The voice was like thunderstorm deep yet powerful, those words hold the utmost determine, the syntax of words reflect the major trust upon the divinity.
The man, though covered with numbers of bandages, some of which also blood soaked, stood their at the entrance like the king of God himself, rigid, dedicated to his aim. An unearthly glow was emitting from his injured body, to make everyone on the arena to gawk upon him, also with a baffled expression about the identity of this unknown man, who tried to challenge the competition which the greatest of warrior could not tackle. But the difference between taking part and challenging was huge, where this hazel eyed man wanted to take part, others wanted to challenge the obstacle.
Regaining the composure first, the prince of Panchal walked forward a little, to see this man fully, who also now near the podium accompanied with a huge man, whose face was also covered with bandages and paste of medicinal plant.
"Who are you? You want to take part on this competition, but you're clad into saffron, you're uttering about divinity whereas you're soaked with blood. Before taking part or anything, you need treatment, it'll be well of you get treated first, O man" the prince of Panchal chimed, he was bit sceptical about the man's claim, but obviously could not avoid the situation he's in.
"My robe doesn't define my intention, O prince of Panchal,but I can't be more grateful to you, that despite me urging to taking part of this competition, you still thought for my health. But I request to all of you, let me take part on this. I may not win but respecting my teacher's teaching I want to take part on to it." The man uttered, eyes never lacking determination, body postured like an competent warrior.
"I appreciate your courage, young man. But knowing that, the result of this competition is synonymous to my daughter's future, how can I let you join? You may win, or may not but as a father how can I permit anyone to take part into it. If you're interested state your name, your family" the king of Panchal stated, though his words seemed to be rough but his inner father was baffled with the situation.
"I understand your turmoil, O great king of Panchal. But I just want to take part, giving your daughter's hand, if I succeeded will be completely upto the princess and you. Princess, here has the ultimate power to choose, it'll be her decision only, and I'll accept whatever she decides. I just want to take part of this competition as an archer, with no intention of claiming the princess, as I believe one cannot claim another with any competition or duel, the only way one should ask for another would purely based of love and compassion, human are living being, not some inanimate objects, which one can claims. And as per my name, aren't we all child of God, I'm also one of them, I thrive my life on my education, which happened to be archery, I lead my life happily with my family. If this satisfies your questions." the mysterious man uttered, his words are hold and clear.
Before any royal from Panchal can uttered any word, the whole arena burst out of hysteric laugh mocking the said man.
"You, a lowlife, uttering so much words of wisdom, want to take part? Lowlife, feed your brain some consciousness and back off, where we, eminent warrior can't do anything you think you can? Don't anger me." Some prince chimed, while getting lot's of support from others.
"Yes, back off lowlife, royals of Panchal can be merciful, but we won't take our humiliation easily" other kings stated getting acknowledgement nods from others.
"You have so much arrogance, haven't you? A lowlife, urging to take part in this competition. Remember if you fail, which is too obvious, you're going to pyre too, with the arrogant princess of Panchal or should I say, the unchaste friend of Yadav krishna" the second prince of Hastinapur chimed with a nasty smirk on his face.
The man visibly clenched his fist, making his knuckle white, his jaw is set, with anger but still trying to keep his composure.
The royals of Panchal were fuming by the remark of second prince of Hastinapur about their pride, their daughter.
"Beware, prince of Hastinapur" the prince of Panchal roared.
For the first time, the Narayan himself went forward, placing an assured palm on the shoulder blade of enraged prince of Panchal, he tried making him less stressful.
"With due respect, O king of Panchal, I want to put my words." The peetambar voiced, earning a nod from the king.
"This young man here, as he stated, never wanted to claim anything. Neither the crown of winning nor the princess of Panchal. He just wanted to take part. If he by any chance win, as it's impossible According to others, it'll be Kalyani's decision fully to accept him or not. The competition is not bound to this arena right now, as the prince of Hastinapur claimed that no human in this land, cannot conquer this, maybe that's why this young man, wants to take part. As he said, a woman, a human cannot be claimed by winning a competition, so it's not mandatory for princess to marry this young man. But as an archer, I think he just wanted to take part, maybe because of the tempting offer to touch the divinity given by the lord of archer. Please let him take part. And as I said, it's completely upto the princess whom she'll wed maybe she has already lost her heart to any prince or king from the arena. Let this man try and let the princess choose" the Narayan himself chimed, though his other words enraged other royalty, but the mentioning of princess having her fondness to some prince or king from this arena made them anticipated and curious.
So, if the king and other royal give this young man permission, he may proceed, so that the princess can state about the certain royal, she became fond" the Narayan uttered with a hint of naughtiness.
"You can proceed young man, but I'll advise you to refrain from any thoughts which is not appropriate for you" the king of Panchal stated, while gaining acknowledgement from the others, though certain prince of Hastinapur wasn't happy but now he could not do anything.
"Sure, O king of Panchal. I'll never look or seek something which wasn't destined to me, please allow me" the man who was silent, now uttered.
Earning a nod,from the king, he proceeded towards the podium where the divine Kindhura was placed. Reaching upto the spot, he first joined his palm to showing his respect to the divinity. He glanced upto the royals of Panchal, to pay them their respect, until his hazel locked with certain blue black orbs. Those orbs who held the power of universe, yet tender and kind, those orbs which can slaughter anyone who had ever wronged, yet held the fondness of a mother. He folded his palm to depict his respect to the fire born princess, who seemed to be unfazed with everything going, though he can feel the inner Strom she was suppressing.
