The distant sound of the crickets, were the first thing that greeted her, blinking her eyes open, Panchaali rubbed  her eyes, clearing the sleepy haze.

A yawn passed through her, beckoning her to sleep.

But her bladder was screaming for a release, rubbing her eyes, she opened them.

The soft glow of the oil lamps, and torches illuminated the dark room. Familiar canopy of the bed greeted her.

A breeze had the canopy fluttering open, cool wind caressed her, the crispness of it, hinting the arrival of winter.

She felt warm, cocooned, gazing up her eyes settled on Yudhisthir.

The serene glow of the lanters, made his face look all the more defined. His broad muscles screaming of his warrior status.

Warmth unfurled in her, she stared at him. Their close proximity, had her heart nearly tripping out of her chest.

This man made her feel emotions she didn't know how to handle, emotions that only the five had managed to unlock in her.

No male had ever made her feel so warm, and jittery about herself.

He was sitting up right, his head resting on the headboard, he looked so handsome.

So peaceful, all the lines of worry that marked his face earlier had disappeared, leaving behind, his serene godlike face.

Why was he sitting right above her? She frowned, her predicament hit her in the face like cold water.

Wait was her head resting on his. . .

Yudhisthir's thigh?

Oh god! How embarrassing! What would he think had he known?

Her heart hammered wildly, shyness pulsing through her.

Her gaze rifted downward, they widened in shock,  a hair's breadth away from her lips were her youngesthusband's.

His pink succulent lips, were almost touching hers.

Her heart pulsed vigorously, their nearness awakening something warm in her.

The low pressure of something tightening around her waist had her freezing.

Turning her head partly, her eyes met Nakul's sleeping face. She noticed his arms banding around her waist pressing him harder against his chest.

Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, his warm skin against hers felt incredible.

Sehdev leaned closer in his sleep, she turned her head, his lips touched her cheek.

The feather like warm touch of his lips against hers, had her freezing, making her heart jolt.

She craved more, wanted more of their touches. Their proximity arose something deep and carnal, something she didn't know what to make of.

A tremor passed through her body, she shut her eyes. This was all so wrong, so wrong.

She shouldn't feel like this. They are friends, friends only.

They see her as friend only, she cannot afford to have this feelings for them.

Pushing her thoughts back, she examined the room.

Yudhisthir, Bheem,  and Arjun had fallen asleep reading the scrolls, that messily lay in their lap. One over another.

They worked really hard, the occurrings of earlier fluttering through her mind.

A sadness bloomed in her chest, she mentally prayed that everything be fine.

That Bhanumati and Pauravi be fine, no matter her deeds, Panchaali didn't wish ill of Duryodhan's first wife, she wanted them fine.

Arms tightened around her, making her head turn partly in surprise,  Nakul was pulling her closer.

The erratic beating of her heart resumed, all those warm emotions, wrecking a havoc in her returned with a vengeance.

She didn't know, when he had come so close. It was unusual for her to not know,  she had began trusting them, and that was the reason, she no longer jolted one of them touched her.

The realisation brought all those fuzzy emotions, their close proximity had her breath hitching.

Nakul's lips were grazing her skin every now and than, tantalizing her heart.

His warm touch evoking a feeling of warmth, and pleasure, so deep, that it almost rooted her soul.

A deep instinctive part of her wished to snuggle up with him, and lay where she did.

But, the more part denied. Was this appropriate? She wondered biting her lips.

The feater light caress of his lips, every now and than, had her heart galloping.

Sparks igniting in her.

She shut her eyes, denying herself, but her heart it craved for more. She craved their touches, that warmth, that loving caresses, but was too scared to ask.

She loved it when they touched her, when they caressed her. All this new emotions, had her confused.

If only someone could explain her what was wrong with her, she would be more than grateful.

They made feel things, that she never before had.

Where people stayed at a distance before, the five touched her like none other. 

