Prakriti's P.O.V,
The birthday night of Karna and Aarav, passed smoothly without a hitch. Well, ignoring the event where the birthday boys had to touch the feet of their tens of relatives (Elders) as a way of showing respect and gaining their goodwill and blessing, a common practice in Hinduism.
Although, it was nothing major to touch the feet of a few relatives. However, doing the same action tens of times was a major achievement even in Dvapara yuga (For average male). Despite being the former warrior with an unbreakable will, he was left exhausted in the embrace of her mother, Radha who had to carry him along with Aarav till the guests left.
In that period, there weren't any events like cake cutting. Instead, the birthday boy was basked in the blessings of her mother, father, and other relatives. After which, the guests were served food and went home.
As for gifts?
The invitees mostly brought clothes, hand-made sweets or nothing in particular. For the normal humans of that time, materials were secondary while the blessings were things to be sought after.
If a person with too much good karma blesses someone with normal words like {May you live long!}, it can potentially help him delay his death or recover from his illness.
At that time, words were something to be chosen wisely unlike Kalyuga where most individuals' words meant nothing. It was the greatest difference between the two periods.
....
....
After the night has passed, the bright Sun rises from the east, clearing the darkness from the world.
As the Sun's radiance falls upon the land, the sleeping creatures wake up from their sweet dreams ready to face a new day with newfound energy and strength!
The knee length grasses danced with the flowing air as they dyed the brown land in green.
"Om Namo Narayanaya~" (ॐ नमो नारायणाय)
The farmers (Vaishyas) also awakened from their slumber and started their day by simply reciting this Chant (Mantra).
The stopped world slowly regained its former mobility after the serene dark night, the period of creatures of night passed.
At the same time,
In the single story house of Adhiratha surrounded by a small garden whose flowers are propagating their fragrance in the atmosphere, calling out to their friends i.e. bees.
Inside the room situated to the right of the entrance, a child lay on the simple bed made by combining four thick wooden sticks, supported by four legs of a foot in length, also known as Charpai, commonly found in Indian villages.
A hand-made mattress of wool was placed on the bed, on which Karna and Aarav are sleeping.
Beside both of them, a girl was staring at Karna's little face with her sparkling black pupils for the time unknown to you.
She is Vrushali, who couldn't bear to wake Karna from his sleep and give away her chance to gaze at the innocent face of her dear friend.
It's a rare site for her sight to burn into her memory, often seen by Devi Radha.
Unfortunately, every good thing has to end someday. As the rays of the Sun almost reached the bedside through the window on the east wall, Vrushali gently caressed Karna's hairs and Aarav's wings, something she wanted to do for a long time but was always refused by the duo!
"Karna~" After fulfilling her wish, She gently tugged Karna's right arm.
"Hmm?"
Feeling someone's touch on his arm, that doesn't belong to his mothers or father, Karna opened his eyes.
Following which, his gaze fell on a little girl with black pupils and hairs, whose face is just a few centimeters apart from mouth. He could see his own reflection in the clear pupils of this black-haired girl, who was staring at him, probably stunned due to the close distance between them, close enough to feel their hearts beating at an unusual pace.
Both of them were unable to think anything as they kept staring at each other. Neither of them had any intention of moving away from each other. Karna didn't feel anything strange with close distance considering that Vrushali was his former wife, while Vrushali couldn't think straight. It made the strange picture of two little children staring at each other for two entirely different reasons, appearing like some rom-com leads, The Entities they will never be.
'Vrushali: He smells so nice~'
'Karna: Why is she here?'
"Vrushali! Is Karna still asleep?"
Thud!
"Ugh!"
"Vrushali, are you alright?"
The sudden call of Devi Radha brought the little leads out from their stupid staring competition, providing them with a touch of awareness. Pardoning the readers from this unrelated matter.
Albeit, as the children tried to move away at the same time, their heads collided, slightly injuring Vrushali in the process.
As for why Karna didn't feel any pain?
Is this even a question?
...
Karna gently caressed her forehead to pacify Vrushali, who was on the verge of crying. Something Karna will never like.
