Paanchaal, Kaampilya

Kunti immediately stood up, pushing back a strand of loose hair behind her ear as her wide eyes weren't able to move away from the pair before her.

She cupped her mouth, striding towards them as her voice faltered with a tremble, "Son, she...?" her eyes darting between Arjun and the Princess standing beside him, her head bowed.

Arjun swallowed hard. "Y-yes, Maa," he stammered, feeling lost for words with his throat starting to turn dry. His heart pounded in his chest, as he looked between his mother and the woman at his side.

This—this was not how he had thought it would be. 

The silence stretched, thick and heavy. Arjun inhaled sharply, stealing a glance at his stunned brothers. 

"Maata?" Kunti was hauled out of her spiraling thoughts as Draupadi's lips tugged into a faint smile, with her folding her palms in front of her. Her lips quivered as she bit on them, slowly reaching out to cup the Princess's hands, "O God..."  

"What did I even say?" Her voice cracked, and her breath hitched as she glanced wildly around. Her cold hands, clammy with sweat, tightened around the Princess's warm ones as she lowered them down, "O my God!" 

"What did you do Vijay? Why didn't you say you had brought Paanchaali home?!" 

"Who refers their wife to as alms, son?" Kunti's voice tremored with her gaze stuck upon him, "What did you do? You saw I was praying, didn't you?!"

"You know right that I...." Kunti fumbled, shutting her eyes momentarily and shaking her head.

Arjun dared not meet her eyes, pressing his lips together hard in cluelessness. 

He had no idea. He really didn't have any idea that his mother would have—

He had thought, he had thought that—he would let his mother know about her. Let her know before they decided to tell Draupadi about Vyaas. That was their plan, that was what they had always decided!

For they never took any decision without Kunti's approval.

He had thought he would just surprise Kunti, and—

And now, he was stuck at his mother's bizarre words. 

Arjun bit the corner of his lip, his jaws tightening. 

But more than that, it was more aweing that her words weren't wrong either.....it was supposed to happen—

That was their destiny after all. But the way it was happening all, he didn't....

Now what was he supposed to do? 

Should he remind Kunti about Vyaas's words? Maybe it had slipped out of her mind...maybe he should. 

That was the only way out now.  

But before he could say anything, his mother held Draupadi hand suddenly and led her to Yudhishthir, who stiffened momentarily.

"What should I do now son? Say something atleast! I did not know, that when he said alms...." Kunti slapped her forehead in panic, the haunting realization hitting her,  "I didn't—this will be a sin, O God!"

"I shouldn't have said it, I shouldn't have! What, what sin did I commit in ignorance, Naraayan..."

"Maata, Maata..." Yudhishthir nodded in a breath, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Maata, please, calm down. It's not what are you thinking like!"

"But son..."

It—it's nothing so—there won't be any sin and all-" Yudhishthir sighed, nodding a bit, sharing a gaze with Arjun.

Yudhishthir! Oh yes, he can make Kunti understand!

Arjun curved his brows at Yudhishthir's words, narrowing his gaze at him, literally counting on him with some hope. Indeed, Yudhishthir can. Perhaps, he could remind Kunti about Vyaas's prediction and try to handle the situation, or he can tell Draupadi about it, or he can say how-

"Vijay, listen! Come here!" He breathed erratically, closing his eyes for a while, "Listen, you have won the Princess, you should be the one marrying her—alright? Maata had instructed those words in ignorance, it's not so—"

What?! 

What did he say?!

"Jyesth?!" Arjun immediately tried to cut him, visibly baffled at his words. He shook his head slightly, his jaws tightening as he cued his eldest with raised brows. 

What, what on earth was he saying? 

No no no! This cannot be!

"What are you saying?" He almost chewed on his words, marching towards him. Yudhishthir immediately retraced his gaze, realizing what Arjun was hinting at, as he bit on his lip. And he knew he couldn't help it—that was what was written in his fate—their fate.

He couldn't un-see how his brothers were deadly numb in front of the Princess, charmed—heck he himself was. 

"Maata—Maata's words, we cannot disobey Jyesth! Either ways it will be a sin, isn't it?" Arjun's rubbed his sweaty thumb over his fingers, praying that Yudhishthir could get what he wanted to say, for this was the only way out now to sort what was spoilt. Kunti looked back at him in dubiousness, but suddenly she remembered what he was hinting at.   

"We have always obeyed our mother, how can we not now?" Arjun urged, with a tint of hope. This was the only chance he had. Only Yudhishthir's decision could solve everything and he was crossing his fingers on him,  "We had taken an oath that we would follow our mother, no matter what!" 

Yudhishthir had seen the four of them—they just couldn't take their eyes off Draupadi, nor could he. 

There was this bizarrely magnetic charm within her, a mysticism. Her dusky aura rivaled the darkest of clouds, the richest of beauty, the wildest of dreams and the deepest of desires. Even a touch of her could drive the most withholding men to urges of love, for the God of love was at his passion when he had painted her. 

Even Vyaas had said the same.

"I cannot pay for this sin," Arjun gazed back at his eldest, firming his tone, "It would be Dharm if you marry the Princess first, followed by my second eldest. Then only can I have the heart to marry her, followed by the twins." 

"She should be marrying you first, else we cannot.....and I, I see no other way other than that," He inhaled a deep breath, "No one shall be sinning, Jyesth. Nor anyone shall be doubtful." Hope lingered within him that he would get him. He met an eye at Nakul and Sahadev, and so did Bheem, with a slight nod. The tincture of heaviness loitered around, but—he wasn't doing anything wrong.

"Now only, we await for your decision."

She was meant to be theirs. 

He tried to calm his racing heart, shutting his eyes for once, crossing his fingers.

