Indraprasth

Arjun's POV

"Your aura is cogent enough to put even the Moon to shame," my ears greeted a familiar voice, amicably dramatic this time making me already have an murky idea of how the expression on the woman's face carrying the voice might be.

I dashed my orbs to one end, slight amusement making my eyebrows scrunch a little. Living for around a year with her made me realize two things very clearly; when she speaks extra sweetly, you are in for a real shock Paarth, and when she doesn't then also you are.

Period.

Not that you mind it, do you?

Well...

"Eyes dark like ebony, enough to swirl my heart." she added a subtle tune to it, almost reciting it like a poem.

What on earth is going on in her mind?

I blinked twice, sucking in a sharp breath and pretended to continue lingering my gaze on the scrolls. The soft chiming of anklets paused after a while, indicating its mistress had finally seated herself comfortably.

I gingerly cleared my throat, biting the corner of my lip to comprehend what was the actual stuff playing in my fireborn's head.

Well, I tried to recollect anything odd which I had done but after a bit of calculation I concluded that I had a clean chit.

Yeah, I mean I had dared to smudge the dry red color on her face just two weeks ago. 

Before anyone could judge me for my childish antics, let me clear that I had offended my Princess that day and all she was doing was giving me a silent treatment. Believe me, I had no other option other than pulling off that stupid trick and it gladly worked. Receiving the deadliest glare and then a glimpse of that playful smile that graced her lips. Worth it.

Yes, and by now I have successfully befriended her enough to have her goofing around me at times and all I would do was just give into the spark I had created for her to open up to me.

What? I can assure you that even girls make good best friends. Okay?

I don't think Madhav would mind if I dare to show my 'extra friendly' affection for Panchali when we are hanging out.

Maybe I shall resort to ruffling her hair rather than patting her back, a gesture which is exclusively reserved for Him. You can't predict though, the mysterious dark skinned ruler of Dwarka can be extremely dramatic at times.

I stroked the standard of curl that had fallen on my forehead, now being completely aware that she is up to something. She edged closer to me, with her fingers drumming on her palm.

"Oh, your cascading dark hair dives into the depths of my soul." her voice gradually became more animated, with her extra sighing in intervals.

Okay this is scary now. Weird and scary.

Because why I do feel like I have heard this before?

Mustering courage, I raised an eyebrow and glanced back. Panchali's forehead was scrunched up, her lower lip curled out as she gently shook her head. I knew what it meant. Paarth, now gear up for a teasing session from her.

She closed her eyes with a satisfied expression on her face, taking in a huge and deep breath as she brought out her hand from behind her back. Her fingers curled around a piece of parchment, which she slowly began to sway in front of her face.

My eyeballs were threatening to be ejected from those eye-sockets.

"Interesting, very interesting." she continued fanning it near her chin, "Should I be angry at you for hiding it or rather make fun of you, I am still planning about it. Can you tell me which is better?" she playfully bit the corner of her lips and danced her eyebrows.

"You! From where on earth did you get hold of it?!" I scampered up from the ground, my eyes bulging out as it lingered on the parchment. She gave me an amused expression, "Hmmm, childhood fantasies Arjun? I never knew you can dream about anything else except archery," she lowered her chin slightly, those sparkling eyes shining with mischief.

"Panchali, thi-this is really inappropriate." I started shaking my head vigorously and blinking, internally freaking out. How the hell did she get hold of them? I remember to have hidden them safely. Very safely. You need to keep those things safe, especially when you have a brother like Nakul who can make even the tiniest stuff viral.

"This is breaching of privacy!" I tried to reason out by lifting my palms, which she clearly chose to ignore. "Do I look like I care?" she gave me a victorious smirk, and began to shuffle the parchment in her palms with a leg crossed over another.

Damn, she looks so adorable....

Focus Arjun, focus!

I snaked my hand up towards my head and began to smother my curls, gazing at her and trying to figure out what to do.