"K-karna... It h-hurts..." Her cute face was distorted slightly, amplifying her cuteness even more. But, to make a girl cry, Karna is a bad guy.
Hearing her grieving tone directed at him, he can only bear them as it was partially his fault.
Flap~
"Coo~"
Thankfully Karna is blessed with Aarav, who had awakened along with Karna but decided to stay silent when he saw Vrushali. With a flap of his wings, Aarav reached the head of Vrushali. He gave her a slight glance before he gently touched Vrushali's wound. In a matter of moments, it healed by itself.
Yes, there is nothing fancy going there, just a little use of Devi Ganga's blessing.
"Thanks Aarav!" Seeing that her wound was healed by Aarav, Vrushali smiled sweetly at the dove, who ignored her.
Which was something understandable considering the various types of clothes she had forced him to wear!
Well, it was a story from another time.
"So Vrushali, Why did you enter my room?"
Finally settling everything, Karna asked the crucial question, clearly challenging the Author's creativity to think of a valid reason.
Albeit, he couldn't defeat him yet, as Vrushali had an answer ready for his question, "It's because today is a special day!"
"What is it?" Karna didn't even try to think twice before asking. He's too old* to play 'guess' with her.
Vrushali didn't mind Karna's tone as she answered swiftly, "Karna, we are leaving Anga!"
"Okay. Aarav, let's bath!" Saying that Karna went away under the confused gaze of Vrushali.
She stood rooted to the ground, unable to understand what had just happened. She had been dumped by Karna and worse, She couldn't follow him!(Something, I wanted to know as well).
So having nothing to do, She went to Devi Radha's room and helped her pack away the stuff to carry on their journey.
...
After bathing and praying to the divine one's, The Duo returned home to find most of their stuff neatly placed on a Horse cart along with the luggage belonging to Vrushali's parents or his father's Friend, Vaibhav-another Suta from birth but owns a carriage business.
"Karna come here!" When Adiratha saw Karna and Aarav return, he took his sons inside the home for a sumptuous breakfast of Poha and Jalebi (Puffed rice & A sweet found in India).
[Note: Both of them were present in the period of Lord Krishna. i.e. Dvapara Yuga.]
After that, Karna was given a saffron Kurta made up of fine silk and a white Dhoti to wear for their trip.
When the Sun had risen slightly above the horizon, i.e. 8'o clock, the horse cart moved towards its destination!
Inside the cart Karna sat at the corner of the cart, while Vrushali was sitting between her mother Devi Vasundhara and Devi Radha who chatted with each other. Karna on the other hand, stared at the Ganges flowing beside the path made of land on the whole journey, not saying anything for the entire Pahar. (An Unit to measure time, equivalent to three hours.)
Later in the Afternoon, Vrushali couldn't restrain her curiosity as She finally asked, "Karna?"
"Yes?"
"Don't you want to know about our destination?"
"No, I am aware of it."
"Oh! So where are we going?"
"Hastinapur."
"So, you know why are we going there?"
"Uncle is going there to expand his business, while you want to learn about tailoring. As for my family..."
"Mata and PitaShri wanted to provide me with a good education. Hence, we are going to Hastinapur."
"Good Karna! You passed!" Satisfied with Karna's answers, Vrushali released Karna who again busied himself to gaze at the flowing river, trying to achieve inner peace...
Aarav on the other hand sat beside Adiratha, who was driving the horse-cart while chatting with Vaibhav.
Just like that, two families moved towards the political center of the Mahabharata, the place where the great tale which changed the history of Hinduism will begin...
.....
At the same time,
On the Banks of Alakananda River, Badrinath, the place where Lord Vishnu's incarnation Narayana meditated and performed severe austerities for the welfare of mortals to kill the Asura Dambhodbhava.
"On the third da-!"
A Sage with a rather dark complexion halted mid sentence as felt something amiss...
Title: 'Towards Hastinapur'
***
Welcome readers!
In this game, of guess and found,
Also Known as Cliffhanger!
Bye~