Kaampilya, Paanchaal

"What the heck do they even think of themselves?!" A few Brahmins complained, panting for breath as they safely came out of the arena.

"First none of them could prove their merit-- and above that! Above that they had the audacity to attack us!"

"Exactly!"

"No wonder why Lord Parshuram had vanquished these proudy Kshatriyas once upon a time!"

"Exactly, exactly! Can't prove their worth but still have their egos high on their heads!" A few of them sat down on the ground to rest, splashing their faces with cool water, fanning themselves with their upper garments.

Arjun quickly rushed towards them with Draupadi, along with a few more Brahmins, far away from the Swayamvar arena. The chaos amidst them was slowly subsiding, as they gathered around the young couple with their unanimous worries.

"You alright...?" His brows knitted close as his gaze darted towards the Princess, panting. Erratic breaths escaped from her lips, with her cheeks flushed. Her disheveled strands of hairs, wandered, a few clinging to her sweaty forehead.

"Yeah, and you?" She muttered glancing up, pushing back the strands of her hairs behind her ears.

Arjun nodded back in a jiffy, perturbed. His worried eyes lurked around, searching for Bheem, a jibe of light panic seizing him as he was no where to be seen.

Where the heck did he go?

"Your-your brother is nowhere in sight..."

"That's what-" Arjun's breath hyped, biting the corner of his lower lip, "Princess, you wait here, hmm-" He exhaled, still looking around taking a few steps back,"-le-let me go and find him."

"Should I come with you?" He felt a tug on his wrist, momentarily halting him, taking him aback for a while as he turned back at her. With her quickened breaths, her innocent eyes hinted worry, as her soft palm gripped over him. And he wished he could deny the stutter in his heart, for it wasn't the time to feel so.

"N-No, no Princess!" He opened his mouth, shaking his head vigorously, "You-"

"Arrey! Here he comes!"

"He came, he came!" The Brahmins squealed happily, rushing towards him.

Arjun and Draupadi's gaze immediately snapped towards the other side, as Bheem came out with a few other Brahmins. Panting and swathed with sweat and dirt, he marched towards Arjun immediately.

The latter sighed, rushing towards him and enveloping his brother in a hug, "You both alright?!" Bheem's panting voice gurgled. Arjun broke the hug, passing him a small grin that tugged on his lips and nodded, as they gazed back at Draupadi. Bheem stiffened, inadvertantly poising himself, feeling her eyes on them. She smiled slowly, lowering her lashes down, standing with her hand over her other wrist and peering at them.

Arjun looked back at Bheem, and so did he with a perplexed, little smile, both knowing where their fate would be heading to from now.

All they could do, was wait for the destiny to unfold the way it should.

"Let's head for home...it-it's going to be sunset soon." Bheem suggested, looking up at the sky.

"Yeah yeah! Let's go! We'll come along as well!" The Brahmins unanimously hollered, giving up their sour moods, "Come brothers!"

"For the first time a Brahmin is getting married to a Princess! Is it a small feat?! Let's celebrate!"

"Let's celebrate!"

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.

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The path seemed no less than a wedding procession.

The Brahmins joyously spluttered ashes in the air, throwing up their hands and ringing their trinkets. People curiously looked outside their windows and terraces to look out, and cheered along as they saw the Brahmins trailing along with their Princess. Vibrancy wavered around, as the Brahmins sang and danced, as if drunk in revelry.

Bheem walked two heads front of them, leading the way.

But the fluttering feeling of giddiness in Arjun, was way beyond any song. There was this galloping rush, his heart thudding quickly against his ribs. The smile had not left his lips since then, and now it was at a point where he couldn't stop it anymore. The more he thought about it, the more he felt.

She was walking, right beside him.

The way she came down the aisle, garlanding him boldly amidst the crowd, as if unbothered what others would say-a Princess like her choosing a man who had barely anything. Defying the odds, she chose him and stayed. This silent acceptance, made his heart thrill and waver at the same time.

Didn't-didn't she care who he was-who they were?

This, the way she came along with them, did she know what she was doing?

Did she really didn't care who he was, or rather wanted him as who he was?

She didn't say anything, but was coming along as if she knew everything.

And her eyes-he felt he had always knew them, always looked into them. For eons.

For a moment, he felt like he knew everything yet nothing. He felt as if it was a beginning of an end, or end to give rise to a new beginning.

And her fate...

A little tug on his upper garment made him falter, making him trail his gaze at her inadvertantly, his heart immediately skipping several beats. Her palm was fisted on his deer skin, a tiny amused smile lingering on her lips as she looked at the other side, watching the Brahmins sing and dance merrily. Her swarthy skin glistened under the dappled sunlight, like the rays peering from the sky garbed with the darkest clouds, her steps almost rhythmic with the tune of the music. The loose strands of hairs fluttered, swaying over her forehead.

She suddenly covered her mouth with the back of her knuckles as a little, inaudible giggle escaped her lips.

