Arjun's POV

I could not imagine how fast everything happened. One moment we were overwhelmed with delight that Adrika was there and the next we were in front of the kouravas in a battle. She was sitting calmly until the king announced my death sentence. Like she knew what was happening and she was planning her master stroke. Sometimes I feel like she was a seer. She saw things before happening and her mind was sharper than the edge of a sword. She was standing in between us. Separating me and angraj karn by placing her hand on our chest. I didn't know about him but the moment she put her hand on me I felt a divine calmness that stopped me from ranging further. But more people were stunned at the courage of a woman who threw herself in defense of her friends. Duryodhan was startled at her words. He was not expecting this. Neither was anyone else.

"I am willing to think this event is not happened at all if you do so King." She said.

"Her words are right my king. She is a royal guest and your son did disrespect her. If she decides not to forgive the prince he will have to go for exile." Kakashree Vidur said.

"I forgive Arjun for this." The king said grinding his teeth. She looked at me. Her eyes were soft blue and she was smiling softly. May be a smile of relief.
"Take your brothers and leave. Wait for me in your room. I'll come as soon as I can." She said and I nodded. She went to Pitamah.

      We all reached our room. All of us were silent for some movement, yet everyone knew we have so much to say. It was Jyesth bhrata who broke the silence.

"Adrika! She is may be the only woman who will not fail to surprise and delight me even in my death bed." He said.

"I told you she was here. I can be wrong about everything but not her." Nakul said to which we all nodded. He indeed was never wrong about her.

"She is just something right... May be we had something related to her in our previous life." Bhrata Bheem said

"But what you have related to her in this birth? I want answer for this." Someone said.

          It was Panchali. Understandably confused. We all looked at each other hoping someone else has a explaination to why a princess, a queen more a young girl was so much important to a group of Princes. Why just her mere presence was enough to calm us down. Why just her words gave us assurance that nothing would go wrong. Why she been the heart of not only Nakul but all of us. Nakul's love. Sahadev's best mate. My inspiration. Bhrata Bheem's adoration and jysth bhrata's strength. She was so much for us but we had no idea how we could present her in front of our Wife.

"I'm asking you Aarya... Who is she?" She asked again.

"To understand who is she to us, to me, you need understand who is she.." Nakul said.

"She is Govind's Sister." She said confused.

"She isn't only that Panchali. She came to us as a friend. But became a part of us. Her insight showed us path. Her reasoning took us out of predicaments. Several of those. Her loyalty, her care, her dedication towards us is our strength. We can't quite explain what she is to us." Jyesth bhrata said. She looked a little understanding. But then I saw Adrika standing there. At the door. Still. Like the water at the lake. Serene. Beautiful. She was calm yet magnificent. Seemed like she found herself. She smiled at me.

"But she needs to know jyesth. As a family. As a wife. As a woman. She needs to know me and that promise. Broken but not forgotten promise." She said and looked at Nakul.

"You married five man Droupadi. But you are wife to four of them. One is already someone else's." Nakul said looking Adrika in eyes. "Someone who is his love and only means of being alive. We all have this reason of life, to make our elder brother the king. Get him his rights. But he can't imagine it without her."

"You promised her marriage?" Droupadi asked.

"No. I promised her undivided love and marriage. May be marriage part of the promise is broken but I will give her the undivided love." He answered. Two drops of tears ran down from Adrika's eyes and rain started pouring.

"I can't love you Panchali. Ever."

"I already said I'll not share household with any of your other wives. You promised me on our wedding." Droupadi said.

"You don't have to Droupadi. I was there when you asked your promises. But the day after you get your promises we found ways around it. They need me with them and I promised I will be there. There won't be any other queen in there kingdom. I'll be a advisor. The war strategist for the kingdom. So that I'll have my own designation without marriage." Adrika said.

"Why?" Droupadi asked.

"Samay Chakra Droupadi. I'm in such a time wheel that it is not possible for any one to understand. My motive is beyond normal. But my course of action is tangled with you. You are allowed to be disturbed. But be fast. Cause time is running faster than you imagine." Adrika explained.

"Govind kya kehte hain?"

"Nirdesh unhi ka tha, aur nirnay mera. I can't expect anything from Droupadi but I expect my brother's Sakhi to trust him. Me." Adrika said, such calmly that we never experienced in her. We were mesmerizingly watching two women of our lives standing in front of each other. One with the rights gifted to her, and one with the rights she earned. One with fire in all her emotions and one with the serenity of nature. One Agnija and one Prakritikanya. One Droupadi and one Adrika.

"I need to muse on this. Loneliness is my desire now." Droupadi said before retrieving.
(What Govind think about it?

It was his injunction but my decision.)

      We all looked at Adrika. She looked at all of us with a smile. Then entered the room and sat at the middle most seat possible. Waiting for us to sit down. We all looked at each other. Bhrata bheem ran and sat on the seat left to her, and before my brother's could get a chance to grab the seat on the right I leaped for it pushing my two younger brothers in process and almost falling on her. She caught me in the middle. We were laughing like kids during all this. This was how she controlled our emotions.

