Arjun's inner self screamed upon seeing the torpid figure of that epitome of beauty lying on his lap.....

" Please rishivar.. please don't say like that please.." arjun pleaded infront of that old sage, joining his hands as his cheeks got soaked in the tears of helplessness ...

" It's the reality lad... accept it.." chaluka replied with a sad face...

Arjun looked down at the stiff figure of draupadi..he still couldn't come out from the clutches of the catastrophe happened right before his eyes...
He caressed on her lifeless palms...its getting cold by each passing second and he could feel it...
No...he can't go back without her...what will he reply to his uncle,his aunt? What about sarwanand,who is desperately waiting for his children to return safely..how can he go infront of them without her?...

" Please I beg you rishivar...help me.. please..I can't go without her" Arjun's voice broke as he joined his hands infront of chaluka...

Chaluka,as a mere attempt, again held draupadi's cold hands and closed his eyes... being got the power of clairvoyance by inheritance, chaluka saw her past and present life,thus a small smile formed on chaluka's lips...

" But she's not born to die so soon...she has to live"
Suddenly chaluka said, gaining attention of arjun... Arjun slowly turned his head towards chaluka with anticipation in his eyes...

" Is that true...so that means?" A ray of hope added lights into Arjun's face as it glowed in happiness....

" Yes...but tell me lad .. you are so adamant to have her alive..who is she to you?" Chaluka's big round eyes carried a glint of curiosity...

" She...she is my responsibility...my aunt and uncle had imposed the responsibility to protect her in my hands" arjun said nonchalantly , gazing at draupadi...a tear fell from his eyes, wiping off her blood...

" Oh...is she your cousin?" Chaluka asked raising his eyebrows,even though chaluka was well aware of her identity,he just wanted to know what he feels for her...

" No... daughter of court musician...well precisely not...she is a refugee from panchal.." arjun replied ,as if he was deeply immersed in some thoughts...

" But she is just a refugee and is also dead now.. leave her mortal body here and you leave from here as soon as possible... staying here may cause harm to you too .." chaluka suggested just to test Arjun's mind...

" No..I brought her here..if I go out of this place..then she'll be with me.. otherwise I too won't go ..if staying here may cause harm to me,then let my mortal body to perish here,with her... she's my responsibility...I won't leave her"
And arjun stated his reply without even rethinking...Whoever in his place would think again regarding the statement that chaluka explained..but savyasachi was determined....A smile instantly came on chaluka's lips and he nodded his head..

" Oh I see...look lad...if you are this much determined to bring her back into life..then I have a remedy for this..but first promise me .. promise me that you'll do anything I say..." Chaluka stated , looking directly into Arjun's Hazels...

" I'll even sacrifice my life to get her back ..to keep my promise.." arjun said with determination sparkling in his eyes...

" Then Carry her and come with me.." chaluka immediately said to which arjun did the same..arjun immediately carried draupadi in his arms...

Arjun saw chaluka clapping his hands and another dwarf sage as same as him ran towards them and handed a fire lamp to chaluka... chaluka led the path and arjun carried the mortal body of draupadi with a heavy heart and determined face...it looked like dark clouds carrying lightening,when arjun carried her in bridal style..

Chaluka led him through a narrow, insipid path...but he didn't bothered though, because for him,her life matters the most..may be ,rather than anyone's...arjun blindly followed chaluka were he was leading to...
After sometime,arjun finally saw he himself stopped infront of a large temple in a disolated place...

It looked like a large temple made of rocks , fortified with large doors and walls...Arjun looked ahead to see chaluka standing near a group of sages, probably the priest of that temple..they are also dwarf,like chaluka... arjun didn't felt werid this time but felt a rush of emotions inside him as if his life is going to change....arjun sighed and looked ahead only to see the sages looking at him with admiration and devotion in their eyes...

After sometime,chaluka indicated arjun to come forward..arjun moved forward with draupadi in her arms and chaluka instructed him to lay draupadi down there...he laid her down...sages together hung their head down and joined their hands before him... arjun felt a bit jittery...

