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DO NOT skip the note at the end.

***

"Mata? Mata! Mata, I can't find Rajkumari Aarohi anywhere!" Dushala barged into her mother's room, panicking.

"Calm down Dushala, she couldn't have vaporised into thin air. You know how she loves the company of silence- - she must be sitting alone somewhere." Gandhari tried calming her daughter down, except her assuring words weren't of much use. And to be honest, she was pretty worried too.

Where's Aarohi?!

It was the day of kalapradarshan and there was no sign of her since the night before yesterday. At first they thought since she wasn't well, she might have taken a carriage ride back to the palace. It was pretty late, so they thought she must've slept already and went to their own chambers. But oh how they wished they would have checked on her that night!

The next day came and everyone became busy in arrangements for the big event on the coming day, as the common folk were included too. They assumed Aarohi was more than happy to stay holed up in her room because of her injury and also because she wasn't a fan of socialising, that was pretty clear from day one so they didn't disturb her. But a few started to worry about her whereabouts towards the evening.

Mata Kunti had taken her sons to introduce them to Kahna's cousin, while a grumbling Arjun blurted out that he'd already met her hence there was no reason for him to come along, fearing she'd turn yesterday's whole situation and put the blame on him in front of his mata who'd scold him for her injury and his brothers who would tease him endlessly, if they learnt he'd helped her. Well... as if they weren't doing that already, continuously teasing him about meeting the princess alone, at which he scoffed saying she was cold and rude. Definitely not the type he'd be interested in, in fact the exact opposite.

They went into Aarohi's chambers, but there was no sign of the icy princess, which was extremely strange. Kunti instructed her sons, not to let this news spread except reaching mata Gandhari and their sister. She feared if something happened to her as she told them she didn't see her after the temple visit.

How could've she been so ignorant?

This even bothered Arjun a bit.

Where could the girl have gone limping around with a broken ankle?

He subtly asked around for her but to no avail. Until he found a particular maid, who was gossiping about how the princess had gone full panic mode, refused to enter the temple and instead borrowed her shawl and went away somewhere.

"Poor girl couldn't even talk or breathe properly. I wonder if her not entering the temple was more than her injury... You know, I haven't seen her since then!" She went on.

"Ha- - poor thing got scared of some stairs!" The small group laughed.

"Dasi! Do you casually spread gossip about our guests or do you find someone panicking particularly funny?" Arjun shouted as the group of maids disbanded, startled, bowing their heads to their prince apologetically. Even though he didn't like her, he found it disrespectful to make fun of a what could be a genuine problem. What could she panic so much about that she couldn't even breathe? He thought.

"Where are you going?" Arjun pointed at the woman who started the rumours.

"M-My Prince, I was only- -"

"Tell me exactly what happened." He commanded firmly. But apart from what he heard from the gossip, unfortunately there was nothing new.

He didn't know why he secretly wished she'd be back before his turn came in Kalapradarshan, but he did. He wanted her to watch him perform. Maybe because he simply wanted a reaction out of the haughty girl after she undermined his skills and talent.

Meanwhile, currently it was the time for starting the big event of Kalapradarshan. It wasn't a fight or anything like depicted in the shows. All the princes were getting ready to showcase their talents and skills they've mastered over the years while the commoners and other royals were excited to see them perform.

Dushala, Gandhari and Kunti were seated together, still worried and waiting for when Aarohi would arrive, but plastered smiles on their faces for everyone around.

"She wouldn't be in any kind of danger would she ma Kunti?" Dushala was trying her best to look alright but her questions spoke otherwise.

"No putri Dushala, she must be fine. For all we know she's right here in the palace. Oh! Look your brothers are entering the arena!" Kunti calmly reassured the sweet princess.

Well, mata Kunti was wrong on both accounts, Aarohi's wasn't here in the palace and nor was she exactly fine.

How was her day back in the future, you ask?

Well, it was chaotic with a capital C.

After landing in her room, tumbling over the several pillows and angry looking animal plushies on the floor (she had an unhealthy obsession with those) and hurting her already injured ankle again, she wasn't even given as much as a second to regain her bearings as her aunt had bombarded her with endless questions like, "Why'd you lock the door? Did you sneak out?" and "What the hell are you wearing?" oh and also, "Why did you skip dinner last night?!" as the girl frantically looked around to confirm she was back.

"I'm back!" She had said out loud.

Good job stating the obvious Aarohi, as if your angry auntie yelling at you concerned, wasn't proof enough.

