The dark night sky was replaced by the blue colour with those patches of clouds spread across the horizon.
While Panchali heaved a heavy sigh, as her mind couldn't concentrate on her work.
She hated how she was slowly getting distracted by the recent happenings of her life. The one who always had her concentration only in her work, seemed to be disoriented on it.
Whatever Krishna said earlier on the previous day, seemed to not leaving her mind.
However the topic was related to those five men, who all of a sudden without their awareness made their way to her mind and consciousness, not leaving her a single time, alone with her own thoughts.
The way their determined looks lingered in her mind, the way Yudhisthir's resolved decision on not remarrying and Krishna's words regarding their oath, revolved in her head like a broken record.
Panchali pressed a certain pressure point on the side of her head, to reduce the pain.
She lowered the laptop screen and kept her arms over the table, clutching her head.
With her eyes closed, her vision showed the amused smiling face of Yudhisthir, the loud laughter of Bheem, Arjun's manly chuckle, Nakul's face breaking huge grin, and Sahdev's shy smile.
This time she wasn't irritated, or frustrated by their vision. She gulped as a certain restlessness setted on her heart.
Fear.
A certain fear clutched her soul. They were too pure to get entangle with her dark world.
She wanted to hurt them. She wanted to distance herself from them. Because, she wanted them to be happy in their life, that's the sole reason she wanted them to re-marry.
She didn't want them to mess with her life. She didn't want them to meddle with the darkness she was surrounded.
She was scared, this time. Not because of herself, but for them who resolved to be with her till eternity.
But how could she let them do that, when she knew that she wasn't herself aware of how much time left for her in the world.
Slowly, and steadily she was failing to protect the hard shell around her. And when the shell would break, she would be left with nothing but millions of broken pieces, while staying alive may become difficult for her by then.
Somewhere, Panchali knew that she was losing herself in the process. But she just couldn't come to let her pure husbands be a part of her dirty dark past.
They were the most pure soul she had ever encountered in her life, and God forbid if something happened to them because of her, she would never be able to forgive herself.
Panchali opened her eyes to meet the darkness in her study cabin. Though it was post lunch, with the broad daylight outside, she pulled the curtains, giving a complete access to the Darkness to prevail.
While the chilled temperature inside the cabin didn't have any effect on her.
"Malini." Panchali called her personal trusted handmaiden, who was apparently outside the study, cleaning some showpieces.
"Pranipaat Yuvrani." Malini was greeted by the usual darkness and chilled temperature.
However Panchali sighed heavily knowing what to do next, to confirm and get answers for her questions.
***
The sharpening of arrows was the only sound in the chamber of the Crown Prince, which was occupied by all his brothers.
While Arjun sharpened his arrows, sitting on the window pane, Yudhisthir was engaged in his work with scrolls and parchments, and Sahdev was meditating.
Nakul was as usual standing before the mirror trying a new bracelet while Bheem looked keenly at the bitter gourd that was dipped into a sugar syrup.
Vrikodar looked at Nakul for advice, as the latter sent a signal to go on with his mission.
He grabbed a bitter gourd and took a big bite of it. Soon the bitter taste hit his taste bud, as he coughed and spit out the gourd.
Nakul snickered at the scene, while Yudhisthir shook his head in amusement.
"Bhrata Bheem, kya kr rhe hai aap?" Sahdev asked with an merry smile, breaking his meditation.
(Bhrata Bheem, what are you doing?)
"Maine raat bhar inn karelo ko shakkar ki chasni mei rakha tha, Sahdev. Parantu iska swad toh vaisa ka vaisa hai." Bheem explained.
(I kept these bitter gourds in a sugar syrup throughout the night, Sahdev. But it has the same taste.)
"Varsho tak rakhoge tab sayad swad mei parivartan aayega, Bhratashree. Duryodhan mei parivartan aa gya, toh iss karele ki kya shakti." Nakul taunted, scoffing about Duryodhan's behaviour.
(If you keeps till years, then perhaps there will be a change, Bhrata Bheem. Duryodhan changed, what about this mere bitter gourd.)
"Jivan bhar rakhoge, tab bhi parivartan nhi aayega, Nakul. Kyuki karele ka astitwa, uske karvepan mei hi hai." Bheem commented, smirking.
(Even if you keep it till eternity, it won't change its taste. Because the bitter gourd has its value in its bitterness.)
"I agree." Arjun snickered. "This Duryodhan is being too nice nowadays. Not to forget how he repeatedly tried to murder us, or sideline us. Then, how all of a sudden did he agree with Jyest as the Yuvraj of Hastinapur."
"No body's heart is so weak that it has no place for righteousness, Arjun." Yudhisthir stated, with a warm smile.
"Pranipaat Yuvraj. Pranipaat Pandava Kumar." Mailini greeted the brothers, who nodded affirming.
"Rajkumar Sahdev, Yuvrani has asked for your sole presence. Pranipaat. " She continued, conveying the message, and moved out of the chamber.
Sahdev was visibly taken off guard by the message. He glanced at his brothers, who were literally gawking at him.
