Amatya Subodh was anxious, bordering on livid. He had an entire plan in mind to usurp the kingdom of Viraatnagar. He had his allies & all he needed was the main player of his game: Mahamantri Kank!

Having been a youth himself at one time, he realised how the silly charms of beautiful, slender, giggling woman attracted young men like moths to a light source. He didn't think Kank would be any different, & would quickly be dancing to his vivacious daughter's fingertips, he was but a hot bloodied man afterall!

However, the minister in question was turning out to be much more wiser & composed. From what he gathered from Mala's howls, he hadn't even looked at her properly. He was cordially & polite & the perfect gentleman but that's it.

However, it was a certain other daasi that had caught Kank's eye. He too had noticed the minister smiling at the young & beautiful Sairandhri as she helped serve refreshments in court occasionally, to aid the other daasis.

While it was nothing inappropriate, his smile was far too tender & loving to be one of formality. His eyes would follow every motion of hers, as if making sure she was safe.

He scoffed though, Kank was no different! Sairandhri was by far the most beautiful woman in whole of Viraatnagar possibly, even with her veil which every man ached to overthrow. Like every other man, he too had obviously fallen for Sairandhri 's charms, especially having spent more time with her as she was his personal attendent who looked after everything of his: be it his food or clothing.

Su: Ab samay aagaya hai ki hum apni yojna ko ek sthan aage le jaaye, humaari uss murkh putri se toh kuch hua nahi, ab hume hi kuch karna hoga.
Kank ko apne vash mein karna hi hoga, kyunki uski teekshn buddhi se hi hum Viraat par apna adhipatya sthapit kar payenge.
He decided firmly before bellowing for his servant to present himself before him immediately.

*********

Meanwhile....
Dharmraj 's chamber was dimly lit with just a couple of diyas, as he lay fast asleep on the bed in the centre of the chambers.

Though he was not very comfortable without his wife in his arms as had become their routine, the day's tiredness had taken over & Dharmaraj was soon in a deep slumber, having taken Panchaali's advice of an early night.

As the disguised king slept peacefully for once, an intruder tiptoed into his chambers in the middle of the night. The blanket covered figure walked further into the spacious chamber, towards the steps surrounding the large bed.

She felt herself staring open mouthed at the broad expanse of his bare, muscled chest, gleaming in the moonlight streaming in from an adjacent window. Her hard pectorals gave way to harder abs till the waist band of his dhoti over which lay a blanket. His serene, perfectly sculpted features, chiselled jawline & muscled arms were a sight to behold!
He was simply breathtaking!

" Ishwar ne kitne dhairya se aapko banaya hai, Kank ji. Ab aur prateeksha nahi hoti, aapko apna banane ke liye.
Uss Sairandhri ko aapke vishay mein sochne ka bhi dand avashya dungi main.
Aap keval mere honge."
She whispered with lust gleaming in her eyes as she advanced towards him in a predatory manner.

Ma: Kitne Sundar kesh hai aapke, Kank ji....mann karta hai, jeevan bhar sehlati rahu...
The woman purred as she stroked his dark silken strands.

Yudhishthir was deeply asleep. In his haze, she could feel someone stroking his hair softly.
Y: Priye....
He murmured, as an affectionate smile came over his lips. He was still in a dreamy haze and all he could see was his Panchaali 's beautiful face smiling at him as she caressed his face before rushing past him with a naughty giggle, beckoning him closer to catch her.

With a raised eyebrow, he'd chased her & it wasn't long enough before he had her locked in the confines of his arms, shying away from his intense gaze, until she playfully pushed him again & ran out of the room in a flurry of giggles & tinkling anklets, while her odhni flew behind her. This warmed his heart like nothing else as he looked on lovingly.

He sighed as he suddenly felt something brush against his forehead. Panchaali was really in a mood to shower her love on him, he thought happily. Not that he minded. He cherished his wife & her love for him so much.

However the kiss on his forehead felt... different. It made Dharmaraj uneasy to think that this was not the usual love & warmth filled kiss which Panchaali bestowed upon on. As her husband, he very well recognised the touch & feel of his beloved wife, & this was not it.

His eyes shot open in alarm & his hand immediately grabbed the dagger he kept under his pillow as he launched up from the bed like the agile warrior he was. A shrill scream caused him to notice the woman standing by his bed, her eyes wide.

Y: D...devi aap?
Yudhishthir lowered his weapon, not wanting to alarm the frightened woman further.
M: Aa...aapke paas ye...?
She pointed a shaky finger at his dagger causing Yudhishthir to sigh.
Y: Ye aatma-rakshan ke liye hai, devi. Aap bhaybheet na ho....
He assured her softly, however his demeanor was still stern as he addressed her.
Y: Kintu... kripya utar dein devi, aap iss samay mere kaksh mein kya kar rahi hai? Ye sarvatha anuchit hai.
He spoke firmly with a hint of anger but still with great politeness & gentleness as was the qaulity of the great king.

