"Let's play hide and seek." Kanha said out of no where, his eyes looking at his Sakhi who smiled at him confused. Why did he ask for a change in the game but she didn't mind.

"Sure." Arjun said as the others nodded, they had all had the food and relaxed. It was now getting a bit late, the sun had gone down, but Arjun took his bow and aimed it at the sky, an arrow appeared out of no where and shot it in the sky.

A small ball of energy was created over the small area of forest. That lit up a section of forest. But how will we know who owes Draupadi a favor or if we owe her?" Nakul asked as he gave his wife a mock angry look making her giggle. A small smile appeared on his face before disappearing. "If Sakhi finds you all before an hour is complete than she gains a favour from you all but if she is not able to find even one of you than you all get a favour from her. " He said as the others nodded.

"I and Draupadi would be the seekers. So we'll count till 100 and we'll come. " Kanha said as they turned around and others ran in the forest. "So what's the plan?" Draupadi asked as she turned to him.

"The same old one." She asked as she looked at him. "That is?" She inquired confused. "Cheat, as much as you can." He said with a smile and they chuckled, after a while the two entered the forest. "You go this way. I'll take this way." Kanha pointed out in opposite directions as they rushed in. They moved in opposite directions, after walking awhile they looked around, there was no one. The sounds of the cricket filled the forest along with the sound of owls hooting.

Nakul smiled as he moved with his wife, his footsteps as light as air, he was born in forest and the animals befriended him easily. The pandavas had decided for someone to always be with her in the forest. Specifically when Maharaj Harshavardhan was there in the forest, and the wild animals.

He brought his hands to his mouth and created the sound of a roar, he watched her jump in fear. He bit back a cry of pain when a small pebble hit him on the head, he rubbed his hand on the head, he turned his head to the side to see Arjun glaring at him silently admonishing him for scaring their wife. Nakul pinched his ear, giving him a sorry look to which Arjun nodded.

He sighed and turned back to look at his wife, who looked around fearfully, he instantly felt guilty, so he created a soothing sound of the cuckoo bird.

"Arya Nakul?" Draupadi asked in the darkness, she knew he was here but the sound of the cuckoo seemed to be coming from every direction all at once so how should she find him. Before she move, she heard rustling coming from the bushes, she froze as she turned, some more rustle and she saw the chudamani. The only woman except her here wearing chudamani was Maharani Minakshi.

"Maharani Minakshi." Draupadi called out, with a huff the queen stood up. "You caught me so soon. " The queen complained as she walked away, not even looking back at Draupadi. She heard soft jhankar of payals as she turned around, "Rajkumari Rekha?" Another huff followed by stomping of feet, she too rudely turned away and left. Draupadi chuckled at their silly behavior.

Sahadev looked at Yudhisthir who sat next to him, "for someone who hate each other they surely act alike." Sahadev grumbled offended by the rude behavior, making Yudhisthir calmly smiled.

"Arya where are you all?" Draupadi asked aloud, the pandavas all smiled at her from above the trees, did she really think they'd answer her calls?

"You know arya making your wife wait is wrong. " She called out loud, the pandavas were all amused as they heard her talk. "So you all are not going to answer me? Fine." She grumbled, the time was running, when she heard snapping of twitch.

"Subhadra." She called out instantly, she than stepped out a huge smile on her face. "Jiji! " She exclaimed as she rushed to her, "So who all did you find so far?" She asked and Draupadi pouted.

Subhadra smiled mischievously, "jiji do you think any of your aryas are here?" She asked with a smile, Draupadi was about to say yes but Subhadra squeezed her hand, realization dawned on Draupadi, Subhadra had a plan. She had to trust her.

"I don't think so." Again not a complete lie, so her voice didn't shake to show that she was not being honest. The pandavas got curious as they concentrated trying to listen to the conversation of the two women.

"I have been trying to find you alone so that I could give you this letter. It was given to me by one of the Kings. They know that you're married but ..." Subhadra's words had Draupadi's eyes widening. The pandavas' hands fisted as their jaw set, their hands scratched to tear the man open who had dared to write a love letter. They gritted their teeth as they heard Subhadra read the letter.

"My priye Panchaali.

You may not know me but I know you, have been for now too long. Slowly day after day my love for you is increasing, I can't imagine a life where I can't hold you, where I can't kiss. . ." It was all that took for Bheem and Nakul to snap as they jumped from the trees.

Subhadra's eyes widened and she threw the letter on the ground. "My works done jiji." She shouted as she ran away, giggling. "Arey but Subhadra. . ." Draupadi called out but in vain. "Who is he?" The two growled as they marched angrily towards the letter. "I'm going to kill him." Bheem growled angrily.

Nakul bend down first to pick up the letter, he snatched it up. He groaned as he looked at the letter, "Draupadi you cheated again." He whined, "Cheated?" Bheem asked confused. "The letter is blank. Nothing is written here." Nakul said it out loud so his other brothers could hear. "Really?" Bheem asked and Nakul nodded.

The two turned to her, she bit her lip and gave them her best innocent look. "Draupadi." The two took her name sternly and she smiled at them nervously. "Yes Arya?" She asked innocently.

