Previously 

  " I love you. That means I would defend you with my life even if the odds were insurmountable. It means I will comfort you in the difficult and painful times. It means I will dance and rejoice with you when times are good. It means I will never betray you, never give up on you. It means finding my fire when you, are threatened, yet never waging war - only doing what is necessary for a noble defence. Love says I forgive you when you aren't being yourself. Love says though life may test me I am yours into eternity and I will never abandon you. It means I will never put you in danger no matter how noble the "cause" may be. Love means protecting the earth, protecting humanity, being kind to animals, but should anyone demand your life to save their own I will tell them to rot in hell. There can never be a higher calling to me than protecting and caring for those I love. Love is not a concept for sheep, for sheep run at the first sign of fear; it is a concept for lions, so be brave my love and know that I am here. I love you Draupadi and i'm so sorry for this..this pain that i'm putting you through."  

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Draupadi sat outside watching the servants run back and forth. The reason? Her. More precisely her wedding. She shuddered at the thought, she was hating the idea of getting married, not to one but to five... she was fearing commitment, she was fearing this idea that she will turn into this woman that is dependent on her husbands. She hated feeling like this, she hated the feeling of not knowing what to do...she could already see judgements being passed about her character and she had no idea how to react. She felt numb. Above all she seemed unable to stop her thoughts running back to Arjun, she felt disgusted with herself constantly trying to push those thoughts back and tell herself that she is one of five not just his. She felt as though she had no right to even utter his name let alone look at him. Yet she did. Her eyes were constantly drawn to his masculine form.  She had ran and escaped from the blazing casts of those who held judgement and she ran from the one she loved sitting outside letting the breeze flow through her untamed curls, Draupadi heard a cry that she knew belonged to her nephew, Aashariya  had given birth a few days prior. She looked at her Bhabhi before taking her nephew from her and signalling her to go get some sleep, she looked great fully at Draupadi before leaving the Aunt and Nephew duo. She wondered what it was like for an infant to have no care in the world what so ever. She sighed inwardly, this was honestly harder than she thought. She loved Arjun.. She was sure of him, but being split between five men where she wouldn't be just his...it made her insides churn. "Rajkumari the family is waiting for you in one of the private rooms." Draupadi nodded at the Daasi as she manoeuvred her nephew Nihal in her arms careful not to wake him up. She walked along the patio taking her time. 

Once reaching the room she saw her family along with the Pandavs as her sisters looked at clothes and jewellery for her. Her brothers along with the Pandavs discussing royal affairs as Dakshi interrupted asking their opinion on what would suit her older sister. While the boys looked around confused as what to pick, Krishna signaled Arjun to have a look and picked up a red satin choli with bits of white, in a trance he spoke "This would suit her." the family looked at him as tension surfaced in the room, thick enough to be sliced. Dakshi picked up on the silence and chose to say "Vah Bhai you chose the combination of your favourite colour with Di's favourite." The family paled hearing that. But before anyone could reply, the wails of the new prince sounded in their ears as they turned to see Nihal wailing in Draupadi's arms, but her eyes weren't locked on the form of her nephew but rather someone else. Arjun met the awaiting gaze of Draupadi who's eyes were outlined with tears. But once Nihal's screams reached a certain level she carefully calmed down her nephew putting him back into a peaceful slumber before handing him over to Aashairya. "Your amazing Draupadi you did that within two seconds in takes me two hours i'm telling you he is his Bua's ladla. " Draupadi managed a small smile before saying "Why wouldn't he be of course he's my ladla."  she caressed his face, looking up at Arjun, her heart pounding. "Di look at this choli that Ajun Bhaia picked." Dakshi ran to her older sister with the choli in hand before the elders could try to contain the situation. Draupadi stilled in her position looking helpless but quickly recovering, she crouched down to her younger sisters level caressing the choli in her hand "Its beautiful, something resembling my choice."  Dakshi squealed and agreed before cutely ordering one of the maids to pack this one and put it in her sisters room.  Draupadi features had a fake smile plastered on as she took a seat next to her mother, looking at the designs in front of her. 

