Author's POV
Arjun and Subhadra stood in front of each other with their eyes doing all the talking. Subhadra was the first one to break it away.
"I can't come with you rajkumar Arjun. What will everyone say? No one marries a kshatriya girl once she is kidnapped. Who will marry me then?" She asked turning around.
"I will Subhadra." Arjun said.
"Draupadi jiji will never allow it. I can't break her heart."
"What about yours? I know you love me Subhadra." He said and she closed her eyes.
"Doesn't matter now." She whispered.
"It does because even I love you." His words had her look at him.
"I do Subhadra." He said desperately.
"Please come with me." He said forwarding his hand. Subhadra had her whole future in front of her. On one side was her to be groom waiting for her at the threshold whom she hated while on one side was the love of her life waiting for her with open arms. She looked at Arjun and his hand. She sighed and forwarded her hand keeping it in his, sealing their fate.
Arjun smiled as both of them walked out of her room.
On reaching the temple, they found the chariot that was arranged by dau.
"Rajkumar Arjun, if you will be the one kidnapping me then it will create a rift between Hastinapur and Dwaraka and Hastinapur may also force you to fight them as you are not an independent kingdom by now." Subhadra said to Arjun as he thought deeply, trying to find a way out of it.
Parth, just a suggestion. Sometimes, it's good if women take charge.
Arjun smiled at Madhav's words.
"Madhav!" He whispered and shook his head.
"Then why don't you kidnap me Subhadra?" Arjun said and Subhadra looked at him wide eyed and then gave him a big smile. She took the reins in her control and they both ran away from the people who were adamant on destroying their lives.
They came to a halt on a place as instructed by Balram dau. Subhadra sat with Arjun in complete silence.
"If you loved me, why didn't you tell me earlier?" Subhadra asked Arjun.
"I wanted to but never got a chance." He admitted as she sighed.
"Don't worry about anything Subhadra. I'm always there for you. I promise." Arjun said kissing her head as the couple hugged each other.
"Will Draupadi jiji accept me?" Subhadra asked breaking the hug.
"She will if we keep our point of view in front of her." Arjun said. He himself was a little tensed about the fire born's reaction but for the first time, he left it on fate just like Madhav says.
"By the way, you look cute as Brihanala." She commented.
"I know right. See I adorn this Saree better than you." Arjun said twirling around, trying to make her laugh.
"Of course." She said as she laughed freely while he admired her.
Everything then happened as instructed by dau. What shocked everyone was Balram dau was speaking tactfully just like Kanha, matching with Gandhar Raj's evil conspiracies. Even he himself was confused how he did it but he did. He was successful in pacifying the angry Maharaj and Pitamah. He also somehow entangled everyone in his web of words making everyone agree to the fact that if they don't accept Subhadra as Arjun's wife in Hastinapur, she will be welcomed as one in Indraprasth. So indirectly they were declaring Indraprasth as an independent state.
It was like Kanha was legit sitting on his tongue and speaking. Soon the couple got married and was welcomed as Arjun's bride. It was decided that next day they would leave for Indraprasth as it will take another five days for them to reach.
"Kanha, tum or tumhari maya!" Dau whispered as he shook his head. He looked at his sister smiling wide as she took the vows of a lifetime with her love.
(Kanha , you and your illusions.)
Meanwhile in Indraprasth on the day when all the princes were returning i.e. the day when Arjun left for Dwaraka.
Everyone was preparing for the princes arrival. Aahana expected that Shri Krishna and Arjun will not come today.
She sighed as she entered Draupadi's room. It was almost afternoon as the princes would arrive by evening. She met Draupadi only in the meeting of officials today and after that, they both got busy with work.
"Oh dear, looks like someone is putting more efforts in getting ready today." Aahana said as she looked at Draupadi getting ready.
"It's not like that jiji." Draupadi blushed.
"Oh shut it. By the way, you look beautiful. Jyesht will go berserk looking at you." She said.
"You are so mean jiji." Draupadi said as Aahana gasped.
"Am I?" She said as they laughed.
"Mauravi, did Maharaj eat his lunch?" Aahana asked as they both had a really busy day today. All the meetings and letters from other kingdoms kept them busy.
"No Dharma. Maharaj even skipped his breakfast." Mauravi said and Aahana groaned.
"Who needs kids in the house when. you have husbands. Right Panchi?" Aahana said as Draupadi laughed.
"Oh Devika, come. We have been waiting for you." Aahana said as Devika entered.
"Devika, come. You both sit and talk while I'll go and see him. And Devika, I wish to talk to you. I'll see you after sometime. Alright?" Aahana said and Devika just nodded.
Aahana reached the study where her husband was busy with paperwork.
She sighed as she instructed Mauravi to get some food for him.