Mala looked up at him coyly through her lashes, making a sad face.
M: Krodhit na ho, Kank ji! Main toh ye....uh...deep bujhaane aayi thi. Aapki nidra mein koi baadha aaye, ye main kaise sweekar karti?
Yudhishthir nearly winced at her overy sweet tone. No matter what, this woman had always made him uncomfortable but today she'd seriously crossed a line.

Y: Main raatri mein do-teen jalte hue chodkar hi shayan karta hoon, devi.
He spoke tersely, taking a step back from the woman who seemed to be cautiously nearing him.
Y: Devi Sairandhri iska vishesh dhyaan rakhti hai.
He added, wanting to emphasize that Sairandhri was the one with the responsibility of his care & comfort.

Dharmraj was sure he saw Mala sneer hearing Sairandhri's name.
Ma: Kintu avashya hi vo aapka dhyaan vaise nahi rakh sakti jaise main rakh sakti hoon, Kank ji. Aisa kya hai uss murkh daasi mein jo mujhmein nahi?
Main aapse kitna prem karti hoon Kank ji, aur aap hai ki unn doosre pursho ki bhaati uss Sairandhri ke saundarya mein lipte hai. Mera roop usse kahi adhik manmohak hai.

She smiled at him in a manner she deemed inviting & seductive. Unfortunately for her, her efforts to appear sensual only served to further disgust Dharmaraj. How could one demean another innocent person thus to appear good themselves?

K: Kshyama kijiye devi. Aapne mere vishay mein itna socha, uske liye aapka bohot aabhar. Main aapki bhavnao ka sammaan karta hoon, kintu mera hriday kisi aur ka hai.
He spoke tenderly, hoping to calmly explain his point to the livid woman. While he genuinely respected her feelings & was honoured but he did not & could not ever reciprocate to her feelings for him. His heart belonged to & was ruled by only one woman: his Panchaali. She would remain the sole ruler of his heart for as many births his soul took & even after that for eternity.

M: KYA???
Mala bellowed, nearly lunging at him but wary of the dagger just besides him.
Y: Shaant hojaiye aap....yadi aapko yaha kisi ne dekh liya toh hume anuchit samjhenge.
Yudhishthir spoke, looking away from the maiden who was quite overdressed & overdecked for having just come in for errands.

Mala was furious. She'd dressed with care, especially for him. It had taken her hours to adorn her body with all the jewels she possesed & her hair with fragrant flowers. Wasn't that what men wanted? Attractive young woman throwing themselves at them. So here she was! However, Kank hadn't as much as given her a proper glance.

He should have been delighted to have such a beautiful woman come to him. Instead, he looked agitated, & uncomfortable even. Why? What did she lack? She was perfect!

Realising, she would have to be the one to initiate things between them, she spoke.
Ma: Toh dekh lene dijiye na unhe, mere priyatam! Aapke inn balisht bhujao mein koi mujhe dekh bhi le toh kya! Main toh sada ke liye aapko apna banana chahti hoon. Pratyek stree mere bhagya se jal uthegi! Dekhiyega!
She looked up at him coyly from her eyes, heavily made up with kajal.

She trailed a finger down his lean, muscled bicep but he flinched away as if burnt. Dharmraj was now thoroughly disgusted at the woman who was behaving more & more inappropriately with each passing moment. Why was she doing this? Certainly he'd made it clear that he had no feelings for her then why did she insist on making things further awkward.

K: Kripya mujhe sparsh na karein devi. Aapko yaha se jaana chahiye. Main iss vishay mein sabha mein kisise athva aapke pita se nahi kahunga, ye mera vachan hai.
He promised. No matter how disgusted he was by her actions, she was still a woman & deserved respect & dignity. He could have her honour soiled thus.

However, Mala was not the one to detered easily. Realising that he had not fallen for her machinations, she decided to change her approach.

All of a sudden, Dharmaraj was horrified as she burst in tears, sobbing hard.
Ma: Mu....mujhe k..kshyama kijiye.... Mahamantri ji.... vo....vo...main...apne sudh-budh kho baithi thi aapke prem mein....
Ye satya hai ki main aapse bohot prem karti hoon, aur aapke bina jeevit nahi reh sakti. M..mere pitashree mera vivaah nishchit kar rahe hai. Kintu maine toh aapko apna pati maan liya hai. Kripya mujhe sweekar karlijiye. Main poor nishtha se aapki sewa karungi!
She sobbed loudly & dramatically, causing Dharmaraj to be alarmed.

Y: Devi...
He softened seeing the crying woman seated on his bed. With a sigh, he walked over to a table in the room, pouring a glass of water from a goblet & brought it to her.

