"Why do you think Pitashree called me?" Draupadi asked straightening her coral lehnga, her long dark tresses set loose in soft waves.

Nervousness fluttering in her stomach, the poisonous claws of fear sinking in her heart.

"Do not worry. Whatever it is we are right behind you." Bheem assured, his voice ringing with honesty.

Panchaali nodded, she had to trust their words, since the day they had come into her life, they hadn't left.

At least three of them were always there with her.

And for that she was grateful.

They were her strength, the only thing grounding her to the reality when panic threatened to overcome her senses.

Walking down the long corridor she reached to the guest hall, where her father had called her.

"Welcome my child."

The proud boisterous voice of her father greeted her, making her back straighten.

After that horrifying incident, this was the first time she was seeing him.

And there was not a pinch of guilt in his eyes, his face was split in a huge grin, like he never really burned her feet.

Draupadi couldn't believe her eyes.

She hoped to see some regret, some guilt, something at least that showed that he cares, but looking at him, there was not a speck of remorse.

Hurt bloomed in her heart.

Why did her own father hate her so much?

"Gentlemen this is my daughter Dhriti." The king's words had her blinking, shattering her chain of thoughts, her eyes settled on the room ahead.

The guest hall was decorated with golden and silver accessories everywhere.

From the huge golden chandelier to the silver oil lamp holders.

Giving a sense of luxury.

The men in the room were draped in finest of clothes, their eyes scanning her curiously.

Some held lust, others admiration.

But the feeling of disgust rolled through her all the same. She wanted nothing more than to run out of the room.

Run away from all the prying gazes, that scrutinized her every move.

"You are really very beautiful, Princess." A prince complimented.

The Panchaali who spoke so freely in front of her husbands, had returned in her shell, her gaze locked on the floor, her heart beat furiously.

Dread sunk its ugly claws in her heart.

"You will choose one of them as your husband." Her father's words nearly knocked the breath out of her lungs.

It wasn't a request, nor a suggestion.

It was an order, that he expected to follow her. Plain and simple.

She gazed at him in disbelief.

Her lips parted in shock.

Her couldn't be serious. . .

"But..."

She began, her voice fading in her throat, as her eyes locked with her father's.

Rajendra's smile sharpened on its edges, his gaze hardened.

He didn't like her questioning him.

Not one bit.

She could practically see as all the humanity evaporated from his face, leaving behind this calloused angry monster instead.

"Daughter."

A warning.

Her heart quivered in her chest.

The phantom pain of the burning rods, had her feet twitching.

The rotten smell of terror permeating the air.

Fury burned in the veins of the Pandavas, this bastard had not only kidnapped their bride but had the guts to ask her to choose another man.

The eldest pandav gazed at the first son of Madri, his hand moving in a silent language, urging him to call in the spies.

The elder twin nodded, he knew exactly what to do.

Casually slipping through the throngs of people he walked outside to the balcony, not a soul was present.

Everyone was too busy inside.

Letting his hands cover his mouths, he mimicked the sound of owl, only sharper.

A signal together.

He had faith in his man.

He gave sharp hoots, giving his location where they needed to meet, he let the sound soften, signaling they needed to be as discreet as possible.

Letting his hand drop he pulled in a deep breath, frigid night air filling his lungs, cooling the hot blazing wrath bubbling in him.

Like an acidic concoction.

It was marvelous how she was loyal to them, even with no memories present.

But this vile man had dared to commit the sin of trying to marry a married woman.

To marry off his woman.

Possessiveness and protectiveness unfurled in her chest, like a lethal broth demanding the death of the king.

He sneaked back in, his gaze locking with his oldest brother.

He gave him a nod, barely noticeable. But it was enough.

"Father..." Draupadi began.

She didn't want to disrespect the man, but there was no way she could even look at any of this strangers.

The mere thought of anyone even looking at her terrified her.

She wouldn't marry them.

It didn't matter if he killed her.

"Don't make me choose. For I will." He father added, any false civil act abandoned.

As the ugly monster that her father was revealed.

Malice dancing in his orbs, striking a bone deep terror within her, that sliced through the delicate organ in her chest.

She had no doubts that he would do just what he said.

"But I do not wish to get married." She tried once again.

Her voice trembled, dread weighing every word passing through her lips.

The spies sneaked in the room, silent and unseen as the wind.

Years of their training enabling them to move in the room, like they were always a part of it.

"You. . ." Before Rajendra could finish Yudhisthir signaled to his spies in the corner, who disguised as servants, some as royals.

The men nodded, their hands wrapping around the lanterns, discreetly letting the flames lick the curtains.

Like the lethal fury of Pandavas had taken a physical form.

Destroying everything in its path.

Fire blazed through the curtains silently, the wind making the flames burn brighter.

No one paid attention to their death.

It surrounded them.

Their eyes were arrested on the beauty ahead of them.

The vicious ribbons of scarlet orange and yellow flames spread everywhere.

The Pandavas took their positions strategically.

Bheem nodded at his youngest brother, his gaze settling on his bride and back at Sehdev, who nodded in turn signaling his understanding.

"Oh my god!" A maid screamed.

Frigid terror coating her shout.

Chaos burst through the room, Sehdev's hand wrapped on his wife's bicep tugging her out, before anyone could even blink.

Just as the duo was out of the door, Yudhisthir gave another nod, signaling for others to move.