The kisses were all new, their hugs, their caresses, all their touches, awoke a need, a craving, that they were stroking everyday.

They sparked a fire she didn't know how to putt off.  The web of feelings and sensations was all so novice for her.

She never felt all this with others? She never felt it with her brother or her father. Neither any other male in her life.

Than why did it happen with them? What made husbands all so different than any other relationship?

They were partners for life, she understood that, but did that mean that this emotions were normal?

Does the heart of every wife lose its beat when their husband touch them?  And what is this need? Why does she want only their touch?

And theirs alone. Were all this emotions appropriate for a wife to have towards her husband?

Questions after questions arose in her, she really wished, her father had given her time to understand the world and it's ways before he married her.

Other girls were married when they had grown up, but she was directly born.

She didn't have that precious time to understand the world, and now it was all hitting her right in the face.

There were so many questions, she needed answers to, but she didn't know whom to approach.

Her eyes settled on her Yudhisthir, he had told her to approach him, but she felt embarrassed.

Her bladder squeezed, reminding her why she actually woke up. She tried moving Nakul's arm, to liberate herself of his grip.

But he tightened his arms, she pouted. It weighed her down heavily, making it impossible for her to move out.

What did he eat? Rocks? Why was he so heavy?

She grunted softly with the effort, his arms tightening harder around her.

She nearly screamed from annoyance,  gazing around she tried to come up with an idea.

Think Drau think! There has to be a way. Her eyes widened, as an idea struck her like a thunder bolt.

Mischief lit her heart, biting her lips, her fingers wrapped around the loose end of her odhni.

She picked up the corner, and brought it to his ear. Her rosebud lips pressed together, holding back laughter, she tickled his ear lightly.

He grunted, her eyes widened, shutting her eyes she pretended to sleep.

Her heart hammering wildly, fear thrumming through her. She almost got caught.

Opening one eye, than another, she noticed he was still asleep, tickling his ear one more time, had him turning around, facing away from her.

She mentally cheered, oh sweet! Sweet! Sweet freedom!

With controlled movements, she cautiously got up, minding her each step, she stepped down the bed.

She didn't wish to disturb them, they were entitled to some rest, and she wasn't about to be an obstacle between that.

Tiptoeing her way to the door, she moved silent as the air. Beaming proudly, once she opened the door soundlessly, sneaking through it, she shut it back.

A huge sigh of relief passed through her lips, walking down the corridor, she hummed a familiar tone.

Grinning like a loon proud of her achievements. She had managed to sneak past the pandavas.

Hell yeah! That meant something right? She mentally rolled her eyes at her silly thoughts, walking down the corridor, she made another two turns.

Sounds of anklets filled the air.

She halted, straining her ears to hear it again, but there was nothing.

She walked again, her heart jolted with fright, heavy sounds of multiple anklets filling the air.

Her heart quivered, oh god what was happening? What should she do now?

Panic rendered her speechless, making it impossible for her to even utter a word.

The air around her was thick with an ominous presence, it was like the air had grown poisonous, making it impossible to breath.

Frigid puffs of air leered on the sensitive skin of her neck, her body grew taunt, hands fisting.

A terror so intense gripped her heart, that she nearly felt her pulse halt.

The cold ominous presence of someone other than her, twirled in her brain. She could feel it, like there was another person, just behind her.

The air shifted, making her know that they had moved closer. Her body tremored, acidic dread rolling in her.

They were multiple. Like a horde of women with heavy silver anklets were walking behind her.

She froze, turning around, long deserted hallway greeted her. Except the occasional fluttering of the curtain, nothing really moved.

Heavy matellic vases perched around, with the plush red carpet.

The hallway that usually felt like home, today felt so distinct, almost like she had never seen it before.

Physically it was all the same, but the feel of it had changed. She didn't really no how to explain it.

It was a heavy feeling that was grounding her. Her mouth went dry, goosebumps spread throughout her body.

