The day had been long, and the sun now hung low, casting a soft orange glow across the village. Nisha, carrying two matkas filled with water balanced gracefully on her head, made her way back to the Brahmin's hut. The water inside the clay pots shifted with every step, and soon, a few cool drops trickled down, spilling from the brim and landing on her head. She gasped slightly as her hair dampened, feeling the water seep through her locks.

As she reached the courtyard, she quickly set down the matkas, wiping her face with the edge of her saree. Her hair clung to her neck, heavy with the water.

Just then, Nakul and Sahadev entered the courtyard, returning with their bhiksha (alms) Nakul's eyes immediately caught sight of Nisha, her wet hair glistening in the evening light. He paused, sighing with a soft smile on his lips as he watched her attempt to dry her hair with the saree's pallu. Without a word, he nudged Sahadev, gesturing for them to head to their usual spot near the pond where they often spent peaceful moments in the evenings.

“Nisha,” Nakul called softly, moving towards her and offering his hand. She looked at him confused for a moment, then allowed him to lead her after realising it's the time to go to their adda. Sahadev followed quietly, a knowing smile tugging at his lips.

They walked towards the pond, where the golden reflection of the setting sun shimmered on the water’s surface. Sahadev sat beside them, while Nakul gently guided Nisha to sit in front of him. The soft evening breeze played with her damp hair as she looked at the peaceful water.

Without saying a word, Nakul pulled out a cotton towel from his bag and began to dry Nisha's hair, his hands moving gently through her scalp, massaging it with slow, soothing motions.

“Nakul,” Nisha protested softly, turning slightly. “I can do it myself.”

Nakul merely smiled and placed a finger on her lips. "Mujhe karne do, priye," he whispered. ("Let me do it, my beloved," he said tenderly).

A blush crept up Nisha’s cheeks at the sound of "priye." Her protests faded as a soft smile danced on her lips, her heart fluttering at his affection.

Sahadev, who had been silently watching the exchange, suddenly spoke up, as though prompted by some invisible cue. “Tum puch rahi thi na, Nisha, jyotish shastra ke baare mein?” ("You were asking about astrology, right?").

Nisha’s eyes lit up, curiosity gleaming as she turned to Sahadev. Always eager to learn something new, she nodded, her damp hair forgotten for the moment.

Sahadev took a deep breath, glancing at Nakul, who gave him an encouraging nod—one that Nisha did not notice, her attention fixed on what Sahadev was about to reveal.

"Main tumhe Shukra ke prabhav ke baare mein batata hoon." ("Let me tell you about the influence of Venus,").

He paused for a moment before continuing, his voice thoughtful and measured, “Shukra humein dhan, prem, aaram, sundarta deta hai. Jiske kundli mein Shukra balwan hota hai, woh kala mein bhi nipun hota hai.” ("Venus gives us wealth, love, comfort, and beauty. Those who have a strong Venus in their horoscope are often skilled in the arts,").

Sahadev’s eyes twinkled with mischief as he added, “Ab hamare bhrata Nakul ko hi le lijiye. Inka Shukra atyant balwan hai kundli mein, isliye Aryavart ke sabse sundar rajkumar hain. Prem jatane mein kabhi sankoch nahi karte, ye toh aapse behtar aur kaun jaan sakta hai?” ("Take our brother Nakul, for example. His Venus is exceptionally strong in his chart, which is why he is the most handsome prince in Aryavarta. He never hesitates to express love, which I'm sure you know better than anyone,").

He gave a cheeky smile, then continued with a slight smirk, "Aur rahi baat kala ki, toh inhe na keval talwarbazi aati hai, inhe gayan aur nritya ka bhi shauk hai." ("As for the arts, not only is he skilled with a sword, but he also enjoys singing and dancing,").

Nisha’s lips curled into a tiny, suspicious smile. She narrowed her eyes at Sahadev, clearly doubting the coincidental nature of his compliments. “Acha, Sahadev, ye sab bolne ke liye tumhe Kumar Nakul ne kaha hai?” ("So, Sahadev, did Prince Nakul tell you to say all this?").

Sahadev’s eyes widened in mock innocence as he glanced at Nakul, who was now looking away, shaking his head slowly as though deeply disappointed.

Nisha chuckled, her suspicions confirmed, but there was a warmth in her chest—a warmth that came not just from Nakul’s affection, but from the playful bond the brothers shared. For the first time in a long while, a sense of lightness filled the in the evening air.

