SWEETHEART DRAUPADI (INNOCENCE OF THE FLAME)

STORM PT.1

THEY WERE MORE THAN TERRIFIED TO SEE HER PASS OUT IN THEIR ARMS. NAKUL QUICKLY LIFTED HER UP AND LAYED HER ON THE BED. IN THE MEANTIME KUNTI CAME IN TO CALL NAKUL AND THE REST. BUT WHAT SHE SAW DEVASTATED HER. "PUTRI!" SHE SAID AND RUSHED TOWARDS THE UNCONSCIOUSNESS DRAUPADI. "PUTRI? PUTRI!" GANDHARI CRIED ENTERING THE ROOM. AFTER SEEING DRAUPADI SHE ALSO QUICKLY RUSHED TOWARDS HER. "WHAT HAPPENED?" DUSHALA ASKED ENTERING THE ROOM. SHE TOO RUSHED TOWARDS DRAUPADI SEEING HER UNCONCIOUS. "DRAU? DRAU? DRAU! WHAT HAPPENED TO HER? HEY WAKE UP!" DUSHALA CRIED. "PUTRO SAY WHAT HAPPENED?" GANDHARI ASKED THE PANDAVAS AND THEY EXPLAINED EVERYTHING. "HOW CAN SHE FAINT SUDDENLY? IT MAKES NO SENSE" KUNTI CRIED.

"KUNTI, GANDHARI WHAT HAPPENED?" DHRITRARASTRA SAID ENTERING THE ROOM. PANDU TOO ENTERED THE ROOM WITH PITAMAH BHISM AND MAHAMANTRI VIDUR. THEY TOO RUSHED TOWARDS THE BED SEEING HER UNCONCIOUS. "WHAT HAPPENED HERE?" PITAMAH ASKED. "HOW DID IT HAPPEN?" PANDU ASKED. "PUTRO EXPLAIN" VIDUR SAID. "OKAY BHRATASHREES WILL EXPLAIN. I WILL CHECK HER. PLEASE LEAVE US ALONE" NAKUL SAID AND THEY ALL LEFT AND THE PANDAVAS STARTED TO EXPLAIN WHAT HAPPENED.

IN THE EVENING,

DRAUPADI SLOWLY OPENED HER EYES AS SHE SLOWLY REGAINED HER CONSCIOUSNESS. SHE LOOKED AROUND TO SEE THAT SHE WAS IN HER ROOM WITH ARJUN ON HER SIDE SITTING AND SLEEPING PEACEFULLY. DRAUPADI WANTED TO GET UP AND AS SHE SAT UP STRAIGHT SHE FELT A SHARP PAIN ON HER HEAD. SHE FELT REALLY HEAVY BUT WANTED TO DRINK WATER. SHE DIDN'T WANTED TO WAKE ARJUN UP AS HE WAS LOOKING REALLY PEACEFUL AND WAS SMILING. SHE JUST ADMIRED HIM FOR A WHILE BEFORE GETTING UP. SHE NOTICED THAT THERE WERE TEAR STAINS ON HIS FACE. "WAS HE CRYING? IF SO THEN WHY?" SHE THOUGHT. SHE TRIED TO GET UP AND AGAIN FELT A SHARP PAIN ON HER HEAD BUT SOMEHOW MANAGED TO GET UP. AS SHE TOOK FEW STEP SHE AGAIN FELT LIKE SOMEBODY WAS PULLING HER FROM BENEATH AND FELT LIKE EVERYTHING WAS SPINNING. HER LEGS SLOWLY STARTED TO LOSE STRENGTH. SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS DROWNING AS SHE SLOWLY BACKED OFF RESTING HER HAND ON HER HAND DUE TO THE SHARP PAIN  AND AS SHE FELT LIKE SHE WAS GOING TO FALL DOWN SHE FELT A STRONG PAIR OF ARMS PROTECTIVELY EMBRACING HER. SHE LOOKED UP AND MET TWO PAIRS OF DREAMY HAZEL EYES WHICH HELD PROTECTIVENESS, POSSISIVENESS, LOVE, CARE, HAPPINESS AND A LITTLE ANGER.