Y: Ye jal grahan karlijiye aur shaant hojaiyye. Meri ichcha aapko kasht pohonchane ki nahi thi. Kintu main kisi aur se apaar prem karta hoon. Aur unke atirikt kisi stree ka vichaar bhi paap hai mere liye.
Kintu aapko avashya hi koi milega jo aapke prem ke yogya ho. Jo aapko bhi utna hi prem kare, jitna aap. Kshyama chahta hoon, kintu vo vyakti main nahi.
He comforted her softly, hoping she understood his point so that they could forget this entire thing ever happened.

Afterall, there was no crime in loving someone afterall, but forcing their feelings on the other person, was. He was ready to forgive her immaturity though.

Unfortunately, Mala had other intentions & as soon as he reached near her to offer her the glass of water, she practically pounced on him, sending the glass of water clattering down the steps, spilling water everywhere.

Never before had he been so grateful for his sharp reflexes due to his years of training as a warrior prince before. Due to them, he was able to move away in time before Mala could wrap her arms around him.

Dharmraj was still calm, but a certain fire could now be seen in his eyes. If Mala had succeeded in embracing him, it would have been an involuntary betrayal of his Draupadi's trust & would have undoubtedly hurt her, even though she would insist it wasn't his fault. This thought alone made him furious.

K: Door ho jaiyye mujhse devi, tatha punah mujhe sparsh karne ka prayas bhi kiya toh main isi samay aapke pita ko sandesh bhijwa dunga.
His voice was harder this time & held a clear warning.
However, Mala rolled her eyes before giving him a venomous look.

Ma: Prem?????!!!! Huh! Uss Sairandhri se prem karte hai na aap? Aap bhi unhi purusho jaise hai! Uss Sairandhri ke moh paash mein lipte hue! Main usse kai adhik sundar hoon!

Vo toh nirlajj hai....sabhi sabhasad, senapati Keechak sabko mohit kar rakha usne. Na jaane kitno ke saath samban.....

Mala kept spewing until she heard Dharmaraj 's dangerously calm voice.

Y: Bas devi. Isse aage ek shabd nahi. Lajja nahi aati aapko, swayam ek stree hote hue, kisi anya stree ke charitra par lanchan lagate hue?
Devi Sairandhri atyant pavitra aur gunwati stree hai. Unki tulna iss dharti par kisi aur se asambhav hai.
His voice was still calm but intimidating & commanding.

Mala scoffed & looked away making Yudhishthir sigh. He really didn't want any part in this.
Y: Theek hai...main hi chala jaata hoon! Shubh raatri!
He spoke gruffy before grabbing his pillow & blanket & storming out of his bedchambers, leaving behind a shocked Mala.

Realising that she'd been rejected she let out a ear piercing shriek, yanking at her own hair in mad rage.

********

An extremely disturbed Dharmaraj soon found himself in the servants qauters of his own allocated appartment. Pushing the door of one of the rooms open, he was quickly to bolt it shut behind him, locking it for good measure.

While the room was not shabby, it was nowhere close to his own nearly royal chambers. There were more facilities compared to the rooms shared by other daasis but it nearly threadbare. It belonged to the head daasi who currently & unfortunately was none other than his love.

Samraat Yudhishthir felt his heart clench as he saw his beloved, the green queen of Aaryavart fast asleep, curled on a mattress on the foor. Though the mattress was much comfortable with layers of bedding, he couldn't see his wife, the princess whose dainty feet had never even touched the cold, hard ground thus.

Settling down besides her, he gently caressed her head full of bluish-black silken locks.
Y: Ab bas priye, thodi prateeksha aur, tatpashchat humaara mantavya avashya siddh hoga. Aapko Issprakar daasi ke roop mein aur nahi dekh paaunga main, Naa hi mere Anujo ke itne kasht mein dekhne ki kshyamta hai mujhmein.....
He trailed off softly, his voice thick with pain.

He smiled half-heartedly at his cute little wife, who pouted in her sleep before leaning against his calloused palm which had been tenderly stroking the soft skin of her face.
D: Aarya.....
She whispered delightfully, her eyes still closed, yet inspite of her sleepy haze she recognised his touch & leaned into it.

Yudhishthir looked at the sleeping woman next to him with great adoration, wondering how he could love so much to such an extent. He loved his wife to the extent that he would go crazy without her with him. All he wanted was to hide her away in his arms forever.

Y: Main aapse jitna prem karta hoon, meri priya Panchaali, uski vyakhya karne ke liye koi uchit shabd bana hi nahi kadachit.....
Mere hriday mein aapka sthaan koi nahi le sakta...koi nahi....
He sighed as he pressed his lips to her temple to give her a feather soft kiss, so as to not wake her.

Frowning at the scratcy mattress covering his wife, he took it off her slightly shivering body, replacing it with his own thick blanket, already warm with his body heat. He chuckled to himself as his as his adorable wife sighed in bliss, & snuggled up against the warmth like a baby.

