"Will she be alright?" Duryodhan asked perched on the side of the arm chair, on which Arjun sat.

Nakul sighed pulling back, "She just fainted because of fear I think." He stated, a tension hung heavy in the air.

"The body of Buashree Tapasya was found in the abandoned section of the palace." Bheem said walking in, once Duryodhan told them, what Dhara was mumbling, he along with guards had searched the entire palace.

Finally it was found in the abandoned section, and to say, she was murdered brutally would be putting it lightly.

Shaking away the images, he glanced down at Dhara. Poor girl had to go through too much.

The fact that the man had threatened his wife, didn't really sit well with Bheem.

If it wasn't for the fact, that Yudhisthir was with her, he would have stormed back, and locked her up in a bubble.

One or another danger, always lurking around her.

Threatening her, just as they thought things were getting back to normal, a tight slap of reality woke them.

"Now what shall we do?" The eldest Kaurav asked, "Just wait till she wakes up, and than get the story out of her." Bheem stated from across the room, earning a nod from others. . .

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The morning came in like any other, a yawn passing through the lips of the princess of Panchaal.

Stretching she sat up, her eyes falling on her first husband, who lay beside her deep in a slumber, her lips curved up in a beautiful smile.

His face held a different calmness as he lay back peacefully, her heart thumped, she felt his hand tighten on her waist.

Scarlet tainted her cheeks, his arms tightened around her, pulling her hard against his chest.

"Good morning beautiful." He cooed in his morning hoarse voice, it was deeper than normal, making her heart skip a beat.

"Good morning Arya." Softer than the wind, were the words, that left his wife's lips.

His curved up in an answering smile, he could get use to this, waking with her in his arms.

His soft petal lips pressed against her warm skin of her head, the slow easy smile continuing to play on his lips.

Interlacing the fingers of her one hand with his, his dark orbs clashed with her. A smirk tugged on his lips, noticing her scarlet cheeks.

A peaceful calmness had descended over the two, his eyes fell on her wrist, and the previous days happenings, came rushing in, making his smile drop.

Gazing at her face, one that mirrored the innocence of the world, he wondered what horrors did it hide.

How had he been too lost in his world to never register her pain?

Guilt, reared it's ugly head, making his stomach clench, it churned with a restlessness, thinking that she was in this pain all the while and he had never noticed it.

What kind of husband does it make him?

"Arya?" Her soft baritone broke him out of his thoughts, blinking twice he focused on her.

"Yes dear?" His words were soft, as his one hand cupped her chin, rough pad of his thumb tracing her lips.

"Why do you look so sad?" She asked, not liking one bit of the sadness, that fell over his ebony eyes like a curtain.

The answering smile was all the more sadder, confusion filled her, worried she gazed at him.

Waiting for him to reply.

"You know what is the base of any relationship my dear?" He asked, his voice was carefully monitored, hiding every emotion that stormed a havoc in him.

"Trust." Her answer was instant, bit what did that have anything to do with his sadness?

Did someone break his trust?

"And what is the base of trust?" He questioned again.

"Trasperency." Confusion was heavy in her words, making her husband run his fingers through her hair, facing her, he lay on his side.

His hand acting as a pillow under her head. "How strong is our bond Panchaali?" He asked, his eyes holding hers captive, it was like he was searching her soul, finding something that he knew she hid.

"Stronger than anything I ever knew existed." Her voice was soft, it was a question she could answer any day.

Their bond was the strongest, there was no doubt about it to her. The bond she felt to them was unlike anything before, anything ever she experienced.

It was rooted in her soul, weaved in her heart, spread in her mind, and knotted to each of them, with her life.

It was the fragrance of her life, the very base of her being. She didn't know when exactly she had fell in love with them, but there wasn't a thing she wouldn't do for them.

They were the very essence of her soul, the very heart of her existence. No words could ever express the sea of devotion that she felt towards each of them.

Unparalleled and Unbiased.

It was a unique knot of their vows that held them together. The colour of her sindur, that spoke of their presence in her life.

The chain of her mangalsutr that linked their beings with her. It was the very beginning and end of her.

They were her everything.

And could she ever explain this to them? She didn't know, she didn't know if any words would express what exactly she felt.

He could see the sea of emotions in her eyes, his grip tightening on her cheek. She was precious, more than anything, and anyone before.

Patience had always been his best friend, but question came to her safety it seemed to abandon him all together.

Calmness was his nature, but she made him act out of it.

No matter how much he tried to hold on to the string of calmness, she just managed to do something that aroused a fear so deep that his heart threatened to quit.

Yet even if God bartered his entire universe, heaven and hell with him, in exchange for her, he would never let her go.

