Chapter 152: The Silent Laughter of a Queen
The air in the royal chambers was thick with tension as the Pandavas, each holding their stance, found themselves in a rare argument with Draupadi. It wasn’t over matters of state or war, but something more personal—their nightly ritual of cuddling her as they slept.
Tonight, Draupadi had been so absorbed in kingdom matters that she hadn’t joined them in bed immediately. Instead, she chose to stay up late, finishing an important letter to a neighboring kingdom. The Pandavas, feeling the absence of her warmth, had tried to coax her away from her duties.
But Draupadi, ever the devoted queen, politely refused. “The kingdom comes first,” she had said firmly, although her heart warmed at their concern.
Now, they were all in the same room, but the atmosphere was different. The Pandavas, all five of them, were sulking slightly as they lay in bed, unable to fall asleep without Draupadi beside them. They tossed and turned, stealing glances at her, hoping she would come to them soon.
Draupadi, meanwhile, sat at her desk, quill in hand, eyes focused on the letter in front of her. But inside, she was amused by the situation. She could feel their longing, their silent pleas for her attention. A soft smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she pretended not to notice them.
Finally, unable to resist any longer, Bheema spoke up, his voice gruff but with a hint of vulnerability. “How much longer, Draupadi? We can’t sleep without you.”
Arjuna chimed in, “You’re always talking about duty, but what about your duty to us? We miss you.”
Yudhishthira, ever the diplomat, added, “We understand your responsibilities, but we also need you by our side.”
Nakula and Sahadeva nodded in agreement, their eyes reflecting the same longing.
Draupadi bit her lip to suppress her laughter, but a soft chuckle escaped. She set her quill down and turned to face them, her eyes twinkling with amusement. “You all act like children sometimes. The great Pandavas can’t sleep without cuddling their queen?”
The brothers exchanged glances, their pride taking a backseat to their need for her. Nakula, the boldest of them in this moment, simply replied, “Yes. We can’t.”
Draupadi shook her head, her laughter filling the room. She stood up from her desk, letting her royal duties fall to the background. Walking over to the bed, she settled herself between them, her presence immediately easing the tension.
As they wrapped their arms around her, Draupadi whispered, “There, are you happy now?”
A collective sigh of relief filled the room. Yudhishthira kissed her forehead, Bheema wrapped her in his strong embrace, and the others found their place beside her, content and at peace once more.
And as Draupadi drifted off to sleep, surrounded by her husbands, she couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of love and fulfillment. This was her kingdom too—this family, this bond, stronger than anything else in the world.
