"Putri!" a voice came from the royal bed.

Draupadi had returned to a wrecked Panchal and a weakened father. She saw her father distraught and defeated like he had lost the only person he cared for, his one true friend and she knew how he felt. She had even thought of getting permission to go back just to tell Parth who she was but she thought better of it as Drupad, the mighty Panchalnaresh suffered from a heart attack which he thankfully survived but nonetheless, it left him severely weakened. Shikhandini was single-handedly administering the vandalised kingdom. Word of the king's health had not got out as the kingdom was already withered by the recent battle and the news of the King's ill health would just give more reasons for the innumerable foes to attack. Drishtdyumna had been appointed as second in command to the military commander. There were whispers in the walls of the palace of Kampilya that Draupadi's work undermined her potential but she didn't mind. All she wanted was to see her father be the man he had once been. With a body so frail and a spirit so dampened he needed almost a 24-hour supervision and Draupadi had volunteered. At night, Drupad asked Draupadi to return to her chambers as she too needed rest. Draupadi left because she didn't want to defy her father but she snuck back in when the King was sleeping, partly to keep an eye on him and partly to take her mind off some things. Like the fact that she may never see her favourite person in the world again. She couldn't dwell on it, the pain was unbearable. 

As soon as she heard the voice, she kept down the Samadhi Pada and hurried towards the royal bed. It was a delightful day. Suryadev in all his might was shining vigorously but charmingly. The plants seemed to be rejoicing and the sand was pleasingly warm. Everything seemed perfect but if only they knew what storm was brewing in the heart of the fireborn. A soft breeze was playing which was disheartened when it saw the strand of the princess's hair clipped so that it didn't escape. The breeze heard its cries but there was only little it could do. Ramya, Draupadi's dasi had clipped it this morning and Draupadi hadn't objected. What use was of the strand when there was no one to push it back? Her hair was tied in a tight bun. Draupadi's gold anklets jingled as she paced and her lilac dhoti and choli were trying their best to keep the olive angavastram from flowing in the breeze. Her caramel skin glistened as the sun rays hit her, diffused by the mirror hangings on the balcony. 

"What happened Baba?" she asked her voice soft, filled with concern.

"Nothing wrong my love, I just wanted to wish you," he said smiling. It was true he did look a lot better today. His childhood friend's words had hit him hard, his body would heal but the deeper wounds were hidden beneath. There is nothing worse than being betrayed by the only one you trusted. 

"Wish me what, Baba?" Draupadi asked perplexed.

"Happy birthday my dear Draupadi!" Drupad said smiling ruefully, blaming himself to be the cause of her daughter forgetting her own birthday. Draupadi stiffened, she thought she would break then and there but she knew she couldn't. She took in a deep breath and managed a smile.

"Thank you, Baba," she said softly.

"Go on give yourself a break. I know you sneak in at night. Don't worry about your old father. Go!"

Draupadi didn't need to hear it twice she had already turned to leave, she couldn't let him see her tears. As soon as she left his chambers, she broke into a run. Desperate to be alone. She closed the doors behind her and let herself sink to the floor. She cried like never before. It had been a month. A month without him. He wanted to give her something and what did she do, left without even telling him. It felt impossible, every second that passed seemed like a burden. Every breath she took in, felt wrong. Her mere existence seemed immoral now that she didn't have his shoulder to rest her head on. 

-:-

"Son, would you tell me something?" Drupad asked.

"Of course Baba, anything?" Drishtdyumna said earnestly. Drishtdyumna had changed a lot. He was no longer that cheerful kid who brightened everyone's day with just his presence. His guru's visit to the city had taken a toll on him too. But whereas it snatched the fire from his father it gave him a bounty of it. Drishtdyumna sought revenge but he didn't say it out loud because even if he won't admit it Drupad still had a soft spot for his friend. No one could wound his father and get away with it.

"Draupadi she seems different... like she is in despair. Is there anything I should know?" Drupad asked troubled.

"Baba you don't need to trouble you-" Drishtdyumna started only to be stopped by his father.

"Don't play around with me young man. I may be weak but I won't be denied what I ask." Drupad declared.

"Baba... It's not my story to tell. She is in pain and there is only little I can do but I am trying, trying to find-. She doesn't understand what she feels totally herself but I fear Baba when she does I don't know if we would be able to-" Drishtdyumna said choking with emotions. The father and son just sat there for the rest of the evening dwelling on the princess' fate.

-:-

"Jestha!" Sehdev called.

The five brothers had hitchhiked the cart of a town dweller. There was a royal chariot waiting for them upriver as they couldn't disclose their identities as of now. Their education was complete and the five Kuru princes were ready to face the world.

"Jeshtha!" Nakul said jerking his brother out of his reverie.

"Huh?" Arjun asked as if waking from sleep.

"An apple?" Bhim offered.

"I don't really have an appetite," Arjun said resting his back on the hay walls of the cart. 

Bhim was about to say something but stopped as Yudhishthira nudged him. The brothers had anticipated that Arjun would be broken but it had been over a month now and when he didn't even know what he really felt. 

Arjun hadn't noticed their concerned looks as his vision focused out of the cart his mind swaying back to the moment it all fell apart. It was a pleasant morning but something didn't really feel right to Parth. He had just come from a bath his hair still wet when Keshavi had come running to him an expression of bewilderment on her face.

"Is everything all right? Is it Madhav? Did he again jump into the snake-infested pool? Oh, god-"

"Parth that isn't it! It's Prishati. She- she's gone." Keshavi said stifling a sob.

"What do you mean gone?" Parth asked barely audible it felt as if the whole world had started spinning around him trying to throw him off balance. 

"She is not in her room and neither is Udyat. It seems they left-" Keshavi stopped speaking as Parth had already broken into a run. He didn't care if he wasn't allowed inside he just ran and ran and didn't stop till he reached her room. Her bed was unmade as if she was coming back any moment her belongings still in their places. But somehow Parth knew she wouldn't be coming back but he didn't want to believe it. 

"Haha! Very funny Prishati you can come out now, you got me! Aradhya this was your idea right?" Parth asked hopefully waiting for Prishati to come from behind the curtains and laugh at him so that he could fall back into her arms.

"Jeshtha!" Aradhya sighed, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Wh- why are you crying?" Parth asked his voice breaking. A tear-stricken Madhav came to him and embraced him. Parth didn't respond, too shocked to feel anything.

"Parth she's gone!" Madhav said sobbing.

"No," Parth murmured.

"Brother-" Dhairya started his eyes filled with moisture.

"No!" Parth screamed. His knees buckled and he fell to the ground. Slowly it seeped into him he would never be able to see her again. He let out a moan which sent shivers into the hearts of the students standing around. It was the sound of a wounded heart. For a few minutes, he just sat there shedding silent tears. But then his eyes travelled to her nightstand. It was the scabbard of her knife. For a second he thought if she was in danger but he dismissed the thought. He didn't know how but he knew she was safe, just far away. So far away.

Arjun held the scabbard closer to him as he wiped off the tears that had fallen on his cheeks. 

प्रिशति नहीं अब द्रौपदी है वो

तैयार है हर दर्द सहने को

पर तूफ़ानो से कैसे लड़ेगी

छिन्न गया है साहिल जो

पार्थ नहीं अब अर्जुन है वो

तैयार नहीं ये मानने को

की ह्रदय उसका टूट गया है

जो साथ उनका छूट गया है