☆☆☆An Hour Earlier☆☆☆

Third Person's POV:

"Sehdev you have to believe me. It was Drau. She was right there in my arms."

All Sehdev could do was look at his  brother. His heart pitter-pattered with hope and anxiety. Soothing and sawing his all at once. Hurting and healing. Ambivalent emotions spiraling through him.

Drau?

His Drau?

She was. . .

His throat burned, emotions clogging his chest. Could it be possible? Just the possibility of her still being alive, had his dead heart beating.

Hope fluttered in his chest.

A new life seemed to be breathed in him.

"You have to believe me. There was no way I was imagining it."

Arjun pleaded, his hazel orbs locked with his brother's, who wordlessly continued to stare at him.

The chaotic emotions were too strong.

If this hope broke, he feared he'll shatter awfully, he wouldn't be able to walk away from that alive.

Hell he was barely alive now.

He sat down, his hands and legs quivered. His strength suddenly abandoning him.

"Sehdev. Please. " Arjun's voice cracked, he crouched in front where his brother, who shook his head. 

The third born of pandu took his brother's quivering hand in between his firm ones.

Lending his younger, very much needed strength.

"She was there. Our Drau. I am not imagining. If I was, I wouldn't have seem the glint of confusion in her eyes."

Sehdev's brow creased, his forehead wrinkling with perplexity. His head snappped up. What did he mean by confusion?

Arjun nodded, his face masked with a certainty.

"Yes. And I am not imagining it. Drau's eyes held uncertainty, confusion in her eyes. Like she didn't really know who I was."

The youngest pandav watched as his brother let his hand go. And began pacing the length of the room.

"In that moment I was too wrapped up in my emotions. But now that I think back, recalling each and every detail. There is something fishy going on around her. I am certain of it."

He stopped pacing,  facing his brother. His eyes glimmering with a hope that was too strong to deny.

"She was there in my arms. Crying and sobbing. Confused yes, but in pain. Her soul recognizes us, recognizes me. But her eyes, her mind somehow doesn't."

He whispered, running his hand through his long dark curls, tugging at them in frustration.

It felt so insane as he uttered the words out. Like he had lost his mind.

"It was so stupid of me. I should have called you all."

"If what you are saying is true, than where did she go? And why didn't anyone see her come or leave?"

Nakul's words were hard, gazing at his brother with a shattered expression. Tears lined his eyes, he shot the questions out.

The agony in him was all too consuming. All too burning.

If she was alive than where was she?!

How dare he awaken hope in his heart when he knew that Nakul couldn't take it, none of them could! When Sehdev had barely spoken the words.

"Nakul, you have to believe me."

"Bhraata Bheem, please believe me."

Arjun pleaded to the two, noticing Bheem who stood in the shadows of the corridors, just behind the elder twin. Too still. For a moment it felt like he wasn't even breathing.

Bheem's face was a picture of wrath, darkness veiling his features.

"Bhraata this is so cruel of you! To awaken hope in our hearts, when they are already so broken."

The first born of Madri snapped marching in the room, tears of anguish and fury trekked down his cheeks.

He wanted to wipe them, but the blaze of fury was all too magnanimous, all too charring.

Bheem walked in behind him.

"I am not playing with anyone's emotions. I am just saying what I saw, what I felt was real!" He roared frustration building in his chest. The first spark of wrath building in his chest.

"You are just deluding! What you are doing is breaking my soul. Just shut up for once-"

"Nakul! He us your elder brother mind your tongue." Bheem's words were growled animalistically, the animal in him pacing.

Tension zinged through the air, it was difficult to breath. Powers surged in the air, cackling under their fingertips, almost like ghostly fingers caressing their skin.

"Well! You know what? Great! Don't belive me! But imagine for one moment that I am right and she is out there alone with that bloody thirsty hound sniffing her path-"

Beastial roars tore through the place, the four glaring at each other. Fury tainted the air, as they stood glaring at each other.

"You are toeing a very fine line here Arjun."

The inhumane wrath that tainted Bheem's words rang through the room.

"There isn't a thing I wouldn't do for Drau." Arjun hissed back, taking a step ahead to face his brother. His jaw set in a hard line, fists clenching.

