The golden morning has then melted into the harsh afternoon through the forms of sweat, and yet the whole amphitheatre was ice calm. All were silent, numb, fixing their terrified eyes at the centre of the amphitheatre, where above the tiny constructed pool, the golden bow was kept and beside him, a man in golden armour and earring was standing. His head was bowing low, looking at his reddish hand, he was staying in grief. Above the head, that blue fish with its crystal black eye was swimming excitingly, announcing, "One more prince has failed."

"Angaraj Karn, please take your seat." My twin Dhristadyumna got up from my adjoint seat and came into the frontal pedestal.

I was still in relaxation, don't know why! Though being a bride, whose Swamvyar has been going on, and no one has been able to complete the task to get my hand, still I was in chill. I know this, if no one can, then I would have to remain maiden forever, no one gonna want to marry me and being a princess and remain unmarried as per such circumstances wouldn't be very good thing. Knowing all these, my father Drupad, my mother, my semi sister Shikhandini, my brothers including my twin Dhristadyumna, all were tensed, scared. I could able to see, the sweaty face of my father, mother, who was constantly joining her palms has been humming and chanting the prayers, but I-

I was a contrast, I understand that, and I tried to be. I used to believe in destiny, whatif I would not able to marry, then there would be an amazing reason, which beyond everyone's imagination, even more than my expectations and if the destiny has written my marriage, then he- that person would definitely come.

"Do anyone wants to try? Any king, any prince, any royals, anyone?" Dhri announced again.

But, no response. Like the night, the amphitheatre was silent.

"Now what?" Dhri came to Pitashree. His face was too silent and pale. Ma was scared.

"Won't anyone left?" She asked.

"No, Ma- all have done and failed. Jarasandh, Jayadrath, Sishupal, Duryodhana, Bhurishrabha, Chekitan.. and Karna also failed, then, what hope left more?" Dhri replied. He too was tensed, once a while he glanced at me, my appearance, dressed up in bridal red attire. With his right palm, once, caresses my cheek as a consoling manner, as he wanted to say. "No worry, all will be fine!"

I understood him, and also I wasn't in worry. I smile at him, in the mute tone, "Alright!" He too understood me. He returned a tiny smile to me.

"I don't care, putra! I don't my daughter to marry any one of them, and Karna, he isn't have such lineage, it has come to hear-" Pitashree murmured to Dhri. Before my swamvyar, when the lesson about the whole Aryavart, regarding the kings, queens, prince, princesses, royals, clans and kingdoms were given, I had learnt about everyone. All those so called powerful warriors weren't morally strong, I knew.

"But, Pitashree, do you believe, Arjun will come? Thinking about him only you have created this archery task." Shikhandini said.

"Hmm" Pitashree nod.

Arjun! My heart thrummed again. Everytime I used to hear that name, my heart started to beat in a weird manner. Once, while those lesson only, I learnt about him, he wasn't any king, he was the prince of Hastinapur. There was a unusual thing also, I hadn't viewed any personal picture of Arjun, like all other paintings had presented in front of me. His painting had combined with group portraits, he along with his other four brothers- The Pandavas. His eldest brother Yudhishthir, the crowned prince, the decided to be king of Hastinapur. Middle was Bhim, and a younger twins of him, Nakul and Sahadev. My teacher had told me mostly about Arjun only, that class had been run long, so long and informative type that, there's no time had been given to other four Pandavas, I had curiosity, but-

I understood, Pitashree has determined to give my hand to Arjun only. And I too laughed secretly hearing that. That dark hued prince, long stretched eyes, white attire and golden jewels, standing and holding the bow, has became definitely my loved dreamy prince of love.

But, as per Aryavart's notices, Pandava brothers along Kunti, their mother didn't exist then anymore. But, my Pitashree knew and believed, they were, even he was sure that, that day, there also, they were present.

"I am inviting-" Pitashree stood up then. Spreading his arms, in his deep voice started to announce- "All the Brahmans, who are present over here- If anyone able to hit the target, my daughter Krishnaa will garland him."

"Brahmans!" My siblings were shocked. Shikhandini almost armed up to question Pitashree, but I stops her. Again, I don't know why, I felt alright.