Why did it feel like someone was following her? Was this all real? Or was she dreaming?

Gazing around for a while, till she was sure that no one indeed was following her, she walked ahead.

Trepidation weighing her steps, her body was alert, hackles arose, hypersensitive to the happenings around.

Feeling of someone's eyes on her persisted. It was all too tangible,

She walked faster, the sounds of the anklets following, increased significantly.

The sound grew sharper and sharper, hundreds of anklets following her. Their dreadful symphony rising in pitch, and intensity.

Like an obnoxious tell tale lore of horror, it filled the corridors.

Without gazing back, she lifted her lehnga bolting down the hallways. Her lungs burned, she pushed herself to run harder.

The dreadful symphony of anklets amplified, now in a hurried motion, shorter and faster, as though hundreds of them were running behind her.

Hope sored like a bird, the door of the bathroom, came into the view, pushing her feet harder, she zapped towards it.

A loud thud filled the empty bathroom, she bolted it shut. Her heart hammered in her chest at a crazy rate.

Breathing heavily, she leaned against it, tears burning in her eyes.

Fear seeped in her, there was something out there, something that wasn't human.

And the realisation had her trembling with terror. She regretted coming alone, she regretted not waking them up.

Tears tracked her cheeks, fright overwhelming her senses.

They had told her not to go anywhere alone, but she? She had been stupid and ignored their command.

She had been an idiot to not listen to them, and now she regretted it.

A sob passed through her lips, her legs quivered, she slid down, pulling her legs tighter to her chest.

Hiding her face.

Time passed slower than usual, a silence fell over the place.

She lifted her head, maybe they had left, she thought pulling her head up. Shuddering a breath in, she steeled her back bone.

Standing on her wobbly legs, she put her ear on the door. Sweat beaded down her, she gulped.

Silence greeted her.

With hands quivering, she reached for the door handle. Dread rolled in her stomach, heart hammering.

She pulled the door open, all too slowly, ready to shut it, if the situation called.

Her breathing came in short pants, terror wrapping around her like a noose strangling her.

The corridor was deserted, not a single life present. Moving out cautiously from behind the door, she stepped out.

She breathed in deeply, forcing her lungs to work up. Easing her heart up, all the emotions, lowered, her body calmed slightly.

Breathing in deeply, she let her overestimated relax.

Her heart clutched, breath hitched. Cold, frigid air, caressed her neck.

A pungent smell filled the place, holding her breath she awaited, shutting her eyes, trembling like a leaf.

A long slippery wet tongue took a long lick from her shoulder to her jaw, disgust roiled through her,  making a sob escape her lips.

"Please let me go!" She begged, her voice quivered, she shuddered harder. Tears tracing down her cheeks. She didn't know what to do.

She was all alone, and she was trapped.    She felt overwhelmed, it was all too much. She wanted to run away, run to her husbands.

This was all so wrong. And who was this thing.

A growl rumbled from the chest behind her, the huge tongue of the creature, licked her neck again, sniffling her.

"Do not move." The loud roar of Nakul, had the creature behind her growling.

Terror slammed in Nakul's heart, while he gazed at the creature. With a tongue longer than his elbow, and eyes scarlet as blood, the creature stood at 7 feet height.

His skin was like that of crocodiles, thick and rubbery, claws sharper than blades. Eyes beady and red. Slim covered his skin.

Dreadful and gory, the creature was something he never saw before. He aimed his arrow higher, palms sweaty he clutched the bow tighter.

"Arya!" Her scream reached him, jarring his heart in a sharp bolt of agony.

Just hold in there, love. I'm right here.

He mentally whispered, taking an aim,  he let the air go.

Air whistled, arrow multipled in hundreds aiming for the creatures heart.

The creature turned, forcing Panchaali ahead of the arrows.

Nakul paled, his heart nearly halting, terror clawing deep in him, as he watched the arrows bolting towards his beloved. . .

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