D: Aarya....
Draupadi mumbled again, as if sensing his presence & burying her face in his neck as he held her in the warm embrace of his strong warrior arms, as the two nuzzled against each other, finally feeling complete as they held each other again. Dharmraj could barely withold his chuckles, when Panchaali threw a possesive arm & leg around him casually, almost half sprawled on top him, their lower limbs tangled up. He did love it when she got all territorial with him.

D: Samraat? ....aap yaha...iss samay?
Yudhishthir scrunched his eyes, realising he'd awoken his wife with his kisses.
Y: Shhh Panchaali...abhi jagne ka samay nahi hua hai....so jaiyye...
He cooed against her lips, causing her to shudder inspite of still being half asleep.

However, the wife in her was quick to sense the agitation & discomfort in her husband's voice. Though he was smiling at her, his smile did not reach his eyes.
With a sigh, Draupadi looked up at him directly, requesting him to speak.
D: Nahi! Sarvapartham aap bataiye mujhe, aisa kya hua hai, jisse aap itne vichlit hai, Aarya?
Yudhishthir sighed seeing his wife wide awake, up at him with concern. He felt his heart flutter as she slipped her warm, tiny palm into his larger one in silent, yet strong support.

Unable to hold back, he half lifted his wife into his arms, pulling her in a tight embrace, burying his face deep in her neck, wordlessly.
Y now, Draupadi had awoken completely, & was heavily worried as she embraced her husband back, stroking his hair, wondering what had upset her beloved Dharmraj do much.

Yudhishthir still felt disgusted. Though Mala''s actions did not have his consent, even remotely, he still felt as if he had betrayed Panchaali in some way & it made him feel horrible.

Panchaali was troubled, having never seen her husband this uncomfortable before.
D: Apni priye ko nahi batayenge, Samraat?
She asked with a cute pout, breaking the hug & cupping his lowered face & lifting it up, but he averted his gaze with an ashamed look, causing her to flare up with worry. She turned his face towards her again, her thin, delicate fingers still framing his jaw.

Y: Mujhe nahi pata tha ki vo vo hai... mujhe laga aap hai....
He whispered uncomfortably & Draupadi frowned in confusion.
D: Kiski baat kar rahe hai aap Aaryaputra?
She questioned softly making the frown on Yudhishthir 's usually radiant forehead more pronounced as he narrated all of the previous happenings in his bed chambers to her.

Y: Aapko gyaat hai na ki main keval aur keval aapse prem karta hoon? Aap meri patni hai. Keval aap.
He implored urgently of her, before pressing kisses all over her face. Draupadi took a deep breath as her heart rate escalated. She closed her eyes, allowing her husband to continue.

Y: Main satya kehraha hoon priye, vo mere palang tak aayi aur mere kesh sehlaane lagi. M..mu..jhe laga aap hai. Kyunki mere kaksh mein aapke atirikt konsi stree pravesh kar sakti hai.....vo bhi iss samay!
Kintu...unka sparsh kuch vichitra tha. Ishwar ki kripa se meri nidra khul gayi aur maine unhe dekh liya.
He admitted, still disgusted with the practically unknown woman invading his personal space thus & touching him.
He had been on edge ever since thinking whether Panchaali would be hurt. Would she forgive?

Draupadi sighed, leave it to her kind natured husband to blame himself even for someone else's fault.
Her Aarya was an immensely handsome & attractive man, he was bound to have certain female following wherever he went. Moreover, she couldn't even blame someone for falling head over heels for a perfect man like her husband, when she herself had. However, she was saddened at how deeply hurt he was at the thought that he'd somehow caused her pain.

Gathering his large, calloused palms in her own soft, tinier ones Panchaali pressed a kiss on his knuckles, causing disturbed yet hopelessly beautiful coppery orbs dart up at her.

D: Dekhiye Samraat, aap chahe jo bhi kahe kintu mujhe mere pati par, mere Aarya par iss vishwa mein sabse adhik vishwas hai. Ve kuch unuchit kar hi nahi sakte. Ve toh mujhse itna prem karte hai ki bhool se bhi mujhe dukh nahi de sakte. Samjhe aap?
Draupadi demanded sternly, before her gaze softened as she cupped his cheeks again, trembling as he pulled one of her palms to his lips to bestow a rather loving kiss that nearly electrocuted her skin.

Y: Aap vastav mein krodhit nahi hai na? Aapne ye kehkar meri samast chintaaye door kardi.
He whispered lovingly to her as he thanked her softly for being the perfect, understanding wife she was.

She bit into her bottom lips as smouldering, dark eyes gazed at her like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, which she was, but seeing it from her husband's viewpoint made it much more special.

She sighed as their lips moulded into each others, caressing each other's souls. There was no lust, just pure, pristine love.
Draupadi looked up at her husband dazed as the golden skinned monarch looked at her tenderly, his thumb toying with the corner of her lips caused her to become incoherent as her brain stopped.

