Love Across Time

Chapter 29

The cool night wind caressed Panchaali's hair, earning a content sigh from her. In 2020 though the world had best of technology and facilities, how strange was it that it lacked a simple thing like clean air.

Currently standing here in the garden's of Hastinapur palace made her realise, what cruelty day by day, slowly humans had done on the nature. The cool soothing wind filled her lungs, relaxing her completely.

Her gaze flitted to her surroundings, it was the most beautiful garden she had ever seen. The lush tress stood on either side of the lane, little white rabbits running around making her smile.

"Panchaali." A soft manly voice called breaking her track of thoughts. Her eyes met with the dark orbs of the youngest pandav, the soft smile on his face. A warm feeling fluttered in her chest, her lips turned up involuntarily in a soft smile. Why did seeing him make her feel this way? She wondered as she gazed at him.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" Sehdev questioned, his gaze tracing the beautiful features of her face, miracle was what she was. He often wondered what was so different about her, that gravitated him towards her. Why did he forget everything and everyone when he was around her?

From a very young age, he had always been the quiet guy in the family, it was not because he was shy. No, the reservoir of knowledge that he gained over the years had shaped his personality in the quiet guy, who no one noticed, but he noticed everything.

He moved towards her, erasing the distance between them. His eyes holding hers captive, though no words passed between them but it was like a long conversation had passed.

He wanted to look away, but it seemed like a difficult task. Something that was as basic as looking away, proved to be impossible from her. A connection this strong, he had never felt. How strange life was he wondered, days ago had someone told him that he would meet someone who would alter his entire world he would have laughed it off.

But isn't it how fate worked? The most unexpected things happened.

Sometimes for good.

Sometimes for bad.

"Where did you get lost?" She questioned, the baritone of her voice was like music to his ears.

Your eyes. He wanted to reply, but held back. It would be too forward, and he wasn't sure if she shared his emotions.

"Just thinking." He replied vaguely, his voice soft, like he feared that she will know the truth.

That the man who was considered the smartest, was at loss of words around her.

"Thinking about what?" She questioned, her ebony eyes lit with curiosity, his heart fluttered.

"Life in general." A complete lie. And he avoided lying till it wasn't really necessary.

But since she had entered his life he was doing things that he had never imagined doing before.

He was smiling more and often found himself lost in her thoughts.

"Do you scholars like always think about such heavy topics. I mean why life? Why not food?" She teased, the humour in her voice was apparent, her gorgeous face lit with humour making his breath hitch.

A wave of happiness washed over him. Why seeing her happy made him happy? Stupid it was.

He shook his head as though trying to get rid of the thoughts. The teasing smile that her soft pink lips made, had his heart jolting.

"Food is Bhraatashree Bheem's department. He does think about it so much, that we don't have to." Sehdev added, amusement shining through his words that earned a chuckle from Panchaali.  She giggled, the sound of it mesmerizing him for a moment.

"Well than what do you think about than?" She teased, a goofy grin on her lips.

You. The reply was instantaneous but he refrained from saying it out loud.

"Books." He settled for a more general truth, yes the old Sehdev, who he was meeting before her, thought about books only. But now a days, she ruled his thoughts, from morning to evening.

He woke with her thoughts and slept with hers.

She rolled her eyes, the teasing smile still on place.

"Of course. But honestly don't you ever think about girls. Like don't mind I know you follow dharma and all. But seriously don't you like have any girlfriends or something. I mean I know this is Dvapar and all, but I have always been curious. Like you feel nothing? Because you don't all date and anything." Panchaali wanted to take back all that she had said, though she looked cool and calm.

Her heart was anything but, it was hammering crazily, seeing him so close to her made her forget all about everything.

Stupid Panchaali, girlfriend really? What is this? Kayli Yug? What was wrong with her? She never behaved in such a manner, but around this five brothers she seemed to lose her mind.

He chuckled, he couldn't stop it. He watched as her cheeks flushed, intensifying her beauty.

He seemed have fallen in a trance, gazing at her, stepping closer to her, erasing all the distance between them.

"Yes there is this particular girl I can't stop thinking about." He whispered, his voice gruff, his mind was shouting to shut up, but his mouth seemed to have taken up the role to express the suppressed emotions.

"Who?" Her voice was barely audible, while she gazed up at him. Her heart stung, at the thought of some other woman being in his life.

Why did she feel that way? She had no right to feel that way.

He watched the light in her eyes dim, her eyes were like an open book. There hardly was something that he couldn't understand by just looking at her. He smiled, the realisation that she shared his feelings gave him a happiness that he couldn't express in words.

He smirked, as he lowered his head, her heart thundered in her chest.

His hot breath fanned her skin, goosebumps spread throughout her body, "You." His gruff voice had her, heart beating erratically as she gazed up at him. He smirked, the shock was apparent on her face.

Sehdev wrapped his arm around her waist, making her breath hitch. It was like slowly everything faded away in that moment as they held each others gaze.

The rhythmic caress of his rough pad of his warrior fingers, had a shudder passing down her spine.

Hearing his answer had left her stunned, the slow tilt of his lip in the left corner had her blinking.

"Can I tell you a secret?" His manly husky voice, had her toes curling, a million scenarios of him doing something forbidden running through her mind.

She wanted to stop thinking in such a way, but couldn't.

Her heart jolted at the sudden touch of his feather light lips, as they caressed her ear, "When I like something I always end up making mine. Always."

The gravity of his words settled heavily on her chest, her heart was out of control. As butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the thought of being his. She gulped, his handsome face still had the soft smirk, as his dark eyes explored her, like he could read everything she felt.

The way he gazed at her made her chest pulse with a warm feeling, something she only felt around the five brothers.

What was happening to her? Did she want him? Did she want the others? The answer scared her.

What was happening to her? She stepped out of his arms, turned away and ran.

Never in her life she had believed in escaping, but today she did run away. For the first time, her heart was not in her control. What she desired was wrong at every level. She had no rights to feel what she did.

She ran faster, putting as much distance between them, as possible. One could run away from the outer factors. But how does one run away from their own feelings. . .

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