The sun would rise in a few hours and the cool breeze kept away travellers. Draupadi tightly wrapped her angavastram around her to maintain whatever body temperature she had left. It wasn't as cold as in the winters but it was enough to make people stay inside the warmth of their homes unless necessary. But she was Draupadi, the fierce princess of Panchal and the cold didn't bother her. She really wished she could say that. She had no luck sleeping so she had thought of taking a walk before anyone woke up but probably not her greatest idea as she had no layer of clothes to protect herself from the cold. 

She was wearing her night outfit which was very light so that it would not disturb the wearer while sleeping. Her slight cotton dhoti wrapped up to look like a skirt was playing in the wind and exposing the length of her legs. Her white cotton blouse thankfully had sleeves, but not long enough. Her angavastram had been detached from the dhoti and was wrapped around her arms. Except for her clothes she just had her sheathed knife, which she never parted from her body, she was a warrior after all.

Draupadi could have gone back inside but she didn't feel like it. Something made her restless and she couldn't point out what. It had been two days since the festival Holi and almost two days since she had talked to Arjun. A load of work had surprisingly been thrown at her and she could only steal glances of him between her work. She had sent out the last letter the night before and wanted to run to him but not wanting to disturb had laid on the bed for hours before deciding to take a walk. It would be a few hours till he woke up and Draupadi didn't know what to do with herself till then. Her feet now tired of walking led her to the swing in the garden Drishtdyumna had made. She often liked to sit here, surrounded by the plants and trees she felt like she was int the forest. No man or woman or building in sight, the presence of unhindered mother nature helped her in maintaining the peace within her. 

She heard a noise surprisingly not from behind her. So maybe it was not an attack, and even if it was, it was a feeble attempt as Draupadi had already unsheathed her knife and angled herself to throw it at the threat as she had already pinpointed the source of the voice. When the body came out of the foliage Draupadi though shocked sheathed her knife. 

"Brought a shawl for you!" Arjun said holding one out.

"How did you know I was here?" Draupadi asked sitting back on the swing.

"I didn't until now," Arjun said walking towards her and Draupadi observed that he himself had not brought another covering to save himself from the cold and if anyone hated the cold more than she was him. He was wearing a white cotton dhoti and an ivory coloured angavastram. 

He sat down to her left nearby but still a little too far according to her. He placed the shawl on her legs.

"You always know what to wear don't you?" Draupadi said sighing and resting her head on the post of the swing gazing at him.

"What do you mean?" he asked resting his right arm on the back of the swing.

"You just know what makes you look fabulous!" Draupadi mutters. It was the truth, even when he wore the simplest of clothes he looked so handsome to Draupadi she had to restrain herself.

To this Arjun only laughed.

"It's not funny! You don't make it easy for me to-" Draupadi caught herself in time. Or not.

"To what Drau?" he said leaning closer to her using his new name for her and to intensify her more, he said it in an eerily calm but gravelly voice. Draupadi knew better than to speak and she dare not look at him. Her breath hitched when she felt a cold hand on her back, Arjun let it stay there for a few seconds so she could accommodate to the temperature. Just as her breathing had returned to normal she felt a sudden pull and she was inches away from the swarthy face she had grown to love. Her hands had rested on his bare chest and his hands circled her back. Now it didn't matter if it was cold or not if there was a storm brewing or a hurricane about to hit, all that mattered was that he was there beside her.

"It's not easy to what, Drau?" Arjun asked again, with a smirk on his face. Draupadi closed the distance and let her lips reach his soft ones. At first, Arjun was too shocked to respond, but then Draupadi felt him smile into the kiss and then he deepened the kiss. One of his hand had reached her neck and Draupadi's hand had his hair tangled into them. Out of breath they finally broke the kiss, stabling their breath while their foreheads touched. 

"That is what you don't make easy. To stay away from you." Draupadi said panting.

"While I don't think I will discontinue it, I quite like it when you are close to me," Arjun whispered in her ear, making her shiver. Arjun pulled back from the embrace to pick up the shawl that was on the ground now. He shook it remove any dirt and wrapped it around Draupadi. Draupadi lifted one corner of it, indicating for him to join her. Without a word, Arjun compiled and sat beside her. His hand right hand on her back pulling her close to him. Draupadi placed her head on his torso and felt her hand entwine with his. 