Arjun looked at her,  Her eyes had frozen  over like the surface of a winter puddle, robbing them of their usual warmth. She's in there, He knows it, but it's like she just took a huge step back from life. He wanted to reach in and tell her it isn't hopeless, but he knew she wouldn't believe him. he wanted to rekindle her heat but her insides are too damp with uncried tears. He always knew she had pain inside, but now its visible on her face and he wished he could take it away. Her eyes glazed over as her hands traced over another sari, she closed her eyes as Prashati placed a hand on her shoulder. Finally having enough, Draupadi walked out, all eyes locked on her form in concern but as the other began to busy themselves with other tasks, Arjun's eyes remained fixed on the doors before walking out himself.  

He walked into her room only to find her sitting on the swing looking over the balcony. He sat down next to her, however his presence was not acknowledged. He moved forth touching her hand only for it to ripped away with a force "Leave Arjun." He smiled "Hawwhh What happened to Aarya?" He chuckled but it died on his lips as he realised that she didn't care. She moved away from him in a haste walking back into her chambers, taking of her jewellery in attempt to distract herself from his presence, Struggling with her necklace she hissed as she scratched herself, two hands came around unclasping the necklace and placing it onto the table. Her eyes closed as his hands trailed upon her skin, igniting a fire within her, her heart beats escalating. His calloused hands pushed her hair away his warm breaths coming closer to her ear as he carefully removed both earrings, his lips grazing her earlobe, she shuddered as he smirked looking at her through the mirror. She regained her composure in realisation as she forced herself up in attempt to leave. He let her go about two centimeters before grabbing her wrist and twirling her back, her hands sprawled onto his chest his hands moving down to her waist. "Stop running from me." He whispered, Her features softened before quickly returning, she pushed at his chest but his grip remained firm. "Stop running..."  She laughed "There's no need to do that, there is enough distance created between us. After all i'm no longer yours." "You will always be mine." "Really? Because if i remember right i do not just belong to you, i'm a possession belonged by all five of you, not just Arjun's" "Don't compare yourself to a possession Draupadi, you know that you are more than that, you saved us, your a hero." "A hero. More like a tragic hero, who has to bare the grunt of all the taunts, you know early today i heard to maids gossiping about this situation and you know what it made me realise: that no will understand, i can defend myself, explain from my point of view but at the end of the day my sacrifice will go to waste because no one will understand." 

She shoved at his chest before walking back to the balcony her hair flowing in the breeze. Arjun's hands came to her shoulders making her face him. "I see you. I do. I see pain in those eyes. It has sat there for your life time, trapped in the confusion we all carry. I see love too, the love you would have given were it not for the scars. It's still there baby, and one day I will set you free. I'm not perfect, yet I love you, and I know what love means. Give me a chance to find my feet, to stop my own head from spinning and I'll prove it. There is so much of your life that is a hell for your soul, and you stay there from strength rather than weakness I know. So let me join you in that pain, walk with you, feel the same torture I know you bare. And one day I'll find just the right way to bring you home, my love." Her eyes lined with tears as she crashed into his chest. "I've got you. Now and forever." He kissed her forehead, before picking her up bridal style and carrying her into her room, he laid her down, tucking her in before kissing her forehead once more. His hands tracing in her hair, his own eyes lining with tears as he quickly withdrew speed walking out of her chambers. His back collided with the cool wall as his tears fell hailing down on his cheeks.

