"Truth or Dare Nakul?" Bheem asked, a smirk playing on his lips. Giving his younger sibling, one look that screamed trouble.
"Dare." Confidence rang through his words, leaning back, the elder twin wriggled his eye brows at his elder brother.
"You will be going out and seducing Duryodhan." Booming laughter bounced off the cave walls, Nakul's face paled.
This got to be one of the most idiotic dares ever out there. He fumed, mentally kicking himself, why did he choose the freaking dare.
A truth would have been easier. But now, the ship had sailed, and all he could do was face the consequences of his decision.
"What the fuck?! You are kidding right?" He really hoped they were, there was no way in hell he could ever do that.
Seduce his damn cousin? Ewwww. He cringed,mentally shuddering at the image of himself and Duryodhan hugging each other, like a cute little couple.
Bile rose in throat, he was ready to throw up. Damn it. How does he always manages to get himself in this sort of situations?
He mentally grumbled, cursing his stars to his luck. Damn him, damn his siblings, damn freaking Duryodhan and damn the entire world.
"Dead serious brother. It is a dare." The smirk widened on Bheem's face, gazing at his younger sibling, who looked positively green with disgust.
The roaring laughter of Arjun and Sehdev, bouncing off the walls. This got to be one of those epic moments, where Nakul gets his ass kicked and polished on the ground.
Nakul looked at his eldest brother, pulling up his best puppy dog look.
No one, and no one in this entire God damn universe can resist his beautiful pout and pleading eyes.
He mentally smirked, time to work his magic. "Brother-"
"You know the rules." Was all he said, and just like that, balloon of hope that he was floating with burst, making him zoom down to the hard ground of reality.
Where a mental image of himself, laying on Duryodhan's bed, and posing like one of the girl's ready to seduce, winking and beckoning the other with his fingers, pushing his lips in a seductive pout-
"Ew. Ew. Ewwwww." He gagged at the mental image. He could just imagine Duryodhan pummeling his ass to ground, and possibly sending him away to some doctor for mental treatment.
"Traitor." He grumbled, shuddering in disgust at the thought of even looking at his cousin in a romantic light.
And jyest wanted him to flirt, wait no, he wanted him to seduce? A violent shudder of disgust rolled off his body, earning another bouts of laughter.
"Giving up little brother?" Bheem tauted, knowing all too well, his younger brother, would never back down from a challenge.
"Never." Nakul's gaze clashed with his wife's, who gave him a sympathic smile.
God bless her kind heart, she really was too sweet. "Let's get going." He stood up, making the others laugh.
Yudhisthir shook his head, amusement filling his heart, while he gazed at his brother, who looked positively repulsed, and a little scared.
After all messing with the eldest Kaurav, was no joke.
And that is how, Nakul found himself standing near the bonfire, where his cousins sat with their wives, along with Ayushman.
Gazing at the laters face, jealousy stirred, fury stroking his emotions. "Ypu ready dear brother?" Arjun's smoky timber had him frowning.
"You can ever be ready to seduce your own damn cousin?" He deadpanned, earning another round of snickers.
"Oh Duryodhan muuaahh." Bheem teased in a breathy voice, others pressed their lips, controlling their laughter.
Draupadi shook her head, amusement stirring in her soul. Her heart lightened, gazing at the five, who bickered and chatted.
The years of bond, deep interwoven soulful connection, could be seen among the five.
There were so many memories, and such deep understanding, they all shared. Unlike any other, she had ever seen.
It was almost like they were just reflections of each other. A sigh passed through her lips.
"Drau!" A grinning Dhara bolted down to their wife, wrapping her arms around their wife like it had been ages since they met and not just a few hours.
The five raised a brow, could they ever understand women? Nada. It was a vain cause.
"Dhara." Their wife cooed, making the five stiffle a smile, it was really crazy, just how her voice could make them smile, for no apparent reason.
"Ah so the lady annoyance is here. At least for tonight I thought I'll have some peace." Duryodhan's teasing tone, greeted them, they all moved to sit around the logs, that faced the fire.
Drau took a seat near Pauravi and Bhanumati, rolling her eyes. "You and peace? That means never messing up, and by the looks of this two, you are still in deep trouble."
"I-" Duryodhan cut himself off, his eyes moving to Nakul who moved through the clearing and towards him.
