"I DON'T WANT TO GO NOW. I AM FEELING EXTREMELY TIRED NOW." DRAUPADI SAID SNUGGLING MORE INTO ARJUN'S TIGHT EMBRACE. "WHY? ITS ALREADY FIVE. YOU WERE WHINIG TO LET YOU GO 3 ROUNDS BEFORE." ARJUN TEASED. "WHY? IS IT WRONG TO STAY WITH MY HUSBAND? PLUS ITS BECAUSE OF YOU! DON'T BLAME ME." DRAUPADI SAID MAKING ARJUN CHUCKLE.
"POOR ME! FIRST FROM FIVE! FIVE AT THE EVENING TILL ALMOST THREE IN THE MORNING! THEN AGAIN AT 3:15 TO 4:45. THEN AFTER I FINALLY GATHERED SOME ENERGY AT STARTED TO GET UP AT FIVE, 10 MORE ROUNDS." DRAUPADI THOUGHT.
"ONE MORE ROUND?" ARJUN TEASED. "SHUT UP ARYA." DRAUPADI SAID MAKING ARJUN CHUCKLE.
*****
"I HOPE MATA WON'T QUESTION ME." DRAUPADI PRAYED. FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HER EXISTENCE SHE WOKE UP AT 10 NOT 10 ALMOST 11 AS IT WAS 10:50. AND THE REASON? YOU KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING.
FINALLY AFTER GATHERING ENERGY AND SLEEPING FOR AN HOUR THEY AGAIN WENT FOR A FINAL ROUND BUT THE ROUND TURNED INTO HOURS. FROM 6:10 TO 10:30 (30 MINTUES EXTRA IN BATHROOM, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN. I AM INNOCENT).
"SHE WON'T. NO NEED TO WORRY." ARJUN SAID. "IF SHE DOES?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "I WILL HANDLE." ARJUN SAID."PUTRI!" KUNTI SAID SEPERATING THE TWO AND MAINTAINING A DISTANCE. "I THINK I CAME AT WRONG TIMING." KUNTI SAID TO HERSELF AS SHE DID SEE THE TWO LOVEBIRDS, ARJUN'S BOTH ARMS WRAPPED AROUND DRAUPADI TIGHTLY NOT LEAVING ANY SPACE BETWEEN THEM AND DRAUPADI RESTING HERSELF ON HIM WHILE WALKING.
"YES MATA?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "PACK YOUR STUFFS." KUNTI SAID. "WHY MATA?" ARJUN ASKED. "HASTINAPUR IS INVITING YOU TWO." KUNTI SAID. "WHY?" ARJUN ASKED. "WHAT WHY? DON'T MISS HASTINAPUR?" KUNTI ASKED. "WE DO MATA." DRAUPADI SAID. "THEN GO AND PACK WE ARE GOING TOMORROW MORNING." KUNTI SAID.
"WHEN?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "AT SIX." KUNTI SAID. "OUR ADDITIONAL ROUNDS!" ARJUN SAID. "WHAT?" KUNTI ASKED AS SHE THANKFULLY DIDN'T HEAR. "NOTHING MATA." ARJUN SAID.
*****
"HAS SAMRAGINI EATEN?" ARJUN ASKED. "NO SAMRAT." DASI REPLIED. "TAKE AWAY MY PLATE THEN. AND BRING FOOD FOR ME AND SAMRAGINI IN A SAME PLATE AND KEEP IT IN OUR PAVILION ROOM." ARJUN SAID AND THE DASI DID AS HE SAID.
"DONE?" ARJUN ASKED. "YES SAMRAT." THE DASI (SUPRIYA) SAID.
IN THE OTHER ROOM,
"SUPRIYA" DRAUPADI CALLED. "YES KRISHNAA." SUPRIYA SAID. "HAS ARYA EATEN FOOD?" DRAUPADI ASKED STILL RUMMAGING THROUGH SOME PAPERS. "NO KRISHNAA." SUPRIYA SAID. "WHY? ITS ALREADY PASS LUNCH TIME." DRAUPADI SAID. "SAMRAT SAID HE DIDN'T WANT TO EAT." SUPRIYA SAID.
"WHERE IS HE NOW?" DRAUPADI ASKED STACKING THE PAPERS. "IN HIS WORK ROOM." SUPRIYA SAID. "OKAY THEN. I WILL GET GOING, YOU TOO TAKE REST." DRAUPADI SAID AND WENT TO THE ROOM.
"ARYA?" DRAUPADI CALLED. "YES PRIYE?" ARJUN SAID PRETENDING TO DO PAPERWORKS. "ARYA! HAVE YOU EATEN?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "NO." ARJUN REPLIED. "WHY?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "ITS ALREADY PASS LUNCH TIME. YOU SHOULD EAT!" DRAUPADI SAID.
