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49. Deepavali : The Festival of Lights!(Part 1)

May the festival of lights bring forth happiness in you homes!!

The night was calm and peaceful, with the moon spreading its calming light all over the earth. Under the moonlight, nature painted beautiful and mesmerizing scenes.

This gentle moonlight graced the room of the Maharaja of Indraprastha, where his regal queen stood, leaning on the balcony. Her long, beautiful hair flowed freely, and she wore a simple, pure white dress. Her skin radiated like the moon itself, adorned with only sindoor, a crimson streak against her dark locks. The moonlight enhanced her ethereal glow.

Strong, sinewy hands slipped around her waist, drawing her close to a bare, firm chest. The embrace came from a man with two deep, charcoal lotus-like eyes fixed on her, while her hazel doe-like eyes met his with love and tenderness.

"Mother Nature seems to be happy tonight. The world looks even more beautiful," whispered Advika, not wanting to disrupt the serene atmosphere that enveloped them.

"Yes, she must be. Her daughter is happy, after all," replied Karna, his voice soft.

"I miss Mother Kunti," Advika admitted as she turned within his arms, resting her cheek against his chest.

"Mother will be here tomorrow. She wrote a letter saying that both she and Badi maa and Bhanumati will come early," Karna reassured her, tightening his embrace and placing his cheek on top of her head.

Advika hummed in response and then added, "Have you also invited Dushala? She should come."

"I did invite her, but it seems Dushala is with child, so she cannot travel," Karna explained.

Advika didn't respond verbally; instead, she nestled further into his arms, finding comfort in his embrace.

"I'm glad the palace will be filled tomorrow. I'm also pleased that you invited Dwarka and Panchal. I think my sisters missed Maharaja Drupad," Advika said.

Karna remained silent and simply kissed her hair.

"Love?" he called.

Advika hummed in response and gazed at him. His intense, sharp gaze sent shivers down her spine.

"I wish to celebrate our love tonight," he said, his voice husky.

Advika blinked before blushing at the implications. Karna's eyes darkened as her gaze shyly averted from his.

"Who's stopping you?" she replied, granting her permission.

Karna gently tilted her chin with a slender, long finger, coaxing her to meet his gaze. When her eyes sparkled, a soft smile formed on her lips. He reciprocated with a slow, tender kiss.

She closed her eyes, savoring his touch, and surrendered to him as he had to her. The colors of their love filled their hearts, leaving them with a profound sense of fulfillment.

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Devanshi slowly removed her ornaments, relishing the fulfillment of the day. Tomorrow was Deepavali, and she couldn't wait.

She smiled as she reminisced about the first time they were supposed to share a room. She and her sisters had been tense, worrying about whether their beliefs and opinions would be considered. Devanshi had not been ready to take the next step in their relationship, and she knew her sisters shared her sentiments.

But Bhabhishree had reassured them, saying, "My brothers are devoted to Dharma. They won't do anything that you don't want them to do."

How right Bhabhishree had been. Yuvraja Yuddhisthir was so different. He was calm but had a rarely seen mischievous streak. On their first night in Indraprastha, he had proposed to get to know each other better, taking the time to build their relationship.