ARDI: the royalty!

Hello everyone,
This story or fan fiction on Arjun Draupadi (ArDi) has been posted on Wattpad by me but I am posting it here too so that you guys can also enjoy this!

Our ArDi is going to turn 4, this January! Let's remember the couple and enjoy! 😊

CHAPTER 1




"Yojanagandha!" I husked.

The smell lanced through my chest to reach my heart. Intoxicating.. as if thousand varieties of flowers were pulped to make a perfume. I peered over my shoulder to see the source or the cause of the alluring smell. I observed many people walking here and there in the market, buying pots, clothes, perfumes, etc.
Must be the perfume shop, if so, then I will definitely buy one for Mata!
Upon reaching the small shop, the smell held me with the same force but I was sure that it was not coming from any of the perfume being sold.
The power of the fragrance drastically increased and I could sense a feminine scent mixing up with the attractive smell.

A woman! Positively not an ordinary one.
I looked around for some unnatural happening but nothing was unusual.
An apsara maybe! Thought I.
But what would an apsara do in a busy market of Panchala?
The smell neared me vaguely.

" Malini " I heard someone call out.
Another call for Malini, followed by numerous calls.

I turned around to find two maidens calling out for their friend, I suppose.
I directed my gaze towards the right side where the maidens were waving their hands excitedly.

"Yojanagandha!" I said, looking at the probable Malini!

Her face was covered by a cloth piece which was supported by her hand, only her eyes were visible.
I peculiarity noted down the details in my brain,
S shaped eyebrows, doll lashes, almond eyes with dark brown eye balls.

"Sundari!!" I sensed myself saying aloud. She was taller than usual women, slim and having a fair complexion.
I gasped staring at her. A strange attraction is what I felt. But who wouldn't be attracted to such a beautiful woman?

"What are you doing sir?" I heard someone call me from behind.
I turned around to find a middle aged man indicating me to get a side so that he can take his fruit cart ahead. He might have been asking me to get a side since long, I assumed seeing the look on his face.
Giving way to the man, I prepared myself to again be distracted by the enchantress. But with such a fate! She was already gone.
I returned to my cottage, failing to remember the purpose with which I went to the market.

"Bhrata Arjun!" My twin brothers called out.

Oh yes! Here, I am, Arjuna! The third Pandava kumara!

"What have you got?" My elder brother, Bheema asked.
I stressed my brain to remember my task but failed,
Seemingly I had gone to the market to get some gift for the upcoming event of my mother's birthday.
Starting from the eldest to the youngest brother, all four of them bought some or the other thing and I stared at them foolishly.
I spent all the money collected by me on smelling different perfumes.
My eldest brother Yudhisthira accompanied by my other brother Bheema went to check whether Mata's evening prayers were over or not.
The twins fiddled with my bow,
And I comprehended their motive, it's simple, they want to initiate a fight.
But today was different, I silently closed my eyes, and recollected the mysterious woman I saw.
The maple tree under which we three were sitting had nested many sparrows which jumped from one branch to another.
I smiled seeing them, it is a fact that I love nature!

"Bharata, see that juicy apple, can you get that?" Nakula, the elder twin asked.

Picking up my bow, I placed the arrow on the arrow rest, pulled the string, until I let it go with a high velocity.
Nakul rejoiced eating the fruit but Sahdeva kept silent.
Sahdev sat next to me and questioned me the most unexpected question. I always thought that everyone is a fool to believe that Sahdev has a sixth sense but today when he asked me about the anxiousness I was experiencing , I realised that my youngest brother can really perceive minds. I told him about Malini and he carefully listened. As per his views, Malini isn't any other woman, she is someone crucial. And as per his theory, we meet people because they play an important part of our lives, but i know nothing about her. And maybe we never meet again? So I let his theory go.
He disclosed another fact that Vasudev Krishna has arrived in Panchal.
Krishna! We once briefly met in Dwarika, but some part of his instilled in me. He is a very strange fellow, he is a patient listener as well as a good speaker but many a times I fail to understand what he means.
He's my cousin from the maternal side but he is far superior to me.
No other Pandava has met him but I got a chance to have a good time with him.


