Anuragaanjali ~ The Eternal Love

🌸✨ Chapter 4 : The Accidental Meet 🌸✨

The palace hallways seemed endless, and Aaradhya couldn't shake the thoughts swirling in her mind. The moonlit night, the divine peacock feather, her prayer to Krishna—everything felt so surreal. She had been seeking solace, a way to quiet the ache in her heart. And though her meeting with Queen Kunti was meant to offer some guidance, her encounter with Arjuna had left her breathless, caught in an emotion she couldn't quite name.

As she made her way to Queen Kunti's chambers, she tried to focus on the task at hand. She had to meet the queen, to discuss matters of importance, her own role within the royal family, and how to navigate the complex web of relationships that had tangled themselves around her. Queen Kunti had always been an inspiration to her—strong, wise, compassionate. Aaradhya could only hope to learn from the matriarch, to gain some insight into the family she had so recently found herself a part of.

Her footsteps echoed in the quiet palace as she walked through the corridors. The grandeur of the palace—the intricate carvings, the golden chandeliers, the quiet majesty of the royal walls—was lost on her at this moment. All she could think about was the rush of her heart when she collided with Arjuna. The way he had caught her, the warmth of his touch, the scent of his presence. She had seen him many times before, of course, but never so close, never with such intensity.

When she turned the corner of the long hall, she had expected to find herself alone. But instead, Arjuna was there, coming toward her, his steps confident yet measured. Her breath hitched in her chest before she could even process the situation. The space between them closed with each step. And then, it happened. She stumbled, the ground slipping away from her feet as her balance faltered.

Before she could do anything, strong hands gripped her waist, steadying her with the kind of ease that spoke of practice and strength. Aaradhya froze, her body instinctively leaning into the support as she felt herself steady again. For a moment, there was nothing but the feeling of his arms around her, and her breath seemed to get caught in her chest.

"Are you alright?" Arjuna's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, a faint worry she hadn't expected from him. His grip was firm, but not unkind, and he held her for just a heartbeat longer than necessary, as if ensuring she was truly steady before he let go.

Aaradhya's heart pounded, each beat sounding in her ears. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt so... vulnerable. Her cheeks flushed red as she stepped back from his hold, her gaze meeting his for the briefest of moments.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine," she managed to say, but her voice trembled slightly as she took another step away from him. She cleared her throat, trying to regain composure. The words felt inadequate, and in that split second, she wished for the ground to swallow her up.

Arjuna, to her surprise, didn't seem to be as bothered by the awkwardness of the situation as she was. He straightened, his usual calm returning, though his eyes lingered on her with an intensity she couldn't quite decipher.

"Good," he said simply, nodding. "Be careful next time. The palace can be unforgiving."

The weight of his gaze was almost too much for Aaradhya to handle. It wasn't just his physical strength that affected her—it was the quiet strength that emanated from him, the way he carried himself with such natural authority. She could sense it in the way his muscles tensed when he caught her, in the confidence that was innate in his every gesture.

Before she could find the right words to thank him or make some light comment about the situation, the sound of light footsteps interrupted the moment. Aaradhya turned to see Nakula and Sahadeva approaching, their eyes twinkling with amusement as they glanced between her and Arjuna.