Love & Betrayal

~ Clashes of heart

The never ending silence except the chirping of bird and neigh of horse were heard. Within the forest five horses were riding with five well built warriors.

One of them smiled mischievously as he knocked the other and asked him to look in a particular direction. They both giggled which pulled out the attention of other two men.

"Ahmm! Bharata is too lost from the time we have stepped out of Panchal. Seems like Panchal princess has left her spell over him." The youngest of them said hi-fing to his twin brother who laughed.

"Nakul! Shadev! Don't you dare tease my jyesth!" Came a soft voice of a bulky man who none other than bheem. He sarcastically said seeing his elder brother gazing at the anklet of a maiden in his hand.

"Love makes people mad, bharata!" Savyasachi came commenting which dragged out their elder brother out of his trance. He felt embarrassed as the igniting fire in his heart reminded him about the fire born princess of Panchal. Her lotus eyes flashed before him as a smile tried coming on his lips but he clouded it with his as usual blank expression.

It was yudhishthir, the most obedient and eldest kuru prince of hastinapur and the dear son of Maharani kunti and late Maharaj pandu. He rode his horse till his brothers and pretended unknown.
"You four focus on the way. We need to reach hastinapur soon."

The four younger brothers of him laughed as they followed him behind while yudhishthir smiled shyly at the thought of Panchal princess.

"We will meet soon!"

He said looking at the anklet before keeping it back into the pouch.

......

Few days ago

"Ahh!!"

She screamed covering her eyes as the well built warrior before her was about to smash her with his mess. She was waiting for it when suddenly heard the clash of weapons. Her eyes fearfully opened and then she saw another man who had blocked the mace with his spear while glaring at the man.

"Don't come in between yudhishthir!" He growled angrily forcing his mace but yudhishthir protested him and pushed him back.

"Have some shame duryodhan! You can't raise your weapon on a woman that too when she is weaponless. It's adharma"  He scolded but that didn't affect him as he was constantly glaring at the woman. Yudhishthir turned to her and forwarded his palm. She at the first was scared but then trusted him and with his support stood up.

"Who are you?" He asked but she didn't answer and looked towards her father who was sitting on his knees with lowered head and beside dristhdyumn and shrikhandini were standing glaring at dronacharya.

"Pitashree!"

She ran near drupad who was shocked to see her as he was fearing that anyone could hurt her. He stood up and came near her immediately engulfing her in his arms. Seeing that dronacharya was shocked, he saw this soft side of drupad after years as he never wished to have a daughter and always was against it but now suddenly seeing his love was shocking him.

"Pitashree, how are you? Did anyone hurt you? Don't worry pitashree, I am capable enough to fight with your enemies and win back your kingdom." She said fiercely looking at dronacharya. He was kind of impressed with her and was smiling.

"You don't have to putri! I don't want your father's kingdom, I had come here for revenge and to burn his ego but I think that's not needed because that cruel drupad has already changed. Drupad, I am giving your kingdom back." He said looking at his friend who smiled and hugged him while apologizing for his past deeds.

"Your disciples are very brave dron. I'm impressed with their bravery. I would request you all to stay here till my son's coronation ceremony." He requested as the pandavas smiled happily but duryodhan was fuming in anger. He left from there disrespecting the king.

.

It was night time and draupadi was roaming in corridor with a plate of garment in her hand. She was just passing when her pallu got pulled. She sharply turned and glared at the person who gave her a evil smirk.

"I like your fierceness!"

"You have dared to touch the drape of fire born. Do you know I can burn you into ashes at this instant, rajkumar duryodhan!" She replied back with pure hate in her eyes for the person before her. He angrily looked at her and tightened his grip on her drape. Panchali being the short tempered fire born, pulled out her dragger and left a cut on his palm in the flip of second.

"You characterless girl! How dared you__"

"Keep your voice low rajkumar, my father and brother won't even hesitate before beheading you. And this scar will remind you about your sin, don't try to disrespect any woman after this." She stated then pulling her drape turned away to go.

"I'll make sure to destroy your life Draupadi! I won't forgive you for this."

He vowed to destroy her before leaving from there.

There draupadi was fuming in anger. She started walking while cursing him when suddenly she got bumped with someone. A growl left her mouth out of frustration.

"Can't you see?"

"Forgive me rajkumari!"

"Keep your apology near you__" Her words reminded half as she saw the face of that person. Her eyes lit up when they met with some brown pairs. She took her own time to admire the prince standing before her with respect. She herself didn't know why but her heart felt warm with his presence.

"Rajkumar, you?"

"I'm really sorry, I didn't saw you coming. Actually I was looking at something else." He politely said with a small smile on his lips.

"I'm sorry and also thank you. You saved me yesterday." She said with a shy smile don't know why but she was feeling shy before him. Her cheeks were aching and eyes we're glowing. His fair face and those warming eyes we're just amazing. She was unknowingly drowning into him.

"What are you doing here at this time rajkumari? And thos dragger? There's blood! Are you hurt?" A panick spread through his chest and he held her hand which passed sparkles through both of them. He surprisingly looked up and their eyes met again. She was surely captivating him. Her beautiful face and those soft heart warming smiles were melting him. He was feeling unusually good, something which he never felt with any woman before.

"Are you fine rajkumari?"

"I'm! I'm capable enough to protect myself rajkumar, but it felt good to see your concern for me."

She stated with a blush which didn't missed his eyes. Yudhishthir smiled unknowingly and then saw the fire bron princess running from there.

........

Was it good? I'm trying my hand in writing for the first time. Do tell me how is it.

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