Her gaze suddenly flickered towards him feeling his unabashed stare, but this time he dared not to take his eyes off from her. Or rather, he just couldn't.

Her lashes fell down slowly, a soft innocently shy smile tugging her lips as she peered back at him. 

What they said was true. She had some kind of magic within her. Or rather, she herself  was one.

How can someone be so adorable? 

He had noticed that before, that innate rawness that bubbled out from within her at times. It had been just two years she had seen the world, and with the way she stuck close to him inadvertantly, hinted her naivety and innocence, the delicacy of her brimming youth.  Her regal endeavors couldn't arcane that from it--or rather, from him. 

His fingers reached out for her hand that fisted his deer skin, making her flinch slightly in perplex. His lips curved up, as he freed her hand slowly, and held it, "You could've held my hand instead." He gazed back at her, brushing a thumb over her knuckles and at once her dusky cheeks warmed, making her press her lips and look down the other side, hiding a smile. 

He couldn't help but feel how soft and warm her hold felt within his, like the petals of blue lotus, and he had to control his urge to trace her palm over and over again. 

His heartstrings tugged as he couldn't help but slip his fingers within hers, intertwining them slowly. It fitted so perfectly with him, effortlessly like it was meant to be.

And as usual, she said nothing but blushed again, quietly walking along with him.

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.

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"Bhrata!" Sahadev stepped forward, releasing a sigh of relief as he saw Bheem and Arjun coming, with Draupadi. Yudhishthir and Nakul rushed towards them, and so did Bheem. 

The three of them wished the Brahmins, who had now gathered around the potter's hut in their joyous moods. 

"Is, is everything fine?" Yudhishthir held his breath, as Arjun came forward with Draupadi, and for a moment, there was a still silence among the brothers. Nakul was about to say something, but instead he exhaled deeply, not being able to take his eyes from her. Sahadev felt like his heart could stop beating if he stared at her sometime more, and Yudhishthir felt like he had forgotten his morals for not being able to blink and gape at her unabashedly. 

Bheem gulped, stepping aside, not being able to help but peer at the Princess. 

Draupadi stood quietly and respectfully, glancing down with her hand over the other, peering at them through her lashes and for a moment the four of them felt that the smile on her lips had deepened further, for a while. 

"Is Maa inside?" Arjun inquired, breathing deeply and gazing at the three of them. Heck, he had never seen the four of them, ever so taken aback and lost since his childhood. He didn't knew why but his heart was thudding unbearably fast, as he brushed his thumb over his finger. 

Will, will she agree? 

"Y-yes! Yes!" Yudhishthir hauled out at his words, trying to smile as a touch of embarassment flooded over him, "Le-let's go....she will be worried-" He mouthed those words fast enough, but Arjun nodded and stepped forward with Draupadi. 

The back door of the house of half open, and soft chants of prayers could be heard.

Of-course, Kunti was staunch in prayers and didn't like to be disturbed. But there seemed a hint of worry in those syllables she uttered, much faster this time that the usual and was going out of breath. 

Her brows were curved, her throat drying up as she placed a flower everytime at the feet of the idol of Vishnu, inhaling a deep breath with each chant.

Why weren't her sons home yet?

"Maa?!" 

Kunti's lips immediately tilted up in relief, as she sighed audibly amidst her chants. 

They were back!

"Maa, see! See what alms we have got!" Kunti heard Arjun's excited, breathless voice.

"Maa! Look!"

'Mad son, when will he grow up?'  She smiled inwardly, "Vijay! How many times did I say? Share it together with your brothers!"

She resumed her chants, waiting for a response from Arjun, but instead she got nothing but a dreading silence. Her brows curved back again, as she offered the last flower, and opened her eyes, gazing back.

And at for once, she couldn't believe what she had said. 

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

*clears my throat*

So I guess, time to begin one of the greatest controversies? :)

By the way, the people who say Draupadi was a casteist and rejected Karna because he was "Sut", I really need to laugh on them.

For the biggest casteists were the Kshatriyas themselves lol on the Swayamvar of Draupadi! They were only screaming how the Swayamvar was exclusively for the 'Kshatriyas' and how 'Brahmins' shouldn't be participating!

Vaishampayana said, 'When the king expressed his desire to give his daughter to that great-souled Brahmana, all the assembled kings looked at each other and were filled with anger. The kings said, "We are assembled here and he passes us over like straw. He wishes to give Droupadi, supreme among women, to a Brahmana. This evil-hearted one does not respect us. Let us kill him. He does not deserve our respect or veneration because of qualities of age. On account of this, let us kill this wretch who insults kings and their sons. After inviting and entertaining in the proper fashion all the kings with food, he then shows them disrespect. In this assembly of kings, which is like a conclave of the gods, can he not find a single king who is his equal? The sacred texts clearly say that a svayamvara is for Kshatriyas; Brahmanas have no right in the choice of a husband. 

See and confirm who a casteist is first! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Signing off for today!

Nushkie