"Actions done out of love and affection are undoubtedly a miracle of feeling and the peak of embarrassments."
~ Krishna

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We heard a knock at the door and he broke the hug. I looked at the door and then at him. He walked to the door and opened the door.

"Who are you sir ?" Arya asked looking at the person outside the hut. I went behind him to see who it was.

"Who are you ?" I asked him in a soft tone.

"Arey...what a sister are you ?" came the reply. I looked at Arya who was trying to control his laughter.

"What is this Arya ? Who are you ?" I asked to which he twinkled and winked at me.

"Brother Nakul !" I asked to which he nodded and tapped my head. I pulled him inside and Arya closed the door behind.

"What are you doing here Bratashri ?" I asked as he sat down on the bed.

"Why ? Can't I come to visit my sister ? And how can I leave her alone on her birthday ?" he asked me with a smile.

"Of course you should not Bratashri !" I said giggling.

"Thats good !" he said looking at Arya.

"How are you Bratashri ? It looks like you are tired after handling Subhadra alone" he said chuckling.

"I am good Nakul. Yes ! It's not been easy to handle Subhadra alone" he said smiling at me.

"I am not more difficult to handle me than to handle you two" I said and they  looked at each other.

"Maybe what you are saying is correct when it comes to Nakul !" Arya said and I nodded.

"Both of you never leave a stone unturned to tease me. How are your lives in the city ? Fun ?" Brother Nakul asked.

"Subhadra is enjoying the place as it is me who is doing all the work" Arya said laughing.

"After all she is the birthday girl !" Brother Nakul said and I nodded.

"Of course, the Birthday Princess !" Arya whispered softly as he smiled at me. I smiled at him and Brother Nakul let out a cough. Both of us looked at him to witness his mischievous smile.
Both of us looked away embarrassed.

"I see ! Indeed Brother has done a lot of work !" he said smiling as he looked around the house.

"Were you allowed to come and visit us Bratashri ?" I asked him in an attempt to change the topic.

"No ! I told Sahadev that I am going for horse-riding in the outskirts for sometime" he said.

We heard another knock at the door and this time, I went to open the door. Another man was standing with a plate of laddoos in his hands.

"Happy Birthday Bhadra !" he said stuffing a laddoo into my mouth. I was surprised at his gesture and looked at  him.

"Brata Bheem !"  I exclaimed as he nodded.

"Arya look who has come !" I said as I closed the door. Arya came out and hugged him.

"Brother Bheem ! How are you here ?" he asked in a high pitch and we went inside a room to find Brother Nakul missing.

I looked around to find him hiding behind the pillar. He signalled me to keep quiet. Arya noticed his absence and was about to enquire about Brother Nakul when I started.

"Brata Bheem ! How are you here ?" I asked to which he caressed my hair.

"I wanted to spend some time with my sister on her birthday ! That's why I came here" he said making us smile.

"Brother Balram allowed you ?" Arya asked to which Brother Bheem smiled.

"I told him that I was going to take a stroll in the city ! He doesn't know that I have disguised myself to meet you" he said laughing.

"What about Nakul Bratashri ?" Arya asked looking at Brother Nakul from the corner of his eyes.

"Nakul ? He's off to the outskirts with his horse. Only God knows what he finds so interesting in his horse that he runs away with it" Bratashri said laughing.

"It's similar to the way you find strength interesting !" Brother Nakul said and Brother Bheem jumped upon hearing the sudden noise and I ran to the pillar.

"Who was it ? Is anyone else there ?" he asked getting a little guarded. Arya shook his head.

"I mimicked him Bratashri ! If Brother Nakul was here, he would say the same sentence !" I said giggling.

"Animals are the most interesting creatures you will ever find. They have a story too and there are very loyal to us than humans. I wonder if Brother Nakul would become an animal if he is allowed to" I said appearing to be thinking.

"Mostly a rat or a horse" Arya said smiling.

"Yes ! A horse is apt" I said laughing forgetting that he was right behind me.

"Well, I am still here Subhu !" I heard him whisper behind me and I bit my lip in response.

"Okay so how is your day in the city ?" Bratashri asked and we smiled.

"Anything special happened Subhadra ?" he asked smiling at Arya.

"What do you mean Bratashri ?" I asked him to which he smirked at Arya.

"I thought your Arya would have done it by now" he said looking around the house as though he was searching for something. I understood that he was talking about the present.

"Nothing special Bratashri ! The same boring shopping has been going on since morning !" I said as Arya looked at me in a disappointed manner.

"Well..." I started when we heard someone banging at the door as though they wanted to escape the outside atmosphere. I ran up to the door to open it and saw my sister Panchali waiting outside.

"Jiji !" I exclaimed in a high tone to hint my brothers about the same. The tension in the inner chamber was visible.

"Shush Subhadra !" she said closing the door behind.

"Panchali ! You here ?" Arya asked coming outside.

"Yes ! You both wouldn't have missed me so I thought I would come to meet you" she said frowning. I hugged her giggling. Arya put his hands around her shoulder leading her towards the inner room. I closed the door and followed her.