"ARYA-" DRAUPADI SAID BUT WAS SOON CUT OFF. "WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU ARE GOING PRIYE?" ARJUN ASKED. HE THEN CARRIED HER IN BRIDAL STYLE AND LAYED HER ON THE BED. "I WANT TO SIT UP." DRAUPADI SAID AND ARJUN HELPED HER. "WHAT HAPPENED? WHERE WERE YOU GOING?" ARJUN ASKED. "WATER" DRAUPADI REPLIED. ARJUN JUST SIGHED AND PLACE A KISS ON HER FOREHEAD. "PLEASE DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN. YOU COULD HAVE TOLD ME." ARJUN SAID PRESSING HIS FOREHEAD AGAINST HERS. "YOU WERE LOOKING SO PEACEFUL WHILE SLEEPING SO I DIDN'T WANTED TO DISTURB YOU" DRAUPADI SAID MAKING ARJUN SMILE AND PECK HER. HE THEN GOT UP AND POURED WATER FOR HER AND GAVE IT TO HER. "YOU KNOW I CAN DRINK BY MYSELF." DRAUPADI SAID AS ARJUN WAS HELPING HER TO DRINK. ARJUN JUST CHUCKLED AND PLACED AWAY THE GLASS. "SHOULD I ASK HIM WHY WAS HE CRYING? NO NO I SHOULDN'T. HE DOESN'T LIKE TO LET ANYONE KNOW THAT HE WAS CRYING. PLUS WHY WOULD HE CRY HE WAS SMILING. BUT THERE WERE TEAR STAINS ON HIS FACE." DRAUPADI THOUGHT TO HERSELF. "WHAT HAPPENED? YOU LOOK LOST SOMEWHERE." ARJUN SAID. "NO ITS JUST MY HEAD'S FEELING LIKE ITS SPINNING." DRAUPADI SAID MAKING ARJUN PANIC. "ARE YOU OKAY? SHALL I CALL THE VED JI?" ARJUN ASKED PANICKING. "NO NO NO NEED ITS NOTHING SERIOUS." DRAUPADI SAID ASSURING HIM. "OKAY IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TELL ME, OKAY?" ARJUN SAID MAKING DRAUPADI NOD LIKE A CHILD. "ARYA? WHERE ARE THE REST?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "THEY HAVE WENT OUT FOR WORK." ARJUN REPLIED. "WHY DIDN'T YOU GO? IS IT BECAUSE OF ME?" SHE ASKED FEELING GUILTY. "NO NO NO DEAR. NO. IT ISN'T LIKE THAT IT JUST DIDN'T HAD ANYTHING CONCERNED WITH ME." ARJUN SAID. "THEN HOW COME ONLY YOU AND NOT THE REST?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "ACTUALLY ONLY JYESTH, BHRATA YUDHISTIR AND BHRATA BHEEM WERE SUPPOSED TO GO BUT LATER IT WAS DECIDED THAT NAKUL AND SHAHADEV TOO WOULD GO FOR MEDICAL SUPPORT." ARJUN SAID ASSURING HER AND DRAUPADI JUST NODDED. HE THEN COVERED HER EXPOSED STOMACH WITH HER PALLO.

THEY WERE JUST TALKING WITH EACH OTHER ABOUT RANDOM THINGS. ARJUN WAS JUST CATCHING HER HANDS AND TALKING TO HER LOOKING IN HER EYES. HE SENSED SOMETHING WAS WRONG. "WHAT HAPPENED?" HE ASKED. "I WANT TO EAT SOMETHING." SHE REPLIED. "OH YEAH. YOU HAVEN'T EATEN ANYTHIG SINCE MORNING. LET ME TELL DASI TO BRING YOU SOMETHING." ARJUN SAID BUT WAS SOON STOPPED BY DRAUPADI. "WAIT NO I DON'T WANT TO EAT BUT WANT TO EAT." DRAUPADI SAID CONFUSING ARJUN AND HERSELF AS WELL.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?" ARJUN ASKED ALL CONFUSED. "I DON'T WANT TO EAT THE KITCHEN FOOD." DRAUPADI SAID. "THEN WHAT DEAR?" ARJUN ASKED CUPPING HER FACE AS HE WAS REALLY CONFUSED BY HER WORDS. "I WANT TO EAT........................SOUR BLUEBERRIES." DRAUPADI SAID LIKE A LITTLE HAPPY CHILD. "AND?" ARJUN ASKED. "AND.....LEMON JUICE AND DAMSONS!" SHE ADDED. "BUT HOW WILL YOU EAT THOSE?" ARJUN ASKED. "FROM MOUTH." SHE REPLIED. "WON'T IT FEEL A LITTLE BIT TOO SOUR?" HE ASKED. "TELL HER TO ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE SUGAR IN THE LEMON JUICE." SHE SAID AND ARJUN DID AS SHE TOLD AS HE KNEW NOBODY COULD BEAT HER IN ANYTHING SPECIALLY BICKERING AND FIGHTING. THEN THE DASIS BROUGHT THE FOOD THAT SHE ORDERED AND FEW MORE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS AND WARM BLANKETS. "WHY ARE YOU BRINGING THOSE?" ARJUN ASKED. "MAHAMANTRI VIDUR SAYS IT LOOKS LIKE A BIG STORM IS COMING SO WE ARE PREPARING THESE. RAJKUMAR HE SAID THAT EVERYBODY SHOULD BE IN THEIR ROOMS AND SHOULDN'T COME OUT. WE SUGGEST YOU TO GO BACK TO YOUR ROOM AND DO THE PREPARATIONS AS WELL." THE DASI SAID. "NO NEED. I WILL STAY HERE. SAMRAGINI IS SICK SHE NEEDS SOMEBODY TO TAKE CARE OF HER BRING ALL THE SUPPLEMENTS IN MY ROOM HERE." ARJUN SAID AND THEY DID AS HE SAID. 

