Vivaah Bandhan: The Story Of Dharmaraj & Yagyaseni

Chapter 11 (B) Of Attackers & Love Confessions

Surprise surprise!!!
Another update today, a little shorter but still! Hope you enjoy!!!!

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Draupadi stretched awake slightly, her eyes opened to unfamiliar surroundings, causing her to get up with alarm, regretting it instantly when her wound made itself known.

She stared at the red patch on the bandage worriedly, wanting to change it before Aarya Yudhishthir saw it. She knew her otherwise calm husband would panic completely.

As much as she found him sweet for caring so deeply about her, but she didn't want to worry him unnecessarily.

Just as she was musing, curtains covering the entrance were pushed open as her husband entered, bending his majestic frame to do so as he stood large & tall in there.

Draupadi was making haste to get off the mattress to be able to greet her husband appropriately, but his hands held her shoulders in place as he took a seat besides her.

D: Pranipat Aarya...
Draupadi suddenly felt shy in front of her husband, thinking about how he must have carried her in his arms from the chariot.
Yudhishthir noticed her reddening cheeks & offered her a warm, kind smile. He always found her blush beautiful.

Her blush only increased tenfold when his large, scaborous palm cupped her cheek, gently enquired of her well being.
As the depth of her feelings for him increased, she found herself growing further conscious & shy in front of him.

Yudhishthir signalled the daasi with the plate of food, waiting by the entrance to enter.
Draupadi's eyes widened, realising the time. How had she lost track of time & slept? She had so many things to organise. Food, lodgings for the subjects of Hastinapur accompanying then to their new abode & much more.

Y: Chintit na ho...sabhi ne bhojan karliya hai, tatha unke raatri vishraam ki vyavastha bhi ho chuki hai. Lijiye, aap bhi bhojan karlijiye.
Draupadi smiled, so thankful for this perfect man god had blessed her with as a husband. He was so so so very different from how men had been described to her.

She had always been told that husband was the highest authority in her life, & she would dedicate her life to serve him & take care of his needs. The word 'No' was forbidden to be spoken to him.

However, her husband was anything but the barbaric human, certain daasis & other royal women had made men appear like.

Dharmaraj Yudhishthir was the sweetest man she'd seen. Not only were his physical features breathtaking, as if skillfully sculpted but his inner soul was beautiful beyond words. Draupadi meant what she said in the function to the haughty princess. He was a man so full of love, that any woman would be crazily in love with him.

She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be loved fiercely by this beautiful man, to be his beloved & soulmate. Though they were man & wife for the world, the harsh truth that broke her heart was that he had married her as a duty, only because it was his mother's command & his dharma did not allow him to disregard her words.
Tears pricked her eyes, as she desperately tried to control herself.

Y: Panchali?
Yudhishthir's soft voice broke her chain of thoughts. His expression was one of tender concern seeing his bubbly wife lost in deep, serious thoughts.

P: Ji Aarya...? Uh...Aiyye na...bhojan karte hai. Mujhe gyaat hai aapne bhi nahi kiya hai.
She told him with a mock stern look, almost giggling seeing her prim & proper husband gulp, his eyes darting from to side.

D: Uh...vo...main bas...
Yudhishthir was sure that his heart had stopped beating when Agnisuta's dainty red fingertip came to rest directly on his cupid shaped lips.