This was ridiculous. Why wouldn't they believe him? He had seen Drau! She was right there in his arms. Her warm body was pressed in his, and that soft sob that passed through her soft petal lips? It had shattered his heart.

That cannot be his imagination at all. It just wasn't possible. It was too vivid. Too detailed.

There was no way.

"You have no evidence." Nakul's cold words rang through the air. "Who says I don't?" The third son of Pandu snapped, standing taller.

Confusion lit the air. The three gazed at him perplexed. "What?"

"Sehdev can prove it. All he has to do is meditate. Search for that red bond with Drau, that aura bond that binds her with us-"

Sehdev's face paled, terror clutching his heart.

Nakul's hackles rose, protectoveness kicking in his system. "No! How could you ask him of that? Brother you know he hasn't once meditated to reach in those aura bonds because he doesn't want to see that it's no longer there, it will break him-"

"Oh god Nakul! For heaven's sake! The bond is right there! Drau is alive! My girl is alive, breathing and healthy! For the love of everything holy just let him look once! If he doesn't find anything I swear I would never touch my Gandiv in my life!"

Arjun fumed, rage burning in his heart. A stunned silence fell over the room, the three momentarily freezing.

Arjun would give up his Gandiv?

The shock of the statement had their hearts thumping hard.

"Yes. I promise. I promise on everything that I love." He repeated, all the heat from earlier vanishing in a snap of a finger.

Sorrow cloaking his expression. The mighty archer from earlier was replaced by a broken and shattered man.

One who was clutching on the hope that his wife was alive. The three just stared at him, their shared agony reflecting on their faces.

"I swear!" Arjun's voice caught in his throat, his knees buckling. He hit the floor, tears burning in his eyes.

"I swear to on you and mother, I would give up archery completely."

His voice echoed a brokeness. It was barely a distant whisper, every breath hurt, like he was dragging in blades with every inhale, flaying and lacerating his insides.

Archery had been a big part of his life, it had kept him going through his parent's loss, had him cope through Drau's death.

It was practically his life, but if this was the cost he had to pay for proving Drau's existence, he would.

Chances were this was all his imagination, but what if it was all true? What than? Could he ever live with himself knowing that God had blessed him with her presence and he had just waved it away thinking its his imagination?

That he had left her so that monster could feed of her? No. He could never survive that realisation.

So, even if it were all for nothing. It would still be worth it. For it would give him the peace that he tried all that he could for his girl.

"Just do this for me. Just this one time."
Emotions had his words wavering, a lone tear crossed the line of his eyes trekking down.

He looked up at the shattered expression of his youngest sibling.

"I know Dev it's a big ask, but she is there." He whispered, reaching out to hold his brother's hand in both of his, he swallowed the ache in his throat.

"Our Drau is alive." Hope glittered in his eyes, bright sheen of tears lining them.

"She is alive, please just please I am begging you-"

Sehdev fell on his knees, throwing his arms around his brother's neck, tears raining down his cheeks as he sobbed like a new born would.

His emotions were too raw. Heart, shattering in a million pieces. Arjun embraced him back just as fiercely, holding him tight, as though trying absorb all his younger brother's pain.

Nakul and Bheem gazed at each other, their throats tight. They lowered down, wrapping their arms around their brothers.

Silence wrapped around the four as they just held each other. Sharing their agony.

Sehdev moved back a little, easing back from the hug. He had a determined look on his face, he nodded.

"You'll do it?" Arjun whispered in disbelief. His youngest sibling nodded.

"Let's do it." Bheem gruffed his words out. Nakul nodded helping his brothers stand up.

The four set back facing each other in a circle, Sehdev stilled its heart, letting his soul pitter-patter against his chest.

How long had it been since he had prevented himself from looking at that crushed part of his.

What if the once glowing and glimmering scarlet bond that tinted with gold had faded too, like his bond with his two parents when they died?

His gaze moved to Arjun once more, and that broken expression on his face was enough a push.

After all they were brothers, no matter how much they argued on, they loved each other.

And Sehdev could do anything for his siblings, even tear his broken hearts in even finer shards.

He held his palms out to Bheem Arjun on either side, they placed their hands in his and soon the four linked their hands.

