Sehdev lifted his hand, wiping the corner of his left eye, preventing the tear from slipping down.

Happiness filled his heart to the brim today.

Walking out from behind the pillar of the temple, he leaned against it, watching his wife walk away.

He had been in the temple, when he had heard someone walking in. He was in the corner, so she didn't notice him.

The confession she had made, had his heart melting. Her words still rang in his mind, smiling at her, he shook his heard.

Unknown emotions fluttered in him, things were changing around him. He missed her, and it was ridiculous. 

The need to see her was always intense, and everytime he did,  he lost his capacity to talk, to express, or to even think.

All he could do was stare. Why was all this so confusing? Why did he feel so lost?

He had never seen a person like her, one who was so kind, and so giving, so innocent.

A person so sweet, and all so beautiful at once. And he felt like everytime he thought about her, a pull attracted them closer.

The need to meet her was strong. Pushing back her thoughts,  he shook his head. Focus, this wasn't right, she is too innocent.

He mentally chastised himself.  Walking towards his brothers.

Lost in his thoughts he never realised when he reached Bheem's room, where he knew all his brothers were present.

Their laughter and voice reached him, the moment he pushed the door open.

"Did you see Bhabhishree Pauravi's face?!" Nakul gasped in between his laugh, while he rolled on the ground holding his stomach. Tears streamed from the corners of his eyes.

"WHAT?!" Bheem mocked imitating Pauravi's voice, that illicited another set of laughter from his brothers.

"Her face had paled like she had seen a ghost." Arjun added,  gasping for oxygen in between his laughter.

"But the face first great fall in the food platter, was the best part!" Sehdev added his two cents, illiciting another roar of laughter from the room.

"Damn! That was epic!" Nakul called aloud, barking another laughter. "Sehdev where are you lost?" Yudhisthir, who sat in the corner sitting silently, gazing at his brothers with amusement sparkling in his eyes.

Sehdev gazed at his brother, "I was in the temple. . ." He began narrating the events at the temple, from her confession to Bhism giving her the dagger.

A silence descended over the room, gazing at each other they didn't know what to say. Their hearts beat wildly, more than the later part, they were focused on her confession to God.

Every word that Sehdev had told them, seemed to spin in their mind. Someone caring to such a level was new, and all those emotions that accompanied were new too.

Panchaali was a puzzle in their life, they weren't sure where to fit. It was like suddenly,  she was present everywhere, and no where all at once.

Her thought just had them speechless. It was like she was that one force who pulled them all together, and importantly closer to her.

"I am worried for her. Bhraata, she is doing the same thing that we had, when we had entered this palace." Sehdev voiced out his concern.

"In her sense of family I am afraid we might lose her." The mere thought hurt Arjun, but he had to voice it out. He had almost lost Bheem once, when they had been the naive trusting kids, in this palace.

Bheem had survived his death, and that was a miracle in itself. And miracles didn't happen all the time.

And, he wasn't about to let her be prey of the games of his family. "The hell we will." Nakul snapped, the protective beast in him roared, there was no way he was letting it happen.

"But it did happen, if it wasn't for Bhraata Bheem, we wouldn't have known the happenings of today. We would have not just lost the honor of our family, but also her." Sehdev whispered, the mere thought hurt him, like someone had torn his heart out of his chest.

"No, we wouldn't have." Yudhisthir stated, no way in hell would he let her ever slip through his fingers. The girl who had done so much for them, and he would curse her to that fate of an abandoned woman?

Never. 

"She didn't know that. She is too good for this family bhraata. Even after knowing Pauravi had done all this, she didn't once rat her name out." Bheem pointed out, he was flabbergasted, even his kindness had limits. 

Had Duryodhan been on Pauravi's place, and he on Panchaali's, he would rat Duryodhan away with great pleasure. That man deserved all the punishments for the wrong that he did.

