Yudhisthir sat next to Panchaali, his hand running through her hair in a soothing motion, "How long will she be unconscious?" He asked as he rubbed the thumb of his other hand over the back of her hand that he held. 

"She should wake up now any moment." Sahadev replied as he rubbed her one foot while Nakul did the same with the other. Bheem and Arjun were about to say something when their eyes moved to their wife, who moaned lowly. Her hand went to her forehead, they helped her sit up, she felt dizzy as she laid her head on Yudhisthir's shoulder, who smiled at her.

"What happened arya?" She asked as she looked at them, they all just smiled. Nakul knee walked on the bed and sat next to her, he kissed her forehead, there were tears of joy in his eyes. "Thank you so much Panchaali. You gave us the best gift." He whispered as a tear traced down his cheek as he looked up at his wife, she smiled a bit confused,what was he thanking about. Sahadev took her other hand and pressed a kiss on it, "you've made us the happiest."  He said as he looked at her, his happiness had no bounds today. He was going to be a father!

Draupadi was now even more confused, what was he talking about? "I love you so much Panchaali." Yudhisthir whispered in her ear as his hand covered her stomach, his fingers and palm splayed out, their child was resting there,soon in nine months they will all have him in their arms. Laughing and giggling.

They will have a family, first a wife and now a child. What else would they need? Their happiness had just began. What would it be? A girl or a boy? He didn't mind either,he just hopped whoever they were, they are born healthy.

Bheem couldn't even speak, his joy had rendered him speechless, he just wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to his chest. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her chin, everywhere. He was just too happy, "Thank you thank you thank you!" He mumbled over and over again. Her cheeks turned red as her heart beat violently in her chest.

Arjun took her in his arms next, he could see the confusion in her eyes with the joy. Arjun put his hand on her stomach over Yudhisthir's, the other pandavas did the same. "You're going to be a mother Panchaali." Arjun said, joy lacing his words, extreme happiness flowed through her, "Me?...I ... mother?" She couldn't get the right words out, her heart beat violently. The pandavas smiled, "Calm down  don't get too excited or you'll faint..." Nakul's voice faded as each Pandav wrapped their arm around their unconscious wife. They all looked at each other and than at her, and bursted out laughing. Arjun took her in his arms, "Silly girl." He said as he shook his head and kissed her forehead.

*****

"You're going to be a mother Panchaali." Arjun's words were still ringing in her ear, the joy of being a mother spread throughout her. This felt different, very different. Just the thought of carrying a baby; a life in her was exciting.

God had blessed her with such a beautiful gift that she couldn't thank them enough. She sat in the temple, her eyes closed as she thanked the god for giving her a chance to be a mother.

Indraprasth was being decorated and celebrations were being organised. She bowed to god one last time before she began to move out of the temple. As she was getting down the steps her leg slipped, her heart nearly stopped as her hand instinctively reached for her stomach as she fell forward. She braced herself for the impact but it never came, instead she felt a strong arm wrap around her stomach while her head hit lightly on a muscular chest.

Her eyes moved up and met with the soulful brown eyes of Bheem. "Trouble in trouble again." He mumbled, his voice laced with humour. Tears pooled in her eyes, she almost put the child in danger. "Shhhhh nothing happened and nothing will happen as long as we are here." Bheem promised as he helped her stand straight. She nodded and looked up at him, he gave her a reassuring nod and she smiled. Together they began to walk where the royal palanquin stood along with Bheem's horse.

Panchaali took the palanquin and Bheem sat on his horse, soon they began to ride back to the palace. That's when Panchaali remembered about the temple where mata Kunti had told her to visit. She looked out of the window, Bheem was riding ahead so she turned to a dasi and told her to go and tell him to slow down.

Bheem looked back at the palanquin curiously, he slowed his horse once he received the message. "What is it priye? Are you not feeling well? Do you want to take a break little one?" He asked, his voice laced with worry.  "No arya, I'm alright. I just recalled that I needed to go visit the temple in the east mata had told me to do so." Bheem nodded at her words and moved ahead as she closed the curtains to her palanquin.    

