Dancing Flames

14. Who Am I?

"Who am I to you?" Shubhangini asked, and Yudhisthir stood silent. He could not lie nor say the truth. 
And to be honest, he himself did not know the truth, Draupadi was their wife, and Shubhangini was a different person.

"I also want to hear it from Bheem, Arjun, Nakul and Sahdev." She said silently walking towards their hut.

Yudhisthir pondered over the facts he had in his hand, of course Shubhangini was a kid so the whole truth would be difficult for her to digest.

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Shubhangini asked again, shocking the Pandavas.

The brothers looked at each other, not knowing what to answer.

Slowly, the Pandavas bend down on their knees in front of her, Arjun cupped her cheeks and replied, "You were born from fire. There was a huge Yagn conducted, and you were born out it. Thus you are also called Yagnseni and Agnijaa." He said, keeping out the names of Panchal family.

"And from where do I come?" She asked between her hiccups.

Nakul chuckled and replied, "We all come from the same place Shubha, BhuDevi, our mother." 

"What is the name of my Kingdom?" She asked again.

"There are no differentiation Shubha, we have just named parts of the earth, but it is one, Bharatkhand." Sahdev replied.

"Who am I to you all?" She asked, again.

"You are the light of our lives Shubha, the reason of our existence." Bheem replied.

"And who are you all to me?" Shubhangini questioned.

Yudhisthir stared at her for a second, before slipping in a memory of past;

Draupadi was a newly wedded bride, and she was in doubt. She didn't know how she would handle her married life.

"I know you are tensed, but I assure you, we brothers will never let anything ruin our relationship." Yudhisthir spoke.

Panchali nodded.

"And before husband and wife, we can be friends." Yudhisthir said, noticing her unease.

"Friends?" Draupadi smiled. 

"Friends."

"Friends." Yudhisthir replied, "We take care of each other as mother, guide as father, support as spouse, cherish like kids; that's what we are, friends." 

"Only friends?" Shubha asked.

"Friends, and there is more than that, but we tell you when the time comes." Pandavaagraj replied.

"And when will the time come?" Shubha asked whinning.

Arjun picked her up and twirled her in the air, "The time will come when you grow up, and become ready to learn Brahmastra." 

Knowing it was very far, the Pandavas sighed, they had time, for her to grow and become mature and for them to be ready to explain.

»»--------------------------««

Shubha had left, to play with her friends, leaving Pandavas in a pool of thoughts.

"Jyesth, I have a question-
What if she grows up and marries someone else?" Nakul asked.

"Or worse, what if- she just wants to marry one of us?" Sahdev continued his doubts.

"Anujo, future is uncertain, thus we must concentrate on present. 
And if she chooses someone else, then we will accept it." Yudhisthir said calmly, hiding his breaking heart.

"Jyesth, Krishna got us married, thus I believe our marriage shall remain same." Arjun spoke, surprisingly calm.

"I have another question," Bheem asked, "What if she hates her?" Fear evident in his eyes.

"We can only hope for good Bhrata Bheem, and nothing else," Nakul replied sadly.

"OMG" Arjun screamed loudly.

"What happened?" The Pandavas asked with concern.

"She is a girl-" Arjun replied.

"We know that-" Nakul facepalmed.

"Yes, and we are men. And girls need a woman while growing up." He replied.

And the Pandavas took a deep breath.
A lot was to come......

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Smol update, cause why not?

Well, to be very honest, I had this plot ready in my mind and I just couldn't wait to share. Thus typed it quickly, ultimately making it very smol crappy chappy but published it anyways.