And that was not what caught his attention, something was really wrong, he squinted his eyes gazing at him, trying to understand what was wrong.
A confused silence descended over the area, along with amusement. The eldest's Kaurav's eyes widened, as realisation hit him like a bolt of thunder.
Nakul was swaying his hips, and moving. . .uh. . .seductively? He thought, utterly confused.
"Uh? Nakul?" Duryodhan voiced his confusion gazing at his cousin, like he had suddenly grown a second head.
A flirty smile playing on the lips of the elder twin, who gazed up at his cousin, with fake desire filled eyes.
Confusion and awkwardness like never before slammed hard in Duryodhan. The level of awkwardness hitting throughthe roof.
"Nakul, what are you doing?" He asked, weirded out by his cousin's behavior. Had the guy finally lost what brain was left?
"I don't know, I can no longer control myself." He flirted his eyes lashes, the way he had seen many girls do in front of him.
"Than why do you drink, knowing you can't control yourself." The eldest Kaurav rolled his eyes, looking away, ready to return to his conversation with Draupadi.
Thanking his stars, that it was only his cousin's drunk idiocy. But-hold the hell up. Nakul never drank, neither did the pandavas.
Duryodhan's heart sped, the first tendril of fear unfurled in his chest.
"I-"
A shudder of disgust racked through his body, Nakul's fingers now reached his chest. Tracing patterns, while he batted his eyelashes at the eldest son of Gandhari.
Whose face scrunched up in a mixture of confusion and disgust. "What the-"
"It is not alcohol." The eldest twin nearly purred, enjoying the look of confusion and horror on his cousin's face.
The three love interest of Duryodhan shared a look. Confusion clear on their expressions, what in the heaven is happening here?
"Dhara what is happening?" Pauravi whispered, her gaze hooked at the scene ahead of her.
"Idiocy in freaking captials." Whispered the handmaid, scratching the back of her head.
"Why is Nakul Bhraata behaving that way?" Bhanumati asked concerned, was he sick? Did something go wrong? Had he developed some kind of fever.
"Maybe Panchi hit him on his head?" It was Ayushman who answered, amusement lacing his words.
"Drau would never hit her husband." Pauravi shot back, trying to solve the mystery unfolding in front of her eyes.
"What in the bloody heaven?" Sugandha was lost, rubbing her eyes with the back of her hands, was this all her hallucination? Or one pandav was seducing a Kaurav?
"Enemies to lovers. I thought that only happened in books?" She asked utterly confused.
"Shut up Sugandha. My Arya would never do that." The eldest wife of Duryodhan growled.
"Oh honey I missed you so much!" Nakul all but exclaimed, making everyone jolt. "Honey?!" Multiple voices of pandavas, Kauravas, and their wives choursed.
Some shocked to core, other humored to death. "Whose honey?" Duryodhan jolted away from Nakul. "You moron you are my cousin. Step the hell back Nakul." The eldest Kaurav all but growled.
Fear sparkling in his chest. Put him in the middle of a freaking war, and he'll go swinging his mace, but a cousin's seducing him?
He was ready to flee off the place. "Love doesn't step back-"
"My fist doesn't either." Duryodhan growled. "Oh! Who knew love would happen when Nakul met Duryodhan!" Arjun's remark had the pandavas cracking up like hyenas.
Yudhisthir folded his hand over his chest, an amused expression on his face, gazing at his younger twin, who now twirled.
Draupadi leaned against a tree laughing silently. "Dury baby-"
"Dury baby?!" Multiple voices shouted, shocked and bursting in laughter. "You moron! Step back. I swear Nakul I will kill you." The fear behind Duryodhan's anger didn't go missing.
Nakul gave him an determined look, along with a seductive smile. "I am not afraid to die. Dying at your hand would be an honor. After all dying at the love of your life-"
"Panchaali! Control your damn husband!" Duryodhan ducked when Nakul launched, trying to tackle him in a hug.
The eldest Kaurav moved behind Panchaali, holding her in between his crazy cousin and himself.
"Panchaali my honor is now your responsibility." He all but whined, the three younger pandavas knees buckled, as they fell on the hard floor, gasping for breaths, in between their laughs.
Their stomach hurt, tears tracing the corner of their eyes.