I decided to meet him by any chance. And I will positively meet him tomorrow.

CHAPTER 2



********
Suddenly, I felt someone shaking me.
Blinking my eyes, I smiled at Priyamvada,
"Where are you lost? Soon to be bride?" She asked me.

I scolded her for addressing me as a bride, again.
The swayamvara is not my choice but my parents choice.
And I have to abide by their wish.

"Rajkumari, Myself and other servants have started to pack your bags" she said, smiling cheekily.
Priyamvada is a servant in my father's palace but she is my friend, she was the only one apart from my family who was as excited about my birth as my sister was.

I soon drifted back into my thoughts, how can I marry someone I don't know?
Arjun! The name makes me feel sick, why? Because he's the person my father intends me to marry, and the plus point? I haven't even seen him.

"Behena Draupadi! " there he is, my twin brother!
And nowadays he has taken up a new fad to call me behena!
He is eager to meet Arjun and how can I forget my fictional kids , he wishes to see?
He says that if I get married to Arjun, then he will be happy as a clam because he can forever learn new techniques from The Greatest Archer and he will be obliged to be called as mamashree, by the kids of The Greatest Archer!

Hold your horses brother!

Again he was standing in front of me, praising Arjun!
What is so fascinating about him? Even I have heard about him and trust me, I didn't find a single good quality.
Priyamvada started to giggle hearing Dhristduyum, and I was not able to control my laughter then, I laughed loudly only to make my brother's face go red with anger.

Dhristduyum is not a lunatic,
he along with my elder sister have helped me imbibe warrior skills but sometimes, they both go a little over head, big fans of Arjun, they are!

Day after tomorrow is my Swayamvara and I am not ready to make a choice between those 1000 princes and 600 kings who will be arriving.
Mata says that my mind should only focus on one man, and that's Arjun!
No other man should be able to gain my attention.
That works well for me somehow, after all, I am not in a habit of googling men!
Everybody is busy in organising for the grand wedding but no body has asked me my feelings and my decision! My sister once asked me and when I revealed my true feelings she tried to get me convinced.
Even Krishna has not been able to convince me fully. He will say something which will sound like riddles and such riddles! Which can't be easily solved.
Day after tomorrow I will become his bride! I don't know him but I should keep silent because I am girl and he is the best suitor for me,
I suggested my father to let me decide the competition which will declare my fate but he clearly subsided my demand.
Govind has told me to have faith in God and smile to whatever destiny gives but I am restless, I am anxious about my life, my future!
Live in present and stop thinking of the future Govind says, but I can't do that, my heart pains on the fact that I will be presented to a complete stranger and I will share the same house and the same room with him, he will claim his rights on me and bury my freedom.
My mother always tells me to give up on these stupid thoughts, I am a woman, and my destiny is crystal clear, marry and serve a man throughout your life,

every lady does the same thing, said my mother.

But I don't want to be categorised in 'every lady', I want to live my own life with equality, I want to be crazy and mad, I want to enjoy life, I want to try new things and I want to rule my own life!

My sister and mother scold me and instruct me to be more of a gentle woman, shy, sweet, responsible and sensible but I am the exact opposite, I am shy but those are rare occasions, I am sweet but only to good hearted people.
Priyamvada always taunts me by saying that life of a princess is very lavish and easy but it is not so, you have to be a 'piece of art', you have to set an example for the people, you have to be reserved and outspoken at the same time, and the list continues..

My stay in Panchal has not been very long, only three and a half years!
That's because I was born as a girl in her late teens.
And I complain to god for that, it's true that I am proud of my fire born reality but I really wanted to enjoy my childhood in my mother's lap and on my father's back.

"Pranipat Rajkumari, you are requested to join your family in the royal temple for the Kuldevta's puja " a maid informed me.

I slightly nodded.

Kuldevta's Puja!
I will compose myself talking to Govind after performing Mahadev 's puja.
I really need someone who can hear my thoughts and no one can be better than Govind in this 'Arjun Mania '!