The spies who had already applied a mixture on both the doors, in such a way, that the moment it shut, it would infuse together, making it impossible to exit.

"What the hell is happening?!"

Rajendra screamed, panic weaving in every word, his eyes wide in fury, scanning the orangish red flames eating away at the wall.

Smoke filled the room, the people rushed to the door.

Slamming their fists on it, when it didn't budge.

The spies moved around, preventing any innocent from getting in the way of harm.

After all they weren't their targets.

"Oh my god it is not opening!" Roared a prince slamming his hand on the door.

Terror permeated through the air like a poisonous gas rotting their minds, halting their rational thoughts instead making them panic.

It was a funny thing about death, that it made even the most powerful man go crazy.

"King what is the meaning of this?!" Another roared panic lacing their words.

"Rajendra!" Another warned furiously.

But before the king could answer, a pillar collapsed.

Slamming hard on the floor, crushing the soldiers of Rajendra, who screamed in agony, their agonized cries for help bouncing off the walls.

Smoke filled the room, making people cough.

The smell of charred flesh flaying their hearts with dread.

The Pandavas moved through the chaos, their eyes locking on their enemy.

Fury blazed in their veins, their hands itching to tear him open.

"Break the door open!" The king ordered, his breath coming in short pants, dread poisoning his heart, he trembled.

The scalding heat of the flames seemed like death looming in front of him.

People rushed to the door, slamming themselves on it.

Yudhisthir could still remember his bride's burned feet, and his gaze slowly met with each of his brother he saw the same emotion.

The demanded the retribution that the king owed them. Owed their innocent girl.

Another decorative fell, this time setting the carpets on fire.

Screams of terror bounced off the walls, cries filling the place, submerging it hopelessness.

The orangish glow on their faces, made them look every bit like the avenging angels; come to collect their debts.

"Your highness, come this way!" Bheem guided the king.

His face contorting in a mask of wrath, as he took each step ahead, the memories of his bride's tears wrecking havoc in his heart.

"Take me to safety now!" Rajendra ordered.

The men continued to slam themselves against the doors, struggling to escape the death.

Just as Rajendra hurried ahead, Bheem put his leg out, the king stumbled.

Arjun slammed his foot on the burning table making it skate against the floor.

Just as the door flew open, the king slammed face first in the burning table.

His terrorized screams shred through the walls, as people rushed out, too busy escaping their death.

The Pandavas gazed at the monster burn.

Their calm gazes locked on the screaming man, who withered in pain, the sound of his skin sizzling was like music to their ears.

His agonized cries were so loud they reverberated throughout the corridors.

Yudhisthir's calm eyes lifted from the scene ahead of him and locked with the elder twin, giving him a nod.

Nakul circled the table, casually whistling his way around as he moved to dipped his angvastra in the closest decorative pot that held water with floating candles.

Sometimes royals were too dumb. He shook his head, pathetic

His move completely casual, not at all in hurry.

Like it was just another Sunday and there wasn't a man screaming in pain near him.

He put the cloth on the water. And wringed the excess water out.

He counted the seconds, gazing at the man burn and scream.

He almost didn't want to save him, he wanted to watch him die.

But that would be too easy, won't it?

The pain screams of his bride still rang through his ears.

The earlier calm posture going taut, his eyes glaring down at the man menacingly, a dark lethal air surrounded him.

Just as he reached the mark of thirty, he wrapped his angvastra around Rajendra putting the fire out on his body.

"Oh my king!" He faked concern in his voice.

The man was a mangled mess of burned skin, his face and his chest was completely destroyed.

"Nothing will happen to you!" Bheem added, playing along the part perfectly.

How could something happen when Nakul had calculated the exact amount of time that would cause the most harm but not let him die.

The duo rushed out with him.

"Take him to the Raj Vaidya!" The General ordered, rushing in with soldiers.

Guards flooded the area, picking the king up and rushing out.

The general gazed at the Pandavas. "You did good job!" He nodded, praising the five.

The other royals around looked unnaturally pale, some were shouting, others too terrified to speak.

"We were just doing our duties." Bheem added, his voice completely calm, unlike the storm of fury raging within him.

"Yes. But now get back to your original duties. We'll care for the king." The general assured, before running towards the king's chamber.

The Pandavas gazed at each other.

There was nothing but peace on their faces.

This was just the beginning.

They had suffered enough, now it was time their enemies did. . .

***

Arjun gazed at the man laying on the bed, a frame surrounded the bed, that held a cloth over it, not touching the king's burn.

His constant grunts of pains filling the room were like melodies to his ear.

"The king has been completely been burned, his face is damaged permanently and other body parts. He shall live but could never speak or hear, would never be able to walk or move due to the nerve damage that has happened."

The Raj Vaidya's words had the four Pandavas smirking mentally.

Though not planned, things had turned out perfect.

"What do you mean?!" The queen screamed, her eyes puffy with tears, face swollen.

"You have to do something!" One of the princes shouted, his eyes moving to his father.

"I'm sorry your highness there is not much that I can't do." The Raj Vaidya bowed.

"Leave! Everybody leave!" The queen screamed.

The Pandavas moved out with everyone, a smirk curving up on their lips.

"One down." Arjun began, humor tainting his words.

"Too many to go." Bheem completed, earning chuckles from his brothers. . .

***

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