The two sighed annoyed, they couldn't even be angry at her. He and Bheem looked at each other, and smiled. "Go find the others but we'll stay here with you now." Nakul said as he sat on a nearby rock. Bheem next to him, after looking around for sometime Draupadi huffed, "Arya won't you help me?" She asked the two of them, her voice sweet as she gave them her best puppy dog eyes.

"Help you? Absolutely... " Hearing Nakul's words she smiled widely, the smile soon disappeared once he completed the sentence. "...not." She pouted, making the two brothers laugh while the other pandavas who were hidden bit back their laugh. "You're so mean arya." She complained, still pouting. "And you're absolutely adorable." Bheem complimented making her blush harder and smiling shyly.  She stopped blushing, as she looked up at Bheem, "I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to distract me. " She said, "And you're smart too. " Nakul teased.  She turned around trying to ignore them, the pandavas were warriors finding them was impossible for her, she knew that so she decided to cheat.

Only a few minutes had left, as she laid on the ground and made a loud wailing sound of pain and distress. Yudhisthir smiled from above his tree, as he watched his wife lie down. He had to give to her, she was smart, the plan was good but only one problem. He could see everything but Sahadev and Arjun couldn't.

Arjun and Sahadev heard her cry out in pain, they knew better than to go, only a few minutes were left and she would cheat. Nakul and Bheem ran towards from where the cry came, trying to ease their distress, they knew that she maybe acting but they had to check on her.

Seeing her lying on the ground unconscious all the senses flew out of window as they rushed to her side. "Panchaali!" Bheem shouted, worry and fear lacing his voice. Nakul and he rushed to her, Arjun and Sahadev jumped down from the tree and ran in the direction from where Bheem had shouted in distress.

They ran to her, their worry increasing with each moment. "Panchaali" They called out together. Running to her and crouching down, "What happened to her?" Arjun asked distressed. "Nothing." Answered Panchaali as she opened her eyes smiling widely. The four sighed in relief, "She even cheats in hide and seek." Sahadev complained but there was also a smile on his face. "Yep." Arjun replied, his voice sounding proud as he pinched her cheek.

"Come on you still need to find Bhraatashree." Sahadev said as they helped her up...

***

Everyone had gone to sleep, but Draupadi's mind kept going to the events of the day. It had been a good day, her aryas had won the game but the only thing she didn't like was sleeping alone. Because they had guests Mata Kunti had made each one of them sleep separately and like earlier she could no longer sleep.

She kept tossing and turning, the darkness was too much, she couldn't see anything. Her mind kept wandering to the thoughts of snakes and some other animals that crawled.

A figure entered the room, when Draupadi had her back turned to the door, the figure crouched next to her. He slowly traced his finger on her waist in a zig zag design. She squealed in fear as her heart thumped in her chest, Panchaali stood up trying to look around.

What was that? Her heart thumped wildly in her chest. Could it be a snake? The thought had her shivering in disgust and fear, she didn't wait a moment and she ran out.

Her heart was still beating wildly in her chest, as she moved out in the darkness, she rubbed her hands on her arms as she felt the cold wind, where should she go now? Her aryas would be sleeping so she didn't want to disturb them. She looked around, and saw a rock under a tree, she decided to gaze at the stars and till morning, because that was the only thing she could do now. Sleeping with the snake was out of question, than disturbing her aryas sleep for such stupid reason didn't sit well with her either.

She sat on the rock, her eyes gazing at the night sky. There were so many stars twinkling making it look so serene and peaceful.

Bheem looked around at his brothers, he couldn't sleep so he decided to take a walk. He came out while stretching his arms when his eyes locked on the feminine figure. "Who would be out this late?" He wondered out loud as he moved towards the figure. When he moved closer, he noticed that it was his wife.

He smiled, her sleeping issues, he thought as he shook his head. He moved towards her and sat next to her. Draupadi sensed her arya moved towards him, his soft natural fragrance of ginger and musk had her sighing in relief. He sat next to her quietly, she laid her head on his shoulders with a smile. Bheem felt at peace, finally he had her all to himself.

"Can't sleep arya?" She asked as she gazed at the stars, he looked at her, her voice was so soft almost like the whisper from a  very beautiful dream. "Hmm you see I have got used to holding this soft little human pillow that whenever I am without her I can't sleep." His words were soft and had slight humour but were also filled with honesty.

She smiled as a blush coated her cheeks, "you're so beautiful Malini, all these years without you were hell. I could never really concentrate on anything, I didn't even get to say goodbye to you. That day I returned home, and you were gone just like a dream, I searched everywhere, not believing mata and Nakul for a moment. It was difficult to accept that you would leave, life without you was no fun. I had no one who would argue with me, I had no one who would stop me from doing something wrong. I missed you so badly that it hurt. . . " His voice faded as sadness filled him. "Oh Vrikodar I missed you too. " She said her voice tinged with sadness as she hugged him, he wrapped his arms around her taking in her fruity smell that always calmed him. She was so delicate and precious to him.

"Please don't ever leave me again or else this time I would break." He confessed as she shook her head, "never again arya. I promise. " She whispered, as a tear rolled down her cheek. Bheem kissed her forehead as he tightened his arms around her, not willing to let her go. . .

*****
Do Vote and comment!