I looked at the ornamental high ceilings of the corridor while I ambled my way in search of the chambers which I will now share with Arjun. After my mini emotional breakdown, Draupadi had excused me for the night.
I felt my cheeks sear.
My delight at her acceptance had dampened a little at the face of her obvious grief but I could not fault her for that. For now, everyone seemed to be at peace and that was all I could expect currently.
I smiled dreamily, thinking back to my conversation with Panchali.
She had made me sit by her at the divan, mirroring Kunti Maa and fixed my chudamani properly from where it had come a little lose on my vigorous leap at embracing her, a few seconds prior.
"And whose brilliant idea was it to dress you up like this? Like a milkmaid?", she had asked, eyes twinkling.
"I am the sister of a cowherd after all Maharani", I had answered back feigning innocence. A gentle swat to the back of my head by my newly deemed elder sister made me rethink my tendency of smart mouthing everyone.
She didn't look angry though, only amused.
"Go and change back to something nicer. And be ready for the puja tomorrow. All newlyweds are required to perform the Shiva-Shakti puja at dawn. Matashree and I will guide you."
I had nodded and folded my hands again, preparing to leave, only for her to clasp my joined hands and shook her head mildly.
"You are my little sister now. Call me Jiji and throw all the formalities aside."
I had grinned then and swiftly stood up only to bend down and touch her feet, much to her startlement.
"Then bless me Jiji as I start this new chapter of my life."
Her words had been a little shaky as her hand rested on my head slowly.
"Saubhagyavati bhava my dear Subhadra, let your life be full of joy and prosperity. Welcome to Indraprastha."
Lost in the thoughts of the evening, I hardly saw a pair of running feet as two tiny bodies crashed against me, throwing me back a few steps slightly, as I held the adjacent pillar for balance, startled.
"Oh!"
"Sorry!"
"Bhrata, this is why we shouldn't run in corridors."
"Stop parroting after Maa, Shatanik."
"You stop. Now we have hurt someone."
"Uff!"
I looked wide eyed at the sudden cacophony of chirping words shot by my two little assailants as they glared at each other with their equally little hands, balled on their hips.
"Excuse me, my dear ones. Where are you both running off to?"
They looked up at me in frightening synchrony as if suddenly realising the presence of another person, their eyes saucer shaped. I could instantly recognize my brothers in law and Draupadi's features mixing perfectly to form those beautifully cherubic faces.
"Oh! Sorry... who are...you?"
The older one asked, frowning in suspicion, which may have looked severe on his father's face but ended up making the little boy look cuter, if that was even possible. In an endearing move, he had shielded his younger brother, who now peeped at me curiously from over his shoulder.
"I am Yadavi Subhadra my dear princes. I think, I am your aunt", I answered trying to stifle a burst of giggles as the two boys' eyes rounded in surprise, again. And with a move which surprised me and twin shouts of glee, they launched themselves at me, holding onto the blue fabric of my saree in their pretty solid fists as both attempted to hug my legs.
"Subhadra Mataa!"
"We know! Jyesth Bhrata told us that Pitashree Arjun has returned with a new Mataa for us", the older one whom I was definite, was Bhimsen's son informed me, joyfully, his voice muffled in my saree.
I think my heart may have melted into a puddle somewhere on the floor. I went down on my knees after removing the little hands and hugged their sweet smelling bodies close to my chest. They reminded me so strongly of my beloved Pradyumna, before he was taken away from us.
My eyes may have stung a little then as past aches melded into an agonized delight.
"Oh sweethearts! But how am I your Mataa? I am married to your uncle, my little laddoos."
I voiced my inner confusion as both the boys turned their faces up at me and smiled such wide mouthed, gap toothed smiles that I felt like I could cry.
"Maa is married to all my Pitashrees and you are married to Pitashree Arjun so that makes you our Mataa too."
"We call them Kakashree sometimes because it gets a little confusing", the younger one, whose name I remembered being Shatanik replied sagely and his brother nodded in agreement.
But I was too far gone, drowning in baby fever to take note of anything.
"It is alright, my little ones. You can call me Mataa too."
They chortled in mirth as I showered their upturned faces with kisses, ignoring the sharp agony which lanced through my heart suddenly. It was strange and unknown but something pensive had taken a hold of my mind without consent.
-----------------------------
I had just walked inside, what I hoped was Arjun's chambers when I heard a loud muffled curse in a familiar voice. I ran in then and almost got a heart attack as the first thing my eyes fell on was blood.
My husband's blood.
It was a swirling viscous red and dripping from Parth's fingers as he attempted to stem the flow with his other hand, face drawn in a fierce scowl. He straightened his features remarkably fast on seeing me before raising both his brows at my getup.
