The effects of the sedatives wore off as Mrithika could understand that it was genuine concern on her face. Something that she received quite rarely in her life. Her sensory nerves and organs came back to its original state rather than the dazed and absent situation it was in before.

But the only problem was, she couldn't understand her.

The language was something foreigner than the ones that she normally heard people speaking. Surely this wasn't someone's idea of a sick joke right?

"Mata, I think she can't understand what you're saying", Nakul interjected.

"Perhaps, I should try. May I, Mata"? Sahadev volunteered before asking permission from Kunti.

Kunti nodded and gestured him to proceed. "What is your name, Devi"? Sahadev asked with a few hand movements to help her understand.

Mrithika scrutinised him with her gaze and listened with rapt attention. Something struck her mind. On carefully listening to what he was saying she made out the words. The lang sounded quite familiar.

'Tav naam Kim'?

It was Sanskrit. She mentally slapped her forehead, why didn't she recognise it before? The last time she had ever heard of that language was during her middle school, she had to take it up as her compulsory third language.

'Tav naam kim has to mean....what's your name'! Mrithika mentally praised herself.

"Mrithika".

Sahadev smiled proudly and turned to his brothers, "See! I made her understand"!

Nakul rolled his eyes and challenged, "Oh really? Then ask Devi Mrithika where she's from".

Sahadev huffed and turned back to Mrithika, " Where are you from, Devi"?

Mrithika furrowed her brows, she couldn't understand why the guy was calling her Devi when she clearly said her name was Mrithika. But more importantly, now she couldn't understand what he was saying because even though she had studied Sanskrit, she forgot most of it.

"I can't understand you", She replied in Hindi for safe measures, though she doubted they could understand it.

"Can you tell me what place is this and who you all are"?

This time the Pandavas were taken back. They looked at each other bemused. They have never heard someone talk so anywhere. But on observing Mrithika's attire, they have never seen such a dress anywhere either.

"Perhaps, she not from Bharatvarsh"? Bheem spoke, earning the curiosity of his brothers and mother. Bheem's words made an impact on the others as they regarded her cautiously. Someone from outside of Aryavart couldn't possibly have the features same as them. Or for that matter, a name from Sanskrit origins. Mrithika definitely meant Mother Earth in Sanskrit and from their experience, Mlecchas and Yavanas had peculiar sounding names.

Mrithika pointed at them and asked in whatever Sanskrit she could manage, " Tuv naam"?

The eldest of them stepped forward and joined his palms together, "Pranipaat, Devi. I'm Yudhishthir and they are my brothers, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahadev". He gestured to the others, introducing them one by one carefully to avoid confusing her. "This our mother, Kunti". He pointed at the motherly woman at last.

"Pranipaat", the other four, which Mrithika understood to be his brothers, chorused together.

She joined her hands and gave them all a nervous smile. She pinched her arm and rubbed her eyes to make sure whatever she heard or saw was real and not the result of the side effects of those nasty drugs.

She waved her hands over her surroundings and asked, "Jagah? No - no — sthan"?

"Hastinapur, Devi", Bheem answered.

Her smile vanished from her face. She blinked at him owlishly and inspected the room and it's occupants once more. She hoped this wasn't someone playing a cruel prank on her. But who would? She hasn't really found people that would and her she wasn't exactly the type to pull such intricate ones either.

Nah, she lacked the humour to do so.

"Sahadev, you said she might not be from Aryavart, then how can she understand us? She was speaking in a different tongue not long before", Bheem asked, looking expectantly at Sahadev with regard to Mrithika speaking in broken Sanskrit.

"It's obvious she must have copied Sahadev's words when he asked for her name. She might not be from this part of Bharat, perhaps, from the South. I have heard that they speak a different tongue, Tamil." Yudhishthir answered and turned to Mrithika, " Are you from Dakshin Bharat"?

Mrithika paused for a while, only understanding the words 'Dakshin Bharat', he might be thinking she's from Southern India. She shook her head to their dismay.

"May I try, Jyesth"? Arjun asked politely for Yudhishthir's permission, and proceeded when he acquired them. He pointed at her and spoke simply, "You, from Bharat"?

Mrithika nodded in affirmation. This seemed to confuse the Pandavas and Kunti even more.

"Arjun, ask her from where in Bharat is she from", Kunti instructed. Arjun nodded and asked "Where" his hands forming a questionable gesture.

"Jodhpur", though she had lost all hopes that they could identify the place, she tried her luck.

"Jodhpur....." Arjun looked at the others in confusion. Although the place sounded like it was from Aryavart, he had never heard of such a place in his lifetime.

"I've never heard of a place called Jodhpur. Does such a place even exists"? Yudhishthir said, voicing Arjun's confusion.

"Yes, Jyesth. Even I have never heard of such a place", Sahadev agreed, despite having the knowledge of every single kingdoms and even villages, he was unable to recognise the place.

By the confused looks on their faces, Mrithika understood that Jodhpur was a foreign name according to them. But that was the least of her concerns, somehow she had travelled back in time to the Mahabharat era — err — Dwapar yug and people here speak Sanskrit which, unfortunately for her was as good as learning about calculus in math.

Run away. It was a powerful instinct. After all, that's what she has been doing since the past two years of her life. She had somehow mastered the art of running away but she doubted she could do that in here. In a place so different.

As each one of them contemplated on different situations, Mrithika saw two new arrivals come through the door. Two females, one having her eyes blindfolded and the other, a young girl almost the age of Arjun, she supposed, held the other steadily as they walked in.

"Pranipaat Jiji and Dushala," Kunti greeted them as she too saw their presence.

Mrithika's eyes widened. Gandhari and Dushala

The use of anaesthesia wasn't needed this time as black spots danced in the periphery of her vision and she fell upon the soft mattress with a thud, blocking out the vague shouts of distress.

From a vast distance from Hastinapur, the blue-hued Madhav did not need a letter to gain knowledge of the arrival of Mrithika when he, being the lord of the universe, knew everything that was happening in the nook and cranny of this world.

A serene smile played on his lips as he swinged in his swing set, watching the pigeon that delivered his letter, take off into the azure sky.

He chuckled at the clear confusion of Mrithika, "You need not run anywhere, Mrithika. You have finally reached your destination".

A/N

QFTD : Who do you guys want to pair Mrithika with?

Also vote comment and share!!