With the vermillion filling her hair partition and her purple lehenga flowing with the wind adorned with the flowers that showered on them, looking like Mata Parvati herself, Vaishnavi stood in front of the idols, looking at her love, her husband.

Her Husband.

Just the thought of it made her giggle and blush like a red tomato. Arjun, who was praying to the god, turned his head towards her and smiled at his wife.

His Wife.

Oh, how ecstatic that feels for him. He soon finished his prayers and came towards his wife and told her, "Vaishnavi, come with me! Let's go to our house. Mata must be waiting for me. I'll re introduce to her as her Daughter in law. I'm sure she would be-", he trailed off, thinking about something. His face screamed tension and confusion.

With a frown on her forehead, Vaishnavi shook his shoulders to bring him back to reality, "Arjun! Arjun, what happened?". He looked at her and said, "I- Vaishnavi- I-", he couldn't gather up words to say to her. She patted his back and nodded as if asking him to continue, "I did a mistake! I- I married you before my- my Elder brother's marriage! This- this, our marriage should not have happened this way! It-", she immediately covered his mouth with her hand.

"Don't talk negative, Arjun! What do you mean should not have happened? You don't remember that Bheem, your elder brother, got married too, before Bhrata Yudisthir! Right? If he has had any problem, he would have voiced it, am I right? But no, he happily accepted Bheem and Hidimba! He would accept us as well".

Arjun shook his head and said, "No, Priye! That marriage is not considered a normal marriage, you know? Bhabhishree Hidimba is a Rakshasi! That marriage was not human friendly as well! So- I- ugh!", he sighed. She rubbed her hand on his back and said, "It's okay it's okay! Tell me what we can do at this situation right now! Tell me! We will do exactly that!".

Arjun looked up at her and asked with a little fear in his eyes, "Vaishnavi! W- we have to- You will do right?", she just smacked him on his head frustratingly and said, "I will do my husband! I will! Just tell me already!". He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "We have to hide our marriage!". He opened his eyes and looked her to see her reaction, who held a blank face. He tried to speak more but, she cut him off sharply by looking at him, "No!". She told it very clearly to him, as she doesn't want any of this to happen. She just wants to live a happy life, with her husband. She had seen the worst in her life, she is not sure if she would be able to bear anymore of that. She just shook her head with a sad pouty face, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.

Arjun sighed and kept his hands on her cheeks, "We have to hide this truth, until my elder brothers get married. Once it's done, I will officially come and ask for your hand and talk with Balram dau and with Madhav!", he said in a single breath. She mumbled as her cheeks were basically getting smashed by his hands, "But, what if you get married before you could tell anyone about us -", he didn't want her to tell anything such, so he stopped her talking by locking his lips with hers.

She closed her eyes, with tears smearing down her face and hugged him by his neck while kissing him. They were kissing as if the world was going to end for them. He soon pushed her towards a tree, and locked her between his arms. She did not want to leave him and jumped on him, while he held her legs and locked them to his hips. They soon separated from the kiss and looked at each other with pure love in their eyes. She started to speak while turning her head away from him, "What if, you get married to some other?", she couldn't even complete her sentence.

He soon carried her in bridal style and walked towards the pond nearby and said, "I give you my word, My wife. Even if god comes and tells me to marry, I would never do that, unless you tell me to!". To Which, she smiled broadly and hugged him tightly while he was carrying her. He made her sit down and started to clean her face, which was totally smeared with Kumkum and said, "So, go back to the Palace and stay there for some days! We will be here for some days as well! We will keep on having our secret meetings! Our rendezvous! Once my brothers gets married, I'll marry you right away!", he totally cleaned the mess on her face, leaving a single dot of vermillion, very tiny that no one would notice, on her hair partition.

She just nodded her head at him, and hugged him tightly. "I am probably the only person in this Aryavart, that even after marriage, is going to hide her marriage and not live with her husband", she chuckled dryly. He caressed her head and said, "Just for few days, love! Just for few days!", and kissed her head. She closed her eyes with immense trust in her husband, that he would neither break his promise, nor her heart.

