Journey through the Grand Canyon (Drisana's Mahabharat #2)

Chapter 61

Draupadi applied dark black kohl in her eyes with a smile playing on her lips. Next she took the grounded red ochre and applied it on her petal soft lips. She looked at her hands which were decorated with the intricate design of dark red henna. A memory came back to her watching them.

♤♤♤

"Not bad at all. I thought you will make the design of your bow on my hand." Draupadi said teasingly as Arjun finished applying henna on her hand.

"Tumhe kya lagta hai? Mere mastiskh mei kya sadhev dhanus aur baan hi ghumta rehta hai?!
(What do you think? I keep thinking about my bow and arrows all the time?!)" Arjun asked narrowing his eyes at her.

"Kebal main nehi, yeh toh samagra Aryavart ko gyat hai. Ki aapke maan mastiskh mei kebal dhanus aur baano ka hi bicharan rehta hai. (Not only me, whole Aryavart knows, that in your heart and mind only bows and arrows keeps roaming.)" Draupadi replied with a mischievous smile.

"Really?" Arjun asked raising his brows. He started to lean towards her. Draupadi kept leaning back and was about to fall from the couch. But Arjun stopped her by wrapping his arm around her waist. To balance herself Draupadi kept her henna covered hand on his chest. But neither their attention was on the ruined henna design, nor on Arjun's chest which was covered in henna now. They were again lost in each others eyes. The eyes that reflected the same love and passion for each other.

"Jaise tumhare mehendi ne mere kaya ko rang dia hai, waise hi, barso purb, tumhare prem ne mere hriday ko rang dia tha. Samagra Aryavart ko cahe jo lage. Kintu tumhe kabhi sandeh nehi hona cahiye, ki mere maan mastiskh mei kebal tumhara bicharan hai.

(The way your henna has coloured my body, that way, years before, your love has coloured my heart too. Doesn't matter what whole Aryavart thinks. But you should never have any doubt that in my heart and mind, only you reside.)"

♤♤♤

A blush coloured Draupadi's cheeks and she lowered her eyelashes remembering the memory. Her trance was broken by Shrutakarma's cry. Draupadi immediately went to him leaving her shringar halfway. Malini had went to the Palace to get something and see if there had been any news about Arjun's return. Today, with Arjun, Draupadi and Shrutakarma would also return to Mayamehel.

"Why are you crying Shrutakarma? Don't cry Putra." Draupadi cooed at him and kept moving him gently in her arms. After some time Shrutakarma calmed down feeling the warmth of his mother's embrace.

"You know Putra, today your Pitashree is coming back. You will meet him for the first time today. He will be so happy to meet you!" Draupadi said to her son. Shrutakarma gave a smile hearing her talk.

"You remember I told you about your father? The one with large muscled arms, dark black hair and mischievous but calm eyes. Pandu Putra Arjun, Pritha putra Paarth, Dhanurdhari Savyasachi, Gandhivdhari Arjun who is as firm and unyielding as mountain in front of enemies, but the most soft and compassionate to his loved ones." A smile kept playing on her lips as she talked about her beloved.
"When you meet him, you will see. He will held you in his arms and his eyes will moistened watching you. But he will never admit, he is overwhelmed with emotions. Instead he will make the excuse of something entering his eyes."

Shrutakarma kept watching his mother with big round eyes as her smile broadened.

"You will meet him today and own a piece of his heart forever. Maybe he won't always be there with you at each and every stage of your life, but you'll always remain there. And he will be in yours, won't he?" Draupadi cooed at him again and he laughed.

"I know he will be. Your father will be your ideal, your mentor, your friend and your confidant too. And you will be his pride my son. And now this is time for getting you ready to meet your father for the very first time. After all, my Putra is no less handsome than his father, is he?" Draupadi asked and both the mother-son duo giggled together.