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  The first orange hued rays of sunrise kissed the still dust laden rubble with the same loving care as the undertaker with the recently departed. These soft rays that should have brought warmth to a new day only acted to solidify the reality of their losses. In the dark they had only the smell of the bombs and the fires to contend with, but under the radiating glow of the clouded sky there was no hiding. Draupadi sat down as people commenced her haldi ceremony, She was dressed in a simple yellow choli her features enhanced with flower jewellery consisting of jasmine and sparks of red rose petals igniting on to her blue lotus fragrance, she smiled as her baby sisters smudged some of the paste onto her cheeks. Across the white sheet her husbands to be were getting haldi put on to. She looked up, her eyes instantly crashing with his. He smiled at her as her own smile graced her face. She broke the eye contact but his laid set upon her figure. Beautiful . No words were capable of describing her armoring beauty, and for the entire ceremony his eyes stayed locked on to her, noticed by all but acknowledged by none, Draupad caressed his shoulder in understanding to his son-in-law's plight smiling at the bitter sweet reunion of two souls. 

Once the ceremony was over Draupadi began walking back to her room in order to prepare for the ceremony that was to be conducted later on that day. A hand gripped her mouth and hauled her into their captivity as fire quickly replaced, her warrior instincts kicking in. She slapped and punched as she was pushed into a wall her mouth was uncovered, she was going to scream but the hand clasped back, she looked at her offender getting ready to kick the day lights out of them, she looked up her eyes meeting the hazel ones of her offender. Arjun. His eyes shone with mischief, as he removed his hand. She slapped him everywhere again "Besharam. Are you trying to give me a heart attack." She hit him again as he rubbed the same spot "Meri sherni, please calm down. How do you think people will react when they find out that Rajkumar Arjun's wife Rajkumari Draupadi killed him. Hawwhh, very bad." She slapped him again as his laughter rang out "By the way your looking...enthralling." Her heart fluttered, his head dipped down his luscious curls following their master, brushing against Draupadi's flushed face, his cheeks were adorned with haldi as he reached down rubbing them against hers, his fingers tracing her arms, causing her to lose herself to the ecstasy. 

Reality came like a whirl wind as she pushed Arjun, "We can't, i do not belong to just you Arjun and you know that." His heart broke, his smile falling "I'm sorry...your right, i shouldn't have done that, sorry Krishnaa." The painful smile that the two wore was bitter. But she wasn't just his and now he had to remember that fact. And he would. But he will always be in need of his fireborn. His soulmate. Their wife. 

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She sat there her hands adorning ceremonial bangles. Her family dancing along with her husbands and friends as they celebrated her wedding which would commence tomorrow morning, her heart caught in her throat as her younger sisters forced her to get up and dance with them. She stood there awkwardly, hands clapping to the beat, her crest fallen face quickly covered. Dance...one of her many passions now seemed foreign to her. Her smile felt fake and she silently slipped away. She walked out into the open air inviting the coolness and freshness that lifted her very being, her eyes closing in serenity, her beats soothing and beating melodiously. A calloused hand reached her shoulder, as she turned, not speaking. He looked at her. She looked at him. Two souls meeting before parting, he moved forth hesitantly, but turned  away to walk off, She grabbed on to his wrist and he turned back his features streaming with tears. Her hands flew to his face wiping at them gently before falling to her side. Her own tears now falling like a waterfall. He took a step forth again almost in reluctance and planted a kiss on her forehead, his eyes closing as the tears lining his dove like eyes fell cascading down his cheek in its own journey. And then without a word he smiled at her before leaving her hand as she she tried desperately to hang on. She tried screaming for him but words failed to come to her lips. He left. She turned back looking up at the full moon adorning the black midnight sky, that smile he gave was for her reassurance but she could see the pain. If Draupadi can't hide anything from Arjun, then Arjun can't hide anything from Draupadi. But this was it. The last time she would feel his warmth until she was his.

TBC

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Authors note:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello to you all i really hope that you enjoy this update its the longest one i have ever done, so please do comment and vote and voice your thoughts on this and thank you all for your patience because i know how annoying it is waiting for an author to update a book that has you hooked so thanks and lots of love o you all and i wish you all a bright future in this new year. Love yah.