"Oh Adrika! Please say that this is the end of your dissapearnce from our lives. Now enough. Stay with us. For ever." Bhrata bheem said.

"I don't see future. But here I'm. Everytime you need me. Right." She said smiling.

"Did you forgave us?" I asked. She turned to me. Smiling.

"I can be mad but can't leave you all. You are my responsibility. And my family. If someone leave their responsibility and family. What else there will be for them to live for."  She said. That pink dress was making her glow.

"Droupadi will understand right, Adrika?" Sahadev asked.

"You are here na. Your insight can be useful here." She said. We all nodded. Sahadev chuckled.

"Did you talked to pitamah?" Jyesth bhrata asked.

"Yes. I thought I could use his adoration towards me." She answered.

"How?" I asked.

"Ufff.. So many questions.. No one asked.. Adrika are you alright?" She said, making all of us laugh again.

"What can possibly happen to you My dear? You are the assurance of protection. I don't want to imagine what would have happen to Arjun if you were not there." Jyesth bhrata said. She got up and sat in front of him on her knees and said

"I'm here jyesth. Nothing will go against you untill I have my last breathe is there." She said. Jyesth bhrata put his hands on her head affectionately. She then turned to me and said

"That doesn't mean you will go around behaving childish. Understood?" I knew she was right. Like always.

"Yes Adrika." I said.

"Ok. Now it's not over yet. I'm here to discuss what and how to handle the situation coming." She said.

         We had a long discussion over every possible scenario possibly happen in next few hours or day. We made plans, she explained how should we project ourselves to be least suspicious to be a threat but more vulnerable. Because according to her hypothesis this was the time to let the bigger power like pitamah fight for us.

"I'm telling you. Trust me. If it happens do not resist the arrest. Be as calm as you could. I promise you, you won't have to live a night in prison." She said.

"But would not it show that we are weak?" I asked.

"Ye ranbhumi nai kumar raj mahal hai, yaha ranneeti nai kootneeti chalti hai. We won't give any chance to them to portray you as a threat to the system or peace." She said. We all were amazed at how far she could think.
(This is not battle field kumar, it's a court. Here diplomacy works, not war strategy.)

"Ok. If you say so." Jyesth bhrata said.

"Honestly some people here need to know their worth." She said.

"Who?" I asked.

"You will know. Now... " But she was cut by a voice.

"Putri" Mata was there running towards us but before she reaches we saw her falling down...
"Maaa"

    Adrika yelled and an energy force from her hand stopped Mata from falling. Then she ran up to her and catch her. This was the first time we saw her powers. She was incredible. Mata was crying while holding her. Touching her hands, face, arms. She got her daughter back. That was surely overwhelming for her.

"Maa.. What is this childish behavior? Why were you running like a insane woman? Why are you crying now?" Adrika asked with a care coated scolding voice.

"I thought I would never hear you scold me again. Putri, my sons are my life. But daughter is a daughter na. A mother always hope if she loose her daughter that ony in marriage." Mata said which made Adrika hold her face.

"Maa. You will never loose me. I'm your daughter and no one can change that. Not even you. Ok?"

     They hugged each other and that was the exact time when guards enter our chambers. They were here to arrest us. We all looked at Adrika, she nodded. And we did like we discussed. Mata was crying looking at us but Adrika held her to her body and hide her face so that she won't be able to see us. We walked out and met droupadi on the way.

"What will happen now? What is the solution for this?" She asked.

"Maybe we need to ask for forgiveness." Jyesth bhrata said. I knew Droupadi will not understand Adrika's reason.

"But you aren't wrong, what will you apologize for?" She asked again.

"Then this may be it. But Hastinapur will not be safe for you anymore. You need to leave for Kampilya." I said.

"No. I can't leave my husbands in this situation." She said crying.

"It's not anything to be emotional about Panchali without protection of any of us you can't leave here." I said.

"She isn't alone." We heard Adrika. She came and Droupadi leaned to her. She said

"She will be living in my quaters for rest of the time you all are in prison. Don't worry her safety will be my priority. I'll be quick." She said we all smiled at her.

"We know. Mata and Droupadi will be your responsibility Adrika. What ever you do for us they should not leave your mind." Jyesth bhrata said.

     The guards made us walk away. We left our mother and wife in the possession of the strongest power we knew. We were relieved for that direction. Just waiting to see what she will do for us. She was capable of changing situations towards her fevor in a minute. We trusted her blind. Just curious to see the way she take.

A/N
Helllooo
Hope everyone is doing well. Another chapter for you guys... Sorry it's 2 day late but here it is. Please vote and comment. I really like to interact with you all..
Another thing guys, some of our lovely family added our story in golden rose award 2020. If you all think we can win, you can also nominate this story there...
Love...
Pragyna..