"How come you are here Jiji ?" I asked to which she smiled.

"I came to visit my sister on her birthday, shouldn't I ?" Arya said imitating Jiji making us laugh.

"Yes that's the reason behind my visit" Jiji said as she made me sit beside her.

"Is everything as easy now ? Does Arya help with the household work ?" she asked to which I giggled.

"Actually, he was the one who did everything ! I did not do anything since morning. I mean I went outside" I said and Jiji giggled at Arya who was embarrassed.

"Really Arya ?" Jiji asked and he nodded awkwardly.

"You're so lucky dear" she said pulling my cheek.

"Anyone inside ?" we heard two voices outside.

"Yes !" Arya said walking away.

"Bratashri and Sahadev ?" we heard Arya's voice outside. Jiji's expressions changed and she immediately got up looking around to hide.

"What happened Jiji ? What are you searching for ?" I asked as though it was an entirely new phenomenon for me that day.

"Dear ! According to them, I am in the temple !" she said as she walked towards the bed to hide under it. I giggled and bent down to find my anklet on the ground.

Bending down, I saw Brother Bheem hiding under the bed. I was about to laugh at him when he signalled me about Jiji.

"Jiji ! You can hide in the pooja room. It's safe there" I blurted in a hurry. She nodded and went inside the pooja room. Just after she hid herself, I saw Arya enter with my other brothers.

"Greetings Bratashri !" I said folding my hands and they smiled and blessed me.

"Why are you gasping for breath ?" Brother Yudhishthir asked me and I shook my head in refusal. Brother Sahadev looked around and seemed to start thinking about something when I interruped him.

"Bratashri ? How was your day and how are you here in this attire ?" I asked them and they repeated the same lines to me making Arya frown.

"Everyone is her to meet Subhadra. No one misses me !" he said faking anger.

"Everyone ?" Brother Yudhishthir repeated looking at me.

"I mean... tha.t..." Arya dragged his sentence to think about a particular excuse.

"He refers to both of you as they Bratashri ! He's tired after all the work today" I said.

"Work ?" Brother Yudhishthir asked looking at Arya who nodded.

"Subhadra did not do anything today. I was the one who did all the work" Arya said and they giggled.

"Who's in ! Come outside ! The Prince wishes to meet the residents of this house" we heard a soldier say.

"Bratashri ?" I said and I noticed the changing colours of my brothers.

"What happened Bratashri ?" Arya asked.

"What excuse did you make Bratashri ?" I asked looking at Brother Sahadev.

"I told Dau that we want to get out for some fresh air. Actually, that was why we came together because Bratashri will not lie to anyone" he replied and both Arya and I smiled at each other.

"Bratashri ! Both of you hide behind the door. I will open the door" I said and thy nodded going behind the door.

"Coming !" I said and went outside to find Brother Balram smiling at me with a tinge of guilt on his face. I hugged him and patted his back.

"I am pretty happy Bratashri !" I said and he nodded.

"Where is Arjun ?" he asked and went inside with me following him behind.

"Dau ! You here ?" Arya asked appearing to be surprised. They hugged each other and Balram Dau sat on the bed with a thump. The bed bent a little and Brother Bheem hit the pillar with his leg to control his shriek.  

In the process, the pillar could not withstand his strength and cracked. It moved slightly and stood tilting a bit. Brother Nakul who was sitting behind was the pillar jumped away in the fear of the pillar falling on him.

He landed near on the floor and his hands pushed the door leaving Brother Yudhishthir and Brother Sahadev exposed. Both Arya and I looked at each other who gasped.

"Yudhishthir ! Bheem ! Nakul ! Sahadev ! You all are here !" Brother Balram enquired. All my brothers got up and looked at each other.

"Nakul ? Weren't you going to the countryside ?" Brother Sahadev asked to which Brother Nakul looked down in embarrassment.

"And Sahadev ! Weren't you going to get some medicines from the herbs in the forest ?" Brother Bheem asked to which Brother Sahadev looked at him and scratched his head.

"Bheem ! Weren't you going to take a stroll in the city ? But how come you are disguised in this attire !" Brother Yudhishthir questioned. Brother Bheem widened his eyes and looked at everyone's eyes on him.

"Well Bratashri ! By the laddoos which are placed here, I can promise you that..." was all that Brother Bheem could say.

"And what are you doing here Prince Yudhishthir ?" Brother Balram asked.

"We thought you were out to get some fresh air" Brother Balram said to which Brother Yudhishthir smiled.

"What is all this happening here ?" Jiji asked coming out.

"Queen Panchali ! You are here too ?" Brother Balram asked and Jiji noticed that she had landed herself in trouble.

"Panchali ! You here ? Weren't you heading towards temple ?" all my brothers asked and she nodded slightly. Arya held my hands tightly trying his level best to not laugh.

"What is all this Pandavas ?" Brother Balram asked in a stiff tone.

"That's exactly what I am asking Bratashri ! What are you doing here ? Weren't you supposed to be in the royal assembly ?" Brother Krishna entered the room with a smile on his face.

That was all it took, both Arya and I began laughing hard.
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