"W-what happened?" Sahdev asked, getting up from his mediating state.
"Sole presence?" Arjun repeated, looking into Sahdev's eyes.
Nakul came and stood infront of his visibly nervous twin. He held the former's arms, looking dead at his eyes.
"I know we are twins, Sahdev. But I am your elder twin, you know that. That meant I am elder than you." Nakul spoke, seriousness laced his voice.
"So...?" Sahdev trailed off.
"So, here's an advice for you. If you feel like being in danger in the den of the Lioness, just shout my name. I will be present to protect you with my handsome self." The seriousness was still present in Nakul's voice.
"What...?" Sahdev asked, being flabbergasted.
"Yes, you have my blessings with you. Vijay Bhava, Priye Anuj." Nakul blessed.
Sahdev was visibly dumbfounded, "I ain't going to a war, Nakul, that you are blessing me."
"Exactly, you aren't going to a war." Arjun stated. "Then, what's with that nervousness on your face?"
It was then Sahdev realised his situation and the prank his brothers pulled to cheer him up, as there was soon a loud laughter echoed in the chamber.
Being the youngest, he was the most pampered child, because he was also a lot more sensitive than them.
He had always been under the shadow of his elder brothers and his parents till the time they were alive.
Not to forget that he had never spent any alone time with Panchali, which was the sole reason why he was nervous all of a sudden by the message that she called his sole presence.
"Sahdev." Yudhisthir called. "You love her, right?"
He was slightly taken off guard by the sudden question, but soon he nodded slowly and silently.
"Exactly. We all do love her. Then, why are you getting nervous? Love is a beautiful feeling, you know that. And moreover, what more can she do than say some words that might hurt you, that might hurt us but will it change our perspective towards her?" Yudhisthir explained further while Sahdev shook his head in denial, slowly getting the meaning.
"Exactly our love for her is unconditional. Because we don't have anything to get in return. We love her for how she is, not her words." Bheem added.
A warm smile made it's way to Sahdev's face, as he realized his nervousness was futile.
He nodded, taking their advice.
"Okay, little brother, I think you should go now or else..." Arjun trailed off as another laughter spreaded.
"Yes, Vijay Bhava, Balak." Nakul blessed comically, raising his palms.
Sahdev shook his head at Nakul's antics and moved out of the room, not before taking a glance at his brothers' assuring looks.
***
"This way, Rajkumar." Malini showed the unfamiliar door to Sahdev, who frowned.
Before he could ask her anything, Malini went away. Reason, Panchali told her to do so.
He gulped slightly, opening the door. However, his eyes were greeted with a pitch dark surrounding.
Goosebumps spread over his body as the chilled temperature inside turned his pulse rate fast.
"Yuvrani." His soft voice echoed in that room, but he was only greeted with an eerie silence.
His breath turned heavy while he touched his arms, feeling cold in the not-so-naturally chilled temperature.
A certain restless thought settled in his heart. Is she alright?
"Yuvrani." He once again called. "Are you there?"
And all of a sudden a ticking sound of footsteps was heard, behind him, as he frowned heavily.
The first thought that kicked his warrior mind, was some assassin who perhaps hurt Panchali, and that's why she wasn't present over there.
He gulped, as uncertainties settled over his heart while a slow fear gripped his soul.
What if something happened to Yuvrani? He thought, but soon dismissed it.
He needed to focus on the assassin, who maybe was there to attack him, too.
Sahdev strategically calculated the footsteps that was slowly coming closer to him, from behind.
His right hand went to the dagger, in his waistband. He held it tightly.
The ticking sound of the footsteps echoed in the dark room.
Just four steps more. He thought, as the assassin was close to him.
His breath faltered, as he concentrated only on the sound of the footsteps inside the dark room. Because he couldn't see anything, he had to focus on his hearing sense.
Three.
He was a warrior, and over the years they were taught to cope up with every situation.
Two.
Dealing with darkness, was one of them, where their visual sense won't be any help, they need to work on their hearing and smelling senses.
One.
And it all worked within a second, as Sahdev pulled out the knife from its sheath, and pinned the assassin to the nearest wall, keeping the dagger dangerous against the throat.
To say Panchali was astonished, would be the understatement of the year.
She looked at Sahdev, felt him to be precise, as it was complete darkness, who held her by his dagger in such a dangerous way, that it could make her throat slit if she made even a slightest movement.
She wasn't angered by the stunt he pulled. Yes, surprisingly.
"Who are you?" Three words question by Sahdev, held so much of authority that amused Panchali weirdly.
Her blue lotus fragrance wasn't helping as the study cabin was already filled with a fragrance of room freshener.
Sahdev was going out of temper, as his mind thought something happened to Panchali.
"I am asking for the last time. Who the hell are you? And where is Yuvrani? What did you do with her?" He asked gritting his teeth.
However, Panchali had her eyebrows raised in amusement with a smirk on her lips, listening to his dangerous threat.
She liked it.
Well, she didn't know that her youngest shy and introverted husband could be this intimidating.
