Virat Nagar

Arjun's POV

"Confess honestly, when was the last time you decided to have mercy on those tresses of yours?" the whisper laden with a tinge of mock made way to my ears as I could feel an experienced set of fingers brushing past my locks. A gasp let out my lips as I felt a section of my curls being tugged back to free them out of tangles.

"Mercy? I can diligently confirm that I can never confer those tresses the mercy you are bestowing," I pursed my lips and gave it a lick to abstract a simper. 

The movement on my locks momentarily paused, while I deliberately swayed my orbs above to have a glimpse of her flustered expression under the garb of applying kohl. 

"Sakhi?" I began lining the edge of my right eye delicately, after having the memory imprinted of watching how the ladies use to specifically highlight the edges to bolden them, "I am right, ain't I?"

"Le-let me focus," she murmured fixing her raven orphic on my headful and vigorously blinking, the dash of hue that crept on her gorgeously carved jaws refused to vanish. 

"Of course, of course." I razzed, successfully extending the wing of the kohl outwards the corner of my eye and blinking, I allowed the underlying pigment to settle down. 

The servant's quarter was in its usual rush, but I had concealed myself in an unfrequented corner because of course, I need a bit of my own sweet time to slip into the get up which is not my usual. Only four days had passed in Virat Nagar, I was yet to descend into the newfound habit I deliberately had to slither in. 

Not easy, I accept it. Not at all. That delicacy, that natural smoothness, that particular grace, that softness.

The femininity. 

I realized that how much you try to grasp those movements of women or let yourself seated in front of woman to have a lecture on how to induce feminine ways, it won't let yourself descend in it unless you actual feel it. There is a clear difference in grasping ideas and later inculcating it on your own.

A few days ago I had my jaw drop to glance myself in the mirror, garbed and draped in womanly clothing. And for a moment it felt like, it was not me. I had lost my stance for a moment. 

I don't know how I am going to do it. But I only know that I have to do it.

And I didn't have Panchali either that moment. We had clearly decided to enter the services of King Virat at different intervals of time, so as to even avoid even minimal hints. She had, unfortunately, decided to leave a week ago along with Jyeshth and Sahadev, while I stayed back with Bhrata Bheem and Nakul, only with a careful set of instructions from her side.

To be honest, I needed her badly at that moment. Too badly. Though Bhrata Bheem and Nakul where complimenting me enough to boost my confidence, I wished that a woman would too have done it. After all when she is your wife. Your everything. I wished I had her assurance that day, at that very instant.

And I tried to avert my gaze from Panchali yesterday, after she caught me red handed after my poor attempt of hiding the disheveled locks which I had just pulled into a casual bun without worrying about it much. And yes, I paid for it for almost two prahars , as half of the strands had decided to unlock itself and sway right in front of my forehead rather than being where it should have been belonged to. 

Disaster outside? No, I controlled everything right on point in front of the Virat Princess after spluttering out some jesting comments, allowing the innocent youngster to break into peals of laughter so as to distract her from the possible embarrassment.

Feeling a bit disastrous inside? A bit? Don't even ask about it, don't even ask.

She eyed with her eyes full of amusement yesterday, while I tried to give her an awkward wave and a nervous chuckle escaped my lips and today she had took all the pains to aid me up. 

Though I repeatedly assured that I could do it myself, she just deadpanned and randomly picked up the comb to brush down my tangles which I had purposely grown up till my waist for this day.

I felt a side part down on my scalp, as the teeth of the comb grazed passed it to separate my curls into two unequal halves and leaving a few locks in front of my ears.

Warmth descended my cheeks as I was struggling to remember the last time I had side parted my hair was when I was a teenager and Maata used to oil them down. I had applied the same techniques on my children too, not forgetting their grins when they laughed glancing at each other's slicked down tresses.

"What are you smiling for?" she softly probed, her voice causing tingles in my heart. This woman has the capability to just dig out my deepest feelings out of now where. 

I gently shook my head with a sigh-smile, trying my best not take over those memories over myself. Avoiding it, I began slipping the bangles down my wrist which I had covered with henna designs. It was Nakul's idea of delineating my manly-veined arms, up to my elbows with henna to make it appear more feminine and I can't appreciate him much for that.

"Brihannala, come up now! What is it that is taking you so much time?" I could hear a feminine voices calling me up to join. Ha! I had unnaturally gained a lot of their attention the day I had stepped in the quarters, and Panchali was astonishingly been endeared by them in such a quick nick of time. I mean, it is not astonishing though.

I mean just look at this 'lost in love' soul of mine. Have you seen my state being inflicted by her love? So how on earth can I even blame the ladies for fluttering around her like butterflies?

"Coming, I'll join you within moments!" I swiftly responded in a pitched voice from behind the pillar which was concealing both of us enough, pushing down the long earrings down my lobes. 

"Snap it up, Sakhi!"

"Yeah yeah..." I tried to side glance at Panchali, making her shrug. 

"Ha! It's done, just a bit of touch up there..." a could sense the victory in her voice and a part of me couldn't control the childish excitement to have a glimpse of what her miraculous fingers had attempted. 