Draupadi wiped the corner of her eyes, wiping away the tears that had leaked. "Duryodhan, I am merely a girl. What can I do?" Amusement rang through her words.
"Freaking pull his ear the way you did mine-"
"She pulled your ear?!" Multiple voices shouted shocked, before falling in bouts of laughter. "You morons better help me!" The eldest Kaurav shouted.
"Karma bites in the ass." Bheem said in between his laughs. "My ass is not a freaking appetizer-"
Dushasan out of no where shouted, "I know what is wrong!!!"
"Oh! I know! Back off you devil! I call upon the holy power of lord Shiva! And command your errand soul to abandon the body of my cousin! Die you ghost die!" Dushasan screamed out of nowhere, a look of pure horror marring his faces.
As he picked up his beads of rudhraksh, and forced it on Nakul's face, who sputtered jumping back.
For a moment everything froze, a silence descended over the place, as everyone watched a terrified Dushasan hold the rudhraksh string, pushing in the face of Nakul, who too blinked at the sudden outburst of his second cousin.
Before the silence shattered, and howling laughter filled the air.
The pandavas coughed, covering the laughter, that bubbled up in their chest. While the females freely giggled.
"Eh?" Nakul blinked at his second elder cousin, was he being serious? "I am not possessed by a ghost."
"EVERY GHOST SAYS THE SAME THING!" Roared Dushasan, jumping from one feet to another.
"Than what the fuck are you doing?" Snapped the eldest Kaurav, freaked at his cousin's behavior.
Nakul put on best of his smile, "Oh the same disease that sends off butterflies off in your stomach. . ."
"Diarrhoea? You have diarrhea?" Nakul sputtered momentarily gazing at his eldest cousin like he had lost a marble or two, and the others bursted out laughing.
"Oh god! I just died!" Bheem and Arjun leaned against each other, laughing like there was no tomorrow. Gasping for oxygen that refused to reach his lungs, from all the laughing.
"How in the heaven did you even managed to get married?" Sehdev asked stumped, humor tainting his words, before roaring laughter tore through his lips.
"Oh trust me, when I say his flirting skills were minus ten level." Pauravi said in between her laughs rolling her eyes.
"Not the freaking time woman! Save your man's honor!" Roared Duryodhan, chocking on panic.
Pauravi snorted, "the husband who didn't tell me about all his love affairs-"
"The husbands is about to die and that is all you care about?!" Duryodhan sputtered. "Apparently Prince Duryodhan Karma is bitch, and in your case, a bitch in heat." Dhara said nonchalantly.
Roaring laughter filled the place, Bheem, Sehdev and Arjun, were now literally rolling on the ground.
"This is your brotherhood!" Duryodhan growled, "Nah this is us saving our manhood. Yours is apparently in danger." Bheem deadpanned, earning another round of laughter.
"Nakul! Wake up from this hallucination! What the heck is wrong with you" The eldest Kaurav all but growled.
"Oh you know the same problem. I have been caught by a condition where I can't sleep at night, I can no longer eat and drink. My heart beats so fast, it's almost dizzying. My mind is constantly at unrest thinking about y-"
"Oh ho Nakul! You have high blood pressure. Sehdev-" Dushasan added, a distant look marring his face, and the round of laughter just doubled.
"These case is hopeless." Nakul announced, raising his hands in defeat. "Oh don't give up brother! Hypertension can be managed-"
"I don't have hypertension!" The eldest twin grumbled, as the others just continued laughing like there was no tomorrow.
Nakul huffed, "I am going out, I need a break. You guys are all down right mean." He stomped off, grumbling under his breath.
"Arya-"
"He is fine Drau. That's Nakul throwing tantrum." Yudhisthir assured, giving her a soft smile. While others continued to laugh.
"What was that all about?" Duryodhan asked confused, sitting on the ground in relief. "A dare." Bheem grinned, answering broadly.
Duryodhan all but lunged at him, and the two disappeared in forest, where the first was shouting to hell and back, the latter laughed like there was no tomorrow.
Draupadi gazed at the path, where her husband had walked off too, worry intensifying in the pit of her stomach.
"Don't worry, he is fine." Yudhisthir assured her, as he walked up behind her.
"We'll go get him." Arjun promised, as he along with his cousins and brothers moved to look for his younger brother.
