ᴋᴇꜱʜᴀᴠʏᴀᴊᴇᴇᴠᴀɴᴀᴍ-
And she veiled herself, her literal uniqueness being closed off. Varja, as she was adoringly called, ran past her chambers in swiftness, panting as she stopped. And, there he was. Winking at her sneakily and striding towards her...
The nightfall was slowly fading into the milieu while daybreak was coming in. Padmavati fiddled in her sleep and opened her eyes. Her soul was unconsciously at quietude and a music so unearthly euphonious that she started leisurely traipsing towards it. A silhouette of a man with a flute in his hands were visible and as she came closer, she saw the side of his face being hit by the first ray of the dawn and boy, did she not gasp?
She turned around to see if anyone has woken up and when she twirled her head again, he vanished. Breathing a sigh of downheartedness, she was met with a concerned glare of her mother. "I woke up just to find you missing, Padma. Do you know how worried I was? And here you are, looking outside" spoke Kunti in one go.
"Mata, I was just looking out of the window and nothing more. Don't worry" Padmavati winked and sat down beside her mother. Worry for her daughters, who does not know how the world frothed and bubbled inside her and cupped her daughter's face, "My dear... You do not KNOW how this world works and how cruel it is. You are just a child, who's just born and by looking at you, serenity fills us all. But, the world works in the other way and just be safe, okay?". Padmavati swayed her head in a yes, and took some clothes to take bath.
On reaching the river, the calming music of the waterbody appeared to reverberate inside her. Keeping her garments on the dry part of the forest, she moistened herself and even dipped a little more inside to obscure herself. Lotuses were filled everywhere, for if Shri herself is there, then won't her treasured lotuses be there? But as it seems, the VaikunthEshwari has her fondness of lotuses in this birth too! RajaLakshmi, took a towel, tenderly squeezed and pressed it against her body and head.
She painted herself in her clothes, highlighting her body so perfectly and elegantly. The color green suiting her perfectly with her bosoms and waist covered, indicating an unmarried girl and her velvety hair tied into a half up do. She bent down, to pick up the lotus from the river and emplaced it into her hair.
Walking up to her house, the sweet incense dazed right into her, weaving a thread of calmness around the whole place. She saw her parents praying to a God. "Sri Hariye Namaha, Sri Patiye Namaha, MahaVishnuve Namaha, ParaBrahmane Namaha" and her heart started pumping rapidly and butterflies waved their way into her stomach, closing her eyes, she devoured his name, like a animal consuming it's prey. An empyreal smile made it's way and Ksheera smiled a bittersweet smile, for she remembers her true origin.
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"Ah! Mother, the milk you have bestowed us with is the pure love of yours and taste of it so very-" Bhima dramatically exclaimed only to spit it out.
"What is this? It's so salty and ugh, it's so bad" Sahadev inveighed.
Padmavati looked at her Ksheera who was trying to ensconce herself from laughing but failed miserably. Kunti just gaped at her daughter while Madri smiled at them. The Pandavas looked at her in arraign, while the latter took of to running. Arjun and Nakul were the first one to run behind her, with Bhima and Sahadev on toe and Yudhishthira asking them to be careful.
Padmavati shook her head slightly and joined Yudhishthira who beamed at her and said, "Padma, were you actually behind this?" to which she responded with a "NO! Jyesth, I didn't even know about it" and contrived a pure and innocent face.
"Padma, Netra told me that YOU were behind this, and not her. So, did you really give this idea to her?" Nakul raised his eyebrows. Gasping, she quickly looked at Netra who just blinked naively. "Bharata, I was taking bath when this all happened, and when I came back this forest theatrics unbarred itself" she rolled her eyes.
Nakul turned and playfully glared at the youngest progeny of their family who just arduously smiled at him. She slowly and stoutly walked back, and when she saw Nakul approaching her, she took off to sprinting and he too surrendered hastening with the drink still in his hands.
Pandu was stepping into the hut when he was met with 4 wide eyes and was drenched in milk. Arjun and Yudhishthira quickly sped and took the glass from the ground while the eldest motioned them to move aside by his eyes. Padma, gave the towel to her father while Bhima cleaned up the spilt milk on the floor.
Ambalikeya started chuckling, "Well, this is a very good welcome I daresay. I should write a letter to Vidura about this kind of greeting in the royal". With that he went to change and Kunti as well as Madri sighed looking at each other about how they are going to handle seven children all by themselves.
"Fear not Mata, for the brave Arjuna is here to maintain you handle these kids! Deva too shall accompany me for he's obsequious and quiet".
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Oof! Finally, I finished this. Please let me know what you guys think of this chapter by comments and votes.