"Being a Kshtriya, you want our daughter to marry a Brahmana, fine, it happens, but, all won't be okay. There child might bear Kshtriya characteristics, which-oh!" Ma expressed her confusion, anguishment all in one go, and turning her face from Pitashree, she sat down.

Pitashree was silent, looking at the everyone throughout the amphitheatre. All of us knows, whatever he has said, that's final.

The wave of hum rolled around the amphitheatre, every royals started to look at each other's face. Some were serious, some were on mock, "what a Brahman able to do, which a Kshtriya can't?" Some were in anger too.

I shifter my eyes from them, and turned to the court, where Brahmans were sitting. All in either saffron or white, quite monochromatic, not able to give my eyes to identify them individually. Suddenly, my eyes became fixed at the second last row. One of the edge, five men were sitting, and at that moment, I felt my heart thrummed and paused, my breathing has been stopped. My lips has hanged open, I can't able to change my orbs. All five among themselves were talking slowly among themselves, and I remained gazing them. I don't know, how much moment I passed like that, but, after their themselves murmur, they look straight, direct towards my pedestal, mostly our orbs met. At instant I felt a shook, a tremor inside me. I turned my face, squeezing my eyes. All my body heated up.

"Oohoooo- Hail hail-"

The random screams of numerous people filled my ears. Undoing my eyelashes, I slowly, very slowly turned my face.

Most of the people were out of positions. The royals with clutching the weapons, but, the Brahmans, all were standing and cheering. All face were filled with excitement and hope.

"What happened Dhri?" I asked my twin, whose eyes were also smiling.

"A Brahman youth wanting to try, and Brahmans believing that he could do, even something me too, honestly" glancing at me, Dhri replied.

"Oh-okay-" I answered and turned.

The bright daylight lurking through the big arched gate, in front of, I saw, a masculine figure is standing guarding those rays. On that, all his figure was becoming more prominent. The broad shoulder, fine traces of hairs upto shoulder, long arms oscillating with his motion. One by one, his feet was rising the steps of the central portion of the amphitheatre, and with each step, his features was unfolding. First the two feet with clogs sounding tok-tok with his step and was giving me tune as on a wooden drum someone has been tuning any night spring raga.

He rested his final step, stood high on the competition stage. The soft gust of wind, ruffles his attire. The saffron cloak hanging from his shoulder shifted baring his thorax more. The dusky complexion contrast to my eyes. He joined his palms.

"Salutations to all the gods and goddesses." He said. His voice was deep, deeper than conch even I felt. His wrist was wrapped with Rudraksh, but, through those, a long callosity was became visible to me.

"He is a trained archer" I murmured.

"Really?" Dhri asked on which I nod my nod my head. At that moment, I figured out, telling, thinking or indicating anything about him, my eyes were becoming low, I was feeling shy.

"Accept my salutation Maharaj Drupad." His thundering voice again roars. Pitashree nodding his head, accept it. Felt like, the Brahman's action impressed him, and why not, first time anyone directly saluting him. Others just bowed head and that's all.

"Salutation to Rajkumari Draupadi" he speaks. His that deep voice, uttering my name, my heart ran wild. First time ever, I am exciting when someone is calling my name. I tried to appear more pleasing to him, joining my lips, calming my eyebrows, tried to look at him, in a bit captive manner. But, as soon as I looked at him, his dark brown orbs pierced my heart. Seemed like he came there to aim my heart not the eye of fish.

I coyly nod my head. I was confuse, what to do, how to act, or how to response. All my confidence was melting down in front of that dusky Brahman youth.

He bowed a bit and backed his arms straight position, like previous. Then, kneeling Swiftly, he touched his forehead on the bow.

"What he is doing?" Shikhandini confused.

"Maybe saluting" I replied. It was astonishing that I am justifying any contestant. I was all out of senses of surroundings, madly mesmerized into him.

"Okay!" Shikhandini suspiciously replied giving a smirk to me, and that smirk I just adorned over me, and again fixed my eyes to him. I didn't wanting to detach my eyes from him for a single moment.

Then, he rose up. Closed his eyes and ran left fist around the bow, from one edge to another edge, top to bottom, again bottom to top. After three run, he stopped coming at the downward centre. He opened his eyes, widely.

