"Fire is not a destroyer. Fire enlightens you, gives you energy to make a new start, and above all, purifies you! Only they get burnt who choose to deny its power!"

- Rajkumari Krishnaa Draupadi

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Dwaraka

"Why Kampilya suddenly?" Devika looked at Krishna who came to take leave from her.

"Are the Yadavas going to make alliance with Panchala?" She asked again, not understanding the meaning of Krishna's mysterious smile.

"I have something to discuss with Maharaj Drupada." Krishna said, "His eldest child has just returned after a long time. Also heard that he has been blessed with twins just a month ago so wanted to congratulate him on that."

Devika nodded, "I remember you telling me the strange tale of his firstborn. She is a..."

"Was a girl. But not anymore. She has changed her gender into male through hard penance of years."

"Was it not that she was married to the Princess of Dasharna?" Devika tried to recall.

"Yes, and Dasharna King was angry with King Drupada for hiding this truth from him that Shikhandini was a girl."

"I remember the next." Devika nodded, "Dasharna King took back his daughter and threatened King Drupada. In fear of being the cause of her father's harm, Princess Shikhandini left home and went missing."

"Correct. And now she has returned as Prince Shikhandi, making Mahadeva's boon true."

"That is indeed a great news, Bhrata. Hope the King will have some happy time now after years of separation from his child!"

"Certainly!" Krishna agreed, "His luck seems to have begun favouring him since he got the newborn twins from the fire of sacrificial altar. It seems like all the Gods are pleased with him right now!"

"Fire!" Devika's jaw dropped, "he got twins from...fire?"

"Yes. He performed a yajna wishing for a son. Along with that he got a daughter too. Heard that both were born as full-grown youths." Krishna said, looking at Devika with a meaningful smile.

Fire-born daughter? Devika's heart raced in excitement. The dream she had seen in temple had come to her four more times in the last few days. Each time she had seen one Pandava being saved from fire by that unknown fire-born dark lady, whose face was still unseen to her.

Was it she who was born from King Drupada's sacrificial altar? What connection did she have with the Pandavas but?

"I am already late, Devi! Let me take leave now. Do not ignore your practice before I come back!"

"When are you returning?"

"Cannot say. The work I have there need some time. Take care!"

Leaving Devika in her confusions, the peacock-feather of His crown disappeared.

***

Kampilya, South Panchala

A blue-black hand wandered over the white cloth. Five delicate fingers were holding white colour between their careful grip. The hand stopped near a petal of a flower that had just been drawn as the fingers let the colour fill the blank area inside the petal.

White. Calm, serene, pious, as if the meditating snow on the peaks of Himalaya!

Full red lips curved in smile of satisfaction. The eager fingers moved again to the pot of colours, this time picking crimson red. Those fingers moved to the next petal and coloured it.

Red. Fierce, bold, yet a heart full of passionate love!

"Rajkumari!"

A pair of blue lotus eyes shifted their gaze from the half-painted flower to the door.

"Come in, Sakhi Sumedha!" The Princess of Panchala said with a smile.

Sumedha entered in and sat beside the Princess. Her eyes were fixed on the flower Princess Draupadi was drawing with her complete attention. Sumedha saw Draupadi taking green and colouring the third petal with care.

Green. Youthful, courageous, energetic and full of potential as a newborn leaf of spring!

"Rajkumari, why do you always draw a Hibiscus?" Sumedha wondered aloud, "There are so many other flowers more beautiful than this!"

"I love Hibiscus, Sumedha!" Draupadi mused, while colouring the fourth petal yellow.

Yellow. Charming, happy, as bright as sunlight that has the deep-rooted connection with nature!

"See, how beautifully these five petals are connected to a common centre!" She continued, "Each one is equal, each one is connected with the others, yet deep down they belong to this single point! Is not this beautiful?" Her fingers moved to blue colour this time, for the fifth petal.

Blue. As generous as sky, as deep as ocean! The essence of knowledgeable silence!