I muttered a curse in my mind and stalked towards him, almost snatching his hand away from his own grasp and wrapped it tightly with the pallu of my saree. What I had forgotten completely was that I should have ripped a part off it, before making it into a makeshift bandage.
We stood there in silence for just a confounding moment, both bewildered at each other before bursting into laughter.
Arjun wiped his eyes with his free hand, chuckling madly in between his words as I panted to catch my breath.
"What are you wearing?", he asked still chortling.
"Trisha's clothes", I giggled.
"Who is Trisha?", he raised an eyebrow again.
"My chief handmaiden. Why? You don't like it?", I said coyly, lowering my lashes in a look I knew made my eyes look hooded as I ripped off the piece of the pallu which I had tied to his hand.
I squeaked the next moment, when I found myself almost getting lifted off my feet in his arms. My toes barely brushed the ground as his lips crashed onto mine with surprising force. All the thoughts of blood and unknown pensiveness evaporated in the sheer rage of his ardour.
**--**-- (Slightly Mature Content Ahead, 16+ Only)**--**--
I felt myself moan helplessly as his long fingers undid the bun at my nape, removing the chudamani effortlessly and my hair tumbled down my back silkily. All the while our lips remained in an age old battle for dominance.
I may speak softly and prefer amiability than conflict but I was no pushover.
Even in the matters of the bedroom.
I have never submitted without a fight and I would never do it. And I think it kind of turned on both of us massively.
I caught hold of his silky locks and pulled them insistently while wrapping my legs around his waist in a practised move and he carried me over to the single large bed. It was oval shaped and had a canopy of a translucent satin fabric bunched up in the corners.
I was waiting for that moment itself and it came with flourish as he dropped me on the mattress and climbed over me like a prowling panther. I locked my arms around his chest and wrapped his waist within my thighs and heaved him around in a single practised move.
Our positions were reversed perfectly and his gaze, still clouded with desire, looked a little shocked at being flung over without warning. I didn't give him a chance to react before attacking.
My lips traversed the much loved dusky trails of his skin with fervour.
I explored all the nooks and cranny of his chiselled face and journeyed down the strong throat and perfectly muscled chest and the sharp ridges of his abdomen, lingering on the multiple silver scars faded in places and brilliant in others.
At this point, I could repeat all the stories they told with great detail.
Arjun might have been truly flummoxed at my sudden move as he laid, spread out for me, stone still. That predatory silver gaze mossed out and chest heaving. I was thoroughly enjoying this power reversal and tugged at the gold bordered moon white fabric of his dhoti, impatiently with a hand, to remove it.
"Subhadra...", he growled somewhere from beneath his chest and it vibrated like lightening, straight in between my legs.
"Stay down!", I ordered, shocked at my own boldness.
What has gotten into me tonight?
Strangely, he acquiesced to my command even if his fingers unknotted my choli deftly and I could feel my clothes being pulled off. I returned the favour eagerly and the then world seemed to cave inside to just us, leaving the rest in blurred out darkness.
Arjun gasped and fell back on the bed from where he had arched rather delectably on the pillow and I crawled up, over him, wiping my wet lips with the back of my hand. I fell beside him, my elbow supporting my head as my hair fell in a dishevelled mass all over our bodies.
I was rather pleased with myself at the moment.
Not many could take credit for rendering the great Sabyasachi, completely out of breathe.
And I was merely getting back at him for all those times my legs had refused to work properly for how sore he had left me. Make no mistake, he is a very generous lover and I had no complaints even if he did leave rather obvious marks everywhere on my skin which was too fair to keep them hidden.
**--**--**--** (Mature Part Ends)**--**--**--**
"If you think, I have forgotten about your wound, then you are sorely mistaken."
I replied sternly as he finally looked at me, having composed himself well enough. His eyes laughed, even if he tried keeping an innocent look on his flushed face.
"That won't work on me Arya. What happened to your hand?"
"Its just a scratch, my dear."
"I will be the judge of it. Why were you bleeding?"
Arjun sighed and looked above.
The moonlight filtering in the room had fallen on our bed gently as if Chandradeva was loathed to disturb us but also couldn't help but peep in a little. The diyas had long since extinguished and the chambers were filled with the scent of jasmines, sandalwood and our mixed fragrances.
"I was unstringing the Gandhiva", he said finally.
I looked at him in shock. The mighty Gandhivadhari got hurt while handling his own divine weapon? Has that ever happened before?
"I was... distracted", he continued as if telepathically hearing my words.
'Distraught more like', I thought anguished. The heady afterglow of our lovemaking suddenly seemed to get sour at his sombre confession.