"Okay fine!" I concluded, a sigh leaving my lips, "How can you serve you, my dear lady?" Gosh, I am so bad at buttering but right now it was my only weapon. I edged close to her, hopeful that she would give in.

"Nah, this won't work." she jutted out her lower lip and shook her head.

Dead.

"Then what?"

"Tell me about this!" her tone suddenly grew excited, like a teenager ready for gossiping. She sat back on the bed properly and folded her knees, all set for like a session of storytelling with her deep eyes glued on me.

Oh no, she is going to make me open my mouth.

"Tell you about what?" I questioned back, as if I didn't know what she is desiring to know from me.

"This," she unfolded the parchment to make me have a time travel to the days when I was sixteen. Yes, sixteen and a little curious lad who had started daydreaming at times. Those were the days I had penned down my thoughts on those parchments and kept them for myself. Hoping that my secrets would be secrets. 

"So? Tell me about your daydreams," Panchali began to raise her eyebrows up and down, waiting for me to answer. 

"What made you think it was a daydream?" a smirk spread on my face as I knelt closer to her, and copied her expression of raising her eyebrows. Her eyebrows drooped slightly, her face showing a slight sign of worry as if she would regret asking me about it. "You mean she was real?" she managed to speak. She obviously didn't expect it. Well she guessed it what exactly  had happened though, but why not have some fun?

"Of course! Let me tell you about her," I folded my knees exactly like her and cupping them with my palms, "So this girl," I kept a straight face, not trying to show her that I was simply cooking up a tale, "When we were in Guru Dronacharya's ashram, I accidently stumbled upon her. She was from a nearby village," Draupadi's face stiffened as I continued, enjoying every bit of it.

 "She was lost that day while gathering flowers for a veneration. It was growing dusk, so I asked her whether she would like me to accompany her." I smiled, closing my eyes and pretending to reminisce those days, "She gave me a shy smile and softly nodded. You know right it was like my first interaction with some girl, so I felt tingles in my heart as well."

"Oh...." she softly sighed, "Then?" 

Duh, she sounded like those little kids who were afraid of hearing horrifying stories but would still glue to it out of curiosity.

"Then what?" I managed to figure out words, "Then we met whenever Guru Dev gave us free time. Secretly of course, I can't let anyone find about us or it will be a matter of gossip." I rolled my eyes to show how it bothered me. 

"We hanged out in the wilderness quite often. Then one day she went away," I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, "No one knew where she did."

"Did you try finding her?" 

"Of course yes!" I tried to be obvious, "How can you think I won't?" I tried to hide the smirk which was threatening to be etched.

"But sadly, I couldn't." I shifted my tone into a gloomy one.

"You miss her?" 

"Hmmmm..."

"What was her name?"

Dang, I never thought of it--

"Uh, Malini. Yes her name was Malini." I randomly spoke a name which came into my brain that time. I saw her falling into a deep thought as she kept on looking down on the bed and shifted a strand of hair that had fallen on her face. 

"So you have written this verse for her?" 

I shrugged in positive, nodding my head, "Yeah, she was beautiful. Like a dream, a beautiful dream. Her eyes were dark brown, long hair cascading down her waist and charm like-"

"Okay fine fine!" She made me halt, while I was doing a mental victory dance of having her all riled up, "Fine.." she pressed the parchment on the bed harshly and breathed out. Her eyebrows knitted as she interlocked her fingers with each other and gazed away. Her expressive face gave it all away and the laugh which I was trying to suppress for so long finally erupted.

I covered my mouth as my body vibrated, her face slowly giving away realizing that all the while I was pranking her. Her eyes widened as she stared at me, making me grab a pillow and bury my face to stop myself for guffawing more.

"Oh god, just look at yourself in the mirror!" I tried to sober but it was difficult. She rolled her eyes evidently, trying to portray that she was unaffected, "Whatever..." she gave a bored look to me and turned away while I continued giggling.

★★★★★★★★★

A/N

Arjun pampering Draupadi be like --

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Signing off for today!

~Kiritija Nushkie