He didn't understand what it was about her that drove him so crazy, just the thought of having Duryodhan hurt her, aroused a fire in him so deep, that he threatened to burn everything.

The air seemed to stir with energy, seeing his emotions.

"Our bond is stronger than anything known and the realms above it." He agreed, his thumb continuing with it's repetitive motion over her lips.

She nodded smiling, his expression matched hers, a complete opposite of the emotions that roared deep within him.

"Our bond is strong enough for me to reach to you when I am hurt? When I am angry? Or just upset in general? That I can ask you any question, and you will answer?" His voice was calm, normal even, like it was just weather that he was discussing.

"Yes Arya." She whispered, curiousity playing on her face.

"Than I am really very sure that my wife would never keep a secret from me.

I trust her to be honest, when it hurts, when she's upset, when she's angry, or upset in general to reach us?

That she wouldn't hide anything about her past, present, or future. Her wants, wishes or desires, her failures.

After all our bond is strongest. It holds transparency, and trust. You would never do anything to betray my trust. I am sure." He pushed a tone of assurance on his lips, his eyes holding nothing but calmness.

He knew the words he spoke was true, that she will answer to all his questions.

Shouting with Panchaali achieved nothing but fear, and their anger would just spike terror.

Though it had been a sort time with her, Yudhisthir felt like he understood her, like one would their soul.

Scaring her was never their aim. He didn't want to force anything out of her, instead he chose the way of trust.

He assured her that he had the most faith in her, and this he knew would be the catalyst in her confession.

Over the years Yudhisthir had made many enemies confess, mostly by torture and threatening.

But Drau? She was little delicate flower, just the thought of gazing at her with anything but delicacy arouse anger in him.

It was a sin of its own kind.

Pressing his lips to her forehead, he pulled back.

Patience, he told himself, smiling down at her. The protective beast in him was scratching his chest, that he demand answers from her.

To erase all the threats, but he held on. Tracing her cheeks, "Right?" He prompted.

The smile on her face faltered, her breath hitched, thoughts wrecked a havoc in her mind.

She had hid from him, she kept her past a secret. Guilt was a heavy storm that wrecked her heart, her eyes moving to the floor.

Did she not trust them?

That was not the thing, her soul nearly shouted, but than why? She was puzzled.

It kind of had become a habit, to do things alone. From the day she had born, she had been doing things on her own, figuring her own way around.

The thought of help hence never really came to her mind, because it was never offered before.

His lips on her forehead snapped her out of her musings, giving him a strained smile she watched him move out of the bed, and towards the bath, leaving her with her thoughts. . .

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

"I need to ask her jyest!" Bheem concluded ceasing his pacing, his eyes falling on his eldest brother who sighed, keeping the quill aside.

"Bheem, what is that you want to ask?" The crowned prince of Hastinapur asked, feigning innocence as though he wasn't aware of the matter.

The second son of Kunti, gazed at his other three brother, who sat around the room.

"Bhraatashree we need to ask Drau, why did she go to Duryodhan's room? Why take the risk? Why get hurt? Why not tell us about the injury? What is her past?" It was Nakul who answered, last night Duryodhan had taken his attention away.

Or he would have woken her up, and asked her. Hell! Forget about asking he would have no given any option anything other than tell him.

If she wouldn't tell him, how is he supposed to help her? How is he supposed to protect her?

The protective beast in him was vexed. He had nearly snapped Duryodhan's head, when he had met him.

But his apology was what had reigned in the beast. Duryodhan wasn't as close as Panchaali was, and hence it hurt more.

His body was taut, jaw set and eyes blazing. He could so punch someone into pulp.

A scan of the room, and he knew, he wasn't alone. His brothers held similar issues, that they too were facing the same anger and questions.

Their nature was protective, and god knew how much it hurt to reign in the protective beast, that wanted nothing more than to destroy every last thing.

"Tell me one thing what do you think will happen once you all, mind you, four men, overprotective warriors blaze at her demanding answers?" The eldest son began, standing up from his seat,moving across the tabls, he perched on it.

His eyes focused on his brothers.

The four shared a look, confusion marring her faces.

"She'll speak?" It was Arjun who spoke, confusion heavy on his expression, why was his brother asking all this?

"Wrong. She'll cry, she'll be scared and she'll be possibly terrified, and blame herself. She'll be hurt." Yudhisthir's voice had taken a deeper tone, his face softening considerably.

"What you all are still taking in consideration is our bond with her. That she should come and tell us, the way we do with each other. The way we share everything. And you all are right, she is our family she should. I understand." He began, his voice had taken a deeper understanding tone.

A silence had fallen over the room, while the four gazed at their their eldest attentively.

