|| Never Without You || [ The Tale Of Arjun-Draupadi ] (I)

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝟷𝟾

Paanchaal, Kaampilya

The smile did not, or would not leave his lips. 

The Sun was high up on the sky, the warm rays thriving the wintry afternoon with the clouds having a way on their own with the cool winds.

"Dev. . .?" 

Arjun almost felt himself startling at the call, biting the corner of his lip to arcane the smile. Only he could tell how much he was waiting for that. . .he wiped his wet face with his garment, standing up almost immediately, keeping the pot of water aside. Drops of water trickled from the corners of his thick sideburns and strands of curly locks, his dark visage cherishing a watery flare after the ashes and dirt.

"Princess?" He sucked in a short breath, his heart skipping a sharp beat. 

Her lashes casted a shadow over her cheeks, her taking a quick, short glance at him now and then, with a little shy smile on her lips. The dust of crimson on her jaws was subtle due to the dark tone, yet the way she peered him told it all. And he didn't know why he felt a sting of edginess, almost feeling a punch of warmth in his cheekbones. 

There he had, fought with the proudy Princes just a while ago, and now?

All he could do was rave his ambers over her, thuds of weight settling in his chest every now and then. Her dark skin glowed under the dappled sunlight even more, with the simple saffron garment that draped over her shoulder, the edge of it tied over her waistline. 

Strands of her dark locks fell across her forehead, she quickly pushed aside one behind her ear, her lips tilting up into a smile, "That. . . Maata was calling for the meal, so-" She rubbed her fingers over her other wrist, peering at him. 

"Oh-" Arjun realized that he had fallen into the trap of staring at her again, "Hmmm, yeah!" He concluded with a firmer nod, letting his lips curl into a breathy grin. She momentarily took a swift glance at him, tilting her head, returning the same little smile. 

"Uh, Princess?" He spoke in a single breath, before she could leave. Draupadi turned back almost immediately, her lips parting as she looked up, "Yes?"

"You're. . .you're alright, right?" Arjun asked with a hint of unsurity. If anything he regretted right now was the thoughts of her being a Princess, yet coming to terms with the un-royalty, that too right after her Swayamvar. The humble hut, the simple garments. . .and treading such a long path-

"I mean, I hope you're not feeling. . ." He trailed off, not knowing what to say yet looking at her with a bated breath. He exactly felt now what Nakul meant that talking to woman was an 'art'. 

Indeed. 

But in his defense, he didn't knew he would need it while wandering in the woods—

"No no!" Draupadi shook her head a bit wildly with a breathy grin, "It's nothing so! I am alright!" She pushed back a few strands of her hairs again, shifting on her feet.

"Look—" Arjun tilted his head, biting on his lower lip, "I know it is a bit difficult. . ." He took a pause as she again shook her head, "No it's nothing so, I am alright!" She clasped her fingers in an earnest glance, smiling back at him. Arjun let out a sigh, mixed with relief and a fickle skepticism. 

She wasn't saying just for him, right? Or was she being. . .

But he couldn't do anything about it. Or for now. He knew that. 

They still didn't reveal her about their identity. . .

"Are you sure?" He felt he said that to himself, but Draupadi nodded the next while, her smile intact.