Taara the daughter of the King of Panchal, a fierce warrior and who would do anything to please her father. Her father was the only one she had from childhood so she agreed to whatever he told. Her fighting skills were the best and she was on a miss...
As Swaransh game to the gates of the palace, the guards stopped him. His heart beat quickened. He didn't know what Arjun had told everyone and he was a normal person right now, not a princess. The guards came forward and he sighed in relief knowing that it was just a routine check up. To see if he was carrying something dangerous with me. He clearly didn't like the way the took their hands all over the body. They obviously thought she was a man, well thanks to my amazing disguise they touched me more roughly and then stopped at her waist feeling something other than the sword. Obviously they would have, she was armed till her teeth. One of them said, "Take out everything you are hiding inside. She just felt like slapping their faces as hard as she could to knock some sense into their dumb heads but if she made too much of a fuss about it then her father would disgusted at her stupidity after knowing how she had ruined all of his plans.
"Let him go", said a voice deep and commanding. By now his voice had seared deep into her being. It was obviously no other than Arjun. But why had he come here?
"But Pri-", one of the guards tried to reason. "I said LET. HIM. GO." He uttered each and every word so slowly and deliberately that it sent shivers down Taara's spine. Till now he had been the love struck prince but this surely was a completely different side of him and it was a surprise for her. The guards nodded and silently moved away from her back to their places. Arjun gestured Taara to move first but with cold and distant expression on his face. She didn't like this Arjun but she knew this is who he was, the cold and haughty Prince of Hastinapur and she also knew that she had brought this out in him.
She sighed and moved ahead of him. Everything was going out of control and her father had no idea, she would be dead if he even gets a whiff of it. Just as she reverted back to reality she turned around so that she could at least thank him but he was nowhere in sight. He had gone already. She mentally cursed herself and went back to her room with her feet weighing her down.
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It was evening and Taara was supposed to be downstairs welcoming the guests who had arrived in the palace to witness the wedding of Taara and Arjun which was to take place in a couple of weeks but the festivities of the wedding were starting from tomorrow. The names of all the various kingdoms and their representatives were being called out but Taara was too immersed in her own thoughts about what might happen if she failed to carry out the mission. She was too lost to notice the light knock on the door and to hear Kunti stepping in and calling out her name. Only when she felt a hand on her shoulders did Taara jerk out of her imaginations.
"Too busy thinking, aren't you?"
"Uh...busy....no-I-I was just..uh..", Taara turned around and saw Kunti in her room. She was too startled to even give a straight answer.
"Its alright dear, you don't have to panic.", she smiled her characteristic warm smile, "I know there is a lot of stress and tension before one's wedding. I was he same. I thought maybe I was making a very wrong decision and my life was not supposed to lived tied to one man, one family for the rest of my life but trust me, everything is going to turn out alright in the end, you know. Let you destiny set the course of your life. If its changing your life, let it. Life doesn't have to be easy it just needs to be beautiful and worth living, am I not right?"
Taara could feel nothing but pity for Kunti, she didn't know the her sons and her entire family was going to be dead in a couple of days. She didn't know Taara would be the one who would be responsible for their death. She didn't know that she was going to be betrayed and backstabbed by the people she trusted. "Taara?" Kunti asked after still not have gotten any reply.
"Uh Of course... even I think it will turn out alright in the end", Taara replied hurriedly. Kunti smile and caressed her cheek. "Beautiful dear, I would love to see you downstairs with everyone else and not here all by your own, alright?" She asked in a loving way. Taara smiled and nodded. " Arjun isn't bad, my dear. Just give him a chance and you will never find anyone better than him, I promise" Kunti left the room with a smile. Taara got up from her chair and dressed up for the eve. She choose a simple yet elegant looking sky blue blouse & Lehenga with floral prints along with pink and blue gems on it pairing it with a collar diamond necklace and a pink dupatta.
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When she entered into the hall, all eyes turned to her. Maintaining her poise and composure with a smile on her beautiful face she walked towards her father. From the corner of her eyes she saw Arjun looking at her too. She didn't know why it mattered but she loved to see him looking at her with those eyes of admiration. Reaching her father she bent down and touched his feet. He blessed her with a long life. She joined her hands and greeted the guests. While talking to the princesses of various kingdoms she heard Bhishma calling her. So she excused herself and went up to him. Besides him was standing none other than her supposed future husband, Arjun. Both him and his grandson were equally tall and Taara felt small in front of them. Not that she was very short but she reached only upto his chin. She gulped, not in fear but because her mouth felt dry.