"THEN LETS GO!" ARJUN SAID AND CARRIED HER IN BRIDAL STYLE TOWARDS THEIR PAVILION. "WHERE? WHY? LET ME DOWN, I CAN WALK." DRAUPADI SAID. "REALLY? YOU CAN STILL WALK FROM YESTERDAY AND TODAY MORNING?" ARJUN ASKED. "SHAMELESS!" DRAUPADI SAID SHAKING HER HEAD.
ARJUN THEN ENTERED THEIR ROOM AND MADE HER SIT ON THE BED AND BROUGHT THE PLATE INFRONT OF HER AND DRAUPADI JUST LOOKED AT HIM CONFUSED. "NOW SAY! WHY DIDN'T YOU EAT?" ARJUN ASKED. "FIRST YOU SAY!" DRAUPADI SAID. "DRAU!!!" ARJUN SAID.
"I WASN'T FEELING LIKE. I FORGOT." DRAUPADI SAID. "FORGOT??" ARJUN ASKED. "DON'T BE ANGRY! DON'T BE ANGRY! NOW YOU SAY WHY DIDN'T YOU EAT?" DRAUPADI SAID. "BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T. NOW OPEN YOUR MOUTH." ARJUN SAID BRING ROTI WITH SABJHI NEAR HER MOUTH.
DRAUPADI JUST QUITELY ATE NOT WANTING TO BE SCOLDED BY ARJUN. DRAUPADI TOO THEN TOOK SOME ROTI AND SABJHI AND FED HIM WHICH HE ACCEPTED. "GOD! I WAS HUNGRY!" ARJUN SAID. "THEN YOU COULD HAVE EATEN." DRAUPADI SAID FEEDING HIM. "HOW COULD I EAT WHEN YOU HAVEN'T." ARJUN SAID.
AFTER EATING THEY STARTED TO DO THEIR RESPECTIVE WORKS. ARJUN STARTED HIS WORK AS THE SAMRAT AND DRAUPADI STARTED PACKING THEIR THINGS.
*****
"SUPRIYA TAKE CARE." DRAUPADI SAID. SHE HAD DONE EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR CHECKING ON HER HUSBAND. SHE THEN ENTERED THE ROOM TO SEE HER HUSBAND STILL SLEEPING WITH BLANKETS COVERING HIS NAKED TORSO. "ARYA, WAKE UP. WE HAVE TO GO TO HASTINAPUR." DRAUPADI SAID WAKING HIM UP.
"CAN WE GO AT AFTERNOON?" ARJUN ASKED LAYING HIS HEAD ON HER LAP. "LETS GO OR MATA WILL COME HERE." DRAUPADI SAID.
ARJUN FINALLY WITH MUCH EFFORTS GOT READY AND CAME OUT. "TAKE CARE." DRAUPADI SAID AND GOT ON THE CARRIAGE WITH ARJUN. AFTER THEY GOT OUT OF INDRAPRASTH ARJUN WRAPPED HIS HANDS AROUND DRAUPADI'S WAIST AND DRAUPADI RESTED HER HEAD ON HIS CHEST.
THEY SAT LIKE THAT THE WHOLE JOURNEY WHILE TALKING AND LAUGHING ALONG WITH THE CHARIOTEER AS WELL. THEY THEN ENTERED HASTINAPUR WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE STARTED CHEERING FOR THEIR FAVORITE, MOST LOVED KURU PRINCE AND KURU BRIDE.
*****
"WELCOME SAMRAT AND SAMRAGINI." GANDHARI SAID. "MATA DON'T EMBARRASS US WITH THE FORMALITIES." DRAUPADI SAID. "NO MATTER IF WE ARE SAMRAT OR SAMRAGINI AT THE END OF THE DAY WE ARE YOUR CHILDREN." ARJUN SAID AND THE COUPLE BOWED DOWN SEEKING THEIR BLESSING.
THEY THEN ENTERED THE ROYAL PALACE OF HASTINAPUR AND WENT TO THEIR ROOM TO REST. "NOW SLEEP, TOMORROW MORNING WE HAVE TO WAKE UP EARLY." DRAUPADI SAID. "WHAT? SLEEP? DIRECTLY?" ARJUN ASKED. "THEN? THIS IS NOT OUR PALACE." DRAUPADI SAID.
"STILL." ARJUN SAID BACKHUGGING HER. "WILL NO EVER WORK ON YOU?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "NOPE, IT WON'T." ARJUN SAID PECKING HER WHICH EVENTUALLY TURNED INTO A KISS AND YOU KNOW IT.
*****
"ARYA, LETS GO FAST." DRAUPADI SAID AS IT WAS TIME FOR BREAKFAST. "PRANIPAT." THEY GREETED AND THE KURU FAMILY TOO REPLIED. THEN THEY ALL STARTED EATING UNTIL SHAKUNI SPOKE UP.
"SAMRAT THERE WILL BE A SMALL DYUT FOR YOUR ENTERTAINMENT TOMORROW I HOPE YOU WILL PLAY." SHAKUNI SAID. "WE WILL." ARJUN SAID AND SHAKUNI GAVE A SWEET SMILE AND SHARED A GLANCE WITH DURYODHAN.
