Standing by you forever.... (one shots...)

Exiled Royalty- 2 (ArDi)

'Hey what happened? Why are you scared?' He asked her as she appeared to be really freaked out by something. She told him about the men and he sighed. He couldn't leave her here. 

He thought he could ask her to wait in the village until her father finds her, but right now it seemed to be a bad idea. He thought for a moment, her eyes were dewy, maybe she was panicking.

Maybe he should ask her to come with him, he could help her reach the next city safely, it could be that she was their princess. Of course not of Panchal because as far as he knew Maharaj Drupad only had one daughter.

'Listen princess, I can help you reach the next city safely. Do you think you can inform your father about your whereabouts' from there?' He asked and she seemed to thin for a few moments. She nodded and smiled. He couldn't leave her, not alone.

But wait? Why was he caring too much for a random stranger though...?

They both went outside the temple, Draupadi walked close to him, as she was afraid they might spot her. Soon they were out of the village without anyone's notice.

She thanked him and he smiled.

'You never told me your name Princess...'

'Huh?' She hummed.

'Your name...you know it will take 2 days to reach the next city so... you know you could tell me your name... Oh! but only if you are comfortable being called your name by a commoner.'

'My name is Krishnaa. Please call me that.' She said and he was amused, that was his name too! And his Madhav's too.

'Okay... Krishnaa...My name is Arjun.' He said and she smiled at him. 'So shall we start the journey now?' She nodded.

Arjun, huh, she had heard that name before... from the maids of the palace? Or her father? She couldn't remember though.

As they walked Arjun started a conversation with her and slowly they started talking casually and laughing at each others silly jokes. Arjun could sense that she was extremely innocent.

She questioned him curiously about every little thing he said like and every small thing she saw around. She even removed her footwear saying it felt really uncomfortable and why would people wear them in the first place.

When he said it was for protection she just nodded in realization but threw that footwear away. He chuckled. (Rapunzel? Yeah kinda!)

She even chased some butterflies and requested him to stop for a few moments when she saw a clear stream. She dipped her feet in the fresh water and almost squealed as she felt it's coolness.

Arjun was quite stunned. Was he with an infant? She appeared to be 20 but behaved like she was 2. 

Only if he knew she wasn't even 2 days old!

After sometime she came out of the small stream and they continued their journey until the sun moved down the horizon. 

Arjun found some dry twigs and with very much effort lit a fire with it. He and Draupadi sat opposite to each other around the fire feeling it's warmth in the cold night.

'So... Krishnaa, tell me how did you get lost in the first place?'

'Oh...umm I ... I was just out with one of... my.. uhh... friends to... see the forest and... then got lost.' 

She sounded terrible while lying , she wasn't really good at it. But Arjun not wanting to be too nosy didn't ask her anything further as she had already told him she was from the nearby city.

Arjun noticed a long scratch mark on her neck. 'Hey... what's that?' She touched her neck and winced. It must have happened when the men forcefully removed her har. 

'It's okay.. its just a little wound...' She said and wrapped the shawl around herself  as she was getting cold. 'You should apply some medicinal herb on it you see, it could turn worse.'

He said and leaned on the bark of the tree under which they were sitting. Silence prevailed there for a few moments. The sound of night seemed to bring a sense of peace on both of them. She wondered whether she should tell him the truth, no matter what he helped her... but..

'Arjun...' she called him in a soft voice.

'Why are you roaming around the forests? Alone? Don't you have a home? Or a family?' She asked him and saw his face turning serious.

'I am sorry if I asked something wrong..' She said unfeignedly.

'No.. no.. I do.. A very big home and a family..' He answered and chuckled to him, more of a sarcastic chuckle thinking about his family, the one family which tried to get rid of them.

She obviously questioned him why was he not with them. To which he simply replied, 'Peace of mind' and closed his eyes.

They talked for a while more and then they slept.

2 days later,

Now both Arjun and Draupadi happened to become good friends. Arjun told her about how he spend his childhood with his brothers. Draupadi wanted to tell him the truth though. She decided she would tell him who she really was as he trusted her. She shouldn't lie.

That night when they sat around the fire 'for the last time' as Arjun referred it, Draupadi broke the ice to him.

She told him the truth that she was Panchal's princess born from the sacrificial fire 3 days ago. Her father wished for a son but he had to accept her too. He became angry with her and so she exiled her from the kingdom asking her never to come back again. That is why she didn't tell him she was from Panchal, as she was exiled forever... Her eyes were dewy as she completed.

Arjun was in dismay for a moments time, he without telling her anything laid down on the ground and closed his eyes. She thought he was angry at her for lying. 

People don't like lies... right? Stupid Krishnaa you should have told the truth, she mentally scolded herself. She was unaware that the world itself was build on lies.

The next day,

As Draupadi woke up Arjun spoke to her and offered her another help. He revealed that he was Hastinapur's prince, the third Pandava. She was astonished but she lied too, so she let him continue.

'Krishnaa... I'll take you till the outskirts of Hastinapur, from there you should go and meet my mother, Rajmata Kunti. She might be able to help you. I'll myself write a letter stating about you. Show it to her.'

Draupadi looked at him, her eyes glistening. He was a good person he was not angry. He also said he won't be there with her once they reach the forest borders of Hastinapur as he was exiled for 8 years. They were incredibly far from Hastinapur actually. It would take more than weeks to reach there.

They started their journey. Amidst their travel, Draupadi learned... a lot... while Arjun had started to grow fond of her... a lot...

Her innocence, charm, friskiness.. everything attracted him... 

She was no different, he was the best person she met since her birth....

But she had to go away.. he knew.....

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I am having an exam tomorrow, so forgive the crappy chapter.

To be continued...