"But why such different colours for each petal, my Princess? I have never seen such a multicoloured Hibiscus!"

"Neither did I. I myself do not know why my heart feels that these are the colours they should have!" Draupadi said, staring at her own creation.

Since last week she could not sleep well. Some strange dreams kept coming to her whose meaning was unknown.

"There are many more weird things that I feel. I wish I could know why!" She sighed. Next moment her eyes fell on Sumedha.

"However, you seem to have not come here to talk about my art. Anything else that you want to say?" She asked with the Princess's gravity now.

"Oho I really forgot. Maharaja is calling you to his chamber." Sumedha said.

"Pita calling? Now?" Draupadi's eyebrows curved. She knew this was the time when Maharaj Drupada was supposed to return from the morning court to take rest in his private chamber.

Did anything happen in the court that he wanted to discuss with her? Draupadi felt excited and curious.

"Tell him I shall be there soon."

***

Rakshasavarta

"I am so happy today, Vatse!" Kunti's eyes were moist, "The firstborn of king Pandu's line is going to be born soon!" She kissed Hidimbaa's forehead who lowered her eyelids coyly.

"Bhima!" Kunti turned to her son who was still in the process of cherishing the joy of the news of his fatherhood.

"You have to take great care of my daughter-in-law from now!" She ordered, "Even her smallest wishes should not be left unfulfilled!"

"Did you daughter-in-law complain to you against me, Maa?" Bhima made a naive face.

Embarrassed, Hidimbaa sneaked a quick glance at her husband, narrowing her eyebrows but could not hide a smile. Bhima caught her gaze and chuckled.

"Why would you give her chance to complain in the first place, naughty boy?" Kunti stroked her son's back, "listen, I am going to do a special Puja on Hidimbaa and her child's name. You all must join soon!"

Bhima obidiently nodded, followed by the other four.

"Come, Putri!" Kunti took Hidimbaa along with her.

"Jyeshtha, you all go. I have some issues to look after. Shall join soon." Bhima said.

"Anything serious, Bhima?" Yudhishthira gave a concerned look, sensing unusual graveness in Bhima's voice.

"Some demons have been rebel enough. They are not listening to my order of not touching human flesh!" Bhima sighed, "I need to keep strict watch over their hunting habit!"

"Demons they are, Bhrata!" Arjuna remarked, "How can you even expect them to leave..."

"I did not ask them to turn vegetarian, Arjuna. It is just the human flesh that I banned. At least as long as I am here, no Rakshasa will ever kill a human! I won't let that happen!"

"And what about Bhabhi?" Nakula was curious.

"She has left it long back. I am teaching her how to cook human food and she is willing to learn it." Bhima said, "She has promised me never to touch human flesh again."

Yudhishthira could not pay attention to his brothers' talks much. While they kept talking, the eldest brother's alert eyes did not miss sudden presence of a stranger demon who was never seen in this land.

"Bhima!" He whispered, drawing their attention. Following his gaze, the other four also noticed the stranger Rakshasa and grimaced. He looked like a young demon with much short height and leaner physic. He looked more like a human than a demon.

The five brothers held their breath. Could he be any spy of Duryodhana in disguise?

The stranger came closer.

"Am I in front of King Vrikodara, the Lord of demons?"

Bhima nodded, narrowing his eyes. The face seemed somehow familiar. Did he see this Rakshasa before?

The stranger grinned and removed his artificial beard. "Could not you recognize me, Bhima?"

The five brothers exhaled in relief.

"Satyaki! You here!" Yudhishthira exclaimed with a smile.
___________________________________________

Authors' note: The scene of Draupadi drawing a Hibiscus is taken from Tamil Mahabharatham by Srimad Kripaanandavaariyaar. I'm thankful to Shivaja for translating few verses for me.

However, the idea of different colours was my own. Could you understand the meaning of multicoloured Hibiscus?

#Hexagonforever