Petrichor - Time Travel To Mahabharat Era

74

"Bhabhi? How come these kids are touching you?", Nakul asked while helping her out in chopping the vegetables. She pointed the knife at him and threatened, "One more time you call me bhabhi, this knife will be somewhere you can't even imagine it to be present!". He lifted his hands up in defeat and laughed, "Woah woah! I was just kidding, Vaish! Don't get serious and all". She got back to cooking and said looking at the kids, "They have the heart of god! Very innocent and pure! Thats why!".

Nakul nodded in agreement and continued chopping the vegetables, "Well, according to your story, you are the Avatar of Arthanarishwar! And only Vasudev could touch you, and the womenfolk! But, But how come Bhrata Arjun?", to which she laughed and said, "And that's why I married him!", and winked. He shook his head and asked, "No! But really! I want to know!". Sahadev, who was making rotis, entered the conversation, "Is he some kind of avatar as well? Like you?".

Bheem smacked his head and said, "You guys didn't understand? It's love! He doesn't need to be an Avatar! Even if he is, he should not be able to touch her, unless his love for her is pure and divine! It's her heart, which is allowing him to touch her! Like see, even when she is angry at him, he still could touch her! Right, Vaishu?", he said while helping her out. She thought and said, "Yeah! Exactly! It's all my heart! My heart alone is ruling my powers!".

Nakul asked intrigued, "But, Vaishu! What if he can't touch you one day? And what does that mean when he will be unable to do so?". She looked at him and chuckled, "Oh Nakul! He married 4 times after me! Then too, i let him touch! But for that situation you told me to arise, hmm... It should be something very big, that affects my entire being, to not let him touch me! And I'm damn sure that this thing wouldn't happen!". Sahadev asked again, "But Vaishu, what if that situation arises?".

Before she could even think of that question, The ladies of the palace arrived there and asked, "Done with cooking or not? We are starving!", Subhadra asked. Karenumati said, "How is it that you all are helping her like brothers? You are her in-laws as well?", to which Bheem replied, "Of course we would help her! She was our family even before she married my brother!". Draupadi joined smiling, "It's so good to see you guys helping her out with her first lunch preparation! But this is taking a long time! Ishu! Make it fast!". Just then, Arjun entered the kitchen in search of his wife, "Ishwari! Ready to leave?", and saw that everyone was there. Vaishnavi replied, "Let me atleast feed these people, Arjun! These peeps look like calamity stricken people without food!", making them glare at her.

Vaishnavi giggled and said, "Okay okay guys! My family! My family is starving!". Arjun chuckled and said, "Okay okay! Make it fast ishwari! It'll become dark if we start any late!". Valandhara asked him, "Arjun! Why do you always call he ishwari? You know that you can call her Ishu, right?". Nakul added as well, "Yeah! Back then also, he never called her Vaishu! Just vaishnavi! No matter how long the conversation was, he always called her with her full name!".

Arjun chuckled and said, "How can I call her with half name, semi name and all? I love her as a whole! Not leaving anything half or something! That includes her name! I even like her name as a whole!", and smiled at her. She smiled back at him, while the others 'oh'ed. He came back to senses and said, "Okay! Be quick! I'll be with Madhav!", and left the place, slowly the women left too.  Vaishnavi said lost in the disappearing figure, "Tell me guys! Now how can I hate this guy?", and shook her head in awe. Bheem asked, "If you do, then why are you behaving like that? Like you don't like him? And always pushing him away?". She sighed and said, "I'm- I- huh! Something is stopping me! Deep from my heart! I just need a push! One push!".

***

The couple left the city of Indraprasth after taking blessings from their elders. Vaishnavi, as usual, preferred Simba over a chariot, and Arjun on his horse. They were not speaking with each other, and were enjoying each other's company in silence. She would often side eye him and smiled to herself, not wanting him to notice her checking him out. While he would just smile at her antics, and stayed silent pretended to not notice, as she doesn't want him to.