Paanchaal, Kaampilya

Embroidered with fine threads of gold, the richly textured, warm silken angavastra was royally getting padded over Arjun's right shoulder. The deep crimson garment exuded a stark contrast with his earth-kissed dusky hue, accentuating his warrior frame with panache. 

Two hairdressers were busy styling his voluminous locks of tresses that kept bouncing on his collarbones now and then—they combed the silken curls generously after washing them with scented lather and water. Arjun's hair glistened finer than silken threads. The servant's miraculous hands patted the bounteous volume in an extravagant style, leaving only a thick strand of hair that curled effortlessly over his forehead. The faint scent of musky sandalwood and jasmine lingered in those deep locks.

Barely any hands on him, and Arjun was already looking like the God of Heaven in front of the mirror. 

He had never dressed this richly anywhere, an awed gasp escaped his lips as he blinked, watching another servant adjust an intricately detailed diamond ornament that covered his entire chest regally; no less than the first rays of Sun touching the dark mountains. Simply breathtaking. 

Armlets boasted of it's finesse as they slid perfectly around his accentuated biceps. The once warrior arms that bled sweat and blood to achieve the ends of perfection that once knew as bare as delicacy were swathed in utter suave of royalty. 

Arjun had always, always seen the stark contrast. 

From rags to rich, and from rich to rags; the wonders of royalty and the extremity of harshness. He had taken the sip of both the wine and salted water at the same lifetime. He tasted the exotic once and the dried leaves. Experienced both the relief of peace and the lingering fear of death. 

And of course, enemies turning friends—or rather into family. 

His life was no less than an epic, the miraculous twists of fate that made him meander to find his way through.

Though he never expressed it verbally, Arjun loved the pamper. Deep down, sitting for long hours just to look his best. . . no one would've thought that the best warrior of the Kurus would simply be sitting, watching the maids and servants dolling him up. 

Dang, he was also the quietest one in childhood when Kunti used to dress him up for some event! 

Kunti had once chuckled to herself, thinking how Arjun would be as a girl; already he had beautiful almond eyes that sparkled like glistening rubies, and wobbling pink lips that drooled, and fine thick curls that accentuated his adorable little face when he was once a child. 

He was simply, sometimes way to demure. Only to be labelled as 'delicate' mockingly by the Kauravas, laughing over his supposed 'lack of manliness'. Teasing him as 'baby Princess' and 'little lass' were there common, when he used to run and try to stop the unnecessary fights between Bheem and Duryodhan, or show kindness towards all the living beings around.  

All because he had a gentle heart, a heart that that melted even seeing the slightest of pain around. He was the one who cried the most, comforted the most. 

For them, it was all girlish. Yet Arjun flaunted his soft-heartedness of a man with such regality, that he became the favorite of those who never intend to make him so. 

"Close your eyes Prince. . .!" One of the servants requested him, highlighting the corners of his eyes with kohl, making them look even bigger. Arjun's eyes could rival even the most beautiful women's! Not all had such elongated petals blessed with amber eyeballs that glistened perfectly with feelings. 

He smiled slightly. Kohling  eyes were his favorite part! 

His lips were touched with painted petals of flower, to add the regal scent and natural tint. 

"I have to swear, you are the first man ever to sit through all this without complains. . ." An elderly woman chuckled while fixing his angavastra around for the final time. 

"I don't think anyone should complain when all they are doing is looking good for something special," Arjun grinned happily, as one of them fixed a diamond studded diadem over his curls, that fitted perfectly over his bouncy locks that needed to be tamed, "If I don't look good enough, my looks are worthless. . ." 

"God, I so love your words!" The elderly woman patted his back warmly, chuckling, "Who knew that a fearsome warrior like you would love getting dolled up like this?"

Arjun giggled, swallowing his choked laughter, "You aren't the first one saying this though. . ." He smoothened the curled lock that adorned his forehead. 

"Oh no wonder. . .! Seems like the Princess would have to wait at the altar this time!"

The chamber erupted in giggles and laughter as they dolled Arjun into the finest groom they could ever make.

.

.

.

"My my!" Kunti grinned, slowly entering the chambers as the maids and servants bowed down, making way for her. 

Arjun's lips tilted into a smile as he watched his mother enter through the reflection in the huge mirror in front of him. 

He was groomed. 

Completely, finely.

The deep crimson angavastra with gold borders and silk that boasted of the highest finesse draped around his finely sculpted frame; his unabashed elegance brimmed with regality, touched by the godly enigma that he couldn't just hide. The rugged beauty of war and scars swathed in the garbs of royalty. 

His voluminous curls bounced on his shoulders proudly, the loose strands accentuating his face, falling across his forehead like tempting rolls of waves, only to be held by the bejeweled diadem that sat on his crown like a finery of a Prince.   

The mould of diamonds and gold worked like wonders on him. Kunti was internally thanking herself for choosing the ornaments herself, knowing well what was actually suite him the best. Gold jewelries would've looked no less, but diamond ornaments that glistened whenever a streak of light darted across it would be worthy to hold a breath. 

Arjun's dusky appearance needed it. A perfect blend of glistening white that would aggravate his dark beauty, the stark contrast that played across with his of disposition of clouds and the first gleam of natural rays. 

"Hayee. . ." Kunti inhaled a deep breath, a motherly sigh left her lips. 