She closed her eyes in utter bliss & pulled her husband closer, her arms around his broad shoulders. Her hands wandered into his luscious dark locks as she pressed her lips against his.
Surprised by her sudden boldness, though ecstatic Dharmraj wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her tightly against his body.

Soon a panting, beetred Draupadi lay on the bed with her husband towering over her as his fingers idely stroking the skin of her face, tormenting her unknowingly.
D: Main pratyek arth se porn roop se aapki patni banna chahti hoon Aarya. Humaara vivaah chahe jin bhi sthitiyon mein hua ho, kintu ab hum ek doosre se apaar prem karte hai. Bas...usse adhik mere liye kuch avashyak nahi.
She urged him earnestly.

Dharmraj was caught off gaurd for a moment by her sudden request. While he wanted nothing more than to fullfill her wish, their union would have to wait. He had promised himself to bring the culprit of his wife, the one to cause their painful seperation to justice, before he ever took her as his wife in all senses. Only then did he believed that he would ever even remotely deserved to be the husband of a marvelous woman like his Panchaali.

Unfortunately, his silence caused Panchaali to understand it as something else. She suddenly felt very brazen for having said what she did gone far in emotion.

She smiled sadly, as she looked about uneasily.
D: Mujhe Kshyama kijiye Aarya....vo main kuch adhik bol.....
She began nervously but was stopped by the masculine digit placed firmly on her rosebud like lips, causing her beautiful doe eyes to widen.

Yudhishthir sighed, he realised that his silence had made her feel as though he didn't desire her. However, this was far from the truth. Of course he desired her as a man desires his wife & she was a beautiful woman. However, more than her physical beauty it was the beauty of her soul & her kind heart that made her the most beautiful woman ever. That was what mattered to him. Nothing more.

Y: Priye...aapko gyaat hai ki aap mere liye iss vishwa ki sabse sundar stree hai. Aisa nahi hai ki mujhe aapse prem nahi, kintu ye samay uchit nahi hai.
Jab humdono har arth mein pati patni banenge, vo shan bohot vishesh hoga....
He whispered before pressing a kiss to her forehead making her smile in understanding. If anything her respect for him, only grew further. His smouldering gaze on her quickly assured her of his love & desire for her.

However, remembering about Mala suddenly, she pouted her lips which were far splendid than any rise petal, causing Dharmaraj 's heart to skip a beat.

Inspite of it all, he had to admit the shade of red rather suited his beloved wife who was now seething.
D: Vo Mala! Dhurt Pishachini kahinki! Chodungi nahi main usse!
She almost growled. However, the queen of Indraprastha softened seeing her husband still a little agitated. Her anger at the certain daasi only increased, seeing how her selfish acts had hurt her Dharmaraj.

D: Aapka aur mera sambandh to jan janmantar ka hai. Mahadev ka ghor tak kar, vardan swaroop aapki patni banne ka saubhagya mila hai mujhe.
Maine aapse iss vishwa mein sabse adhik prem karti hoon. Aap toh mera sarvasva hai, Aarya. Humaare madhya koi nahi aasakta, aur vo......vo..vo....
She spoke passionately before trailing off , her cheeks all puffed up angrily.

Y: Pishachini?
Yudhishthir suppiled with a slight smile, arching a perfect brow & Draupadi humphed moodily making her husband chuckle & pull her against his chest making her snuggle against him with a pout.

D: Haan, Pishachini! Aap...aap keval mere Aaryaputra hai, kisi aur ke nahi....yadi usne punah aapki orr dhrishti uthakar bhi dekha toh main....uski aankho noch lungi! Praan le lungi!
Draupadi all but snarled while Dharmraj couldn't help but raise a rather amused eyebrow.

Y: Uh..huh! Samragyi! Itne hinsak vichaar uchit nahi hai! Humaare samast praja jan aur rajparivar ke sadasya kya sochenge!
He teased, enjoying his seeing his wife's rosy cheeks puff up immediately. He laughed out loud when she wrinkled her nose.

D: Achcha? Aur usske nirlajj stree ke vichaar uchit hai?
She demanded making Yudhishthir wince.

D: Usse toh main....
Draupadi began angrily but stopped shirt when, Yudhishthir kissed her suddenly to calm her down as it did usually, & of course it worked. He smirked, noticing her blush creeping up. No matter what, she still blushed & felt shy in front him, as though they were newlyweds. But then...he did too he realised as his own cheeks coloured.

Y: Jisprakar aap keval meri hai, main bhi keval aapka hoon.
He told her earnestly, pure love shining in his eyes as he knocked his forehead against hers.

D: Achcha?
Draupadi whispered romantically, linking her arms around his neck.
Y: Hmmm....
He whispered, just as his strong arms, those of a mighty warrior yet affectionate & gentle husband encased her slender waist carefully, pulling her against him until there was not a molecule of space between their bodies.

