Hello all! I am back with the 3rd chapter. Hope you all will like it!
Happy Reading 💕

Date : 8th July 2021
Day : Thursday

"Sumathi, the royal family of Indraprasth and Anga have reached the border of Kampilya. They will be here very soon. Make the preparation for their welcome!" hurried Drupad.

"Everything is ready. I have called Draupadi and Dyumna. By this time, they might have been waiting near the entrance. Let's join them."

"Mata, you seem to be all excited to meet your grown up son-in-law!" chuckled Rukmini.

"That excitement is always there. Added to that, I am also meeting my childhood friend, Kunti. Will I not be happy huh?" smiled Sumathi as they walked towards the main gates.

"After bua Kunti and Radha Maa joins them, the gossip group will be completed!" teased Kanha.

"Aryaa!!" glared Rukmini as everyone shared a laugh.

"Sakha!" they heard Draupadi's voice as they neared the entrance. "When are Balram dau and Revathi bhabhi coming?"

"By this evening or tomorrow sakhi." smiled Krishna.

"Kanha, didn't you miss Revathi in the gossip group?" chuckled Drupad.

Before anyone could reply anything, the guard announced the arrival of the royal family of Anga and Indraprasth.

Sumathi smiled and went forward taking the aarti thal. Draupadi was very eager to know about the person that her sakha had been talking about. She stood behind her bhrata and peeped to see everyone.

As she saw, she saw her mother hugging two women almost of the same age of her mother. She saw her father exchange warm greetings with the other two man.

Her bhrata was welcoming another person whom she thought as the Crown prince of Anga. Two young lads were taking the blessings of her bhabhi. And her sakha was standing next to her.

As another young man clad in white got down from his horse, her sakha left her and happily called out for him, "Parth!"

"Oh, so he is the one whom everyone was talking about." Draupadi thought.

Arjun on the other hand was in deep thought. He still was not able to concentrate on anything else except the thoughts that were gnawing him. He felt that there was some connection with the everyday blurry dream and this visit to Panchal.

He was the last one to get down from the chariot. As he did, he saw beaming faces that resulted in him smiling back. As soon as he stepped down, he heard the voice of his Madhav.

"Madhav!" Arjun beamed in happiness. Meeting him after a long time!

They both hugged each other as Arjun told, "I missed you so much! It's been so long meeting you! Felt like ages."

Before Krishna replying anything, Rukmini interrupted, "Arjun, can I just know what does long and ages mean to you in your dictionary? As far as I know, you had just visited Dwarka a week back."

"Rukmini, you will not understand it. Leave it." answered Krishna.

"Pranipat Rajkumar." came Dyumna to Arjun. "Pranam. And congratulations Rajkumar!" Arjun returned the gesture while Dyumna smiled.

"Putra, come here." Arjun was called by Kunti.

"Arjun, she is my childhood friend Sumathi, the Queen of Panchal and this is her husband, Maharaj Drupad, your father's friend from his GuruKul.  And this the Crown Prince of Panchal, Drishtadyumna and she is the princess of Panchal, the younger sister of Dyumna, Putri Draupadi."

Gudakesh bowed his head in respect to the Queen and King in front of him who blessed him for a long life. As he turned, he saw a girl clad in red silk, having a small smile adored on her dark but beautiful skin.

"Pranam Rajkumar!" Krishnaa joined her hands. Arjun felt something weird. Other thoughts joined his already gnawing mind. Will this girl bring change in his life? The answer was unknown.

"Pranam." he said after a gap of awkward silence.

As Rukmini motioned everyone to come inside, all followed her leaving the eternal friends to have a talk.

"Madhav, you had told that I would get my answers soon. Will this visit affect it?" Arjun started the conversation.

"If at all it's written in your fate, then it will Parth!" answered Krishna smiling knowingly.

"Madhav, please... I am already confused, don't make me more confused."

"Then, being confused is written in your fate Parth. But as a friend, I can say this. Whatever happens, will happen for good only!" said Krishna and went back to the palace leaving Arjun.

"No one understands my situation Priya. I am fed up. Just they leave me more confused and go away." Arjun heard a sweet voice.

Arjun was not one of those who overhears conversation but today he couldn't help but break his ethics.

"Elders are like that only Krishnaa. They don't give clear answers for anything. They either give a thousand paged explanation for which we are not interested. And they give half a sentence explaination for the questions we ask."

Arjun stumbled on some dry leaves and lost his balance gaining the girls attention. But he was quick enough to regain back his composure.

Draupadi turned back to see the Rajkumar of Indraprasth smiling awkwardly. "Are you alright Rajkumar?" she started the conversation.

"Haa, yes. I was walking around and I didn't notice." he stumbled.

"Rajkumar must be in deep thought of something!" chuckled Priya.

Draupadi shushed her and said, "Sorry for her words Rajkumar. She is Priya. My friend."

"It's okay. It is the truth actually." smiled Arjun faintly.

"I don't know why you both are thinking so much and what answer she is finding. I pray God that you get your answers soon. I am going. Maa must be waiting for me." Priya said and walked away.

"Surprising to know that you too are finding answers." Arjun initiated the conversation.

"What do you mean by you too? Even you are finding?" Draupadi asked confused.

"Yes and unfortunately, I still didn't get any clue of the same." Said Arjun sadly.

"Same here. Govind says that I will get my answers soon but that soon is never coming!" Draupadi sighed.

"Madhav doesn't tell anything clearly. He talks in riddles and only he knows the answers for it." Arjun chuckled.

"That's true. It seems like my family is hiding something. But don't reveal."

"Same case here. Anyways, shall we go inside?" Arjun asked.

"Yeah, sure. You must be tired by the journey. Let me show you your chamber. You can rest for sometime." Draupadi smiled and walked forward.

Arjun thanked her once she showed him his chamber and walked off. As he sat alone in the big guest chamber, he started thinking about the conversation he had just now.

"Is our past linked?" he murmured.

*****
How's the chapter?
To be continued...