The visions, auras that once made Sehdev himself, the very same energies that he had blocked out flowed in him.

Energies zinged through the air, ribbons of golden auras flowed through their bodies.

Sehdev could feel the exhilarating rush in his veins, thumping and swirling. They were excited to be back to him.

A vision of cosmos blew behind his eye lids, he could see the stars, the planets rotating around the sun. Before his vision tunneled, energies guiding him through haze of colours.

It was like holding an overly enthusiastic pet his arms, he let his soul calm. And embraced the energies, strapping them down by his will. Controlling them instead the opposite.

The once all too encompassing auras, now thrummed in his chest. Awaiting for him to use them.

Taking in a deep breath, he opened his eyes. His brothers' gasped in surprised. It seemed like the cosmos had completely settled in Sehdev's eyes. They could see the stars, the galaxy in his eyes.

Rendering them speechless. The pandavas felt themselves begin tugged and in a snap of a finger they found themselves, trapped in a dark room.

Their eyes settled on the golden form of Sehdev's soul that sat in the middle of the dark room meditating. The glimmering energies of cosmos lining his form.

Bonds linked around Sehdev some stronger than the others. The pandavas could see their strong and thrumming bonds connecting to each other. Bit that wasn't what had rendered them speechless, no.

Not at all.

Shock zapped through the place. As they just blinked at the scarlet bond that had golden particles flowing in it, connecting to each brother.

Thrumming.

Beating.

Alive.

Sehdev's grip on his meditation lost, shock shackling his bones.

He captured the image, before sending everything else away with a snap of his fingers.

And now the four brothers sat in the room, just gazing at the holographic image rotating in the center.

The crimson pulsing bond.

The oxygen in the room seemed to have disappeared, it felt like someone had tugged the ground from under their feet.

Bheem's hand quivered as he reached out.

"Drau."

Disbelief rang through his words, a tear trekked down his cheek. Happiness surpassed all the limits today  all he could do was smile and cry. The contrast of different emotions was maddening, but welcome at the same time.

Nakul stood up, stumbling back. Shaking his head he moved behind, shock marring his features.

"Dr..Dr.. drau?"

He choked the words out. Oh god! How couldn't he had have known?! His Drau was alive! His Drau!

Arjun let his tears out, all he could do was cry. His Drau was alive. He knew it! He freaking knew it!!!

He laughed, falling on his back gazing at the ceiling. A wide smile tugging around his lips nearly splitting his face in half.

Drau was alive.

Sehdev gazed at the bond. The thrumming evidence of his wife's beating heart.

She was out there.

She was alive.

The reality seemed to sink deep in his bones.

"Drau?"

Heads snapped towards him. As the three gazed at their youngest sibling, who had spoken his first word after three years.

"Yes! She's alive!"

Bheem sobbed and laughed in joy.

Elated the four gazed at each other, tears streaming down their cheeks freely but what was different were the smiles splitting on their lips.

"We need to tell Jyest!" Bheem stated looking around.

"I'll call him. I'll call him."

Arjun was up and running out of the room before anyone could protest.

"Arjun-"

Duryodhan called as he saw his cousin run like a three year old kid.

But he didn't wait.

Arjun walked in study door, his face completely blank not revealing a thing. But inside he was bursting with joy.

Drau was alive!

"Bhraata."

His voice was void of any emotions, as he gazed at his brother, who turned towards him. His eyes momentarily settled on the girl beside him.

And for a moment his heart thumped so loud, that it nearly tipped out of his chest.

Shaking his head he stomped down on his emotions, he cannot think like that he had his wife to find.

His love was alive.

"You need to see this it is important."

He let the words sound hollow, but the moment his eyes arrested Yudhisthir's in a stare, the eldest pandav could tell that something important had his brother on edge.

Yudhisthir moved out without another word following his brothers.

"Drau is alive. We have evidence." The joy that masked Arjun's words and the honesty of it had Yudhisthir stumbling back.

For longest he just gazed at his brother shocked. Never in a million years he had expected to hear this.

The heart that had been dead thumped so hard, that he could hear the blood sailing through his veins.

"Show me!"

Was all he said. Arjun bolted and Yudhisthir high on his tail.