Draupadi giggled as her husband nuzzled his nose against hers playfully.
D: Sa.. Samraat....abhi vish..raam....ka...samay hai....
She stuttered, her brain barely functional now, having nearly lost all rationale due to Dharmraj 's closeness.

Y: Uhuh! Abhi Samraat ka mann vishram karna ka nahi hai.....
Yudhishthir mumbled against his wife's trembling lips, softer than the freshest of rosebuds.
D: T..toh...phir?
Yudhishthir smirked seeing his shy wife stutter as her cheeks turned crimson with shyness. Unable to bear his intense gaze, she had lowered her lashes.

Y: Itni bhi kya shigrata....
Yudhishthir exclaimed with a wicked smirk as he inched closer & closer to Draupadi until he'd trapped her delicate frame between the wall behind her bed & his own muscled frame, which was large enough to cover her smaller one. She shuddered as he kissed her cheek softly.

Draupadi's eyes widened, as her bosom heaved heavily & heart palpitated. Though she felt thoroughly cherished seeing her husband showering his love thus on them, she knew they needed to sleep now if they were to be functional the next morning which would break in just a few hours.

D: Uhuh! Pehle nidra phir prem....
She cooed at her pouting husband who wanted to spend some more time romancing his lovely wife.
Y: Kintu priye......
Aww...her Dharmraj looked way too sweet to be denied anything but she had no choice.

D: Mere priya Aarya, chaliye so jaiyye.... bohot raatri hogayi hai....pratah jaldi bhi toh uthna hai....
She whispered, kissing his pout directly, catching the king of the entire Aaryavart, off gaurd & causing a dark red hue to creep up his neck as he blushed.

Yudhishthir grunted a little moodily but allowed his love to embrace his broad body in her petite one. They were always so busy be it in Indraprastha or here in Viraatnagar with no spare time for each other.

Panchaali lay them both down, giggling seeing Yudhishthir's feet sticking out as the mattress seemed a little too short for her husband's tall, majestic frame, making him narrow his eyes before relenting & smiling his splendid calm smile at her.

Yudhishthir sighed in bliss, wondering how his Panchaali quickly made him forget all his worries & cheered him up. She was just perfect, he thought as he felt her warm body cuddled against his. This was heaven, he thought before sleep embraced the king & his queen.

*******

Next Morning.....

Draupadi sighed at the sweet sensations she felt. She was engulfed in warmth & was far more comfortable than she'd ever been in her chambers which were freezing cold at time generally.

She attempted to stretch her body, but a musclar arm around her waist prevented her from much movement.
D: Aaryaputra!
She gasped in complete surprise seeing none other than her beloved husband fast asleep next to her.

How in the world did he come here? Had anyone seen him? Draupadi began to panic until she realised that for first time, forging all hesitancy & decorum, her husband had openly sought her.

The memories of the previous night filled her mind. Her Dharmaraj was just so pure & innocent. He'd been so nervous about her being upset with him due to that disgusting woman's actions.

Overcome with love for her beloved king & husband, she leaned over his sleeping form, unable to stop herself from kissing every inch of his masculine contours.

How he think she would be mad at him? Didn't he realise that it was just one breathtaking, calm smile of his was enough to make her loose her bearings. In every gesture of his, she could see how much he loved her, & thanked the lord for it every day.

As for that Mala, she would take her to task. Draupadi may be benevolent, sweet & caring but she was possesive, very possesive especially when it came to the man who was the world's best husband who she still didn't understand, how she'd ever come to deserve.

D: Aap bhi na, Aaryaputra. Aapki Panchaali aapse rusht kisprakar ho sakti hai, hmm?
She whispered, pressing her lips against his chiselled jawline, his morning stubble grazing deliciously against her lips. Seriously, he was so cute. Especially when he'd been so nervous about her reaction, the previous night.

Yudhishthir had awoken with a hitched breath owing to his beautiful wife's ministrations. With each kiss that she pressed against his skin, the king found himself drifting far, far away into the world of love.

Y: Bohot prem aaraha hai aaj aapko mujhpar.... Samragyi....
Draupadi gasped as she suddenly heard Yudhishthir whisper in his husky morning voice, as he swiftly shifted his head into her lap.

D: Hmm...ab kya karoon mere Samraat hai hi aise....
She giggled before bending down to press her lips against his forehead as she wished him a good morning.

Y: Aap aise pratidin uthaayengi toh shubh prabhat toh hogi hi...
He winked at her flirtatiously making her blush, but this time she was determined, & flirted right back with her flabbergasted husband.
D: Ab vo kya hai na...mere pati hai hi itne roopwaan, balshali, buddhiman aur sarvgun sampann ki upar pratidin hi apaar prem aata hai.....aur vahi prem udhel deti hoon unpar. Unke hi kaaran toh mere jeevan ki pratyek pratah sundar ban jaati hai....aapko koi aapatti hai Samraat?
She winked playfully as whispered lovingly to him, as her heart brimmed with immeasurable love for her husband, her prince charming or rather king charming now!