"Hello there." She said as her husband was engrossed in some papers.
"Hi wife. I'm a little busy. What's the matter?" He said reading the paper.
"Nothing, I got to know that you didn't eat anything since morning. Hence I came at your rescue."
"But I'm busy Aahana."
"Whats are you reading but?" She said approaching him.
"A few kingdoms have issues with the rajsuya yagya. I've been contacting them for the same. I'm trying to persuade them because war should be avoided until it can be." He said still lost. Aahana nodded at his thoughts.
"True. But for winning wars and making word webs, you need energy. Here, I'll feed you. You just chew and swallow. That would be enough." She said forwarding a morsel and he obliged.
He kept walking around while she kept following him around with the food. When she forwarded him the last morsel, he bit her finger and she screeched.
"What the hell." She said biting onto her finger he just bit.
"A thank you gesture." He said casually as he went back to his work.
"Grumpy old man." She said.
"Wait a minute. What's with you calling me old man? Am I so old? Don't forget, just like you, even I don't age lady." He said now keeping his papers aside.
"I don't care. You are grumpy and about you not ageing, doesn't matter. You are still old." She said.
"You know you are not making sense." He deadpanned.
"Doesn't matter." She said.
"You are crazy." He said pulling her closer by her waist.
"Just like you." She said as he chuckled. He gently pecked her lips.
"Now don't disturb me. Always distracting your poor husband with your looks." he said.
"Seriously? By looks?" She asked while he shrugged.
"Fine. I'm going." She said as she moved out. Both of them had bright smiles and satisfaction in their hearts as they moved back to their work. All this was seen by Devika. She quickly hid behind a pillar when Aahana came out. She was shocked at his behavior with her. She has never seen him so carefree and joking around. She imagined him to be a serious person but with his wife, it was just the opposite.
"Umm, Maharani?" Aahana heard as she turned around to see Devika.
"Oh yes Devika. Come, let's go to the garden." Aahana said politely as Devika followed her out.
They both were alone in the garden as both of them walked side by side. No one said a word for a few minutes.
"You see these blue flowers Devika? They are my favorite. They are very rare." Aahana said breaking the ice.
"They are indeed beautiful. I've never seen such flowers." Devika answered.
"So who all are in your family?" Aahana asked.
"For now, it's just me and pitashree. My tatshree lives in another kingdom with his daughter and wife. My mother passed away when I was a child." Devika answered.
"Oh, I'm sorry about your loss Devika." Aahana said as Devika smiled.
"Devika, I know you love my husband." Aahana said out of the blue and Devika looked at her wide eyed.
"How..I mean..." Devika stood dumbstruck.
"Its pretty obvious Devika. The way you look at him, it clearly gives away your feelings for him." Aahana said and Devika looked down.
"Come on, tell me what's the matter." She said keeping a hand on Devika's shoulder.
"Isn't it weird to talk about your love to his wife?" Devika said in a low voice.
"It is. So why don't you consider me your friend and not your lover's wife?" Aahana asked and Devika looked at her.
"Aahana, I love your husband and that's true. But he doesn't. I don't know what you've done to him that he's not ready to look at anyone else." Devika huffed as she cried.
"Devika, that is something that should make you respect him more. Isn't that a good quality that he's faithful to his wife?" Aahana said politely.
"Devika, I know half of the things I say won't make any sense to you and it's alright. People tend to loose their rational thinking when they are in love. They become delusional. Even I did at one point. But that's not how things work. You can't force anyone to love you just like you can't force yourself to un-love him." Her words made Devika think.
"Devika, your jealousy and frustration towards me is justified. Even I was jealous of you. But when I thought about it, we both were sailing in the same boat but different waters. Devika, you are a lovely girl and you deserve all the happiness in the world. I want you to marry a person who loves you with equal passion and devotion just like you. I want you to have a beautiful relationship and a marriage full of love and not one of compromise." Devika listened to her carefully. Though she was jealous of her, she can't deny the fact that she was absolutely right.
"Right now. it's your jealousy and love speaking and thinking. But think about it with a calm mind. I know my husband Devika. If he marries someone else due to any condition or reason, he would try his best to do justice to that relationship. Even if it means to kill his feelings or try to generate some for his new wife. But those feelings will not be pure and pious. They would be forced destroying three lives. And I don't want you to end up in a loveless marriage.Think about it." Aahana said keeping a hand on Devika's hand who was looking at Aahana.
She realized that there was definitely something in this girl who had the power to thing from everyone's prospective. Never did she blame her once. Rather, she felt her feelings were justified. Her respect for Aahana increased ten folds.
"Now, think about it and come inside soon. I should go as everyone must be arriving anytime soon and Draupadi must be stressing herself with all the work. I should go. Come and join us soon." Aahana said as Devika smiled. at her in return.
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