After suffering the wrath of the auntzilla and successfully making it out alive all while controlling her urge to fall back on the bed clutching her hurting ankle. As her Massi went downstairs, Aarohi immediately rushed to find some much needed painkillers and a numbing spray. She untied that ancient looking bandage and tied a new one on it, then hurried to get out of the strange clothes as she proceeded to look at the notifications on her phone. She never could get her face out of that rectangular box for more than a few minutes to bother looking at what's going on in the real world.

"My normal clothes are strange in that era and their clothes are weird over here. Ugh! How am I going to manage all this? I can't let my career suffer because of all this. And now what does this Rudra want? And missed calls from Aakriti too? Have they already broken up or something?"

With a frustrated little squeak, Aarohi threw her phone onto the bed. She'd call them later, but right now she had a shift in the hospital. She had no more time than grabbing some food and getting out the house or she'd be late for work! After having breakfast with her massi, or rather shoving it down her food pipe and once again, basically ignoring all the questions thrown at her, she got in her car, hurrying to the hospital.

Thankfully, Aarohi reached ten minutes before the required time and even grabbed a third cup of coffee from the cafeteria. If she was going to work, time travel and handle seeing her two best friends all lovey-dovey with each other, she needed all the caffeine she could get or homegirl would be giving them the nastiest looks possible without even realising.

Aarohi noticed that her mom's pearl bracelet was starting to turn white again, which wasn't worrying, Krishna had assured her she wouldn't be time travelling in the middle of her work.

It honestly just felt like when you've used all your lives playing a mobile game and are waiting for then to recharge again. She laughed at the comparison and got to work.

After a long shift, Aarohi was back home, eating ice-cream while binge watching her favourite show when her phone rang with Aakriti's call once again. She audibly groaned at her name. One one hand Rudra was texting her nonstop and on the other hand Aakriti was calling while she was stuck being the "beech ka bandar" and she hated it.

"Can't these people take a hint? I don't want to talk to them right now. But wait- - if I ignore them without any reason, they'll be suspicious. And it won't take long for them to realise why. Aarohi, you need to get this over with." Saying this she called her up and was immediately met with her friend's screeching voice asking almost the same questions her Massi had asked.

"Why don't you answer the damn phone girl? Do you think you're too good for us now?"

"Ohmygod, calm down Aakriti I was at work. Can't exactly chat while my patients lay on the hospital beds withering away. What did you want to talk about that couldn't even wait till I got off duty?"

"Well if you'd read Rudra's texts you would know."

"Will you tell me or should I end the call?"

"Okay, okay, chill. Jeez always with that attitude Aarohi. That's why you don't have a boyfriend like me." Aakriti laughed, but Aarohi clenched her jaw.

"Okay so listen, we're planning on going on a trip in about a month, you're coming with us by the way, and since you have the day off tomorrow, we were thinking you could come over to our hangout place to plan with us!"

"You mean one of those trips we used to plan for but never went on? What's the guarantee that we'll go on this one?" Aarohi reasoned. In the past, she would have jumped to say yes even though she knew it was all talk. Although, things were different now. They had money, they were adults with jobs, so they wouldn't joke around about planning a trip. Awesome!

Before, all three of them were just friends. Now though, Aakriti and Rudra were dating. And going on a trip with them meant seeing them all over each other, which was like rubbing salt on her wounds. She'd be stuck being the third wheel.

So Aarohi ended the call, making up some excuse and telling her she'll decide later.

But as her phone screen switched to her contacts where she'd searched up 'A' to call Aakriti, she saw another number with a familiar name.

Akshara.

The number she hadn't have the nerve to dial after she left things on a sour note and accused her of the same things over and over when Abhimanyu chose her instead of herself. And after that humiliation, she altogether left the house.

If was funny how she never got a call from any of her family members who claimed to care so much about her. But she had tested their limits too that day. She wasn't innocent either. It was safe to say that she'd changed that version of her.

But still, somehow the lines between right or wrong seemed to fade whenever Aarohi was blinded by those haunting memories of her past. It didn't take her long from being strategically smart to plain cruel.

It had always been like that with Aarohi, she made decisions without thinking about the consequences, over and over again, and when she realised she came to the wrong place, she no longer had the right to choose.

Her finger hovered over her sister's contact, deciding whether she should call or not. She wouldn't be surprised if Akshara had already blocked her. But she wanted to talk to her and apologise.

"I should... but it's midnight she's probably asleep or have a late night call with Abhimanyu. I don't want to interrupt." She chickened out. Again.