Y: Naa...koi aapatti nahi....
Her handsome husband beamed up at her.

She wondered how a man could be this perfect. And he asked how come she loved him so much? Seriously!
Her Dharmaraj loved her in ways she couldn't have imagined. He'd fullfilled all her dreams & was much more than he could ever hope for or feel she deserved. She only hoped that there was a time she could call herself worthy of the hand of this divine man.

Yudhishthir 's serene copper eyes gazed at his lovely queen with immense love. Till date he never felt like he deserved to be the husband of such a pious & perfect woman.
Realising though, that's she'd called him handsome for the first time, the Chakrawarti Samrat couldn't stop himself from colouring right down to his roots at his wife's compliment. She really thought so?
However, not the one to back down easily, Dharmraj hide his own blush by directing a mischievous smile to his queen.

Draupadi bit into her succlent bottom lip, realising she had practically blurted out all her feelings to her husband, & felt the blush come on instantly, turning her rosy cheeks even darker. Lowering his head back on the pillow, Panchaali tried to move away only to be tugged back by a grip on her wrist, causing her to fall on the bed right next to her still grinning husband.

With a playful cry of protest, she hid her dark red face in her Dharmaraj's broad chest, feeling it vibrate as he chuckled heartily, while stroking her hair.

******

Meanwhile....
Viraat's Royal Court:

The annual festival organised by Viraatnagar was to begin soon, & the guests had started arriving.

V: Pranipaat Panchaal naresh. Ahobhagya humaare, jo aap humaari nagri padhare!
Viraat greeted the dignified, middle aged monarch.
Dr: Pranipaat, Viraat raj! Hume saparivaar aamantrit karne ke liye dhanywaad.
Drupad answered politely yet a little grimly.

Viraat eyed the old king. His otherwise radiant, dignified face had lost its glow almost completely & there were hollow pits in the name of dark circles below his eyes that held no joy.

The only reason he'd agreed to join these festivities was for the sake of his other children who roamed around all day going about their tasks gloomily as if they'd lost hope.

While he tried to put on s brave front, Viraat could see how the father in the shrewd, powerful king of Panchaal longed for his daughter. Though having rejected her at birth, on realising the biggest folly of his life, the majestic king had come to love his daughter, his baby girl even if she was born a young woman, more deeply than anyone or anything else.
Her loss had taken a toll on Drupad & it wasn't hard to see if one looked carefully behind the king's brave facade.

Dhristadyumn stepped forward as did Shikhandini & Satyaki seeing their father struggling to control his emotions.
Dh: Kshyama kijiyega, Viraat naresh. Pravas bohot lamba tha, yadi aapko apatti na ho toh hume kuch samay ke liye vishraam karne ki ichcha hai.
Dhristadyumn requested the king with a slight smile making Viraat agree immediately as he summoned a daasi to guide the royal family of Panchaal to their chambers.

Once settled in their chambers, Shikandini requested the daasi for a quick, warm meal before they could rest.
Turning to see their forlorn looking father seated in their sitting room, she sighed.

Sh: Pitashree, maine daasi se aapki ruchi ke vyanjan prastut karne ko kaha hai. Aap kuch khaa lijiye, tatpashchat vishram karlijiye.
She smiled at her father. Drupad smiled at her for her sake, placing a hand on her head.
Dr: Tum teeno bhojan karlo putri, mujhe bhook nahi hai. Main bas vishraam karna chahta hoon....
He spoke with a weak smile making his children frown.

" kintu pitashree....."
They protested but Drupad interrupted them, suddenly....
Dr: Vo sab chodo.... Dhristadyumn, Satyaki, Panchaal lautne ke pashchaat tumdono shigra hi meri Draupadi ko Indraprastha se le aao.
Rajsuya yagya ke paschaat kitne samay se vo Panchaal na aa saki. Samragyi ke utardaitva bhi kai hai, kintu ab iss vriddh pita se aur prateeksha nahi hoti apni priya putri ko hriday se lagane ke liye. Aur haan, Samraat se bhi padharne ka nivedan karna, putron.
Drupad spoke with a wistful smile & dreamy that made the others look really worried. He'd been doing that for sometime now.

S: Avashya pitashree...aap so jaiyye. Main aur Dyumn, Drau ko le aayenge, ati shigra tatha Samraat Yudhishthir ko bhi aamantrit karenge. Aane waale utsav se poorv aap vishraam kar lijiye.
Drupad 's eldest son spoke, exchanging meaningful glances with his brother & sister.

Drupad nodded with a happy smile. It was too painful to believe that his precious princess had disappeared without a trace & was now beginning to be thought as no longer in the mortal world. His mind had thus gone into denial, it was almost as if he still believed that his precious daughter was happily married, residing in the most beautiful kingdom ever known as the queen of the greatest kings of all times.

