Paanchaal, Kaampilya

The smile did not, or would not leave his lips. 

The Sun was high up on the sky, the warm rays thriving the wintry afternoon with the clouds having a way on their own with the cool winds.

"Dev. . .?" 

Arjun almost felt himself startling at the call, biting the corner of his lip to arcane the smile. Only he could tell how much he was waiting for that. . .he wiped his wet face with his garment, standing up almost immediately, keeping the pot of water aside. Drops of water trickled from the corners of his thick sideburns and strands of curly locks, his dark visage cherishing a watery flare after the ashes and dirt.

"Princess?" He sucked in a short breath, his heart skipping a sharp beat. 

Her lashes casted a shadow over her cheeks, her taking a quick, short glance at him now and then, with a little shy smile on her lips. The dust of crimson on her jaws was subtle due to the dark tone, yet the way she peered him told it all. And he didn't know why he felt a sting of edginess, almost feeling a punch of warmth in his cheekbones. 

There he had, fought with the proudy Princes just a while ago, and now?

All he could do was rave his ambers over her, thuds of weight settling in his chest every now and then. Her dark skin glowed under the dappled sunlight even more, with the simple saffron garment that draped over her shoulder, the edge of it tied over her waist. 

Strands of her dark locks fell across her forehead, she quickly pushed aside one behind her ear, her lips tilting up into a smile, "That. . . Maata was calling for the meal, so-" She rubbed her fingers over her other wrist, peering at him. 

"Oh-" Arjun realized that he had fallen into the trap of staring at her again, "Hmmm, yeah!" He concluded with a firmer nod, letting his lips curl into a breathy grin. She momentarily took a swift glance at him, tilting her head, returning the same little smile. 

"Uh, Princess?" He spoke in a single breath, before she could leave. Draupadi turned back almost immediately, her lips parting as she looked up, "Yes?"

"You're. . .you're alright, right?" Arjun asked with a hint of unsurity. If anything he regretted right now was the thoughts of her being a Princess, yet coming to terms with the un-royalty, that too right after her Swayamvar. The humble hut, the simple garments. . .and treading such a long path-

"I mean, I hope you're not feeling. . ." He trailed off, not knowing what to say yet looking at her with a bated breath. He exactly felt now what Nakul meant that talking to woman was an 'art'. 

Indeed. 

But in his defense, he didn't knew he would need it while wandering in the woods—

"No no!" Draupadi shook her head a bit wildly with a breathy grin, "It's nothing so! I am alright!" She pushed back a few strands of her hairs again, shifting on her feet.

"Look—" Arjun tilted his head, biting on his lower lip, "I know it is a bit difficult. . ." He took a pause as she again shook her head, "No it's nothing so, I am alright!" She clasped her fingers in an earnest glance, smiling back at him. Arjun let out a sigh, mixed with relief and a fickle skepticism. 

She wasn't saying just for him, right? Or was she being. . .

But he couldn't do anything about it. Or for now. He knew that. 

They still didn't reveal her about their identity. . .

"Are you sure?" He felt he said that to himself, but Draupadi nodded the next while, her smile intact.

"If, if you want something, you can ask us. . .don't hesitate, alright?" Arjun now felt he was just looking for excuses to have her with him. She again tilted her head, a bit shyly, and all he felt were instant flutters in his guts. 

Why was she so adorable? 

His lips began to curve up in a hope with what he was about to do next; but all he saw was her turning around to leave, and it was like a bout that he rapidly held her wrist from behind, making her steps falter and she was almost drawn towards him. Her eyes quickly widened at the unexpected, her jaw dropping a little and a reddish blush covered her cheeks with her palm lightly pressed over his toned arm for a moment.

Arjun sucked in a surprised, awed breath as he shifted his head a bit back, not really imagining his hold to have. . .he felt like his heart would stop beating that very moment. He breathed out, his widened eyes quickly darting over her in a stunned silence. He wanted to say something, but nothing came out of his dry mouth and his thudding chest betrayed him like nothing. 