*****
"MATA?" DRAUPADI CALLED. "PUTRI, COME, COME, COME!" GANDHARI SAID. "WHY DID YOU CALL ME MATA?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "SIT HERE BHABHI!" DUSHALA SAID PULLING HER. "WHEN AM I GETTING A GRANDCHILD?" KUNTI ASKED MAKING DRAUPADI CHOKE ON AIR.
"WHAT?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "MY NIECE AND NEPHEWS!" DUSHALA SAID. "HAVE PATIENCE!" DRAUPADI SAID. "NOW COME ON! EVEN PRDYUMNA NEEDS A LITTLE BROTHER OR SISTER TO PLAY WITH." GANDHARI SAID. THE LADIES THEN STARTED TEASING HER MAKING HER BLUSH FOR HOURS.
"DRAU? YOU HERE?" ARJUN ASKED ENTERING THE ROOM. "OHH! SORRY." ARJUN SAID SEEING THE LADIES. "ITS OKAY PUTRA." GANDHARI SAID. "WHY ARE YOU HERE?" KUNTI ASKED. "TO TAKE DRAU." ARJUN SAID. "WHY?" DUSHALA ASKED. "BECAUSE ITS NIGHT? WE HAVE TO SLEEP?" ARJUN SAID. "I DON'T THINK SLEEPING THOUGH." DUSHALA SAID EARNING A PLAYFUL SMACK BY ARJUN. "OKAY NOW GO PUTRI. YOUR HUSBAND IS HERE TO TAKE YOU." GANDHARI SAID AND DRAUPADI WENT WITH ARJUN. "I AM GETTING A SMALL, CUTE NEICE RIGHT?" DUSHALA ASKED.
"OFCOURSE YOU ARE! SHE HAS ALREADY SHOWN SIGNS AS WELL, HAVE PATIENCE!" KUNTI SAID.
*****
"IS THIS FINE?" ARJUN ASKED. "BEAUTIFUL!" DRAUPADI SAID. "THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE MINE!" NAKUL SAID. "YOU ARE PERFECT! SATISFIED?" DRAUPADI SAID. "OFCOURSE WHY WOULD HE BE? HE LOVES HIS FAKE PRAISES." BHEEM SAID. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN BHRATA?" NAKUL ASKED. "WHATEVER YOU HEARD ANUJ." YUDHISTIR SAID.
"BHRATA YUDHISTIR WILL PLAY THE DYUT RIGHT?" SHAHADEV ASKED. "WELL HE IS BETTER THAN US IN THIS GAME." KARN SAID. "BUT JYESTH YOU ARE THE ELDEST BY DIVISION." YUDHISTIR SAID.
"NOW THE DYUT IS AFTER LUNCH. LETS GO NOW." DRAUPADI SAID AND THEY ALL WENT FOR BREAKFAST. AFTER BREAKFAST THEY WENT TO THEIR GATHERING HALL. "I HAVE TO SAY THE RULES OF THE DYUTS." SHAKUNI SAID. "GO ON SHAKUNI." DHRITRARSTRA SAID.
AS SHAKUNI WAS ABOUT TO START HE FELT THE SHARP EYES OF PITAMAH AND VIDUR. "WELL I WOULD LIKE PITAMAH TO MAKE THE RULES." SHAKUNI SAID. "YOU SURE SHAKUNI? ONCE I MAKE IT IT WON'T CHANGE." PITAMAH SAID. "YES PITAMAH." SHAKUNI SAID.
"THEN THE FIRST RULE. YOU CAN ONLY KEEP THE THINGS ON BET IF YOU HAVE RIGHT ON IT. RULE NUMBER 2, NO WOMAN WILL BE ALLOWED EXCEPT FOR THE DASIS. THAT'S IT." PITAMAH SAID AND EVERYBODY AGREED. "THEN WE LADIES WILL GET GOING NOW ONLY." GANDHARI SAID AND THE LADIES WENT OUT HEADING TO THEIR ROOM.
AS THEY WERE WALKING TO THEIR ROOM DRAUPADI WAS SUDDENLY FEELING DIZZY BUT SHE JUST IGNORED IT. HER PACE GOT SLOWER AND SLOWER, THE LADIES WERE JUST CHIT CHATTERINGWHILE WALKING AND STOPPED AS THEY DIDN'T HEAR THEIR CHATTERBOX DRAUPADI. AS THEY TURNED BACK TO SEE DRAUPADI THEY QUICKLY RUSHED TO HER.
DRAUPADI'S DIZZINESS GOT INTO THE EXTREME LEVEL. EVERYTHING BECAME BLUR AND HER PACE BECAME SLOWER, EVERYTHING WAS SLOWING DISSAPPEARING TO HER. SHE WAS WALKING SLOWLY WITH NO BALANCE. HER LEGS SUDDENLY GAVE UP AND SHE SLOWLY CLOSED HER EYES. THE LAST THING SHE SAW AND HEARD WAS GANDHARI, KUNTI AND DUSHALA CALLING HER AND RUSHING TOWARDS HER.