Elements of Fire

30. Unspoken And Heard

"Mata, will this much of ghee do?"

Radha watched the sophisticated queen before her diligently following her instructions, asking innumerable questions on cooking the simple item of besan ka halwa (a sweet dish made of besan( atypr of flour made from grinding gram, sugar, ghee, etc).

"Ghee has to be poured through the preparation in adequate quantities and not at one go my dear" she gently explained.

This princess had probably never entered the kitchen except to supervise and now was clumsily manoeuvring through the kitchen equipments and supplies as best as she could.

Radha smiled at her, the smile of love and pride that only mothers are capable of showering on their children, unmindful of whether the world views them as successes or failures, however it thinks of them.

"Is there anything else that you may require, Maharani, Rajmata?" a daasi (female servant) asked, emerging from a corner.

"No, child" Radha replied calmly as Draupadi refused to lift her eyes from the steaming pot.

"Rajmata, I can get an extra container of sugar" she asked again.

"You can see there is still plenty left with us" Radha answered, assisting Draupadi with stirring the contents.

"Okay, Rajmata, there are some new spices which have just arrived. They are exotic and fresh, should I bring them?" she continued, still hovering around them.

"Can you ask the Maharaj to come see me immediately?" Radha said, now turning her full attention to the daasi, who seemed taken aback, as though caught red- handed in a crime.

"Oh... but...I will ask him right away" she stammered, rushing out of the royal kitchen.

"Mata..." Draupadi said, looking up from the pot "I wan..."

She stopped. Somehow she felt embarrassed in confessing to her that she wanted to surprise her husband with one of his favourite deserts and had enlisted none other but his mother to help her out with it.

"Hmmm?" Radha asked concerned "What is it, putri?"

"Um..nothing" she replied.

Radha nodded although dissatisfied as they went back to their work.

"Radha ma"

A soft and cautious voice came from the doorway of the kitchen. Both women spun their heads around, one smiled knowingly at the newcomer and the other tried to stealthily avert her gaze but at the same time unwilling to appear the shy wife who blushes in front of her husband in the presence of others.

"Come here, putra Karna" Radha said a little too sweetly.

Draupadi now forgot her prior hesitance and curiously watched the exchange between mother and son. Karna reluctantly walked towards his mother but a mischievous look on his face. He bent down, still smiling cheekily when his face twisted in pain as Radha's fingers found their way to his ear.

"You, naughty one" Radha scolded trying to pretend anger but failing miserably as her son only giggled childishly "You couldn't come and ask me yourself what I was cooking but had to send your informants to find out?"

"Radha ma... Radha ma..." he said between his giggles and the apparent pain from Radha's hold "Now I am here and I will eat up everything you are cooking. Leave me now... Maa"

"This child here is working so hard and your servants are constantly pestering us to find out what we are making" Radha said, finally freeing his ear from her grip, shaking her head affectionately as her son continued laughing without an ounce of shame.

Draupadi's lips twitched at the beautiful, loving scene that was unfolding before her. Now she understood why Karna took such great pleasure in being known as 'Radheyi' and how he must have felt when his father decided to keep himself and his wife away from him after his coronation.

She watched him kneel before her and place his head on her lap as Radha tenderly stroked his head, her fingers combing through his hair. Draupadi was about to turn her eyes away from mother and son when Radha caught her staring at them.

She looked straight into her eyes as if reading some unsaid secrets and sent her a warm and affectionate smile, extending a hand towards her. Draupadi hesitated but her mother-in-law's reassuring nod broke away her defences. She too rested her head on her lap as Radha soothingly brushed through her hair, as if welcoming her there into her life as her own child.

Draupadi relaxed under her gentle touches. She was facing Karna now who had a serene look plastered on his face. He looked so peaceful, possessed by a calm she had never seen before in her husband.

"Halwa is a perfect amalgamation" Radha said, partly turning back to the pot "The ingredients you use are so different from each other but with the right quantities along with the right amount of stirring at the right time, you get it perfect."

Draupadi knew her sweet mother-in-law meant more than just the 'halwa'. Her gaze crept to her husband, wondering if he too must be thinking the same as her.

 Karna's eyes half hidden away behinf his ruffled hair met hers. His lips formed into a soft smile answering her question that remained unarticulated to the world but only spoken to him through the abyss of her beautiful eyes, and heard by him alone.