The whit he felt at her touch was, o goddamn!

"Hmmph, that—" Arjun felt a strangely unabashed at the way he kept holding her hand, and if possible, he only tightened his hold around her fingers. She stared back at him, crimson hue deepening under her eyes, tip of her nose and till her ears by now, as soft, ragged breaths escaped her lips, with a timid rawness that did something, very acutely within him. 

He had never. . .never felt so like that before. 

And they way she was looking at him, beyond her timid glance there floated raw curiosity, and a flicker of boldness that he couldn't un-see. 

"Listen no. . ." He began in a whisper, his smile curving up lazily, rather dreamily, taking a step forward as he brushed his thumb over her knuckles. He could swore it felt softer than the petals of lotus he often plucked. She blinked a bit longingly, waiting for him to continue, a very faint smile lining her lips, "I had, I had actually brought some flowers for you. If you want you can, decorate your hairs with them. . ." 

Her brows knitted faintly in awe, and as soon as her gaze dropped down, there was a bunch of tiny, white fresh flowers in his hand that he brought out. 

Her smile grew a little wide. . .wider and then it brightened into a lovely grin, "For me?" her voice chimed musically like a bell, as she looked up, her eyes crossing a twinkle.

Arjun blinked in a awe for a while, not expecting her to be brighten up like that.

Only, only flowers made her so happy? 

"But how did you know I like these flowers?" 

 Arjun broke out from his thoughts, feeling the warmth deepening around his jaws, "I had seen you in the temple, you had worn them so I thought that. . ." 

Draupadi pressed her lips, clearly trying to hide a breaking grin. Her eyes dropped immediately to other side for a while as she looked up, "You remember?"

Arjun shrugged with a growing smile, shaking his head, not tearing his gaze away from her. 

She took the flowers, her brows knitted slightly as the petals had scratches and half-moon curved dips of his nail marks, a shade of bright red flushed her cheeks. Arjun tore his gaze away from for a while, his heart pounding even faster; she. . .she saw it.

 "Thank you. . ." It came out more like a very shy whisper, and before he could say something, she immediately stole her gaze, turned around and darted away from there. 

And all he could do breathe in her lasting fragrance, with a witless smile.

.

.

.

The Brahmins were happy. 

It was evident with the way they were chattering excitedly and showering the brothers with their blessings.

Kunti and Yudhishthir had not expected that. For a moment, the woman had to stop in her tracks, watching Draupadi scurry from here and there, serving the Brahmins one after the other; so effortlessly. Even the Brahmins shared glances with one another, heck; the naive girl seemed way beyond what they had thought. 

And Arjun had never seen Kunti so happy. It literally seemed to take only a few moments to bond her with Draupadi—and the two women were already in a corner, busy talking with each other. 

"Oh sons! It's already late, huh!" Kunti grinned, walking up towards them, "Sit, sit quickly! I am coming with the meals, alright?" She nodded and spun around, taking Draupadi along with her. 

Bheem looked at Arjun in awe for a while, biting the corner of his lip to cover a smile as they sat beside each other, followed by the three of them at their sides. 

"Should I tell you one thing?" Nakul nudged Arjun with a suppressed grin.

"Hnn?"

"I have never seen Kunti Maa so happy before," He whispered back in Arjun's ear, making him look at him with a smile for a moment, as he nodded visibly with a chuckle, "Isn't it?"

"Arrey. . . is Dr-Draupadi going to serve us?" Bheem almost choked for a while looking ahead, sitting up-straight as he watched the Princess coming out with a huge bowl of rice. Arjun's gaze shifted right towards the Princess—her hairs neatly braided, and the flowers—his flowers tucked amidst the tied locks. And his heart almost skipped a beat. 

His flowers. . .

She strode towards them a little smile, lowering her lashes as she walked up to Yudhishthir first, kneeling down to serve—

"Princess—" Yudhishthir abruptly halted her, with a hint of warmth in his jaws as he looked up at Draupadi, with a shy, small smile; she furrowed her brows, as the former looked at his brothers for a while, "That actually, Princess—Maata serves food starting from the youngest."