"You cannot label her kindness for her weakness." Arjun added, "But Anuj, this family ours is filled with manipulators, and master minds, who would do anything to destroy each other.  And Pauravi is least of our worries." Bheem pointed out.

"What happens the next time someone pulls a stunt like this and we are not around?" Sehdev asked, "There would be no next time!" Nakul exclaimed passionately. 

"One cannot be sure of that in this family." Bheem stated a fact. 

"Relax, we need to pay closer attention to her. She is new in this family, and changes are not well accepted here, we all know it. One of us always need to be around, and appoint some spies and unleash them on the suspects." Yudhisthir commanded, his face grim. 

Like hell was he letting his family be in danger, specifically not Panchaali.

He was protective of her, possessive too. And he felt no shame in accepting the reality. She was his, and he would be damned before letting anyone so much as look at her the wrong way.

The others nodded, accepting his command. Bheem walked up to the balcony, moving towards it.

Crisp air greeted him, the fragrance of soil was thick in air, making him sigh in content, leaning against the pillar he shut his eyes.

What a day it had been. He never thought that his hunger would be the one thing, that would initiate this plan to protect Panchaali. 

Smiling at his thoughts, the memory began to unfold in his mind, of early morning when he had been hungry and had gone to kitchen in search of food.

Bheem lifted another vessel, frowning at it. Where in the heaven all the spices disappeared?

Where was all the food? Why was this kitchen all so empty? And how could Pauravi give all the maids holiday?

He grumbled, dropping down another vessel. His stomach growled, gazing around at the kitchen, he frowned.

The entire kitchen had no vegetables, no wheat flour, practically nothing. Grumbling,  he walked out of the place.

His stomach growling in hunger. Stupid people, didn't they know he got hungry often?

Didn't they know how hungry he got?  He grumbled, mentally fuming, and confused as hell, he walked to his room, half grumbling.

"Bheem what's the matter?" Yudhisthir's voice had him snapping out of his chain of thoughts. 

Returning from after his morning prayers,  dressed in a white cotton dhoti, he gazed at his brother, who had a tensed look on his face.

"Bhraata today's day is cursed." Complained the second son of Kunti, vexed at the fact of not getting food.

Confusion unfurled in Dharmraj's chest. "What makes you say so?" He asked, partly amused at his brother's antics.

"Bhraata there is no food in kitchen and I am hungry. " grumbled Vrikodar, it was ridiculous,  such a huge kitchen and nothing to eat?

Amusement lit in Yudhisthir, "than why don't you prepare something,  or tell someone to." He suggested, humor lighting his eyes, and words.

Bheem huffed, folding his hands over his chest.

"Can't do that. There is no spices in the kitchen, no flour, no rice, absolutely nothing. And on top of that bhabhishree Pauravi has given all the cooks and kitchen maids a day off." He complained, the smile on Yudhisthir's face dropped.

All the humor evaporated. Confusion filled his mind, why would bhabhishree do that? Something wasn't adding up here.

"But why would she do so?" He asked aloud, "I think, I know why." Arjun's voice had the two turning around.

"You do?" Asked Bheem partly curious,  he saw his younger brother nod, a grim look on his face, he moved towards them, erasing the distance between them.

"It's Drau's turn to make her first meal today." He explained, an understanding dawned on the faces of other two.

"But, why would bhabhishree want to foil Drau's food? She hasn't done anything to anyone." Bheem asked aloud, frowning at the other two, Yudhisthir's gaze met his.

His face was emotionless, not a single emotion resided on his face. "This is Hastinapur Bheem, you more than anyone should know,  that enemies are easier to earn here." He explained, his voice had taken a far off tone, as though lost in some deep memory.

The other two nodded, memories flooding in. Pushing down the emotions,  they gazed at each other.

"What do we do now?" Arjun asked, her earlier crying face flooded in his mind, no, he couldn't let her fears win.