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Nakul huffed, moving towards the throngs of people who sat around, eating and drinking.
The common area, amidst the forest, assigned for people to mingle, was brimming with people.
Different lanters hung from various trees, bonfire lit at various places, surrounded by logs for people to sit and chat about.
Some chairs were put together, in front of a table, where it made up a copying sitting area, with lots of cold water on table, and some juices.
Moving to the sitting area, he pulled out a chair, too lost in his mind to note the man behind him.
His chest hit another's. "I am sorry. " He apologized, moving ahead. Too tired from the stunt he pulled back with his cousin.
That was probably the most epic prank, he thought snorting a laugh. "Hey! How dare you?" An angry male voice roared, snapping him out of his trance.
Annoyance flittered through the eldest twin, "I said I am sorry." Turning to face, the man he had run in.
A bulky tall man, loomed over him, flexing his chest, glaring down at Nakul, trying to intimidate him.
The eldest son of Madri wanted to roll his eyes, did he really think this tricks would work on him? What did this man think he was? Five?
He rolled his eyes, "Lo-"
"You know who I am?" An over confident, snarky voice asked glaring, his face contorting in am ugly sneer.
"Oh I am sorry did you have a memory loss? I am sure, someone will help you here, to identify you your identity." Forcing a fake sympathic voice, the eldest son of Madri assured, patting the man's head like he was a lost puppy.
And not a bulkier and taller male than him. Had Nakul been any less of an honored man, he probably would have cowered.
But too bad, the eldest son of Madri didn't become, the best swordsman in the world, by being pushed around.
A silence fell over the place, as everyone watched the interaction with a hushed silence.
Fear and shock blanketed the air. As everyone gazed at the scene ahead of them. Some intrigued, others humored, but majority were terrified, and were sending Nakul sympathic looks.
Nakul took in all the varied reaction, whoever this male was, he was someone everyone was afraid of.
Warth contorted on the man's face. Darkening his face all the more. Tension reigned the place, so much so, Nakul could almost see people holding their breath, waiting for the man's next move.
He took a step towards Nakul, who folded his hands over his chest, face hardening.
The beast in him stirred, a mind numbing calmness cloaking his mind.
All too familiar darkness arose, world's best swords man, a part of him, that hardly ever arose except from the war field, now peaked through his dark orbs.
Mentally grinning from ear to ear, the anticipatory copper fragrance of blood, mixed with sweat and dirt. Reminded him of wars.
The darkness arose, lethal and menacing. Ready to create destruction, that he commanded by his sword.
Men clustered around the stranger, throngs of them closing around Nakul.
Fury marring their features, out of the corner of his eye, he noted his cousins and brothers moving in.
And just like that, he forced down the darkness. His playful side stepped out. Oh yeah, this could be fun. He bit back a grin.
"Oh yes! I know you will hurt me. And you should! After all who do I have, who cares for me?" He began, in an overly dramatic tone, his eyes moving to his brothers, who all stood gazing at the scene ahead of them.
Confusion marred through the expressions of the men surrounding him. "Are you mocking me?" The stranger rumbled, stepping up, enclosing on Nakul.
The Kuruvanshi brothers all rolled their eyes. "Why don't we have some juice?" Yudhisthir suggested, moving towards the counter.
"I want mango." Duryodhan stretched his hands over his head, walking down like the most unconcerned man on this planet.
"Me too. It's been a long day." Bheem agreed, the two walking ahead. "They'll have something to eat right?" Sehdev asked.
"Oh I am certain, they have some great appetizers." Arjun all but moaned the last word, earning a roll of laughter from others, while Duryodhan shot him a dark look.
Nakul gazed at his brothers stumped, where they freaking serious?! He was about to be pummeled to ground and they wanted freaking juices?
The Kuruvanshi brothers' sat around one of the bonfires, from where they can keep an eye on Nakul, sipping on their beverages, talking animatedly to each other.
If he wanted to play this game, the others decided they could play too.
"What the fuck?!" The eldest son of Madri, all but shouted. The stranger pulled his hand back, and slammed it hard in Nakul's jaw.
"Ow. That would bruise ugly." Sehdev faked a wince, "But he had a mean right hook." Arjun commented dryly.