Detaching his orbs, despite his reluctance, he again focused onto the divinity. He placed his palm onto them, but not to grab it but to pay it's deserved respect. Placing his palm onto his head to pay homage to the divinity. Uttering the mantras dedicated to the supreme lord to tribute him, he softly placed his palm on the divine bow again with utmost care, with a slight tug, he was able to lift the divinity whom the others failed to even stir a little. The whole arena was prevailed by silence now, as if in some trance. With utmost care,he lifted the divinity to touch it with his forehead to pay his utter admiration to it. Now, with utmost tenderness, he lifted the arrow which was designed for the feat. He slowly approached the artificial lake, to take glance at the moving fish, on the vast sky. He went on his knees, to take a certain posture before dedicating his every attention from each of his cells to the certain red eye of the floating fish. Admiring, and examining it's velocity and frequency of it's moving, he decided the trajectory of the arrow. A loud growl of the string heard as he released the arrow, which as per his calculation, hit the eye of the floating fish, making the whole illustration of sky to burst onto the shed of flowers, rare flowers accompanied with the blue lotus was being shed on the man and the princess.
Every one, on the arena was dumbfounded, and amazed by the heavenly scene they witnessed, until the clapping sound from the Narayan himself. No one could believed what happened now,how a lowlife can achieve which they everyone failed miserably. The growl of every royal pierced the whole arena. Everyone took their weapon to kill the man who dared to humiliate them, until a soft and deep voice halted them.
"I accept Prince Arjuna of Panchprasth, who also happened to be lord of Indraprastha, as my wedded husband" the fire born princess of Panchal chimed gazing deeply into the hazel orbs, which were shining, making her witness the glowing night sky.
Everyone, including the royals of Panchal were baffled, how can she accepted Arjuna when he wasn't even present here.
"The Princess went lunatic, that's she's accepted someone who's not even present here" the arrogant prince of Hastinapur chimed with utter mockery, making the man enraged. Everyone from, the arena was putting allegation on the princess of her being lunatic. The man was their, holding the bow, enraged but could not do anything with out the permission of the Panchal king.
The prince of Panchal was on verge to attack every one with his arrows who dared to utter nonsense about his beloved sister, until the peetambar again placed his palm onto his shoulder to calm him.
"Isn't it the duty of a husband to protect his wife from every malice, and now when the princess herself accepted her husband, it's his work now. Am I wrong Parth?" The Narayan uttered looking at the man holding the divine Kindhura. "Or, you want Kalyani to go to you and unveil your identity, O third son Great Pandu" he again chimed, making the said man to blush profusely at the mention of his beloved.
"Arjuna?" The king of Panchal voiced the question of all human present at the arena.
"Yes, Arjuna. The third pandav, disciple of great Dronacharya, and life partner of your daughter, O king of Panchal. Please allow your daughter to garland the man, and unveil his identity as the man was much excited to be unveiled by his partner not by others" he uttered making the said man blush even more if it's possible, a shade of crimson already adorning the princess of Panchal.
With a content smile, the king of Panchal, along with fire born prince, his valouras daughter and obviously with the yadav krishna accompanied the fire born princess towards the man who was acclaimed to be third pandav.
Every step of her towards him, making his hear beat accelerate more, he can visualise the supreme lady herself walking towards himself, blessings his eternally. His orbs never left those blue black orbs of his beloved. And, as his beloved now stood in the reach of his arm, he was having hard time restrain himself from engulfing his beloved into his embrace to calm his heightened nerve which his beloved only can provide tranquility to.
Reaching upto his face, she carefully unfolded those bandage to unveil the divine beauty of this tan skinned man. But which faze her more was the cut marks on his ethereal face,now she was looking it closer,she can feel ignition into her vein, ready to erupt. Her whole self was shaking not because of ecstasy of looking to her beloved but because of rage looking onto those marks upon her beloved. Sensing her volcanic rage the Narayan placed his palm on her head to calm her in facade of patting her head. As if an magic, it surely did calm her.
But the whole arena burst in growl, witnessing the the third pandav, they wanted to shout, protest though nothing was there to be protested, but as if their voice halted, body stiffened, only eyes witnessing the scene unfolding.
The Princess took the garland made up of rare lotus, to put onto her beloved, orbs never left each other,they garlanded eachother binding them to a eternity. Divine smile cradling on their labiums, eyes glistening with the tear of fulfillment, they pledged to be eachother's again.
"I, Drupad, king of Panchal announce the wedding of third pandav and my daughter's on the upcoming Purnima which is tomorrow, you all are invited. Though they are already married now,but as a father I can't resist my temptation to arrange a grand ceremony. Please bless us with your presence" he stated.
"It's your duty now to protect my princess, and I can trust you with her. Right?" The father in him uttered.
"I, Arjuna, the son of great Pandu, and a blessed husband of your daughter, hereby promised you to take care of your daughter, who is now my wife, every thing which will be directed upon her has to pass me. Please let me take care of your daughter." Kiriti chimed with respect,to which he got engulfed with a fatherly embrace.
Detaching from his embrace, the third pandav looked upto her beloved, who was University to him, and quickly got entangled with those blue black orbs of her.
The two souls which always craved for eachother's, they again reunited, there will be storm but with eachother they'll conquer all.
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Author's note:
Long chapter.
I hope you enjoyed.
Marriage is onboard.
Everyone is welcomed to witness it.