It was a bright and beautiful day. With Suryadev spreading his radiance on earth and enhancing the beauty of nature with its golden glow. The Kingdom of Manipur had yet to come out of their euphoric state. The princess was getting married to Angraj Karna today. Even though some were skeptical of Angraj, some simply rejoiced the fact that he lifted the bow with ease.

To stand by his friend, Duryodhan came to Manipur, along with his Uncle and Brother. It made Karna quite happy knowing that he had someone he could trust with him. One thing that irked him was the presence of the Pandavas. Karna had seen the rajkumari conversing with the Pandavas along with Dwarkadheesh. He couldn't understand why Krishna asked them to stay, they will also be attending the wedding, which makes things even more strange. 
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The ceremony started, and Karna was the first to arrive, as he sat next to the priest who kept chanting mantras. Everyone present couldn't help but notice the radiance that he emitted. It was almost as if Suryadev himself had come down on earth to bless this man. Even though he was adorned with gold, it couldn't compare to his glow.

Next, it was time for Aadrika to arrive. For the wedding she chose a beautiful red lehenga. To say she looked beautiful would be an understatement, for she looked like a goddess. A smile adorned her lips, which could brighten even the darkest nights.

As they were seated next to each other, everyone couldn't help but wonder. The powerful aura they both emitted, the incomparable beauty, it seemed as if this was a match made by the Gods themselves. Once all the rituals were completed, it was time for vidaai. At this all the family started tearing up, not wanting to part with their daughter. As they reach the doorstep Aadrika is given a handful of rice and coins, to throw over her head behind her as she leaves. This is supposed to symbolize a repayment to her parents for all that they have given her throughout the years. She conveys good wishes for her parents and shows them gratitude for loving and caring for her all her life – by doing so she maintains that the house of her childhood remains happy and prosperous. Everyone was in tears as they helped her in the palanquin. Aadrika's brother had a talk with Karna, especially Balram, who simply asked for his oath to protect her. Karna, understanding a brother's dilemma, tried to calm them down and swore to protect her.

~

It would take two days to reach Hastinapur, Duryodhan and the rest left early to welcome them. The journey was peaceful, Aadrika enjoyed the view and kept on talking to the dasis that were walking next to her palanquin. On completing most of the journey they decided to make a stop. Karna helped Aadrika come out and took her to their tent. The last time they spoke was in the garden and neither knew how to start a conversation again. It was time for them to start their journey again, Aadrika and Karna came out of their tent, now fully refreshed. This time Aadrika sat with Karna on his rath, for they would directly go to meet Karna's parents before going to Ang. Aadrika looked around curiously, trying to recall the information she had about Ang Pradesh. Karna looked at her amused, it was clear that his wife had a question but was holding back. "Please ask freely....I'll answer everything with honesty",he said, flashing her a smile. She looked at him and asked," Ang Pradesh is close to the waters and has a good supply of fishes, then why isn't it used for trade with other kingdoms? I mean, the kingdom isn't using it all, not even 30 percent of the supply.... then why aren't we using the rest?" Aadrika was hit with a surge of panic, she had given out more information than necessary. She would have to explain her sources to him now.
Karna looked at her surprised,"How did you know this down to the exact amount?" Sighing, Aadrika explained everything to him, how she picked her husband, and everything she did. "You do know that it is a punishable offence to send spies in other kingdoms as the daughter of a king himself?", asked Karna, smirking at her. "Lets not act as if you didn't send your spy to Manipur to check on our family.",she challenged back. While Karna wondered how she found out, Aadrika chuckled. "Besides, I did not do it for my Kingdom. I wanted to make sure I marry someone who actually works for the Kingdom. I also have some other information, that I would like to share with you after we reach Ang. It is regarding your safety....and mine", her voice was enough for him to realise that it must something grave. He nodded in agreement. "To answer your question, we haven't developed much in trade. We are gradually progressing and other kingdoms are skeptical of our produce." Karna tried to start the conversation again, but soon realised that they have reached Hastinapur.
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The moment Karna saw his mother, a smile broke out on his face. The moment he introduced Aadrika, she was pulled into a tight hug. Aadrika giggled lightly, then let the woman shower her love. As they walked inside, they met Adirath, who also had a smile on his face. While Karna and Adirath sat down together, Aadrika and Radha went inside the kitchen to have a conversation of their own.

Soery if this chapter felt rushed, all my relatives visit during the Diwali period but I still wanted to update the story. Thankyou for reading <3