"Oh, oh!" Draupadi raised her brows with a warming smile, with a nod, "Got it—" she stood up immediately, turning towards Sahadev. 

Sahadev looked down, biting upon his lips as he took chances to peer at the Princess, and one could easily tell how his heart was thudding fast in his chest. She carefully served two huge spoonful of rice, and moved towards Nakul, who couldn't take his eyes of her. The shy Prince once upon a time who never looked directly into the eyes of woman, was staring right at her, with a dreamy smile. Draupadi peered at him for a while with a shy gaze, ladling spoonful of rice. 

And she did not look at Arjun, not even an attempt to meet his eyes as she quietly began serving him, a bit faster;  he looked down, and smiling to himself. Only giving her flowers marked by him made her so shy. . .

He twirled his fingers into the lentil soup within the rice, biting down the unabashed smile that was lingering on his lips. 

"Uh, it's enough, enough!" 

Arjun blinked for a while after a flinch, looking beside at Bheem who held his breath looking at Draupadi. He smiled edgily, shaking his head, "It's alright—"

What? When did this happen?

Yudhishthir looked at Bheem in amuse, while the twins looked at each other in a cue, raising their brows. Draupadi stood midway serving, looking at the brothers for a while with knitted brows and a little smile, "But Maata had told that you won't be full in this much. . ."

"What happened, brother?" Sahadev raised his brows, but Bheem clearly ignored him, his ears turning pink.

 "Who, Maata? No no it's nothing so—this is actually enough for me!" He gave a nervous chuckle, looking at Arjun. But all the latter did was pretend to focus on his own meal, hiding a smile.

Traitors. 

"Are you sure?" Draupadi looked back at him, nonplussed.

"Oh I am very sure!" 

"What happened?" Kunti came out of the hut, wrapping the edge of her garment over her shoulder, "You'll didn't start your meals yet?"

"That Maata. . ." Draupadi began, but was cut off by Bheem, "No Maata, actually I ain't hungry today that much so I-"

"Why? What did you eat since the morning? You didn't even take half of what you eat!" Kunti knitted her brows in retort, "Draupadi, don't listen to him, alright? Just add two more spoonful. .  . . he always does like this!" 

The twins were trying their best to hide their titters, and even Yudhishthir couldn't help but cover his mouth from chuckling slightly. 

"Maata but—" Bheem looked edgily from Draupadi to Kunti. 

"Hush! Have your meal quietly!" Kunti shut him up with a tiny glare, cueing Draupadi to serve him more. Bheem lowered his gaze, his jaws turning deeply warm as she knelt down and added two more huge spoons of rice. 

And it was evident as the daylight that she was trying not to chuckle, and he dared not look up, quickly mixing the rice and lentil soup together and stuffing in his mouth. 

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

Vaishampayana said, 'When the two descendants of Kuru went towardsthe potter's house, Panchala Dhrishtadyumna followed them. Havingsent his attendants away, he hid himself near the potter's house,unknown to those men.'In the evening, Bhima, the crusher of enemies, and Jishnu returnedwith the twins, after begging for alms. They happily handed over toYudhishthira what they had got. Thereupon, the soft-spoken Kunti spoketo Drupada's daughter. "O fortunate one! First, take a portion and offerit to the gods. Then give some alms to a Brahmana. Feed some to thosewho are needy and give some to men who are around. Then, divide therest into two parts. O fortunate one! Give half to Bhima, because thatdark youth with a strong body is like a mad bull and is a warrior whoalways eats a lot." Hearing these excellent words, the chaste princesscheerfully did what she was asked to do, without any doubts. All of themate the food. 

Does anyone want the meaning of "cheerfully" by the way? 🌝

Also, do you guys realize why Arjun gives her flowers which had marks of his nails? *coughs*

It is a common gesture in Kamasutra to give your lover fragrant flowers marked with nails or teeth, and you'll know very well what it means, don't you? 🙈🙈😏😏

Signing off for today!

Nushkie