Taking a stroll in the royal garden both Draupadi and Arjun spent some quality time.

"Oh Arya ! You're too much !" Draupadi laughed at one of Arjun's jokes.

"I'm just humorous." Arjun chuckled.

"I wonder how rest of the Aryaputra's could handle all these jokes." Draupadi wondered.

"They didn't. Because I didn't crack such jokes earlier." Arjun said.

"You didn't ? But you always look so happy." Draupadi said.

"Life is not always fair, in my case it never is." Arjun gave out a dry laugh.

"Then how did you become happy again ?" Draupadi asked.

"I met Madhav. After meeting him, everything seemed to be falling right in the place. Many good things happened after meeting him." Arjun said.

Suddenly there came a maid with a scroll in her hand.

"A letter has come for Rajkumar Arjun." She said.

Arjun took the letter from her and dismissed her. He unrolled it to read.

••••••

Greetings My love,

My brother Rukmi wants marry Nagasur-raj Vishkaal. Ever since a year I have been trying to do everything in my power so that the talks don't proceed further. And now he has ordered the marriage to commence as Vidarbh-naresh.

But you do know that my heart resides solely with you. Those who are learned in the ways of dharma say that for
kshatriyas, who are warriors, elopement for marriage is permissible if their kin don't agree for their alliance.

On the first day of Krishna Paksha, I shall be waiting for you right where we met the first time.

Your Rukmika

••••••

Arjun read the letter and then clutched his heart, taking he deep breath.

"Oh my heart... My beloved..." He muttered.

"Arya ? What is written in the letter ?" Draupadi asked looking worriedly at Arjun.

"My beloved Rukmika has asked me to come and take her away." Arjun said.

"Rajkumari Rukmika of Vidarbh ? So you were her lover." Draupadi said looking down.

Arjun looked at Draupadi and then at the letter, of course she was going to be upset at this sudden break of news.

"Panchali, Rukmika is my first love but you are my first wife. I will not do anything unless you don't want me to." Arjun said.

Draupadi looked at him as he smiled at her and held her hands.

"Come with me, I wish to show something to you." Arjun said.

He took Draupadi to his room and made her sit on the bed. Arjun then brought the sandook which had all the letters Rukmika had sent him.

"Panchali, I had met Rukmika while I accompanied Madhav for Rukmini-haran. I had fallen in love at the very moment seeing her. From then we had exchanged several letters, flowers and souvenirs. These are her letters that I have cherished dearly. I want you to read them all and then this one that came today. After that tell me your decision. Whatever it would be I shall accept." Arjun said.

Draupadi looked at him as he gave her a warm smile and went outside. She then opened the sandook and found many things in them.

On top were the golden kangans, and dried roses, cautiously preserved. Beneath them were a bunch of letters. Only by looking at how carefully they were kept, Draupadi came to know how much Rukmika meant to Arjun.

She then started reading letters, some made her smile, some made her laugh, while others made her a little emotional. These letters were the reflection of their love story.

Draupadi then remembered the day before her Swayamvar when she met Rukmika, and she only had told how much love is in her eyes for her lover. That day she didn't knew they were talking about the same man.

Draupadi chuckled at the irony of the fate and then opened the letter than came today. Reading that a frown appeared on her face realising that Rukmi is forcing her to marry another.

Contemplating everything, Draupadi kept the letters, flowers and kangans back in the sandook. She then went outside the room where Arjun was patiently waiting for her.

"So what do you say ?" Arjun asked.

"I say, good things shouldn't wait for long." Draupadi smile.

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A/N

Devi Draupadi toh Devi Draupadi
🙏🙏🙏🙏
❤️💛❤️💛