Soul connection: The first Krishna-Arjun journey

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟟: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕘𝕚𝕟𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘

Arjun's pov

Kunti introduced her nephew to her sons as his cousin Vasudev's son.

"I have met two of them already, Aunt, in a most unforgettable manner," said Madhav, flashing a grin each at Arjun and Bheem.

Arjun felt the pull of his spell again.

"Is this who you were talking of all the way back, Bhrata Arjun?" Nakul asked.

"Er--" said Arjun awkwardly, wondering why his brothers except his jyesht refused to learn a bit of tact.

"How did you hold off the crowd unarmed?" asked Sahadev avidly, taking Arjun's flush to be a yes.

Madhav looked like he was thoroughly enjoying himself, but there was no time to get into those at the moment.

The introductions and reunion was got over with quickly, and the discussion returned to the question of the marriage. An enraged Drishtadyumna--whose eyes Arjun did not dare meet--kept insisting this was blatant adharma. Draupadi, on the other hand, seemed to have accepted the idea perfectly well.

"Men are allowed multiple marriages," said Yudhishthir dubiously. "How is it adharma for a woman to do the same?"

"But five?" demanded Drishtadyumna.

"Let it go, Drish," said Draupadi.

Arjun wondered if she was upset at all. She did not appear so in the least.

"We cannot let it go if it is a question of adharma, Princess," said Yudhishthir. He turned towards Madhav respectfully. "What do you think, cousin?"

"Send Sage Vyasa a request to visit," said Madhav. "He is the only one who can give you the correct advice."

***

As they waited around for the sage to arrive, Arjun avoided company, and most of all, avoided Draupadi. Immediately after the debate had broken up, she had made a beeline for him. She had not blamed him for a second, but her words had made him feel very small nevertheless.

"I am sure you had no choice but to agree to this arrangement," she said.

"Yes--I mean--yes," said Arjun apprehensively.

"Do you have any preference regarding Sage Vyasa's verdict?"

"No," said Arjun.

"I did have one, before your reply." Draupadi smiled wistfully. "I no longer do."

She swept away, her braid swinging across. She was so beautiful; it was no wonder she was said to be the most beautiful woman of their land. She would not be half as beautiful without her spirit. The determined, unhesitating way she spoke, the way she looked straight into your eyes while doing so. 

She--a woman, a princess--was unafraid of what was to come. He--a man, a warrior--was terrified.

Why exactly were men said to be stronger and braver than women again? wondered Arjun.

He was not just terrified; with every passing second, he grew so miserable he could hardly hold it in.

He wondered why he was feeling so, so awful. He had not gone to the swayamvar to win the princess's hand. He had only gone on a whim, for the challenge of archery. He had not felt any extraordinary joy when he had hit the target. He had not even been thinking about the princess much since he had won her hand.

It was only now in this mess than he realized how much he had set his heart on marrying this woman. Marrying her alone. He would never have felt the need to marry again. And they would have belonged solely to each other, forever.