The amphitheatre was silent again, pindrop. Only thing I could hear, that, the sound of my heart, constantly banging wild that anytime would burst out.

He looked forward, brown orbs emitting fire, I hallucinate, or maybe that was a metaphor. Then he breathed, a long one, and suddenly, at an abrupt jerk, he pulled the whole bow.

The end dragged the ground, pulling out the few little brown rock surface which in a high force lands around him, but he remained still. His body movements has an unique confidence which I never saw in anyone before.

His right hand then proceed forward. With the first three fingers, he held the string of bow. Making the right knee hinge, with the support of his thigh, he started to circling the string end at bows upper central quarter not at upper edge.

"Seems like first time Brahman is holding the bow." All other royals passed laughter, except us. We knew, whatever he is doing absolutely correct. The bow is designed in just unusually. He identified the thing correctly.

He ignored them all, keeping his concentration all his action. I too wanted that, not a single distraction. Even my hidden urge wanting to scream aloud, "he is doing right, you all don't know!" But understanding the situation and surrounding, I was quiet as I knew, this Brahman youth will give better reply.

Rounding the fifth times, he knotted the string. Then, from the stand, he picks the golden arrow. So carefully he was fixing the bow and arrow, might feel like it's not any Brahman, he is the Kama, holding the flower bow, wanting to shoot that flowery arrow to my heart. Though I felt, he already shoot the arrow, otherwise why I was in so much caring for him, he is filling all different from everyone. Even looking at his hands, holding the bow, I started to feel, would he so delicately hold my hands too?

He kneeled now completely. His eyes looked down, straight into the water and raised his hands high up holding the bow erect. Slowly slowly, he pulled the string with arrow. He had becoming more still. Wind also become motionless at that moment, as the whole universe stopping its breath gazing him.

Blink- blink- he blinked his eyes two times, then fixed. Index finger moved a bit, and then stopped. I bit my nails, pressed my lips with fingers. And then, he released his thumb.

Shoo-

Piercing the winds, soundly the arrow rushed high above. I couldn't take that more. Squeezing my eyes tightly, I joined my palms. On that fraction of second, I changed almost all the god and goddesses name, "O Narayana- O Shiva- O Gauri-... Please let this arrow hit the target."

Bang-
The sudden loud sound of a drum, followed by the humm of numerous conches, dangling of cymbals and echo of cheers made my meditation breakage. I was anxious for result. I expanded my eyes, and that remained fixed, motionless.

From the sky, the flower petals had been raining, drenching the whole amphitheatre, mostly the centre. And at centre, that dusky Brahman in saffron uplifting the golden bow had been standing. Between the traces of ruffling hairs, his brown orbs was looking at me. His lips had a curved smile. His arms were wide on either side, as telling "I got the victory. I am victorious."

"Jishnu" I uttered.
Smile was automatically oozing out from my lips, even a hard try I couldn't able to stop that. My cheeks were paining, still I wanted to smile more and more.

"Krishnaa, for whom you are waiting now?" Patting my shoulder, Shikhandini teased. "Before you turned full red, go, garland him."

I shyly looked at Pitashree. First time, I was feeling shy. He nods his head. Then, I turned to Maa. She to smiled at me.

In the gem studded plate, the garland was brought. My hands were shivering with over enjoyment. I picked the garland and started to walked down. Shikhandini, Dhri and my other brothers accompanied me.

First step down, second step down, slowly and I started to feeling nervous. My confidence all flies away. Just felt like wanna surrender myself to him, immediately. Once I was feeling too shy to walk near him, and then after I wanted to reach near him, as soon as possible. My feet became agile, I felt like I was loosing control over my senses. The more I was reaching near to him, more I felt the thrumming of heart inside me. More my coy smile want to express out. Looking at him, in front, finally, my eyes wanting to admire him for eternity, but again that dilemma, I was becoming too shy to stare at him. My lips wanted to recite all the hymns of Shringar (love node), sing all the love songs I had learnt, rounding him I want to perform all the dance I knew. Looking at his eyes, I wanting to say, "You won me. You own me. Arjun."

🏹🐟