The peaceful evening at the pond was suddenly interrupted by a gruff voice from behind Sahadev. “Tumse toh kuch nahi hoga, Sahadev. Aur tum, Nakul, Sahadev se aise kaam karwate ho? Dono hi murkh ho.” ("You’re hopeless, Sahadev. And you, Nakul, making him do such tasks? Both of you are fools,").

Sahadev, Nakul, and Nisha all turned in surprise toward the source of the voice. Standing there was none other than Bheem, towering as always, his eyes twinkling with mischief. Nisha’s face lit up with both surprise and excitement, her eyes sparkling as she exclaimed as the three of them stood and surrounded Bheem while touching his feet., "Bhrata Bheem! Aap aa gaye! Ghatotkach kaisa hai?" ("Brother Bheem! You’ve returned! How is Ghatotkach?").

Bheem wasn’t startled by Nisha's knowledge of his son’s name—he knew by now that Nisha, having come from the future, had insights they were yet to understand. Nakul and Sahadev exchanged knowing glances, understanding that this was the name of Bheem and Hidimba’s son.

With wide grins, Nakul and Sahadev ran up to Bheem and embraced him in a joyful hug, teasing him as they did so. "Are bhratashree, badhai ho, badhai ho!" ("Oh brother, congratulations, congratulations!").

They looked at each other with mock seriousness and then burst out in laughter. "Hum chacha ban gaye!" ("We’ve become uncles!" ).

Nisha couldn’t help but laugh at the brothers’ playful behavior. There was a lightness in the air, the kind that had been missing for a long time.

As they all walked together back toward the house, Sahadev turned to Bheem with a grin and teased, "Bhabhishree ne aapki bohot khatirdari ki hogi, hai na, Bhrata Bheem?" ("Sister-in-law must have treated you very well, right, Brother Bheem?").

Nisha and Nakul chuckled, while Bheem sighed but smiled warmly at his younger brothers, whose company he had sorely missed over the past year. Nakul, still grinning, added, "Yahan to Matashree ka maan hi nahi lag raha tha, Bhaiya, aapke bina hume khilane ka." ("Here, Mother wasn’t feeling at peace feeding us without you, Brother,").

Bheem turned his head toward Nakul and, with mock annoyance, said, "Mere khane ke vishay mein bolna tum kabhi chhodoge nahi, haina, Anuj?" ("You’ll never stop talking about my eating habits, will you, little brother?").

Nakul nodded with a smile, happiness clear in his eyes. It was good to have Bheem back. The air felt lighter now.

As they approached the gate of the Brahmin’s house, they noticed Yudhishthir and Arjun returning with bhiksha as well. When they saw Bheem, their faces lit up with joy, and in moments, they had wrapped him in tight brotherly hugs.

"Bhrata! How are Hidimba and your son?" Arjun asked, clapping Bheem on the back after bending to touch his feets..

Bheem touched Yudhishthir's feet and was answering Arjun's question but soon got interrupted,as Mata Kunti appeared from the side, carrying some kitchen waste to throw out. As she turned back and caught sight of Bheem, the plate slipped from her hands, clattering to the ground. Tears sprang to her eyes as she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her son, her tears falling freely.

Bheem bent down to touch her feet, and Kunti placed her hands on his head in blessing. "Ayushman bhav, putra," she said through her tears.

Bheem gently wiped her face, his own voice soft with emotion. "Mata, mujhe aapke yeh aansu pasand nahi. Main toh aapke hasi ka bhooka hoon. Isliye, ab jab main laut aaya hoon, ek baar hans dijiye, Matashree." ("Mother, I don’t like these tears of yours. I am hungry for your smile. So now that I’m back, please smile once for me, dear Mother,").

Mata Kunti, though still wiping her tears, smiled tenderly, her heart full at having her son back. The sight of this reunion filled everyone’s hearts with warmth and relief.

Just as the air seemed to settle with joy, a sudden sound of faint crying came from inside the Brahmin's house, specifically from the room which the Brahmin family used. Everyone looked at each other in confusion before quickly rushing inside.

The scene they encountered was distressing: the Brahmin woman and Rohini were sobbing uncontrollably, while the Brahmin stood by the door, tears silently falling from his eyes, his face reflecting deep sorrow and helplessness. Their five-year-old son stood there, looking completely bewildered.

As soon as the little boy saw the Pandavas and Kunti enter with Nisha, he ran up to Nisha, hugging her tightly, seeking comfort in her arms.

Nisha gently held him, but her eyes, like those of the others, were filled with concern and confusion. Why were they crying? What had happened?

The unanswered question hung in the air, thick with tension, as everyone waited to understand the reason behind the Brahmin family’s tears.

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