"She is a brilliant woman", I whispered softly, mirroring Arjun, to look at the ceiling.
"She is beyond compare", my husband reiterated quietly, almost reverent.
And for the first time, I felt like maybe it was both of us, who were equally in awe of her. I was beginning to get the idea, why the Madhya Pandava had not been too opposed to his exile.
----------------------------------
Indraprastha was infinitely more gorgeous at the break of dawn. The birds singing merry on top of my head complimented the slow beating of the mridangam and the chorus of chants from the priests of the Shiva Shakti temple.
The courtyard of the embellished white marble temple was large enough to accommodate more than a hundred ascetics and devotees of Lord Rudra and his consort. And the most unbelievable part was that the temple itself was build inside the royal gardens which was in turn set at the very centre of the Palace of Indraprastha.
I could explore the palace itself for years and will likely never be able to see, every corner of it.
Vishvakarma, architect of Amaravati, had personally constructed the palace, as a gift to Yudhishtir. I had yet to see the magical Great Hall which had been built by the mystical architect of the Asuras, Maaya Danav. It was supposedly a favour to Arjun, for the promise of protection he provided the demon with, from my very own brother.
It seemed like both Gods and monsters were unable to resist the charm of the Pandavas.
Maaya Danav clearly didn't know much about anything if he had thought either of Lord Krishna or his Krishna would fight each other.
Or he knew well enough that it was only my husband who could have possibly saved him. Because if there was one person my beloved Godly brother won't lift a single finger against, it is his Parth.
Sometimes I had to wonder if my brother would ever love anyone as much as he loves his dear Phalgun.
It should make me greatly upset or even jealous but strangely enough, it doesn't invoke either of those feelings. Its only relief. For my husband has the most powerful armour in the entirety of the Universe, including Devaloka itself.
Vasudeva Shree Krishna.
"It is a nirjala vrat my dear. I hope Draupadi has given you, all the necessary instructions?"
Kunti Maa's soft words broke my daydreams and I turned towards the Pandava matriarch. Her eyes though, were trained on her oldest daughter in law. I turned around to see the queen.
Unlike last time, she was fully resplendent in her sparkling visage. Gold covered her swarthy skin like the very metal was created only for her sake and she wore a dark green saree. Her arresting eyes were heavily kohl lined and her lips stained so dark that for a moment I thought, it may have been blood.
She looked like the very definition of grandeur and grace.
"I have, matashree. All the ingredients for the offering is ready. We are waiting for the auspicious hour and the puja will commence."
Yagyasaini's words were polite and tempered. The entire palace must be gossiping relentlessly about yesterday's fiasco. It must have been incredibly embarrassing for the fierce queen to have been seen at such a vulnerable state.
In fury, even if it was.
I felt a stab of sympathy for her.
By the way, Kunti Maa's eyes softened immediately, I knew she shared my feeling.
"Rajkumar Arjun asks for permission to enter, my queen."
A guard's voice made us all turn towards the stone laid path which connected the temple steps to the porch of the inner corridor leading to the palace grounds.
Arjun stood at the very end of the path, wrapped in his favourite milk white silk, his unruly mass of curls tied in a small knot, at his nape, as a few locks kissed those sharp cheekbones. There was a single gold chain resting on his chest and his angavastram had some golden embroidery.
I could still see the rudraksh beads present around his wrists.
Simplicity became my husband too temptingly.
I reproached myself harshly at the inappropriate direction my thoughts were running. It seemed like all my self control had vanished at my Vijaya's altar.
"When has the mighty Dhananjaya needed anyone's permission to do anything? Who am I to refute him anything?"
I may have successfully resisted the urge to react but I saw Arjun flinch at the sharp edge to Draupadi's taunt. He looked like he would have, rather faced Angaraja's arrows than Panchali's words.
Kunti Maa having sensed the atmosphere perfectly gestured the guard away.
Arjun, now suitably deflated, walked in long strides to reach my side within seconds. Draupadi bowed to the deities of the temple, my mother in law and ignored our husband with an enviously scathing flourish to walk back towards the palace, chin up and gait screaming power.
I pressed my lips, not knowing whether it would be amusing to see Arjun try to win back the queen's favour or simply torturous.
Parth seemed to straighten himself again within the next moment keeping up with his fabled composure. He laced our fingers together then, and I stilled my mind of every thought.
At this moment, smelling the fresh scent of nightqueens, marigolds and incense and the faint fragrance of my husband's dusky saffron skin, I entered the realm of the Supreme Lord Mahadeva and his Gauri, readily pushing all thoughts of familial politics at the doorstep.