***

Arjun returned back to his place, with a content smile on his face. Bheem, who was waiting for him to get alms, went near him as Nakul informed that Arjun has returned. "Arjun! Where are alms?", he asked curiously, only to find his brother lost thinking about something. Bheem looked at Nakul and Sahadev and gestured them to come there.

"Bhrata Arjun! What are you thinking about?", Nakul asked. Arjun remembered what happened since the morning and blushed, which creeped out the brothers. Smilingly, he said, "My wife!", oh, how he liked the wording of it. His Wife.

"WHAT!!!", They screamed in unison, making the Archer come back to reality. He immediately regretted what he said and covered it up, "Uh, I mean, Vaishnavi!", he mentally facepalmed again, as they are gonna tease him to death now. But, it's still better than breaking the truth to them, or so he thought.

"Arjun!", Yudisthir called from inside and he went towards him, ignoring the constant teases from his brothers. "Pranipat, Bhratashree! Tell me!", he folded his hands. Yudisthir said, "In two days, there is going to be a swayamvar of the princess of this kingdom! We will go attend and get some alms there, alright? We will get ration for next 2 months easily!", to which Arjun nodded, "As you wish, Brother!".

***

Vaishnavi sneaked into her chamber without anyone noticing easily and pretended to be asleep. Draupadi came to check upon her and saw her sleeping peacefully. She sat on her bed and slowly caressed her head, and thought of checking her wound. As she took the Future girls hand in hers, she noticed that the bandage was gone, so was the wound. Draupadi frowned and checked her other hand, just in case. When she found no wound, she whispered to herself, "How is it possible? She had a wound! Where is it? It healed?".

Vaishnavi mentally facepalmed herself for her carelessness and opened her eyes slowly. "Krishnaa!", she called her slowly. Draupadi saw her awake and asked sternly, "Ishwari! Explain!". She sighed defeatedly and started explaining to her that she can heal wounds easily for and by herself. And also that she is untouchable by any man in this entire Aryavart.

Draupadi was shocked but not surprised at her Wonder sister. She held her hand and asked, "Then, why did you have me tie that bandage for you? You wanted to avoid something?", Draupadi bombarded her with a lot of questions and Vaishnavi just sighed heavily, before saying, "Krishnaa! There is a time for everything! And now it's not it! I will tell you everything about me one day! But not today, please!". Draupadi nodded in understanding and left the chamber. But one thing was bugging her head, she was not blind after all. She spoke to herself, "Why is she acting all strange since my marriage is announced? Doesn't she like it that I'm getting married?".

***

Soon, the preparations for the Swayamvar of their dear princess has started in Panchal. Many Princes and kings from different places all over started coming to Panchal. They only had one day left for their Swayamvar. Drupad, who was ecstatic about the upcoming wedding, announced that every citizen, from the youngest to the eldest, will be having food in the Palace itself. The people of Panchal became really happy listening to that and wished for the long life of the royals. Everyone was enjoying and full of life, but Vaishnavi was unusually dull that day. She was already missing her husband.

Draupadi, Krishna and Vaishnavi were in the market, where Draupadi was buying a chudamani for herself. She took a beautiful chudamani and showed it to them both, "Govind! Ishu! What do you think of this?", Krishna started to say something but got cut off by a moody Ishwari, "No!".

They both looked at her and Draupadi could not take it anymore, seeing her dear sister moody. "Ishwari! Look at me! What happened? These days you are always lost! Tell me!". Vaishnavi came out of her trance and told her, "N- No! I mean, uh, it's actually not that great you know! Wait I'll chose one for you!", she covered it up and randomly took a chudamani for her, which, coincidentally, had 5 curves instead of one.

Krishna Clapped his hands once and said, "Haa! Sakhi! This one is perfect! See!", he showed it to Draupadi and she saw the weird 5 curves and asked, "Yeah! It indeed is beautiful! But, why does it have 5 curves?", to which Vaishnavi shot up her head and made a worried face.

'5? Which means? No! No No! Arjun promised me that even god orders him to marry anyone else other than me, he wouldn't! But..-! Ughh I'm just overthinking! Arjun! I need you man! Now!'