AFTER THAT THEY SHUT THE DOORS AND WENT AWAY. "ARYA, WILL THE REST BE OKAY?" DRAUPADI ASKED CONCERN LACING HER VOICE. "DON'T WORRY THEY MIGHT HAVE ALREADY REACHED." ARJUN SAID. "MIGHT?" DRAUPADI ASKED AS CONCERN FILLED HER FROM INSIDE. "SHH. THEY ARE SAFE OKAY? REST ASSURED." ARJUN SAID AS HE HUGGED HER. A STRONG BLOW OF WIND HIT THEM AS THE WINDOWS WERE STILL LEFT OPEN. "LOOKS LIKE THE STORM IS NEAR." HE SAID AS HE WENT TO CLOSE THE WINDOW. SUDDENLY A GREEN FIREWORK WAS RELEASED IN THE AIR CATCHING BOTH OF THEIR ATTENTION. ARJUN JUST SMILED SEEING THE FIREWORK WHEREAS DRAUPADI WAS TOTALLY CONFUSED. "THEY ARE SAFE." ARJUN SAID LOOKING AT THE FIREWORK. "HOW DO KNOW?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "THE FIREWORK. SHAHDEV MADE UP THIS PLAN." ARJUN SAID AS HE TOO RELEASED A BLUE FIREWORK. "NOW WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?" DRAUPADI ASKED. "THEY RELEASED A GREEN FIREWORK MEANING THEY HAVE REACHED. AND I RELEASED A BLUE FIREWORK MEANING YOU ARE AWAKE AND ARE OKAY." ARJUN EXPLAINED AS HE LOCKED THE WINDOWS AND DOOR TIGHTLY AND LIT FIRE IN THE FIREPLACE.

ARJUN THEN STARTED PREPARING ALL THE BLANKETS AND THE SUPPLEMENTS AS DRAUPADI WAS EATING. AS SHE FINISHED EATING ARJUN TOO FINISHED PREPARING. DRAUPADI KEPT THE PLATE ASIDE AND A STRONG PAIN STRIKED HER HEAD AGAIN AND SHE HELD HER HEAD AND SHUT HER EYES TIGHT AS THE PAIN WAS TOO STRONG. ARJUN TURNED AROUND AT THE MEANTIME AND QUICKLY RUSHED TO HER. "WHAT HAPPENED? YOU OKAY? SHOULD I CALL THE VED?" ARJUN PANICKED. DRAUPADI HAD LOST THE STRENGTH TO SPEAK AND THE HEADACHE WAS TOO STRONG SO SHE JUST HUGGED ARJUN AND BURIED HER FACE ON HIS CHEST ASSURING THAT SHE WAS OKAY BUT ARJUN WAS NOT CONVINCED A BIT. "DEAR IS IT UNBEARABLE?" ARJUN ASKED AND DRAUPADI SHOOK HER HEAD AS "NO I'M OKAY." BUT ARJUN'S PANIC AND WORRY DIDN'T LESSEN A BIT BUT GREW MORE AS SHE COULDN'T EVEN SPEAK DUE TO THE PAIN. ARJUN JUST HUGGED HER BACK TIGHTLY AND PATTED HER BACK AND SLIGHTLY MASSAGED HER HEAD.

THE PAIN IN DRAUPADI'S HEAD LESSENED AND SHE SIGHED IN RELIEF. "YOU OKAY LOVE?" ARJUN ASKED. "YES ARYA. THANK YOU." DRAUPADI REPLIED. ARJUN THEN STOOD UP AND QUICKLY GRABBED THE BLANKET AND SAT BESIDES HER AND COVERED THEM WITH THE BLANKETS AS HER HEADACHE MIGHT BE DUE TO THE COLD WIND. ARJUN RESTED HIS BACK ON THE BACK OF THE BED AND OPENED HIS ARMS AND DRAUPADI GAVE HERSELF IN. HE WAS JUST SLIGHTLY MASSAGING HER HEAD AS HER HEAD WAS ON HIS CHEST. DRAUPADI JUST CLOSED HER EYES ENJOYING THE WARMTH OF HER ARYA THEN SUDDENLY SHE SAW SOMETHING THAT MADE HER JERK UP MAKING ARJUN PANIC MORE. "WHAT HAPPENED PRIYE? LOVE? IS YOUR HEAD HURTING AGAIN? ARE YOU FEELING UNWELL? ARE YOU FEELING DIZZY? LOVE? PRIYE?  DARLING? SPEAK. REPLY. SAY SOMETHING!" ARJUN SAID IN ONE BREATH IN PANIC AS HE SAT UP HOLDING AND SIDE HUGGING HER IN VERGE OF TEARS. RIGHT NOW BOTH WERE IN VERGE OF TEARS. ARJUN WAS IN VERGE OF TEARS BECAUSE HE COULDN'T SEE THE LOVE OF HIS LIFE, HIS FUTURE SO HURT AND SUFFERING AND DRAUPADI SAW SOMETHING THAT SHOOK HER WHOLE WORLD.