"Are you guys serious? He is hitting your brother, you should protect him!" Ayushman all but asked shocked, worry building in the pit of his stomach.
"Who invited you here?" Bheem grumbled, glaring at the man. "Sit down Ayushman or fuck off." Duryodhan pointed at the seat ahead of him, too engrossed at the altercation ahead of him.
Nakul gazed at the stranger, "Don't hit my face, other than that all is fine." He all but grumbled, straightening.
The crowd held their breath, while the stranger growled. Another punched, Nakul ducked.
A third kick and the pandav was slammed hard against the ground. "This juice is good." Duryodhan all but hummed appreciatively.
Two man lunged, holding Nakul down, "Brother!" He shouted, gazing at his brothers. "Did you hear something?" Yudhisthir asked, faking confusion.
"A mosquito?" Arjun suggested, "Jyest! This is so not fair!" They heard the twin shout, amusement speared through their lips.
The stranger fisted his hand around a dagger, moving towards Nakul. A sadistic smile playing on his lips.
"You will regret ever meeting me!" He all but roared, he almost moved too fast to be noticed, pulling his hand back, and lunging ahead, aiming for Nakul's heart.
A hand wrapped around the back of the stranger's neck, and on his shoulder, using his body momentum, to pull him in a circle and throw him across the area.
The man stumbled, hitting another, and hit the hard, uneven ground with a loud thump.
"Planning to end our lover boy? The female population will surely curse you to hell and back." Duryodhan drawled, standing as a shield between his cousin and the man posing a threat.
"You will regret-"
"When it comes to protecting my brother, there is nothing I wouldn't do." The eldest Kaurav flexed his chest, snapping his neck bones.
"Ha! Meet my kickass cousin you brute!' Nakul exclaimed cheerfully.
"On a second thought, you know what? Go ahead. This one is too annoying." Duryodhan jested, shrugging as he turned and began moving away.
"Jyest! I was kidding!" The eldest twin whined. "You would let your handsome cousin die. Think about the world without my glory, the world will sink in darkness."
Duryodhan snorted, amusement filling him. "Shut up Nakul." Multiple male voices chorused.
"Freaking family drama." The stranger growled, dusting himself as he growled. Swinging his fist at Duryodhan, Yudhisthir's hand wrapped around the man's wrist.
"Touching my younger brother's as long as I am alive, is a feat people can only dream about." The cold, calm words sparked more terror, than roaring shouts ever could.
And just like that all the hell broke loose. The pandavas and Kauravas moved like a well oiled machine, syncing with each other's movements.
A man picked up a sharp shredded piece of glass, attacking Sehdev. Duryodhan clutched Sehdev's shoulder, pushing him out of the way, the sharp piece shredded Duryodhan's left shoulder.
The coppery scent of the blood filled the air, pandavas and Dushasan froze alike.
Before they roared, fueling their attacks. Kicking and punching, ducking and defending each other.
Nakul elbowed a man in the gut, smashing the heel of his foot on another's jaw, cracking it.
Blood flowing freely.
A feminine gasp of terror had the pandavas and the two Kaurav brothers' freezing alike, their eyes moving towards the parted crowd where their Draupadi stood.
The men lunged, tackling the pandavas and Kaurav duo on the floor, using their distraction to their benefit.
Her face paled, eyes wide in concern and terror. This was not what she had expected to walk in. Her family fighting others.
Shock numbed her senses. Her eyes tracing the faces of her husbands, who looked all fine, except a few bruises.
Dushasan looked angry but was fine, but the blood on Duryodhan's shoulder had worry clutching in her chest.
"Step back!" She all but shouted, her face contorting in determination. Letting her family get hurt, was the last thing she wanted.
"Go back." Nakul's voice had suddenly lost all the traces of emotions, his eyes hardening.
"Return back right this instant." Bheem growled, his eyes zeroing on his wife.
Under the mask, he could see the fear, and the fight that he had been using as a warm up, five minutes before, now posed a threat to his love, and there was nothing he wouldn't do to assure her safety.
Throngs of people stood in between them, but nothing mattered. His dark gaze locked with hers, commanding her to go back.
This was no place for her, not at all. "Who are you?" The leery male voice, had the five bristling. Cold, icy veins of wrath shuttered down, slithering through them, a poison that flowed through their blood stream.
