he saw a hint of jealousy which was raw and new.

Karna told her deliberately.  "Pitamah has always loved and cared us. Every single person. If it wasn't for him we would be all estranged to one another".

Shikha didn't say anything.

Karna chuckled to himself. "How strange it is you know... (He pointed towards Vikarna and pitamah) if fate has changed slightly then he wouldn't be his/our Grandsire(Pitamah) but grandfather".

That attracted her utmost attention.

Shikha quipped. "What do you mean???"

Karna brows raised. "You don't know???"

"What I don't know???" Shikha asked impulsively.

Karna told. "well everyone knows it that at the time king Vichitravirya died and left the two women widowed and childless, it was upon Pitamah as the living heir of the dynasty to..."

Shikha asked bewildered.  "to what???"

Karna whispered as if imparting a secret. "To give babies to them..."

Shikha felt an intense pang of jealousy. She had loved her sisters. And hated Gangaputra at that time for not marrying her. But this... This is beyond tolerance and indigestible. Absurd. Ugly. Loathsome.

Karna continued. "... But he didn't".

She didn't want him to give anyone babies. That's beyond absurd. No. She would never want him to be intimate with anyone else lest her sisters, for she has seen him as a celibated man. The only thought of him having a physical relation with anyone put an acrid taste in her mouth.

What is this??? If she really hate him then why is she bothered by only hearing the possibility of him with anyone? And why this sudden surge of jealousy? Not jealousy, outright outrage.

It was making her feel good , knowing, he didn't do it. It doesn't matter to her now that he didn't married her, but he didn't break his Vow for anyone. As she knows how Mahamata Satyavati could pester and manipulate him to go along her wishes.

She couldn't understand the feelings happening to her.

Shikha was seeing him as if seeing him for the first time. Okay, he looks fine. Average, she thought. His muscular body is also okay okay. When he has saved her from falling, his grip was not hurting but firm. He still looks young, plus point. His moustache look bad, minus point. Overall she finds him attractive.

Att...ractive.

Well. Mahadev has given her the clue. She thought smugly.

If she couldn't keep her vow of killing him, then he wouldn't be able to keep his Vow of celibacy as well. A vow for a vow. Yep. She is going to make him break his Vow with her. A mischievous smile come to her lips as finalizing her new plot. No. She have no intention of killing him. A fine piece of art like him is made for some other things.

One week Gangaputra, one week. You are going to break your celibacy vow because in one week you are going to lose your vow with me. Yeah, only me.

That would complete her revenge as well. As ultimately he'll have to break his vow.

Thank you Radheya, she thought. For giving a brilliant idea.

Gangaputra Bheeshma was having a prickling sensation on the back of his neck that he was being watched by someone. And he knew who she was. Princess Shikhandini. He knew that he has piqued her curiosity towards him but couldn't understand why.
She is such a puzzle, he thought.

He didn't turn to look towards her as he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of acknowledging it. Don't know why, but he has not felt like living for many years but after meeting her, he felt alive.

An impish smile come to his lips, sensing the gaze of Princess Shikhandini still on him. Whatever you're upto Princess, Game on.

Poor him, he didn't know what she was upto.

😁😁😁