"You said I always know what to wear. Maybe. But when it comes to you, it doesn't matter what you wear, Drau. I simply do not have the ability to stay away from you." Arjun said sighing. Draupadi giggled squeezing his hand, then she felt him rest his head on hers. And within a matter of seconds, she had fallen asleep. Arjun whispered to her but she didn't hear it. It wasn't meant to be heard, it was meant to be known and she did know it. 

The trees heard and the wind would soon know. It would be a matter of time till the sun god shared their secret.

"I love you."

-:-

"He was crying all night!" Nakul said shaking his head in disapproval.

"Really?" Drishdumna asked already sure that his friend was lying.

"I know you think I am lying why don't you ask him yourself! He is coming this way." Nakul replied shrugging. 

"I am not going to fall for that again Aradhya!" Drishtdyumna replied.

"Oh, Lord! I knew his day was going to come, but I do not even have a single strand of grey hair yet! Me, the great Nakul - out of pranks! Preposterous!" Nakul said, being the overdramatic diva he was.

"I don't have any idea which god will be able to help you with that." Drishtdyumna snickered.

Nakul mumbled something but Drishtdyumna religiously ignored him.

"Everything packed up Prince Arjun?" Drishtdyumna asked the approaching swarthy man clad in a silk dhoti the colour of smoke and a lightly embroidered navy angavastram and barely any jewellery. His hair was tied in a simple bun as always.

"Indeed, it is. But just Arjun will do Drishtdyumna!" Arjun replied smiling. 

Drishtdyumna and Arjun had never really had that much of a bond during their gurukul days but to be fair Arjun never really spoke to anyone except Draupadi, his brothers and Madhav.

"How come you didn't ask me that? We were standing here in utter silence!" Nakul asked.

"It's not like anyone can have a sensible conversation with you little brother," Arjun replied with his most sincere face.

"I see you finally picked up a sense of humour, Jeshtha," Nakul said with a straight face.

Drishtdyumna felt suffocated due to the amount of tension between the two brothers. And suddenly the princes of Hastinapur burst out in peals of laughter.

"Good one, Jeshtha!"

"A better comeback, Nakul!"

"You are so like me and Drau!" Drishtdyumna said joining in.

"Speaking of that, why do you call her Drau?" Arjun asked.

"Yes! Whenever you say it feels like you are going to say something after it. But you don't." Nakul stated.

"Well, our father not wanting to give his children names that they can pronounce or spell led to us having shorter versions to call each other by. We used to do that when we were toddlers and I guess they just stuck." Drishtdyumna said smiling, fonding over old memories.

"Well, it's an efficient way. Your names do have a whole lot of syllables." Arjun said shrugging.

"Don't get any ideas. I coined it. It's mine." Drishtdyumna stated solemnly.

For a few excruciating seconds which felt like hours to Nakul, they just had a staring contest and then Arjun broke the silence.

"Of course it is. Of course. Of course." Arjun said siling but his tone not very reassuring.

"I see you all are having a hearty time!" Draupadi said as she walked towards them.

"And I see you have changed your loyalties, little sister," Drishtdyumna said.

"What?" Draupadi asked puzzled.

"Three colours together! That's not something I would have recommended!" Drishtdyumna said shrugging.

She was wearing a dark green silk lehenga with a wide gold embroidered border and light embroidery in the midst of the affluent fabric. She was wearing it with a lightly embroidered mustard blouse and a translucent white angavastram with gold embroidered. She had her hair tied in a bun held in place with white flowers and just a maangteeka and jhumkaas.

"What do you mean? I don't look amazing?" Draupadi asked shocked.

"That's not what I mea-" Drishtdyumna started.

"Because I have no idea! Remember that time I wore the green lehenga with the red angavastram and you almost fainted. I still don't know why!" Draupadi said as a matter of fact.

"Red and green! Why didn't I die first?" Arjun screeched with disgust.

"Not any green. Parrot green!" Drishtdyumna said with a sour face.

"Parro- I can't even!" Arjun said holding his forehead in disbelief.

"What's the big deal?" Nakul asked, perplexed.

"Exactly!" Draupadi said exasperated.

"Anyways, I have to say Arjun. I never thought these colours would go together. Just perfect." Drishtdyumna stated.

"Yeah, she is," Arjun replied looking at Draupadi whimsically.

"No, no mushy talk on my watch," Nakul said raising his hands in exasperation.

"Agreed. Though we wanted this for years, it doesn't mean it's not weird. Hey, look here come the horses!" Drishtdyumna said walking towards the entourage, the others following.