Aarohi buried herself in her blanket desolately, trying to shake off her thoughts when a burning sensation on her wrist made her look at the bracelet.

"It's- -it's almost all white again. Oh god! I can't go back in my pajamas! I have to change into more appropriate clothes!" As the last pearl turned white, she threw on some clothes as fast as she could, ignoring her ankle. It would be embarrassing to go back half dressed if she didn't hurry.

"Phew! Done!" And just as those words left her mouth, she was teleported to the past!

***

"I swear to god mata, when Aarohi comes back- - I'm gonna hit her so hard that she never dares to disappear again." Dushala muttered to her mother and Kunti as they shushed her.

The Kalapradarshan was almost coming to an end.

Aarohi had promised Dushala that she'd attend it with her but there was still no sign of her friend and she was getting more frustrated than worried now.

"Missed me y'all?" Aarohi's voice rang through the compartment where the Royal ladies were sitting. Don't ask her how she got there when she actually landed in front of that tree in that garden in front of the temple, all dressed up in new clothes.

"Aarohi! You're back!" Instead of hitting her as she said before Dushala went to wrap her in a tight hug.

The elder ladies came up to her worried, shouting their concerns and questions at her.

'Always with the questions...'

But luckily for her, everyone's attention turned back down towards the arena where Ashwatthama announced the arrival of panduputra Arjun. He was dressed in his proper attire and looked straight out of a fairy tale. He walked confidently towards the centre of the arena, like he owned it. He was a sight for sore eyes for the princesses, except our dear Aarohi of course, and the crowd on cheered loudly.

He was really something else.

He smiled and joined his hands at his mata who had tears in her eyes looking at her son lovingly. But Arjun's smile turned into a cheeky grin when he saw someone else standing beside his mother.

Aarohi... he whispered to himself.

Now... he knew her name.

Arjun raised an eyebrow at Aarohi and subtly winked at her without anyone else but them noticing.

'Great, of course it's his turn when I come back. Impudent scoundrel!' Aarohi rolled her eyes.

Arjun held a 'just watch me' look in his teasing eyes. He was definitely planning to make her eat her words today.

But unfortunately for him, Aarohi's face betrayed no signs of disbelief or astonishment. Arjun had performed several impressive magical techniques like shooting arrows of fire, making it rain on everyone and even freezing things with ice arrows, but nope!

The girl's face never let even a hint of amazement show on her face. Instead she looked rather bored. She even yawned as Arjun looked at her to see her reaction. Nothing got faster on his nerve than this girl who showed no interest.

Aarohi might look uninterested from outside but she had to admit, all the hype around his name checked out, he was very impressive after all.

But she didn't want to let it show on her face. Seeing Arjun 'the mighty archer' irritated was the most entertaining thing she'd ever seen. She noticed how he would unknowingly tuck his hair out of the way when he got annoyed by her reaction.

As his performance came to an end, everyone cheered and clapped, but seeing the unsatisfied look on his face, Aarohi sighed and relented, deciding to throw him a scrap of approval yet she didn't clap or cheer. While everyone threw yellow and orange flowers, Aarohi took out a rose from a nearby vase and threw it towards Arjun which immediately caught his attention. Arjun didn't know why, but he jumped to catch the rose in his hand and then looked at her amused.

While Aarohi's neutral facade broke just for a moment, she actually looked surprised and allowed herself a small and confused smile as she turned away, while Arjun had done the same too.

"Arjuna, no other warrior has the competence or adroitness to defeat you." Guru Drona applauded his student with a proud smile on his face and Arjun touched his feet.

"Arjun is not only the most superior among the Kuru princes' but also no warrior in the world can match up to him! Subjects of Hastinapur, my student and your prince Arjun is truly the best archer of the world." He declared and the crowd cried the name of Dhananjay.

'Oh damn here it comes.' Aarohi knew what was next.

And soon enough a deep voice thundered through the arena that made everyone silent.

"I'm sure I'm capable of taking your student on guru Dron! Let me introduce myself!"

"Karna..." Aarohi whispered.

***

NOTE :-

As I've written in the book description, some chapters will be dealing with Aarohi's life back in the future, as she alternates between the two time lines. This will play a major role in in the story ahead. So please show these future timeline chapters as much love as you've shown for the other parts too. I've done my best to make it interesting. You'll get to see other YRKKH characters too!!! : )

(I'm kinda soft launching these kind of chapters by making the future part short this time, so you get to know all characters.)

Do you like seeing the little Aarohi-Arjun scenes?

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