Love Across Time

Ninety Seven

-𝓐 𝓒𝓻𝔂 𝓲𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓝𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽-

The midday sun beat down mercilessly, transforming the clearing beneath the banyan tree into a shimmering mirage. Dust motes danced in the relentless heat, mimicking the disquiet swirling in Aanya's gut. She and Bheem had reached their clandestine meeting place, a refuge hidden from prying eyes nestled amidst the gnarled roots of the giant tree. Unlike its usual tranquil atmosphere, the air today crackled with a tension that mirrored the storm brewing within Bheem. He paced back and forth, his legs leaving deep imprints in the soft earth, each restless stride echoing the turmoil in his heart. Sweat beaded on his brow, a stark contrast to the steely glint in his eyes.

"Aanya, what is it?" he finally roared, his voice barely controlled. "This sudden message… why? And where is Panchali?"

Aanya forced a smile that felt brittle on her lips. "Patience, Bhrata Bheem," she soothed, her voice laced with a calmness that belied the churning unease in her stomach. "Arjun and Draupadi will be here any moment, then we can talk."

Bheem's scowl deepened. Patience wasn't a virtue he readily practiced, especially when it came to matters concerning his family. The secret message delivered earlier that day, a coded request for a meeting veiled as a demand for blue lilies, had sent a jolt of apprehension through him. It was a clear indicator that something was terribly wrong, something that demanded their immediate attention.

Just then, a rustle in the nearby foliage heralded Arjun's arrival. He moved with his usual silent grace, but a furrow marred his brow as he took in the sight of Aanya and a visibly agitated Bheem.

"Aanya, is everything alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. "Why did you call us here so urgently?"

Aanya released a frustrated sigh. "Arrey, thodi der ruko aap dono!" she exclaimed, a hint of exasperation coloring her voice. "Seems like patience is a rare virtue for all of us today."

Despite the tension in the air, a flicker of amusement danced in Arjun's eyes. Aanya's irritation, a rare occurrence, only served to heighten his worry. He knew something serious had transpired for her to break character.

The silence stretched, thick and heavy with unspoken anxieties. It was punctuated only by the rhythmic chirping of unseen birds and the rustle of leaves in the warm breeze. Aanya clenched and unclenched her fists, worry gnawing at her. What was taking Draupadi so long? The image of Keechak's lecherous leer flashed in her mind, and a cold fury snaked through her veins.

Draupadi emerged from Queen Sudeshna's chambers, the hushed whispers of the royal gossip clinging to her like cobwebs. Each step towards the clandestine meeting felt like navigating a treacherous tightrope, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. Just as she reached a deserted corridor bathed in an eerie half-light, a voice slithered through the air, sending a shiver of revulsion down her spine.

"Sairandhri," Keechak drawled, the name dripping from his lips like honey laced with poison. He materialized from a nearby doorway, his gait unsteady, a telltale sign of his usual indulgences.  As he lunged forward, his hand outstretched to snag her wrist, Draupadi reacted with the lightning-fast reflexes. In a blur of movement, she twisted away, her eyes flashing like amethysts caught in a sudden storm.

A low growl, primal and dangerous, rumbled in her throat, barely contained. "Senapati Keechak," she spat, her voice laced with a glacial chill that could have frozen the midday sun. "You are overstepping your bounds. This charade of familiarity has grown stale, much like the air in these suffocating corridors."

Keechak, fueled by a potent cocktail of arrogance and wine, scoffed. His laughter, a rasping sound devoid of mirth, echoed in the deserted hallway.  His grip tightened as he lunged for her again, his face contorted in a grotesque parody of desire. "Don't play coy with me, Sairandhri," he leered, his voice dripping with a false intimacy that made Draupadi's skin crawl. "We both know the game we are playing here."