"What is so weird about displays of affections?" Arjun asked intrigued.

"Maybe the fact that you have a girlfriend and we don't!" Nakul replied.

"Yes, we are just jealous human beings," Drishtdyumna said.

"Wait, don't you have a girlfriend! That princess. What is her name?" Arjun remembered.

"Bhagvati - The woman of his dreams!" Nakul said moving his hands in a funny way.

"Shut up."

"I have to say Dyumna, your ivory skin doesn't help to hide that intense blush," Draupadi said nudging him.

"Shut up now, Baba is coming towards us!" Drishtdyumna said hurriedly.

"Are you telling me your father doesn't know?" Nakul asked startled.

"That is exactly what I am telling you. And I would very much like it to stay that way." Drishtdyumna said eyeing Nakul.

"What! I won't tell a soul!" Nakul replied.

"Princes of Hastinapur. I must say you are leaving too soon." The king of Panchal said as he came nearer towards the party of four.

"We are as dismayed as you great king but unfortunately some work has come up and Jeshtha Yudhishthira has requested our presence," Arjun said folding his hands in a polite namaste. He himself didn't know why they had to leave so abruptly but he couldn't say no to the eldest Pandava.

"The mind in me understands, Putra but the heart doesn't. The presence of the two of you lighted up the-" 

 Drupad continued to speak but Draupadi was no longer listening.

It was very hard for her to see Arjun go yet again. Even though she knew he would come back to her and she could go to him any time she wanted to, it was hard for her to say goodbye. Goodbyes make you think. Think about what you have and what you don't. What you deserve and what you don't. 

"Drau!" Draupadi was taken out of her reverie by her twin.

"Yes, Dyumna!" Draupadi replied.

"Are you fine?" Drishtdyumna asked concerned.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be?" Draupadi said smiling, but that wasn't enough to reassure the young prince. 

"I am so sorry Princes but I will have to leave you urgently as I have to attend a guest, my children will bid you both farewell," Drupad said sincerely.

"No need to apologize illustrious king! You must have more important work than see us off!" Arjun said politely, bowing in respect.  

Hearing that, the relieved king left in a hurry, leaving the four royal spawns in awkward silence.

"Nakul why don't I see you off?" Drishtdyumna said, dramatically.

"What a great idea!" Nakul said catching onto his approach and both of them left in a hurry. 

Draupadi chuckled on their antics while walking towards Arjun who had a whimsical look on his face.

"What?" Draupadi asked linking their hands.

"What, what?" Arjun asked a twinkle in his eyes.

"What are you thinking?" 

"Hmm... Just how lucky I am!" Arjun said while walking towards his horse, her hand in his.

"Lucky? Abou what?"

"Lucky that I have someone who is so hard to say goodbye to," Arjun said looking at a distance.

She was glad he was looking away, blood was rushing to her cheeks involuntarily. In a matter of seconds, they had reached his horse. Nakul and Drishtdyumna were a distance away Nakul already mounted on his horse.

"Oh, Lord Rudra! I hate this!" Arjun said hiding his face in his hands.

"Won't disagree, goodbyes are hell. But they are also a promise that we will meet yet again." Draupadi said chuckling as she moved his hands from his face.

"Wow! Thank you for those words of wisdom Lady Draupadi!" Arjun said joining his hands, leaving Draupadi in fits of laughter.

Sighing she rested her head on his torso as he enveloped her in his arms. And they stayed still like that for a few moments breathing each other in till Draupadi broke the embrace and placed a kiss on his lips. 

"You should probably go," Draupadi said sighing, but not leaving his light embrace.

"Probably," Arjun said, showing no signs of leaving.

"Go!" Draupadi said chuckling, pushing him towards his horse.

"Fine!" Arjun said mounting atop his white stallion. 

"Until we meet again Prishati," Arjun said squeezing her hand.

"Until we meet again." 

And in a matter of seconds, the horse had already started to move, separating their hands. 

He must have said something or not. She was too busy to hold her tears back. She just stood there until Arjun had disappeared into the horizon. 

For the first time, she said it out loud and not in the confines of her mind. She let herself hear the words. This was her secret. Her beautiful little secret.

"I love you."

मन में जो छुपा रखा था

दिल ने जो बता रखा था

आज हमने कह ही दिया

चाहे उन्होंने सुना न हो

कहने को तो बहुत कुछ है

पर डर लगता है

अगर कुछ अधिक बोल दिया

तो ये सपना न टूट जाए