It was the dream of every mother to see her son dressed as a groom, when he would be stepping close to start a new phase of his life.  

The little Arjun that once wobbled in her arms, used to hold her garments with his tiny fists not letting her go for work, laugh and giggle, was now sitting like a regal groom. 

And the realization hit her that he was probably no longer 'little' anymore. 

That Arjun who used to cry and plead her to bring him the moon, was now capable of winning the moon himself. 

Kunti was never the mother who would hold her son under her garments till he lay on his deathbed, but there were moments where she wished she could just revert the time she had them as kids. 

Atleast, she would've seen them smile heartily, without any worry of life.

No heartbreaks, no sorrows. . . no death-threats. 

She could never forget the things her sons had to go through. And she be she, always asked them to remain strong as they could.

 But deep down she knew she was being so unreasonable with them at times, but how could she help? 

If they sense one lack of unity, one loss of hope. . . they would try again to break her sons. 

There were days when she was just only a moment close to flee with her sons to her maternal Kingdom, or better; to just the forests. Wild animals were better than those of Hastinapur. There were days she had spent sleepless, flipping on her bed with nightmares of Bheem drowning in the rivers and never coming back. There were days where she would frantically taste every item of food prepared for her sons, because God forbid. . .there were nights were she would go and check whether her sons were in their chambers or not.

No one knew from where a snake could attack. 

The fear of death would wander over her sons like dark-clouds of ominous every day at what was supposed to be their homeland. 

"Prithaa. . .?" Arjun softly whispered, watching Kunti's eyes blur as she held his shoulders from behind. 

There was something different that Kunti experienced with Arjun, it was more than the bond of a simple mother and son. He became more of a friend to her as he grew up, she didn't knew why. They spend late nights talking and laughing together, with her sharing with him so much she had never wanted to share with anyone. . . she didn't knew why. Maybe because of Arjun's habit of calling her by her maternal name which he had picked up when he was a child, and even after repeatedly nagging him to call her Maa, he could never change his habit. Soon it came to him ocassionally address her as mother in gatherings, public and Prithaa when they were alone.

And there she had wished that she could be a mother to him in every birth. . . 

She let out a watery chuckle, pressing his shoulder lightly, her lips curving up as she stared at their reflection at the mirror, "Nothing, I just remembered dolling you up as a girl when you were a kid. . ." She giggled jokingly, trying to hide her brimming emotions. Arjun deadpanned slightly, shaking his head as he looked at her. 

"This. . .this doesn't to work everytime," Arjun shook his head with a light smirk, and Kunti let out a sniffle, letting a tear roll down her cheeks. He rested his head against her chest quickly, closing his eyes shut tight. Kunti in-took a shaky breath, as he held him close in her arms, smothering his hairs, "You are making me cry deliberately now." 

"Just because you got reminded that you can't doll me up into a girl?" Arjun mumbled slightly in her arms, getting a light smack on his head, and he let out a soft chuckle, basking in her warmth.

"Or are you scared that I will forget you after marriage?" He looked up innocently at her, and Kunti raised her brows mockingly, "Oh really? You really have the courage to say that when you just want me to oil your hairs everytime?" 

"Nah, I will have your daughter-in-law for that from now on," Arjun giggled, earning another smack from Kunti as she chuckled, "Look at this shameless lad. . . didn't even enter the altar and imagining getting basked in the Princess's lap!" She walked up towards the dressing table, shaking his head, picking up the bottle of kohl. 

"But you know what," She grinned, smudging a dash of kohl behind Arjun's neck to ward of evil eye, "You're better off being obsessed with her. Atleast, I am saved from your whining while trying to show the portraits of Princesses for marriage!"

"I told you I will marry when I wish for. . . but you were running around the five of us with portraits of Princesses!" Arjun shrugged defiantly. 

"And ironically, you will be running behind what you were whining against once," Kunti's lips curved up and Arjun bit his lip back from smiling at her words, his cheeks flushing as he grinned at her hard. He started tittering soon after, unable to hold himself back anymore, his face reddening with the impact.

"Tsk tsk tsk. . . look at your condition huh! Look, look at this unabashed man, my God!" Kunti raised a brow, "Was this the same boy who was deadpanning at the idea of marriage a few days ago?"

Kunti had seen it all. 

The mumblings, the sudden giggles he erupted in his sleep amidst the mid-night in the forest, the way he used to collect just blue lotuses and keep them, stare at the moon and stars blankly keeping his bow aside and sigh deeply like a lovesick man lost in his own world. He would randomly walk somewhere away and then come back late, with the silly smile still lingering on his lips.

Her son who once used to forsake food for the sake of his warrior penance, had forsaken the urge to eat out of his weaving daydreams.

Never in her entire life she had imagined seeing Arjun like that. . . 

"There is a difference between a few days ago and today," Arjun tried to come up with a defiant come-back.

"That is clearly visible on your face," Kunti shook her head, adjusting the angavastra over his shoulder for the last time.

★★★★★★★★★

A/N 

Kunti Arjun is my favorite! 😭💖

Also I love how Kunti is like a mother. . . she is just so perfect! The best part is she is not that clingy type mother with her sons 😭😭(that seriously irks me nowadays seeing mother of boys being so annoyingly clingy like wth!) 

Signing off for today!

Nushkie