"I think a Champaka will look good there, along with the lotus." Yudhishthira pointed towards the corner where Devika had just placed a blue lotus bud.

"Champaka?" Devika's eyebrows curved.

"Just my feeling, Rajkumari. But I know that your choice will be the best." He smiled his characteristic calm smile.

Devika gently nodded at him before taking the Champaka flower. Her long, delicate, fair fingers appeared indistinguishable with the soft petals of the flower. After placing the flower adjacent to the blue lotus bud, she smiled in satisfaction. The combination of blue-golden aura soothed the ambiance.

"The Yuvaraj of Hastinapura has such a knowledge in aesthetics of flowers!" She looked at him, smiling, "I could never make such a perfect choice!"

"The Yuvaraj of Hastinapura was born in a forest, Rajkumari! Sixteen years of my life have been spent in the peaceful lap of Mother Nature!" Yudhishthira said, "hence, there is not much credit in this!"

"You do miss those peaceful days of your childhood, don't you?" Devika looked at him intently. She did not miss the glow his face had in the memory of Shatashringa.

Yudhishthira's eyes met hers. He could not help smiling, realizing how dearly she was trying to read his heart.

"I do." He nodded, "but responsibilities are paramount, Rajkumari! We are royals. We cannot ignore the duties we have towards the people."

Devika slowly nodded, but could not take her kohl-smeared doe eyes off his copper-hued ones. She did not know what more to say. But her heart secretly wished to continue the conversation, maybe till the end of time!

How badly she wanted to be the oasis in his desert-like life!

They did not know how long they stared at each other, losing the track of time. Both goaded back to their senses when a cough was heard, a mischievous one.

"Devi Didi!" Vijaya was heard soon, still in process to sound serious, "may I come in?"

Embarrassed, Devika managed to nod at Vijaya. "You..." She struggled to find words, "want something?"

"Actually I came to ask you whether the decorations are done or not." Vijaya said with an apparant innocence, "but now it seems to me that decoration of the vivaha mandap will not be done before vivaha is over!"

"It's almost done Jaya. A few more moments is all I need!" Devika hurriedly said, "go tell Rukmini Didi to prepare the bride. I'm coming soon to help Her."

"Fine then." Vijaya was about to turn while her eyes fell on the blue-golden aura coming from one part of the room.

"Wow what a colour combination!" She mused in awe, "They perfectly represent Bhrata Krishna and Satya Didi's complexions! You are a genius, Devi Didi!"

"The idea was Yuvaraj's." Devika quickly said, silencing Yudhishthira by a corner glance since he was going to protest.

"Ahaaan! I should have realized earlier!" Vijaya giggled, "and I just love this! Hope I too get a chance to do a similar decoration in your wedding Devi Didi, only the lotus will be golden!"

Realizing what Vijaya was indicating to, Yudhishthira looked away. It took Devika a little more to understand the inner significance of those words. And then she glared hard at the Princess of Madra.

"Jaya, you will get a hard earpull from me! Should I open my mouth about what happened this morning in the kitchen?"

Vijaya bit her tongue. She remembered how she was caught red-handed by Devika while talking to Sahadeva who sneaked into the kitchen in some excuse.

"I am going, Devi Didi, others must be waiting!" Vijaya quickly said and ran away. Seeing her fleeing thus Devika could not resist laughing. Her pearl-like teeth added a new glow in her beauty which Yudhishthira had not seen before. The calm, mature, serious princess appeared so playful and giggly for the first time to him. Awestruck, he kept watching her intently. After a while, when Devika could control herself, her eyes fell on Yudhishthira's awed gaze which was full of appreciation, and love.

She blushed hard, lowering her eyes she could only utter, "let's continue?"

"What?" Yudhishthira smiled knowingly.

"The work we were doing!" Devika looked up to meet his eyes, "otherwise people will come after us!"

This time, both laughed together.

***

The Bride's chamber

"How does this look, Bhabhi?" Subhadra playfully said, placing a flower ornament around Satyabhama's arm, "I myself have made this!"

"This is beautiful beyond words, Bhadre!" Satyabhama pulled her cheeks.

"Do you like it?" Subhadra's eyes glowed.

"Can there be something that my Bhadre makes for me with so much love and I don't like?" Satyabhama patted her, smiling.

"So let me bring more?" Subhadra eagerly asked, and as soon as Satyabhama nodded, she rushed to leave the room. In hurry, flowers placed on her hair had fallen on ground. Subhadra did not notice, though. But someone else did. Someone who had just entered the room.

Arjuna quickly bent down to pick up the flowers. His sudden appearance on her way gave Subhadra a pause. Then only she noticed that the flower garland was not on her tresses. Perplexed, she stayed where she was, until Arjuna handed over the flowers to her.

"Thank you!" Subhadra managed to utter, and ran away to hide her embarressmemt. Arjuna kept staring on the path she went along, unblinking.

"I don't see any target anywhere to focus on! Then what is the greatest archer looking at so intently?" Satyabhama innocently said.

"Nothing, Devi Sat..." Arjuna tried to speak. By then, he completely forgot why he had come here.

"This is unfair, Rajkumar!" Satyabhama quickly cut him off. "You call Rukmini and Jambavati by their names. Why adding an unnecessary Devi before me?"

"I am sorry, De..sorry, I mean, Satya..." Arjuna mumbled. Satyabhama suppressed a giggle within, sensing that the third Pandava was still in the trance of the Yadava Princess.

"I can accept your apology only if you call me Sakhi!" She declared with a fake graveness.

"Sakhi?" Arjuna raised an eyebrow.

"Why not? Cannot I be your Sakhi while my husband is your best friend?"

"Alright, Sakhi!" Arjuna smiled. "But you too cannot call me Rajkumar anymore!"

"I won't, Sakha!" She nodded, smiling wide.

***

The wedding mandap

"Come on, Didi!" Vijaya whispered to Lakshmanaa's ear, "you are staring at Bhrata in such a way that if Devaki Mami sees this, she will make you her daughter in-law right now!"

"Rather say you have the same wish to marry Bhrata Deva right now!" Lakshmanaa glared at Her sister.

Devika, who was standing close to the Madra Princesses, could not control a chuckle. Vijaya quickly moved from Lakshmanaa's side and went to Devika. "Remember the golden lotus, Didi?" She whispered, giving her a gentle push.

"Of course I do!" Devika made a grave face, "that represents my Mitra Didi's complexion."

"And Bhrata Yudhishthira's too. What say?" Vijaya looked at Devika with puppy eyes.

"Mitra Didi, see!" Devika took shelter in her elder cousin, pouting, "this girl is teasing me continuously since morning!"

"Don't worry Devi, let me handle!" Mitravinda faced Lakshmanaa with a mock seriousness. Both of Them kept arguing playfully in favour of own sister.
While the two pairs of sisters continued the fun, the newly wedded couple enjoyed a lot and laughed hard within Their minds.

"Swami, it feels so good to see these lovebirds happy!" Satyabhama said within Her mind.

"But you know what is going to happen next, Bhame!" Krishna replied, sighing.

"I do, Natha! But we have to make them reunite, overcoming all the storms that are awaiting them!"

"We will, Priye! We will provide them the strength they need to win this hard battle of their lives!"

The Parents of universe nodded at each other, and cast Their kind, loving glance on the human lovers who were dear to Them.