The tunes of Arjun's veena filled the night air of the ashram. His fingers strummed through the strings of the instrument producing a magical effect on his audience. The entire ashram had assembled for their dear princess's visit.
Everyone had always appreciated his musical abilities. He himself got lost in the rhythms and tunes and the ragas which would transport him to another world. But this time it wouldn't.
His eyes were betraying him. They refused to move away from the ashram's beautiful guest. He could only be thankful that Rajkumari Sonakshi was sitting with some of the important ashram elders so unless one was watching keenly they would not arouse immediate suspicion.
Sonakshi was talking happily to the ashram dwellers. She enjoyed coming here. The people were so simple and honest. There was no pretence. But this time her gaze kept getting drawn to the handsome man she had met earlier in the forest who had introduced himself as Brahman Kumar Sumeshwar. This handsome man with soft, captivating eyes who was collecting woods in the forest was now playing away on the veena with the same hands.
She had begun swaying to the tunes of his veena. Who wasn't mersmerised by it? She recalled the image of Rajkumar Arjuna in her mind but how would she observe the handsome veena player without being noticed herself?
It seemed as though some lucky star shone on her as yet again her wish immediately materialised. Arjuna broke baritone broke into a beautiful song causing all assembled men and women to turn their attention towards him. Sonakshi could now observe him without any obstacle or was it so? It appeared to her as if the mysterious handsome youth's gentle, sparkling eyes and soulful singing had partnered against her purpose.
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"And this Rajkumari is a rare species of marigold found in a few places of Aryavart" Yudhistir said, he had always had an affinity for plants and flowers and was definitely enjoying talking about them, "They can be distinguished from their counterparts by the edge of the stem joining the—"
Yudhistir's explanations were lost to Sonakshi although royal life had made her adept at the art of feigning attentiveness. Right now too she gave out no signs of her ebbing interest, nodding and smiling, when she inhaled a little too sharply.
The same man she had been trying observe carefully so long but couldn't thanks to forces- internal and external- was walking towards them.
"Jyesth bhrata pranipat" he said bowing to his elder brother "I wanted to..."
'Oh God! How can I forget my well- crafted excuse' he thought.
"What is it Arjun?" Yudhistir asked with some concern.
"Um... yeah!" he exclaimed "Mata was looking for you but for what I forgot."
Arjun smiled his sweet smile, one that would melt his innocent Yudhistir since their childhood.
"Okay I will see her. Rajkumari I must take my leave now."
Watching Yudhistir's disappearing figure Sonakshi lips twitched.
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Different Yet Pleasant (On Hold)
FanfictionA story through the Mahabharata with characters evaluating and experiencing the different options, travelling the roads less travelled by. It is a random story based on the near impossible plot line of Karna and Arjuna sharing a wife- a mystery in...