"Bhraata! Arjun!" Duryodhan's head snapped towards his brothers as they ran across the hallways, he couldn't regin in his curiousity and soon he was sailing high behind them.

Slamming the door open the three stumbled in.

And words died on their lips.

There was no need for explanation. The holographic image floated in the air. Sehdev's aura magic circling around it.

The great emperor was hit by emotions so hard, that his knees buckled. His eyes latching on a sight he had never expected.

The hands that had been always firm quivered like a dry leaf, what if it was all a dream?

His Drau was alive. The weight that had settled on his chest like a dead weight was lifted.

"Drau."

"Holy fuck!"

Duryodhan cursed, a teary laugh slipping past his lips.

"Draupadi is alive! Damn right! My sister is alive. " He roared in joy, once shock faded away.

"I'll go tell everyone-"

Yudhisthir's head snapped up, his hand shot up, wrapping around his cousin's hand.

The joy from earlier evaporated, a hard mask slipping on his face.

"Shut the door."

Arjun slipped the door shut.

"No one should know that Drau is alive except the people in the room."

His grave command rang through the words. The once broken man was now replaced by a fiercely protective husband.

His dark eyes clouded with fury. "Drau is still out there somewhere. And that monster is holding her, plotting something for his sick humor. He can't know that we know. "

The joy in the air was replaced by terror, followed by fury.

"I will rip that bastard with my bare hands the moment I get a grip of him!" Bheem roared pacing like a caged animal.

"We need to find Drau-"

"But we don't know where she is." Duryodhan interrupted Nakul.

"She's in the palace."

"What?!" The first born of Gandhari gazed at Arjun like he had lost his mind.

"Yes. She is." Nakul agreed. "I am sorry jyest-" He whispered guilt nibbling his gut.

"I am sorry too-"

"Don't say that. If I were in your shoes I would have done the same." Arjun whispered gazing at his brothers, the four gazed at him apologetically.

"Now we need to utilize our energy to find Drau, rather than apologize. Drau is more important." The four nodded at Arjun's words.

"Excuse me but what are the five of you talking about?" The eldest son of Dhritrashtr asked, looking at the five.

And Nakul began narrating the events.

A silence curtained the room. The six sat gazing at each other.

"You had returned me my two souls. I promise brothers, I would do everything to annihilate that bastard."

Duryodhan growled, wrath thumping through his veins.

"He has hurt our family already too much." Gritted Nakul, his hand clutching on his twins.

"No more." Arjun promised, his voice lethal.

"This changes everything. No wonder we weren't able to find a clue on him. We were looking it from a wrong perspective all along. Drau's death had crippled us." Sehdev wondered out aloud.

Yudhisthir gazed at his youngest sibling, joy unfurling through his chest. It had been so long since he had heard his brother.

"This stays in this room. Pretend as though nothing happened. Comb through all the new entries in Hastinapur. Specially in palace. I want a background check on everyone."

Yudhisthir's authoritative voice rang through the place.

"We need to visit Panchaal. It is time to comb through Panchaali's past. There has to be a clue there."

Nods of agreement were met in the room, the six gazed at each other.

"But if we leave together. It would sound fishy." Arjun pointed out.

"Things are going to change a bit around. From now on to meet, we will be using the secret tunnels that only the six of us along with Tatshree and Pitahmah knows about. None other is aware." Nakul suggested.

"The underground secret room could be used as an evidence room. For us to meet and contemplate. Pretend like nothing happened." Sehdev booted in.

"Visiting Panchaal won't be so difficult. After all it is Dhristdayumn's wedding in a few weeks. You can visit as family. After all they have been inviting you all since forever." Duryodhan added.

"That'll be a good idea. But not everyone can leave. You need to hold the ground here, and carry on the search here." Yudhisthir pointed out.

"Don't worry about it brother. I will handle it here. Not another soul except me would know what is happening here. It's a promise." Duryodhan assured his brothers' the five gazed at him with relief.

They shared a tight hug.

"We would get lady annoyance back."  Duryodhan's voice laced with emotions.  "Yes we would. Yes we would." Yudhisthir mumbled, even if it was the last thing he did. . .

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