Pandavas & Panchali: An Eternal Love Story

21. Their Time

The marriage was soon over. The villagers' gossip wagging tongues have got a lot more things to gossip about now.   Purochan also made it sure that the news of Pandavas and Panchali's marriage should timely reach Hastinapur, Dwarka and Panchal.

As they were husbands and wife now, the six of them were alloted one room to spend their first night.  Moments before they could enter the room, the messenger of the Pandavas had come with the news that their families would be reaching here in two days.

Hearing the news, Yudhisthir let out a shakey breathe. This was a mess.

"Do you believe that Pitamah, Tatshree, Pitashree and Kakashrees would understand our situation, jyesth?" Arjun asked.

"I hope they will understand us Arjun. I can only hope." Yudhisthir said.

"I will make them understand. They'll listen to me." Panchali piped in this time. This was the first time that she was saying something directly to them since everything had happened.

The Pandavas got a new leash of life hearing her voice. Panchali didn't know it yet that she had a hold over their hearts. 

"We will do it together Kalyani, as a family." Yudhisthir assured.

Panchali passed him one of her most enigmatic smiles that could knock out the breathe of every sane person.

"Ummm Ar-Arya." Panchali called her eldest husband. There was one question that was disturbing her a lot. She wanted to clear it beforehand with her husbands before she could lose her sanity.

"Yes, Kalyani?" Yudhisthir who was always so calm and composed before everyone, couldn't hide his happiness this time. Hearing his Kalyani call him as 'Arya' was probably the sweetest sound for him in this world.

"Actually this is a question for each one of you Arya." She stated while making sure to look at each of her husbands. She wanted their rapt attention.

"Ha Panchali. Ask us whatever you want to." Arjun tried to assure her by holding her hand and giving it a light squeeze.

Panchali looked at their entwined hands and smiled softly.

Seeing her beautiful smile, the Pandavas were awestruck once again. They realised it only then that were madly, deeply and crazily in love with this woman that stood before them. Since the time they saw her for the first time, the feeling of 'love' blossomed in each of their hearts. They were warriors. They had spent more than half of their lives undergoing military training in their Gurukul. The feeling of 'love' and all the emotions that accompanied it was foreign to them until they met her,  the Queen of their hearts. Now, she was theirs'.

The Pandavas looked at each other and tried to communicate with the language that only siblings can easily i.e. with their eyes. Their marriage maybe called as the most unusual marriage but, the vows they took before the fire ceremoniously were true and pure. They'll protect their wife, their Panchali in this lifetime and beyond.  Also, they had vowed to be loyal to her till their death. Nobody, can come in between them ever.

The five of the Pandavas and Panchali were a unit now. If they were the five fingers, Panchali was the hand that kept them together. If they were the other important organs of the body, she was their 'heart' that kept them alive.

"Come and sit here, Panchali." Yudhisthir beckoned her to the bed where he was sitting. For a moment, she hesitated. Yet, she overcame all her inhibitions and went and sat near her eldest husband.

However, to Panchali's utter surprise, the rest of the four Pandavas followed suit and did the same. Arjun went and sat to her left. Bhim climbed up on the bed and sat behind her. He then, gently tugged her back towards him so that her back rested on his chest. Sahdev and Nakul sat down by the bed and rested their heads on Panchali's lap. Arjun and Yudhisthir passed each other a knowing smile and rested their heads on her shoulders while engulfing her in a half embrace from both sides. 

Panchali's breathe hitched feeling the collective touch of her husbands. She felt a tingling sensation in her heart. With each passing moment, the tingling sensation increased, making it impossible for her to bear its intensity. Hence, she closed her eyes and caressed each of her husbands' hair involuntarily.

"Kalyani, we're a unit now. Can you feel that?" Yudhisthir whispered into her ears in a sensuous voice. Panchali couldn't believe that her prim and proper husband can be sensuous too.

"Y-yes." Panchali stuttered.

Arjun smirked seeing her reddened cheeks. She was looking very cute.

"Is our princess being shy?" He teased while giving a kiss on her left cheek.

"Pfft! No, I am not." Panchali lied.

"We believe you, Ayonija." Sahdev looked at her winked. Panchali narrowed her eyes at her youngest husband.

"Yes, we believe you Shree. Even though, your cheeks are telling a different story to us." Nakul piped in.

"Aryaaaaaa, look at them." Panchali looked at Bhim and complained. He was the only one who wasn't teasing her at that moment.

"Priye, I won't give them any laddoos from now on, okay?" Bhim kissed her behind her head and hugged her from the back.

"Yesss." Panchali smiled while making sure to poke out her tongue at her other husbands.

"Oh! You're being so matured now Shree." Nakul laughed and pinched her cheeks.

"Besides, I have no complain about not getting to have laddoos." Arjun shrugged.

"Whyy?" Panchali questioned. She was expecting them to stop teasing her at least now.

"Because we'll get to have something more delicious." Sahdev teased again.

"Yes, something red and beautiful." Nakul added

"Ugh! What are you'll talking about Arya?" Panchali was really confused by now.

"Your cheeks, Kalyani." Yudhisthir said while kissing her on her right cheek.

Taking the opportunity, Sahdev and Nakul got up from their place and kissed her on her cheeks as well.

Arjun laughed seeing his wife's shyness. Her cheeks turned a shade darker and she hid her face with her hands.

"Oh! My sweet little shy bride." Arjun pressed a kiss on her hands with all the love.

"Anuj, actually she's our sweet little shy bride." Bhim laughed while pressing a kiss on her neck.

The rest of them joined him in his laughter within a few seconds. Panchali uncovered her face and looked at her husbands lovingly. Now, she was sure that they'll be with her together till the end of this life and beyond.