"Touch up? I bet it is looking an infinite times better than the ridiculous buns I had endeavored to carve out from the tangles," I truthfully blinked, "And I am dying to see what have you done..." but unfortunately it was no where to be found and while I got busy in the job, I could feel a scent of jasmine invading my nose along with the already persistent fragrance of blue lotus already present. 

She gestured me to hold on to the left side of my head, while I sensed a garland been wrapped around the bun. 

"Done," she claimed, passing me the hand mirror over my shoulder. Okay, so she had hidden it. I glanced up at her towering figure, laden with a deep sense of satisfaction while I felt a bit skeptical to have a glimpse on my a rather more polished look. Her arresting lips articulated into a smile, the cool whiffs of wind that brushed past the curtains did the job of swaying a strand of hair on ethereal face. 

She was dressed humbly, with a dash of clay ornaments doing the bare minimum on her ears and neck yet nothing could abstract from screaming that she appears ethereal.

 Clearing her throat, she raised her eyebrows and waggled it, gesturing me to take the mirror which was clasping for a long time. Bemused, I held on to my heart, as I directed the mirror right in front of my face. Within a few moments, the deeply kohled eyes that were half closed due to apprehension had itself fluttered open.

My tinted lips fell apart, as I kept gawking at the reflection in front of me as heat slowly crawled up to my jaws. Curly locks descended from both sides of my ears, two intricate braids carved out with the tresses of my temples and neatly pulled behind and given the shape of a bun. The thick garland of jasmine was visible from the corner, wrapped down delicately and pushed forward towards my left shoulder. 

I-I, I could never have imagined. The hairstyle was anything but simple.

Yet such a simple activity had enhanced my look by manifolds. The free curls she had deliberately left in front, just ushered to the femininity. 

My fingers automatically began to caress the locks and it finally rested on my cheek as I was unknowingly relishing the look. I felt that seep in now. I felt that feeling descending a bit more deeper than it did before. 

How does she manages to do it every time? Ma-make the best out of the worst?

"What happened? Now it's not getting delayed, is it?" I side glanced at her, her delicate visage with arms crossed around her bosom and an amused look on her face. She scrunched up her nose, letting her body vibrate as she let out titters after catching me looking dazed. 

I kept looking back and forth, my face lit enough to express what I was currently feeling. She ticked her jaw firmly and raised an eyebrow, indicating her appreciation on how I was looking. Finally she turned around to leave, but my fingers crawled up to her delicate wrist and wrapped around it.

"I certainly owe you for this," before she could react, I yanked her down on my chest making her squeal in surprise. "Ay-aye.." she fell backwards and wrapped her arms around my neck in reflex and enlarged her almond-eyes. Her alluring profiles contorted into that of shock after sometime, shooting me a 'what are you doing' expression and scanning me all over with those pristine orbs garbed with astonishment.

She tried to look away, flush descending her dark cheeks on realizing how close we were but right now I had a impish smile, my arm snaking down her waist as. 

I pressed my forefinger and thumb around her jaw and rested it on her cheekbones, as my ambers drank her form to my heart's content. She was too perplexed as to what I was trying to do and before she could comprehend, I had my lips place firmly on her cheek. 

She stiffened at the sudden sense of gesture, while I continued to linger my lips and rub my nose on her soft skin, smiling as I grazed my fingers on her other cheek. 

I finally pulled away, trying to hold myself from bursting into laughter. I had certainly caught her off-guard and all she was doing was squirming around and side glancing me at intervals. She moved her lips to utter something but was tongue tied for her own good, as she randomly attempted to smoothen her curls and shove them from her forehead to hide her flush.

Damn, I was trying to control the urge of kissing her further when I noticed her rubbing her cheek where I kissed.

"You..." she tried to suppress her smile as she grabbed the hand mirror and vigorously tried to wipe off the fresh lip tint of latuka ras on her cheek which got imprinted due to my unforeseen display of affection. And with that goes down the drain of my ability to bite back the laughter which was threatening to escape from so long.

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

Draupadi after being kissed by Arjun 😆😆😆😆. 

Guys 1880 words 😶😶😶😶...

Perhaps one of the longest chapters I have ever written 🤣🤣🤣🤣 so please do comment generously 🙈. 

*Just ArDi things*

Arjun--*in Brihannala get up* How am I looking? 😍

Draupadi--Brilliant, just stay away from boys 🙂🙂.

*Draupadi after seeing Brihannala's tangles*

Draupadi--Y-ye kya hai?! *shocked* 😨

Arjun--Ba-baal hai baal, kabhi dekhe nahi kya kisike baal  pehle....*nervous chuckles*

Draupadi--Wo to mujhe bhi dikhrha hai ki baal hai...lekin ye kya karra hai?🙂

Arjun--*starts applying kohl hastily to divert the conversation*

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Btw, if you notice that in the OS Arjun has deliberately chosen to be Brihannala. Actually I was confused, I think BORI has removed the part where Arjun was 'cursed' as an eunuch (tell me if I am wrong) whereas in most books he was. I chose to side with BORI though.

Well its cute that Arjun chose to be with Draupadi during the agyatvas so as to take care of her 🥺🥺🥺🥺👉👈.

Tell me how the chapter was!

Signing off for today!

~Kiritija Nushkie