"Drau!" Drishtdyumna whined.

"Not now Dyumna I have a lot of work!" Draupadi said making a gesture for him to leave her.

"I will not." Drishtdyumna said finally. Draupadi gave her a withering look but with conviction, her twin stood the ground.

"Suit yourself." Draupadi sighed and hid beneath the reports from the soldiers lying on her desk.

"Drau we need to talk." Drishtdyumna said as patiently as he could.

"Uh-huh." Draupadi said absentmindedly.

"Drau!"

"What is it?" Draupadi said now annoyed.

"Can't you see I am working!" Draupadi said and went back to reading the report.

Hmm... This is peculiar. Tiger attacking villagers, ah it is wounded. Must be so scared, poor thing! Draupadi thought.

"I have had enough." The prince said hoisting himself from the seat he had decided to sit. He made his way to her absent-minded sister and in a flurry seized the file from her hands and dragged her away with him.

"Dyumna! How can you- I was working! This is serious stuff! There is a tiger! Dyumna! Are you even listen- Wait, where are you taking me? This dragging me to places is getting very frequent! Beware the next time I may flip you over." Draupadi humphed but let herself get dragged.

"I am not too fond of it either but isn't like you are ever eager to hang out with your adorable brother or anyone else for that matter. Don't you dare think something sadistic like 'I was hanging out with my misery' okay?" Drishtdyumna said not looking back.

"I was not!" Draupadi replied.

Maybe.

"Wait where are we? Since when does the palace have this new garden?" Draupadi asked.

"Well, sister it's not like you roam the palace in your free time!" Drishtdyumna his voice held mockery but there was truth in it. Their father's health had gotten stabler and now Draupadi was handling all the 'paperwork' as she called it. She didn't do work all the time but she didn't like to spend her free time with anyone now. She visited their father regularly just to check on him. If she was in the mood she even went to visit their elder sister, Shikhanadini who was the busiest of the lot. And Drishtdyumna, she didn't need to visit him as he came to her annoy her daily.

"But seriously this place is beautiful! The gardeners outdid themselves this time!" Draupadi said impressed. It was so gigantic in its dimensions that it took several moments for her to register every part of it.

The entrance was marked by a thin wooden arc-like composition which was barely visible because the vines were covering it. The pathway lined with stone slabs at such a distance that the earth was also evident, was narrow at first and opened up to a sumptuous view. Her eyes first darted towards the artificial stream to the left. Slabs of rock were placed at intervals to create a waterfall effect and also to hide the mechanism behind it. The descending water made a subtle peaceful sound and collected into a small pond which was filled with white lotuses. Draupadi thought she even spotted a fish or two in there. Her eyes travelled to the rightmost corner where two upholstered furniture sat beside each other with opulent fabric and intricate patterns. Opposite the pair of seats was a mattress for those who wished to be closer to mother nature Draupadi guessed. Between that configuration was a wooden trunk which was to be used as a table. Draupadi thought it would be uncomfortable to sit there during the noon when the sun was at its best. Apparently, the gardeners had thought the same and had attached a canopy-like structure to the poles near the seating area which was made of such a fabric that allowed enough light to enter that would be pleasant but not hurting. But the star of the show was the limestone fountain situated at the heart of the garden. Its stages were sculpted like petals of lotuses which enlarged as they descended. At the top of the fountain was attached a four-headed elephant whose' trunk sprouted out water. Draupadi had never seen anything more elegant.

"Well, they had an effective leader." Drishtdyumna said nonchalantly. Draupadi just nodded still in astonishment but then she registered what he had said. Her head snapped towards her twin so fast he doubted if the bones were intact.

"You! Oh my! Dyumna!" Draupadi said embracing him.

"You like it that much?" Drishtdyumna asked surprised by the sudden show of affection.

"I love it! This is a paradise." Draupadi said grinning.

"So I have heard." Drishtdyumna said returning her grin.

"Don't take offence but I never thought you would be someone who would plant roses." Draupadi said astonished.

"Well if you had time to spare in Gurukul I would have shown you my-" Drishtdyumna came to his senses but a little too late. Draupadi had stiffened, her face deadpan and her eyes clouded but then she shook out from it and straightened her creaseless angavastram as if nothing had happened.

"I am sorry! I never should have brought this up!" Drishtdyumna said filled with guilt.

"It is okay Dyumna!" Draupadi said placing her hand on his shoulder and smiling. It was not okay Drishtdyumna could see it, her smile did not reach her eyes.

"You know I- I tried finding him." Drishtdyumna said choked up with emotions.

"I have to come to peace with it or at least I am trying to." Draupadi said not looking at her twin anymore afraid she would not be able to control herself.

"No, you haven't. I see you Drau. You are in pain and I- I can do nothing to ease it." Drishtdyumna said his eyes watery.

"The pain cannot be hindered Dyumna. It is painful but at least I know not to hope. And we- we were never meant to be together maybe! It is destiny. We can do nothing but accept it." Draupadi said.

Drishtdyumna didn't say anything but he knew she was wrong. Even though she believed it she was wrong. The first time he had seen the two together he had known they were the only ones who were meant to be together. Maybe just not yet. And he knew Draupadi still had hope within. She hoped he would come back. He hoped so too. But he could do nothing but that.

"From where did you get the stones for the fountain? They don't necessarily look from around here." Draupadi said. Drishtdyumna knew the topic was over he could dwell on it now.