"It's a husband's duty to assure, that the kitchen of his home has enough ingredients to cook." Yudhisthir pointed out, gazing at his brothers, who nodded.

"I think I have a plan." Bheem smirked, voicing out. "I'll get the other two." Arjun volunteered, to call the twins.

Yudhisthir nodded in acknowledgement at the two, smiling at them. Together there wasn't anything that they couldn't achieve, and they wouldn't let Drau fail because of their family.

Between every problem and their wife, they will stand like a wall. No matter, how big or small. . .

They had collected in the second kitchen in a matter of minutes,  "So, what's the plan?" Nakul asked, rubbing his palms excitedly, a broad grin playing on his lips.

The twins and Arjun were grining excitedly, ready for the task. 

"Well, we just cook!" Bheem said enthusiastically. Their smiles disappeared whole the three looked at Bheem like he had grown a second head.

"We?  And cook?"  Arjun asked cautiously  pointing at himself and the kitchen. "That's your great plan?" Sehdev asked blinking at his brother, wondering if early today morning he had hit his head too hard.

They were warriors not chefs. How could they cook? The only time they ever did it was in the forced, and it was simple thing like making rice, even the daal was made by Bheem.

He was a scholar used to pens, not spatulas.  How can he expect him to cook?

"Bheem they are right, cooking and us?" Yudhisthir asked confused, he had never once stepped in kitchen when they were preparing feasts.

He could just handle the basics.

"It's not so difficult. We can do it." Bheem encouraged, "And plus I am there to guide you all. Don't worry, let's do this!" Cheered the second son of Kunti,  expecting them to join in.

But the four just gave him a look. The one that spoke said 'you're-an-idiot'.

Bheem groaned, "Do you guys have a better plan?" He asked instead, "Well..." Nakul began, but his voice faded.

Folding his hands over his chest, he raised a brow at his brothers, who were opening and shutting their mouths like fishes, trying to come up with a plan.

"Exactly my point! Now, that everything is settled, soldiers choose your weapons and attack!" Faking a voice of a commander Bheem teased, walking towards the collection of spoons, and spatulas.

His hand wrapped around a wooden one, and raised it. "Let the fun begin!" Cheered Bheem.

The three groaned, while Yudhisthir just shrugged walking ahead.

And the preparations began, "So where should we begin?" Arjun asked looking around the kitchen.

"Why don't you prepare the dough for puris?" Bheem suggested, pulling out some ingredients. "On it." Yudhisthir stated from across the room, adding flour in a platter.

"Nakul pass me the salt." He called, holding his hand out, the elder twin shuffled around, "Found it!" He exclaimed, picking it and rushing to his eldest brother.

"That's refined flour Nakul." Yudhisthir stated from across the room, making the man in question frown. "That's refined flour?" He stated trying to open the glass container.

"It's white, how do you know?" He asked confused,  "Not everything white is salt, Nakul." Arjun said in a teasing voice.

"It's stuck!" Nakul whined, trying to open the container, "Just let it be. . ." Yudhisthir's voice faded,  Nakul pulled the lid with a force and the lid flew open suddenly, the momentum surprising him, as the flour jolted out of the container and covered his face.

A silence fell over the room, the four just blinked at him. They blinked, once, and twice still surprised.

A roar of laughter broke throughout the room, Bheem whisteled, him and Arjun sharing a high five.

"Nice make up brother!" Sehdev gasped in between his laughter attack. Yudhisthir shook his head amused at him, "Now pass me the real container of salt on left, Nakul." He teased, humour lacing in words.

Nakul groaned,  as another set of laughter ensued in the room. He trudged across the room, grumbling at the salt, and passing the container to his brother.

They got back to work, teasing and poking the twin. "What shall I cook?"  Nakul asked, scratching the back of his head.

"No, you just help around. We are not planning to kill them." Arjun stated in all seriousness, illiciting another round of chuckles.

Nakul couldn't cook to save his life, and it was no secret. And they had no plans of burning down the kitchen.