A thin beam of light fell over her orbs, as the nearest curtain flapped.
While, Sahdev had his eyes widened, as his lips parted open in shock.
Those ocean blue orbs.
His hand that held the dagger automatically lowered, as the same depth of ocean like eyes stared back at him with such an intensity that caged him in a spell like none other.
"Yuvrani..." He muttered in a trance.
Before Sahdev could comprehend, it again happened within a second, as Panchali snatched the dagger and reversed their position, pinning him against the wall.
This time she held the dagger against his neck.
His breath turned heavy, as he realized the close proximity between them. The cold steel metal of the dagger, touched the side of his neck.
Their breaths mingled, while the chilled temperature did no help, as his forehead started forming cold sweats.
"Don't you again dare to pull such stunt, Sahdev." The soft hoarse voice of her, only made him more nervous than he was.
Panchali wasn't at all angered or frustrated, but what she felt was something she herself didn't know.
"You and your brothers have the time till Dussehra." She mentioned, making him furrow his eyebrows, about what was she saying.
He gulped in nervousness, as he watched her eyes dropping till his lips, which lingered for about two seconds, and then again clashed with his eyes.
The cold metal was still held by her against his neck.
"Two days. 48 hours. You all have got only 2880 minutes, to rethink about your decision which I offered about your remarriage." Panchali stated, with absolutely no emotion lacing her voice.
His heart skipped a beat hearing her talking about the topic which broke their heart before, and once again he could feel the same disappointment crawling into his heart.
"Even if you give us a second to think, our decision will remain the same, Yuvrani." Sahdev declared, in a low voice.
Yuvrani. The way they pronounce the word, held a huge difference from others as it always gave a path to a weird kind of warmth to her otherwise cold heart.
She didn't know why but she did notice how these five brothers avoid taking her name.
Coming from a modern family, she never understood the stereotypical thought process of the wives who refer their husbands as Swami or Arya, while the husbands had no issues with taking their wives name both in privately and publicly.
However, her five unusual husbands did exactly the opposite, but not entirely went to the stereotypical road by calling her as Swamini, rather they preferred to call her as Yuvrani.
"Still it's my responsibility to warn you all." She warned, in a soft voice. "Don't mess with me. Because you never know what could be the consequences by then."
"I am burning in my own fire, and whoever comes to me, will be burned brutally." She added, her eyes turned dark, as she recalled her past.
He stood shocked hearing a certain hint. So, we were right all along.
Her words only showed a path towards their hunt for her past.
He took a deep breath, calming his nervous nerves, he confessed, "Whatever the consequences, we brothers are ready to burn for you."
"Burn with you." He added.
However, Panchali looked at him with mixed expression.
His black orbs that held nothing but pure determination, gazed back at her.
Not once did they break the eye contact.
She stepped an inch ahead, leaving just some inches gap between them, while his breathing turned heavy.
"It can cost your lives, Sahdev. And I am not at all kidding." She once again warned.
He felt her to be mysteriously dangerous, by gazing at her.
It can cost their lives? But why? What was she hiding?
He gulped, though his mouth felt dry, before speaking out, "And we are ready to navigate through that dangerous path."
His breath fell over face, as she stood dangerously close to him. One little wrong movement, and they would collide with each other.
Her eyes again dropped to his slightly parted lips, making his heart beat audibly fast, while his palms formed a fist, on both of his sides.
She didn't know what took over her as she found herself moving closer to his face.
While the act made him close his eyes, while he felt her soft body collide against him, just as her luscious lips on his.
A wave of electrifying current rushed through their veins, as their lips stayed against each other, unmoving.
His mind turned off, as he felt nothing around him, just her soft lips over his own. It was as if the time paused for that particular moment.
It wasn't a proper kiss, but the wave of current that washed over them just by their unmoving lips, was enough.
They remained like that for a few good moments, as the only faint sound was their beating heart.
Until Panchali slowly parted her lips, opening her eyes, she watched the pure innocent soul ever in her life.
His eyes were still closed, while he felt her lips parting away, but she made no effort to part herself, as her soft body still remained collided with his hard chiseled body.
She had no regret of the stunt she pulled, but yes a slow fear gripped her soul, while gazing at his pure flushed face, in a crimson shade.
What if they found out the truth?
Thinking of so many what ifs, she parted a little, removing the dagger from his neck, she placed it in its sheath, careful enough not to touch his bare waist in the process.
"Think once again and discuss with your brothers. And inform me about your decisions, day after tomorrow on the day of Dussehra." She said, once again.
And before he could open his eyes and see her, she moved away from the light beam of light and made her way out of the room.
The sound of the closing door brought him out of his trance.
However, with his racing heart, Sahdev took huge puffs of breath while the soft feeling of her luscious lips still lingered on his lips.
Greetings Loveliest Readers,
*shy shy* How was the chapter??
I don't know if I could write the part well or not, but please bear it with me.
Nothing to say much, just wanna ask, what do you think of Panchali from this chapter?
Till then, bye..
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Thanking You,
Hiya