"Well, that is an interesting question!" Drishtdyumna said motioning his hands and raising his eyebrows and speaking in a monotonous voice, enacting their elder sister. He knew he would earn a laugh from her and so he did.

-:-

"So what do you think Sehdev? If it was for-" Nakul started.

"I haven't been saying anything for the past few minutes but you are pushing it now Nakul, you know I am working." Arjun said smoothly.

"But it's not your work!" Nakul said exasperated.

"Sehdev back me up, please." Arjun said already accepting defeat, there was no way he was going to win an argument with Nakul.

"I am so sorry Jeshtha but my twin is accurate here." Sehdev said shrugging.

Nakul narrowed his eyes but he decided he would deal with his evil twin later, right now it was his melancholic brother who needed him. The prince to try and run away from his grief had indulged himself in work, sometimes which wasn't even his to do.

"So what can I do that you two stop pestering me?" Arjun said knowing that there was no other way out of this.

-:-

"Why are we going towards the arena?" Arjun asked intrigued.

"Pandav Practice!" Nakul said whooping. That earned a grin from the middle prince. It was a game that the five brothers played while in the forest. They had to swap their weapons of choice and then indulge in duels. It wasn't a game that every child would have played in their childhood. But the five weren't just like everyone.

Nakul started sprinting towards the arena.

He is just too excited sometimes! Arjun thought.

Then Sehdev also broke into a run.

Hmm... Unusual! Why would Seh- Oh Lord Rudra! Arjun deemed, breaking into a run.

The trade of weapons was first come first serve. Arjun halted in front of the entrance of the arena, panting heavily. The arena's dimensions were celestial. It was magnificent and eloquent. But it was not the forest. But at least there were four familiar faces in the unfamiliar place.

There stood his eldest brother with Sehdev's battle-axe in his hands, who the people had affectionately started calling Dharmanandan. Every virtue you think a man should possess, he had them. Honesty, justice, wisdom, tolerance, righteous conduct and discernment you name it he embodied them. He was the epitome of Dharma itself. But he was never seen as a threat and Arjun was appalled by this. Taught spear fighting by Drona and politics by Krip he was the most formidable of the five. After Nakul he was the best charioteer. And as if that wasn't enough he was also a polyglot, knowing languages Arjun couldn't even name. But there was one flaw he had, to keep the peace, he at times underwent the wrongdoings without complaining. To balance this out the siblings had been granted their enormous and mighty brother who palace guards had started calling Jihmayodhin meaning fighter against falsehood. The brothers had come to know that he was immune to poison when he had digested the Kalakuta poison given to him by Duryodhana, a blessing by Nagaraj Vasuki. Unknown to many he was as skilled with a bow and arrow as with his mace and reasonably he held Arjun's bow. But the invulnerable man also had a weakness, food. His gluttony sometimes got the better of him. Beside him with a mace in his hand was the elder twin. Apart from his ravishingly handsome looks and seductive frame he was also skilled in horse keeping and Ayurveda. None of the brothers could beat him in chariot racing. But sometimes he got too proud of his good looks and his decisions became clouded if someone praised him on them. Beside him was the smallest of the brothers surprisingly holding a spear. Arjun knew that he had been taking lessons from the eldest for a past few months. If it was with belief that he could excel at it or out of kindness to him or both, Arjun didn't know but he was glad that Nakul's sword hadn't been claimed yet. Sehdev was the wisest of them all. He knew about the past, the present and the future. He was a master when it came to medicine, equestrian skills, bovine veterinary and politics. But like all the others he also had a flaw. In some instances, he patronized the other brothers in light of his perpetual sagacity. Arjun grinning on his luck hastily picked up the sword and tossing it from his right to left hand and back again. He was ambidextrous which was to be beneficial in a war if it ever was to come.

"Ready to lose little brother?" Bhim asked. Even though he mocked Arjun to no end he also loved him the most.

"I can only lose the food eating contest from you, Jeshtha!" Arjun said with a sneer.

"If your two are done with your jabs shall we proceed?" Yudhisthira said, a hint of a smile playing on his solemn face.

-:-

They warred five courses of duels each. It was unorthodox for the opponents to compete with different weapons but they were Pandavas and they were ready for even the unlikely. Arjun had won his bout with Yudhishthira and Sehdev pretty smoothly. He had also won from Bhim but the amount of strength and dexterity he had to put in to defeat him made Arjun promise himself more rigorous practice sessions. He had won from Nakul but barely. Nakul being a swordsman already knew how to parry the strikes Arjun executed and moreover with the mace he also had brute strength. Only because he had a lighter weapon resulting in increased agility, Arjun beat him. The duel between the eldest and the smallest Pandavas resulted in a tie. Bhim won from everyone except Arjuna. Nakul had won from his twin.

"Who was saying about losing huh?" Arjun said sitting on the ground, exhausted from the duels.

"Yeah, yeah I give in! You are the best little brother!" Bhim said chuckling.

"Hear! Hear!" Arjun said grinning. Arjun started to lie down but something on his back prevented him from doing so. He sat back up and felt for the object attached to his waistband. His hand froze as he realized what it was. Her sheath. He never parted with it and didn't sheath a knife with it but always kept it on him for reasons he didn't know. Maybe so that he could still believe that she would come back. 

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