Krishna looked at her and asked her, "Ishwari, why don't you take something for yourself! Oh see, a beautiful lehanga!". Draupadi nodded too, trying to get her sister's mood back. She plainly said, "I don't want anything, let's go!". She was about to go, but Krishna stopped her by extending his arm in front of her. She looked at him with a bored expression, while he asked Draupadi to go and Pay for her Chudamani and also look for some good Chains for her sister.

Draupadi nodded and understood that Krishna wanted to talk to Vaishnavi alone. She hoped that atleast he brings her out of her bad mood. As soon as Draupadi left the place, Krishna navigated Vaishnavi towards a nearby Chain shop, where she was looking at them and searching for something, with zero interest. Oh how she wished she was with her husband right then and there.

Krishna asked her, "You found anything of your choice?". She replied inattentively, "Yeah! I have! But I'm still searching for it. It's not with me!". Krishna cleared his throat and asked, "Are you thinking about something, or, someone?". She looked up at him and said, "You don't know? I'm thinking about my-", she stopped, remembering he word to Arjun. "Remembering your?", Krishna matched her tone.

She soon composed herself and said, "uh,?.. Ah! I am thinking about my Love! My Arjun! What now? Huh?". Krishna tried to control his laugh and said, "Sakhi, you miss him, and you want him to be here, right?", to which she nodded with a pout, "Yes! And I'm not interested in these things now!". She turned around and stood leaning on the stall, folding her hands and started whistling out of boredom.

Krishna looked at her mischievously and said, "What if I tell you, that your love is here!". Instantly, within a blink, her face lot up like anything and she asked him, holding his hands, "Really?", to which he nodded teasingly. She immediately turned towards the stall and started selecting something for herself, "Well! Kanha! What about this? This is nice- Wait- He is here? As in? He has been listening to this whole conversation?".

Krishna chuckled at her and nodded his head. Her face went blank and she became conscious, "Kanha! Tell me, he is alone right? Not with his brothers? Right?", to which he shook his head, laughter threatening to come out of his mouth. She, still being blank faced, asked him, "And they all saw this wonderful scene now?", to which he nodded giggling and said, "In fact, they are listening to the whole conversation right now too!".

She closed her eyes and said, "Wow! I officially want to dig my grave up and sleep there, like now! Ah I'm embarrassed!", Krishna started laughing a Little and said, "Sakhi! They are still listening!". She just held his hand and said, "That's it! I'm going back to my home! Tell everyone that there was a girl called Vaishnavi and she was a smartass chick! History will forever remember me!". She started to go, but was pulled back by Krishna, who was laughing uncontrollably now. She looked at him betrayed, and looked around in search of her husband. Krishna is a trickster, he could be lying to pull her leg as well, or so she thought. But, She immediately spotted her husband, who was Staring at her as if she is some star fallen down on this earth. While his brothers were laughing their asses of as well, just like Krishna.

As she started to go, She was stopped by Draupadi, who saw Krishna and her sister laughing to join them. Bheem stopped laughing slowly, as his eyes were taking in a beautiful maiden, standing near his best friend. He immediately said without thinking, "Wow! This princess truly is beautiful! Her husband will be lucky!".

She saw that her sister held a chain on her hand, and said, "Wow! What a beautiful chain! Here, let me tie it for you!", Draupadi said and went to tie it, and saw that her purple chain was already in her neck instead of her hand, this time with a black thread. She smiled at that and asked Vaishnavi, "Ishwari! You are wearing this chain on your neck now?", which made Vaishnavi's eyes go widen.

'Shit!'

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Hi pookies! Well, how are y'all doing? I just have one thing to share with you all!

Guys, I see that my story is not getting a lot of votes. The amount of reads and the amount of votes that I'm getting are not proportionate. I take a lot of time out of my day, dedicating the time to this story. All i expect back is support from you guys. It will take less than 1 second to vote?

Why are you guys not voting? I really want to update everyday, but the response I'm getting is really, REALLY disheartening to me. It kills the motivation to write the next chapter. This is for my dear silent readers. I love you guys so much, but please, vote for my story.

Anyways, how was this chapter? Please vote and comment!