"But what you all missing to see because of your anger is, that we had each other since birth." The first husband of Draupadi, dropped in a hint, making his brothers gaze at him with mild curiosity and confusion.

Smiling at their confused expressions, he began.

"We had loving parents, though we didn't have all the luxury, we had the riches of our family.

We always have been each other's strength. Each other's pillars to count on, because that is how pitashree bought us up, that are the values that our mata gave.

It was the foundation, and still is of our bond." His words had the beginning of realisation dawn on their faces.

A cloak of sadness seemed to have fallen over the room.

"Panchaali lacks that, she has just been born almost three months back now. And from what the maid has said, though she had all the luxurious and riches, she clearly lacked a family support." Yudhisthir's voice tinged with a sadness, his shoulders sagging like the gravity of it was weighing him down.

"Bhraatashree how can we say that she lacked support? Maybe there was some helplessness." Sehdev voiced his words, he really didn't want to envision a past where Panchaali had no one.

Where she was all alone. That just didn't seem right at all. He knew it was stupid, but just maybe, just maybe she was loved.

A person as amazing deserved nothing less.

"Dear Anuj, the person that rises above this helplessness to stand beside you, through all the odds, is what makes them your family.

Family is never blood, it is a choice. A choice we all willingly make. Blood may set a foundation,our choices weave us as a family." The first born of Kuruvansh spoke, his eyes heavy with a pain he couldn't word.

Just thinking about a innocent Panchaali, all alone battling all the horrors gave him shivers of terror.

Clearing his throat of the tightening, the burning there he continued on.

"Panchaali didn't seek our help because possibly, she doesn't know how to. Because chances are she never had helpl before.

Chances are she was alone fighting her battles. Our choices are nothing but at times, reflection of our habits and values.

The values of our fire born are such that she believes all beings hold goodness, hence her approach to Duryodhan. " heaviness was thick in air, enough to make the environment sober with sadness.

They wanted nothing more than to reach out to her, and hug her hard.

"Fierce as the flames, she was ready to give him a chance to burn his impurities, regardless of the consequences." A watery laugh rang through the words of Yumdev's son, the shine of pride didn't go unnoticed either.

"It was her dedication to us, and our family. Women accept their husband and their husband's family as their own.

We, husband's may fail to show that dedication, but they never do. May it jyest mata Gandhari, may it be mata Kunti or bhabhishree Bhanumati and Pauravi."

As the eldest, he tried his best to guide them, walking up to his brothers, with his hands on his back, he gazed at each one of them.

"And so has Panchaali, for our happiness, she did what she had. Rewarding her with your anger is not ideal, and neither is she deserving it.

In the beginning of our marriage, we had spoken of setting a new example of relationship, that has equality and love, balanced." He reminded.

"Are you willing to go against your very nature, reign in the monstrous protectiveness to assure her? To help her develop that bond that she can reach us without hesitation?" He questioned gazing at his brothers.

"To develop a bond, where she can match our anger with hers? Where instead of tears there's a flare of annoyance at our over possessiveness?

Where she can just walk in and demand. Where she too can play pranks on us." Humor tainted his words, his watery eyes meeting his brothers.

Holding his hand out, palm facing up he gazed at each one of them. With a question in his eyes.

"Our bond with her is unique and most cherished. Just the way she is thinking so much about us, trying to understand us, can't we too?" He asked.

His four brothers, gazed at his hand, and back up at his face, the fine glint of tears never missing, putting their hands over his, they all lunged, wrapping their arms around their eldest.

Tears streamed down their eyes.

"We'll do everything. I hate to think of her past of what it was jyest, it hurts." Sehdev cloaked, his words laced with thick emotions, burn in his chest intensified.

He felt his brothers hands tighten on him.

"Like everything before, we'll face this together. We are brothers for life. Reflections of each other." Bheem whispered, determination weighing heavy in his words.

"We cannot change the past, but we can be her strength in her present and future. The shields that are impossible to be penetrated." Nakul's words were rang with a mixture of agony and a confidence.

"Forever together." Arjun's whisper was softest, but was clear as day.

"Family is life." Yudhisthir uttered the words that were the very base of their existence.

Their family.

Their brotherhood.

Everything was one, their life. With each other they felt the strongest, bravest, and mightiest.

Their family was their pride, this bond of theirs was the most precious of all. No matter the situations, no matter who is together or against them, like the five fingers of the family they forever stayed together.

Thick and thin.

Pride and humiliation.

Love or hatred.

It was always, everyone together. It was either all of them, or none of them.

"We look so sappy." Nakul blurted, earning laughter from his brothers, pulling back they gazed each other.

Reflecting the love, adoration, and mutual respect that they held for each other.

Words of a writer too failed, to describe this majestical bond. . .

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