*******

On the other hand,
Mala was still scheming. The rejection from Kank had thoroughly soured her to the point that she'd become vindictive.
At first she'd only set out to ensnare the new prime minister of Viratnagar on her father's command as well as the greed of the wealth he would be in possession of, as the most highly paid courtier.

However, one look at look at the divinely handsome, youthful man with golden hued skin & eyes like endless pools of molten copper who was far from her cliche image of the prime minister. With time her obsession for him had only grown. She wanted him to be hers forever & she would have what she wanted! No matter what....

She was sure she was succeeding seeing the sweet smiles he would bestow her with, before she grudgingly accepted that Mahamantri Kank was a very sweet natured man who smiled happily at anyone & everyone. However, the only thorn in her side was that head Daasi.... Sairandhri!

Ever since she'd come to Viraatnagar, she'd quickly usurped her position as the most beautiful woman. Be it a daas, a commoner, a courtier, a royal like Senapati Keechak or the king himself were all enamoured with her magnificence much to her annoynce.

However, what irked her were the tender looks Kank ji kept sending her occasionally. He was always so careful around her as if she were made of glass or was something very precious to him. As if! She scoffed.

She couldn't bear to see the man she had her designs on, the one who was meant to be hers look at another thus. Obviously, she hadn't considered thinking about his wishes or views on this matter.

She needed to speak to her father & quick to understand the next part of their master plan!

*******

Sairandhri had been trudging down the corridor tiredly after a day's hard work. There had been more work then usual with the upcoming festivities & arrival of several guests.

She saw one of her friends, a cheerful daasi named Sumati walking to the other side of the palace & called out to her.

S: kya hua sakhi? Itni raatri ko ye lekar kaha jaa rahi ho? Tumhe toh vishram karna chahiye.
She smiled, hinting at her belly swelling with the new life growing within it.

Sumati smiled, rubbing her belly.
Su: Haan sakhi, uchit kehrahi ho. Bas ye ek atithi ke kaksh mein pohonchkar chali jaungi. Aaj vatavaran kuch adhik sheetal hai.
She spoke, pointing to the large blanket in her hands.

Draupadi nodded in understanding, before taking the blanket from her surprised friend.
S: Tum jao aur vishram karo, ye main de aaungi. Main vaise bhi usi disha mein jaa rahi hoon na..
Sairandhri proclaimed with a smile, causing Sumati to smile gratefully. Once again asking Draupadi if it was trouble, she finally relented on recieving a stern look from the head daasi.

Su: Achcha achcha theek hai! Jaa Rahi hoon! Ye Panchaal naresh ke kaksh mein pohonchkar tum bhi vishraam karlena!
She waved with a smile before leaving.

It was as if a ton of bricks hit her. Draupadi gasped in shock.
D: Pan...chaal naresh?
She mumbled blankly.

The gaurd outside the chambers informed her that the royal inside was sleeping & that she could keep the blankets inside & return.

Gingerly entering the chambers, she sighed in relief to see a figure fast asleep on the bed.

Several thoughts raced through her. It was still not safe to reveal herself to her family for their own safety. But how could she hide from them? How could she bear to see them everyday but unable to even embrace them once. Her heart went up in flames at the mere thought. Why, god? Why? Hadn't she & her Aarya suffered enough?

She cupped her mouth to prevent her sobs from escaping, her vision nearly blinded as millions of tears filled her eyes when she saw none other than her beloved father deely asleep on the bed.

She hastily wiped her tears, knowing she couldn't grow weak then. She had to be strong. It was just a period of time before she could embrace them & never let go. A short but painful period until they caught that wretched Jaydrath.

D: Pitashree......
She sighed, smiling longingly & lovingly at her dear father, she carefully covered him with the blanket, not before touching his feet & then the same hand to her heart & forehead before joining her hands in respect before him. A tear drop of hers trickled down & fell directly on his feet, creating a protective golden aura around Drupad before disappearing. Paanchali closed the door softly behind her with a last glance at him.

Drupad shot up in bed suddenly, breathing heavily as he looked around desperately.
Dr: Draupadi! Putri!
He exclaimed, looking around the empty room in despair. He had felt as if she'd been here. But how?

Though in pain, Drupad noticed something: the fading fragrance of fresh blue lotuses in the chamber.

**************

Hey guys!!!!
That's all for now! Sooo....how was the update?

What do you think the evil minister (Amatya) will do?

YuPadi?🙈🙈🙈

Mala's schemes are increasing, no?
There's more to come 😈

How was the breif father-daughter moment?😇😇

Please leave me your precious reviews and votes for this chapter, I can't describe how much they mean to me❤️❤️❤️❤️

Tilll the next time!!!!!
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Loads of love 💘😘
Dharmasakhi 💓💖💕