Dancing Flames

05. You don't lick Gandiv!

A/N: Thoughts on title? xD

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After the little incident with Duryodhan and Karn, though however funny it seemed, there was a risk to Shubhangini.

And Pandavas this time won't let those evil souled, dirt in the name of humans hurt her.

Using a clear ground in between the forest, Pandavas turned their small hut in a bloody fortress.

There were wooden walls, covered with cow dung, and only one door, and one secret underground tunnel exit, in case of any danger.

Inside those walls was a small hut, with windows and one door. It was made to suit a child and one grown up human to stay inside.

In the middle of their fortress was a huge tree trunk with a small box kind of thing at top, for someone to watch; and two ropes hanging for the watcher to climb.

Their security was this way, Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahdev would watch in day, one after other; While other three along with Yudhishthir would spend time with Shubhangini.

And at night Yudhishthir would keep the watch with also keeping at eyes on Shubhangini from their supposed tower, as one window gave a perfect view.

And the rest of Pandavas would do their penance at that time.
With these arrangements, the Pandavas had been calmed. Calm enough to wait until she grew up.

This was the time, when Yudhishthir, along with Nakul were serving the Rishis. Unexpectedly the Rishis were more than what they usually expected, so Sahdev, being a kind soul, volunteered himself to help.

Bheem, as usual had gone out to bring in supplies, leaving Shubhangini all alone with the famous archer.

Now now, don't get this wrong, Arjun wasn't bad or a big wolf in sheep's hiding. He was the best man, quite literally, and best father too.

But, he just didn't know how to handle young kids. He had been absent during Chitrangada and Uloopi's pregnancies, and had not gotten any time to see his wives or kids again.

He was in Indraprasth during Abhimanyu and Shrutkarma's young years, but he was rarely available. Being a prime warrior, he had many many Kingdoms to convince and win by war, for Rajsuya Yagna.

Of course he knew the basics, but he didn't have first hand experience on raising kids on a daily basis.

And today would be a disaster, Arjun could feel it, and suddenly he felt how bad it must be for Sahdev to feel that something bad was going to happen and not being able to stop it.

Nevertheless, being a paranoid man he was, he kept his Gandiv close, a pair of daggers, just in case; and most importantly, his sharp eyes on the baby, not even blinking, as if she would disappear in a blink.

"Amun." She blabbered, crawling towards him. Arjun noticed how she went from playing happily to being bored with her toys in five minutes. Seriously?

Now he knew why there was a saying "Betiya Lakshmi ka roop hoti hai"
If every kid was as Chanchal as Shubhangini, he wished and prayed to Mahadev to give parent loads and loads of patience.

Perhaps this agility of kids was the reason a pregnancy lasted nine months? Nine whole months to prepare themselves?

Arjun picked her effortlessly in his left hand, on his right was Gandiv.

"Hello Shubhangini," Arjun said in an awful tone, which according to him was similar to baby tone. Shubhangini smiled in turn, now used to the awful voice.

Arjun engaged her in small talks, mostly how she was and who was the best baby in the whole world; Shubhanigni undoubtedly giggled and laughed a lot, she thoroughly enjoyed those small talks, and especially those faces her guardians made.

As an adult, she was curious, and as a kid, she was curious, just a hundred times more.

Once she wanted to know where snakes lived and despite the best efforts of Pandavas, she somehow managed to crawl down a snake-burrow. The Pandavas no doubt freaked out when they found she had made friends with venomous snakes.

So with extra caution, Arjun kept his eyes on her. But to his utter surprise, she was now interested in the cool curcy shiny thing in his other hand.

He bought his Gandiv near her and Shubhangini absolutely giggled, trying to hold the magnificent bow in her tiny hands.

Arjun smiled brightly, happy that his betterhalf was amazed with a bow. Perhaps that would be her calling in future, perhaps she would prefer bow over any other weapon?

As Arjun kept dreaming about it, he forgot for a second that a baby alone with anything a baby finds interesting was not a good idea.

But Arjun was Arjun, he came out of his trance and to his utter shock, he saw Shubhangini trying to lick his precious Gandiv.

Arjun at instance separated his bow and wife, and left his Gandiv hanging by the door side and held Shubhangini in his arms securely, obviously speaking about how she must not lick anything.

"Amun," She heard nothing but just cried looking at Gandiv.

Arjun learnt his lesson- Never let Shubhangini come in a near perimeter of Gandiv, and Keep Shubhangini away from anything that she would put her tongue on.

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So- how was the chapter?

Isn't baby drau just so amazing- She did something that not even the greatest rivals of Arjun could not xD