Mahadev's boon, it cannot go in vain. Vyaas's words should be true.

 It should be. 

 It was such a right moment. It was the moment to sort it all. But if Yudhishthir disagrees again....

"I agree," Yudhishthir bit on the corner of his lip, glancing at the four of them, "I agree with my brother. The Princess shall be wife to us all."

 Arjun felt a huge boulder being unloaded from his chest as he released a breath he did not know he was holding since long. 

Bheem left a sigh, a smile forming on his face as he gazed back at Arjun, and so did the twins. 

It happened.

IT HAPPENED! 

Arjun glanced back at the Princess, with short ragged breaths.

 And she looked back at once, this time straight into his ambers, her lips only curling up into a deeper smile....

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

I have to literally SALUTE the authors who have literally involved so much drama in this particular scene, making Arjun play the VICTIM CARD and blaming Yudhishthir blindly.

Arjun is tagged as a 'SILENT SPECTATOR' who did not do anything, and it was the LUST of the other Pandav brothers for Draupadi *claps* 

Seriously guys, how low they have stooped only God knows :) 

Agar kisi ko abhi bhi doubt hai regarding the validity of the division scene, here is the snippet below-

'Pritha's two illustrious sons went to the potter'shouse and to Pritha. With happiness in their hearts, those chiefs amongmen presented Yajnaseni and said, "See what alms we have got." Shewas inside the house and without seeing her sons, replied, "Share ittogether." 

Later, Kunti saw the lady and was miserable at what she hadsaid.'She was anxious not to commit adharma and began to think aboutwhat might be done. She took the happy Yajnaseni by the hand andwent to Yudhishthira and said, "This daughter of Drupada was presentedto me as 'alms' your younger brothers had obtained. O king! O son! As Iam in the habit of doing, but in ignorance, I said what I thought wasproper, 'Share it together.' O bull among the Kurus! Now tell me howthose instructions of mine don't become a lie. 

How can the Panchalaking's daughter not be touched by adharma, committing that whichhasn't been done before?" Having been thus addressed by his mother,the wise king Yudhishthira, chief among the Kurus, sat for a while andthought.

'He consoled Kunti and spoke to Dhananjaya. "O Pandava! You are theone who won Yajnaseni. It is proper that you should make this princesshappy. Let the sacred fire be lit and offerings made. You should marryher in accordance with the proper rites." Arjuna said, "O king of men!Since this is not the law that others accept, do not make me tread thispath of adharma. You should marry her first, followed by the mightyarmed Bhima of wonderful deeds, then I, then Nakula after me andfinally the energetic Sahadeva. O king! Vrikodara, I and the twins thinkthat the lady should be yours. This is the state of affairs. After reflectingon it, please do what is appropriate, in accordance with dharma andfame and the welfare of the king of Panchala. Instruct us. We are allwaiting for your command." Then they all looked at the illustriousKrishna who was standing there. They looked at each other and satdown, her image in their hearts.'When those immensely radiant ones looked at Droupadi, their love forher arose and put their senses into turmoil. Panchali's charming formwas created by the creator himself. It beguiled all living beings and wassupreme to all others. Kunti's son Yudhishthira knew from theirappearance what was going through their minds. O bull among men! He remembered Dvaipayana's words. Fearing that conflict might arisebetween the brothers, the king said, "This fortunate Droupadi will be awife to all of us."' 

It was LITERALLY Arjun who reminds Yudhishthir about what Vyaas said and says that it Draupadi should be marrying the Pandavas in order. It was ARJUN himself who said this, not Yudhishthir!

Yet people say that Arjun was cheated upon, and Yudhishthir was an opportunist in this matter.  

Let me tell you that it was Arjun who wanted Draupadi's division because that was what written in their fate and HE HAD FREAKING NO PROBLEM with it! YES! Neither Arjun nor Draupadi showed ANY visible signs of remorse in the entire EPIC for this division, and people literally TURN this into a TRAGIC story of ArDi out of nowhere!

When Arjun and Draupadi are literally happy and intensely in love with each other, who are you to include TRAGEDY in their life, claiming it to be authentic?!

And oh please, people should really stop giving nonsense claims that 'we are Vyaasas or something' and saying that 'Who has seen Mahabharat?' just to protect their stupid and crass claims!

READ BORI LIKE BORI! NOT TO JUST CHERRY PICK VERSES! THAT RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAS LITERALLY WORKED HARD FOR FIFTY YEARS TO GIVE THIS COMPILATION GUYS! JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW OUR HISTORY AND THE TEACHINGS CORRECTLY!

STOP GETTING INFLUENCED BY RANDOM STORIES AROUND AND THEIR STUPID CLAIMS! BECAUSE ALL THEY DO IS CHANGE THE NARRATIVE OF THE EPIC AND BLAST STUPID CONCLUSIONS IN THE NAME OF AUTHENTICITY! 

IT'S HIGH TIME YOU GUYS STOP BELIEVING IN THIS 'SYMPATHY' STORY OF ARDI AND BLAME ARJUN/YUDHISHTHIR EVERY NOW AND THEN!

THE PANDAV-PANCHALI MARRIAGE WAS LITERALLY THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MARRIAGES ALONG WITH KRISHNA AND HIS WIVES IN THE ENTIRE EPIC! 

STOP RUINING THEIR BOND IN THE NAME OF ENTERTAINMENT!

BEING AN 'ARDI' FAN DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN DISRESPECT OTHER CHARACTERS FOR GOD'S SAKE, JUST TO UPLIFT THEM! 

Thori ijjat karlo yar Mahabharat ki! Thori izzat karlo Arjun-Draupadi ki! 

Dono ko to havas ki pujari banake rakha hai logo ne....

Signing off for today!

Nushkie