The ride to the temple didn't take long, but as Bheem and Draupadi were going in they were stopped by a priestess, "Males are not allowed in my child. Only women are." She said with a smile, Bheem nodded finding it a bit odd but didn't question it.

Panchaali smiled, usually it were women who were forbidden from entering but today, for the first time she saw a temple where men weren't allowed in. She smiled, talk about equality! Bheem smiled seeing the expression of child like glee on her face.

"Happy to get away from me?" He asked as he pouted. "Nope. I have always seen women being forbidden to enter many temples, first time in my life I'm seeing a temple where males are forbidden. This is called tit for tat! Hail women empowerment!!" She said and Bheem began to laugh, she was just so innocent, just so perfect. He pinched her cheeks, "You're so cute." He whispered, his voice laced with adoration.

She frowned, "eh? What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, "that you're adorable." He teased making her huff as she turned around and went in. The temple was built with rocks and had some really beautiful design,  she walked in and felt a calmness.

Tara smiled as she followed Draupadi in, together they prayed. And were about to leave when a priestess said, "there's a priestess there, devi Vidhi, she has done years of tapasya. If she blesses your child, they will always have good health." She said as she passed prasaad to Draupadi. Who nodded and moved in the direction where the priestess had told her to go.

The place was filled with silence, in the dark cave sat a priestess. Draupadi bowed to her feet. "Pranipat mata." She said respectfully, "Putri Panchaali. I have been waiting for you." The priestess said as she opened her eyes, she was surprised to hear her name come from the priestess's mouth.   "Devi how do you know me?" She asked really confused. "You are going to be a very important part in the upcoming future." The priestess said with a mysterious smile.

Draupadi frowned, surely she got it all wrong. Draupadi couldn't be something so special, she was just a wife to her husbands and now a mother. "I don't understand mata." She whispered as she looked at her, "you will when the time comes." The priestess replied, "but I have to warn you child that you must prepare, for there shall come a time when the base of your trust and existence would be shaken." She said with a smile.

"That's not possible mata, the base of my existence are my aryas and mata they could never do wrong. They follow dharma. And dharma is like the sun ever glowing and nurturing." she said, confidence ringing in their voice. "For sometime during eclipse even the sun could be hidden my dear. I shall do my karm, you are here at my doorstep, so today I shall warn you, leave the pandavas for their dharma will bind them in such a way that they wouldn't be able to stop the humiliation of yours! Leave them for their dharma shall bind each pandav to another wife! Leave for you shall have nothing but pain from this relationship! Leave!" The priestess shouted pain lacing her words, anger fueling her actions.

"You're innocent as a child, a pure soul birthed out of fire. The kuruvansh shall be the reason of your great pain. The pandavas dharm would distance them from you and be the reason for your destruction." She said sharply, the thaali that Draupadi had brought for the worshipping of Mata Vidhi fell from her hand as shock ran through her body, agony like never before sliced her heart. Surely this can't be true, there's just no way!

She looked at mata Vidhi, anger began to fill her. "If what you say is true, than, I, Drupad kanya Draupadi, swear to leave Indraprasth the day any of the pandav marry andevery memory that I hold of mata Kunti and the Pandavas would be destroyed. I shall go on an agyatvas, till they find me and earn my forgiveness. The way to return my memories shall not be easy. This is my pran." She vowed, her voice filled with anger and agony, she bowed to Mata Vidhi with respect and moved out.

That day, the daasis saw a new side, walking out for the first time she looked like the untamed fire that shall burn everything and anything in it's way.

Her eyes had tears but her face was hard with determination, her each step looked like the step of mahakaal, ready to destroy everything. Her posture screamed power and determination, her eyes looked like the burning pit of fire, today she looked like the true fire born, ready to destroy everything in it's path. . .

***

Do comment and vote!

❤❤❤❤❤