"Oh come on I can cook!" He urged, "yea right. Yes Bhraata, you can cook as much as humans can fly." Sehdev teased, humor lacing his words.

Nakul rolled his eyes, chuckling life was good, as long as he had his brothers.

Time flew faster,  as the five worked around. Bheem directed everyone like a commander, who was completely in his element.

Sweat dripped down their bodies, and muscles tensed from exertion, cutting down vegetables made Arjun's fingers go sore.

"How do women cook?" Nakul moaned tired from left, "Not in the mood brother." Sehdev groaned from another side, blowing air in the coals trying to light the fire. 

He coughed, as the smoke rose higher. "Aren't men supposed to be all handsome and cool working in the kitchen? I look I a zombie." Arjun complained, gazing down at himself.

"Never in my life am I ever going to complain about our morning practices ever again. This crap is worse." Nakul grumbled, peeling another onion, his eyes burned tears tracking down his cheeks.

"Hail women brother, haul women." Was all Sehdev stated, frustrated at the coals that won't just light up.

"Well it's not so difficult." Bheem said from across the room, flipping the vegetables, and sprinkling some spices.

The smoke rose, making him gallop in a fit of coughs. "Yes, right." Nakul drooned.

Yudhisthir was all too focused on puris, no matter how much he tried they just won't  be round.

"Why won't they be round?" He complained frustrated, "May be they are angry,  and hence not in the mood?" Nakul suggested, half confused.

"The puris? And angry? Nakul you're high on onions." Arjun deadpanned, giving him an 'are-you-insane-look' .

"Just saying..." His voice faded, he was ready to sleep. Bheem picked a bowl, taking it to his elder brother,  "use the sharp edge of the bowl to cut the puris out, it's easier and efficient." He advised, making his brother nod his thanks.

Arjun moved around, putting the cut tomatoes in the daal. The chutney was done, and daal was almost done too, and he want to groan in happiness.

"My kheer!" Sehdev exclaimed running to the container, "Smells nice!" Teased Nakul.

"Actually better than your nonexistent dish brother." Shot back his younger twin playfully.

"Low blow brother.  But know that my contribution is omnipresent in all your dishes!"  Nakul faked a heavy king's voice, making the others chuckle.

"Yes, right. Your contribution is as heavy as the air." Arjun stated sarcastically. "Without air you can't live though." Stated the eldest son of Madri proudly.

After what felt like forever the five slumped against each other, in a far corner. "Finally done!" Nakul  pretended to faint, his arms were killing him, from all the exertion.

"Women make cooking look so easy." Arjun grumbled,  "The heck it is. Illusions, brother. They made us live in illusions." Sehdev added playfully, his eyes were shut, as he laid his head on Nakul's shoulder.

"You guys have just been ignorant." Bheem pointed,  half asleep. "A fact to be noted." Yudhisthir agreed, breathing heavily, the constant smoke and had their faces turned red.

"Now, how do we make this reach the dinning hall?" Just as Bheem asked the question, a man walked in.

"Hail Hastinapur." The man bowed, "Avtar come in." Yudhisthir called, not opening his eyes.

"Make sure this food reaches Panchaali, when she will be walking down towards the dinning room, her handmaid will be with her.

That is when you approach the handmaid, and give this food. And this stays between us, Is that clear?" His voice held power, and confidence, though the man was leaning across his brother.

"Yes, your highness." As expected,  Avtar asked no questions,  and bowed leaving the room to get some men.

Avtar was a loyal man, the man never once had betrayed them. They could trust him with their life.

"How do you know brother that even though she has no way of preparing the food, she will walk to dining hall? What if she doesn't because she's too scared?" Nakul asked curious.

Yudhisthir smiled softly,  his heart lightened sverytime someone took her name. "She's too good for her own good." Was all he said, his brothers nodded, chuckling at his words.

Truer words were never spoken before. . .

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