"Why are you late, Dhaksha?" Draupadi asked.
"We were panicking that something must've happened to you." Nakula walked from the hut.
"When did you both come back?"I asked.
"We arrived here right after you left to offer water to Surya Bhagavan,"  Sahadev replied.
"I sent Yudhistran Aarya to check up on you," Draupadi said. "Where did he go?"
"Why were you talking to Karna, Dhaksha?" I heard Yudhistran's voice.
"What? Karna?" Nakula exclaimed.
"Even Duruyan and Vikarna were there." I finished
"What?" Yudhistran was astonished.
I explained the entire story to them.

"Duruyan apologized to you?" Nakula asked.
"Angaraj made him apologize. He did a good job." Sahadev replied.
"Why did you not accept it?" Yudhistran na asked.
"He never actually meant the apology, Anna. How can I let him go just like that? That's why I didn't accept it. I'm sorry if I did something wrong." I apologized.
"No, Dhaksha. You didn't do anything. You did the right thing. We can't let him live like this." Yudhistran replied.
"I won't let him go that easily. I shall make his head roll on the battleground, " I said
"Don't you worry about that, Jyesthbhavikashree. We shall destroy the adharma." Nakula replied.

It was soon to be sunset as I made myself settle down on the rock and stared at Suryabhagavan set down.
I couldn't stop thinking about what had happened that day.

"Dhaksha? Why would you stay outside? It's nearly sunset. Come inside." Draupadi called out for me.
"I just wanted to look at the sunset."
"Is something bothering you, Dhaksha?" she settled down next to me. "We've been together for so long. I'm your Sakhi. Don't think of lying to me."
"It's just.."
"Are you thinking about Angaraj?" she asked me.
"Yes, Sakhi. How can he leave me to suffer in the courtroom and then apologize to me just like that?"
"What are you saying? He was not there in the courtroom. He saw us when I carried you to our chariot. He carried you to the chariot." she said.
"What?"
"I saw his eyes, Sakhi. It was filled with guilt, sorrow and tears when he saw you in my arms." she held my shoulder.
"Why would my Aarya lie about it?"
"I'm pretty sure there is a reason why you both are on the different side. Leave that to the god above us. Let him decide." she replied.
"I hope so," I replied.

"Why would he come and apologize to me?"

(A year after)

Draupadi and I took turns to fetch water for everyone. It was my turn to do it.

I walked to the shimmering bright lake and slid my hands on the water to feel its purity. That's when I heard someone walking from behind, but I couldn't find anyone behind me.

A piece of sheet flew in the air and fell into the water pot. I immediately took it out from the pot and read it.

It said:

I admire from afar
Your beauty and your grace
Only from afar, I will admire
I do not know you and you do not know I
Though I feel like I know you in some indescribable way
A way in which is unspoken
A way in which only admirers may know
It will go no further than admiring
But, sometimes I like to dream
Dream that one day, we should meet
Dream that one day, I may admire
Not from afar but up close
Not only admire the beauty I see
But the faults I know you have
I want to admire all of you
But that is only a dream
So, for now
I will admire from afar
I will see what I see
And dream what I dream.....

"Is this a love poem? Did my Aarya return already?"
I ran to our hut to search for him.

"Draupadi? Draupadi?" I called out for her.
"What's the matter? Why would you shout the moment I arrive here?" Bheem na walked towards me.
"You've returned back?" I smiled at Bheem na.
"Where is he?" I asked.
"Where is who?" he narrowed his eyebrows.
"Stop acting, Bheem na. Where is my Aarya? Did he tell you to put on this show?"
"What happened to our Dhaksha, Draupadi? Did you do something while I was away?" he shouted.
"Aarya is not here?"
"Pasupatastra is something which is really hard to get. Do you think he can return this soon? Are you dumb? Go get me some fruits." he replied.

"It's not from my Aarya? Who wrote this letter? I've got myself a stalker. Oh, my lord."

"Do you want to tell me anything else, Dhaksha?" he asked.
"No, no."
"Go, get me some fruits, Dhaksha. I gave away all the laddoos I had to Sri Hanuman. At least I'll have some fruits." he settled down at the seat.
"Let me get it for you, Aarya." Draupadi came out.

The same thing happened for me when I went to pluck flowers too. I kept receiving the letter. But I never saw anyone around me.

Dhaksha plucking flowers

Many months passed away. I still didn't stop receiving letters with the poem. Sometimes, it came with flowers. With lilies, my favourite flower. No one knew about my favourite flower except my Aarya and Karna.

"It's definitely not Aarya, it can't be Karna."

One day, the same thing happened. But, I received the letter with a lotus. I looked around and checked everywhere. But no one was there.

I settled down near the lake, and placed the lotus in the water and started reading the palm.

This palm script said:

The best i could do
is stare from afar,
gaze at those obsidian eyes
and get lost inside it.

I want to meet those sparkling eyes closer
and spout a few words,
but my rusty tongue will never work
whenever i face a beauty like you

So I'll go back to staring at perfection
a beauty in its purest form
that it burns my very soul.

"He must be a poet indeed," I said to myself.
"Am I?" I heard someone.

I looked up

To be continued....

Who is that secret admirer?

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