"None of your damn business." Arjun growled, straining against the arms that tightened, holding him back.
His heart was suddenly beating a mile per hour, the protective predator in him, was beginning to prepare himself for a hunt where the prey would be shredded.
"Stop being so stubborn! Return back you annoying woman." Duryodhan snapped, his eyes hiding the fear behind the anger.
The damn woman was like a sister. Didn't she understand? She was more distraction than any of them could afford.
Draupadi gazed at her family, how could she just leave them? They are her family, the Kauravas are her brothers, and pandavas her husbands.
Could she just let them be at the hands of the fate? Her gaze met Yudhisthir's. Who wore a mask of calmness, his eyes cold.
Though he was restrained, by at least a dozen men, it was clear, they could hold him back, because he was letting them to.
The lethal aura of the eldest Kuruvanshi, stroked her heart, warmth and fear stirred in her, even though the destruction, she was seeing under the mask of indifference, was not aimed at her.
He didn't command anything, but he promised future so dark for all here, if they touched her.
Awe reflected on many faces, lust replacing it soon after. Bheem's protective beast stirred, that uncontrollable rage shimmered.
Red tinting his vision. The monster in him grinned, anticipation the coppery smell in the air. And the terrorized looks, when the prey realised they were about to die.
"Who I am is none of your concern. What matters is that you better take your hands off him." Stomping down the terror, Draupadi walked ahead.
Her posture screaming every bit of elegance, a mask of indifference and command sat perfectly on her face.
The male tilted his head sideways, amusement and lust unfurling in him. He turned his back to Nakul, facing Draupadi.
Sehdev pulled in a deep breath of oxygen, he like his brothers' was struggling to keep a lid on the beast. The gut wrenching need to protect, dominating his sense.
She was his. And he'll be damned before a hair on her head was touched.
"You are a fool. Had it been someone else, I would have torn them down. But beauty like yours needs to appreciated not wasted."
She snorted, feigning nonchalance. "Too bad, I would rather be counted by an animal, than someone like you, who corners innocents. And people like you are worse than those animals residing in the forest-"
A rumbling growl tore through the place, "You bitch!" The man all but roared, lunging for Draupadi.
Everything seemed to slow down for a second. Wind froze for a moment, as the crowd seemed to vanish. Terror's pungent smell filtered through the place.
And before anyone could process, the Kuruvanshi's moved. Letting themselves loose, this time they aimed for death.
Bheem flung the men holding him down, like matchsticks in air. Pulling his hand back, he roared, slamming his fist on the ground.
That trembled under his assault, and cracked up. Dividing the ground between Panchaali and the threat ahead of her.
Arjun slammed a man in the ground, tearing off his limb. Sehdev snapped another's neck. Nakul broke someone's backbone.
"Having knowledge of human body doesn't just enables me to be heal me in best of ways, kill one painfully too." His deadly cold voice had the men scattering like cockroaches.
Yudhisthir crushed heads, and slammed down men. Duryodhan and Dushasan helping them at every point.
And before anyone could blink, the party ground, was flowing with blood. Groaning and pain filled cries filling the grounds.
As the men lay on the ground in their own blood, limbs twisted in odd angles, bones crushed, and blood flowing.
But the worst? None of them dead. The pandavas and Kauravas breathed heavily, gazing at their artwork of destruction.
"What is happening here?!" An authoritative voice all but roared, the terrified and stunned crowd parted. A man followed by seven others, along with three women walked in.
Gasps of horror filled the air. A man stepped ahead, his face masked with indifference, as he surveyed the destruction.
"I am Shreepathi. The head of the organizing committee. Would you like to explain what happened?" The command in his voice didn't go unnoticed.
Yudhisthir stepped up, explaining everything. The man sighed. "You and your team may leave. We are sorry for the happenings here." The man nodded, beckoning a bunch of men to clear the grounds.
Yudhisthir nodded, "Let's go." His commanding voice broke the trance, and the brothers moved.
"Drau." Arjun reached her first. "Not here." Yudhisthir's emotionless words, had Arjun freezing.
His gaze moved to her head, the lack of vermilion screaming her single status. He mentally growled, hating that he can't touch her.
"Let's return to our camp." Bheem suggested, as they moved towards their camp, too lost in the happenings of the day. . .
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