" Don't worry...you are the son of lord Indra..our protector...so that's the reason for this special treatment.." chaluka said with a warm smile on his lips and arjun sighed,faking a smile

" prince...this is our cheif sage or our forefather...now you have to listen to him carefully.." chaluka instructed him and introduced him to another sage...
Arjun greeted that oldman ,with long beard and all clad in shabby robes...he looked much more older than chaluka..

" So you are descendant of kuru clan and blessing of lord Indra.. right?" The priest asked in a shaky voice...
Arjun nodded in an agreement to which the sage shook his head...

" So you are here to save her...tell me lad who is she to you?" The old sage's voice softened as he asked that question..

" My uncle and aunt send her to accompany me and my brother to roam around the kingdom rishivar..." Arjun replied and he saw that old sage's face stiffening lightly..

" Ok..so..do you have any feelings for her" sage again asked making arjun go perplexed..what does that means?

" No rishivar... she's just a good maiden and an excellent singer.. that's all...I can't even say that I know her fully.." arjun softly replied to which the sage nodded his head nonchalantly...

" So that means...it's difficult chaluka.." arjun heard the sage muttering to chaluka and chaluka helplessly gazed at arjun...

" Why??" A soft whisper escaped from Arjun's mouth as soon as he realised that now it's difficult to save her...
Chaluka, who clearly understood Arjun's inner turmoil, slowly went near him and stood near him...

" You promised me that you'll do what ever I say...so you'll do whatever I want .. won't you?" Chaluka asked and arjun looked at chaluka with a confused face...arjun nodded slightly...he is not the one who forgets his promise so easily...

" So only one way is there to save her...MARRY HER AND MAKE HER YOURS..." Chaluka said in full confidence and arjun froze at the place where he was Standing....

Marry her? Marry a maiden all of sudden? That too a mortal body...? Even if this marriage could save her, will it be more complicated when she came to know that he married her without her consent and will ??...what will be the aftermath then? How can he face his mother and family members now...? His elder brother isn't even married yet? And how can he just broke the norms and customs of his clan?
A lot of questions pierced Arjun's heart like thousands of arrows hitting him at the same time... Arjun's hazel filled with tears of helplessness and his gaze fell on frozen figure of draupadi...how could he?
How God has turned his fate upside down within hours and where he is standing...arjun cursed his stars...

" No..." Arjun almost shrieked making everyone looking at him startled...
Arjun looked around and saw everyone staring at him in disbelief..he closed his eyes in regret and continued in a soft voice...

" Sorry.... but..how can I?." Arjun asked in one go making chaluka looking at him in confidence,as if only he can do it..

"Is there any other way to get her saved?" Arjun asked , fixing his gaze at draupadi's innocent face,which is slightly turning into blue and chaluka shook his head melancholy...

" No lad...only the deity in this temple can save her...and the thing is, not an ordinary person could reach here and go inside the temple...only couples could go inside.." arjun slightly knitted his eyebrows as he heard chaluka's statement...

" But why ? Please...I can't...how can I?sorry I can't help her" arjun made his statement clear...no..he can't do it...arjun closed his eyes in search of some solace..the smiling face of kunti came into his mind and he abruptly opened his eyes , startling...no he can't do it...a drop of tear rolled down through his cheeks...

" But you have to...you are the one who is here to help her..you told that she's your responsibility" he heard chaluka's voice and helplessly looked at him

Arjun's eyes widened as he heard the word... responsibility!!!
He closed his eyes to reminisce his mother's precious words...

"Do or die but never leave your righteousness.. never leave your promises unfulfilled dear...your responsibilities is your righteousness and righteousness is your responsibility...never leave it.."

Arjun slowly opened his eyes and looked at chaluka and the other sage with a pleading expression...

" Rishivar..I'm even ready to loose my life.. but not this... please try to understand.. without her consent,how can I?" He asked ...arjun sighed upon thinking in what circumstances God has made him stand right now...

" Look lad...it's not possible for anyone to enter here at our place...if it's an ordinary human in your place,then he would have definitely died within this time ..but you reached till here ...it happened just because you are the blessing of our lord...indradev.." arjun heard that old sage stating and he keenly listened to what he said...

" Look prince...it's not an ordinary temple...there is a reason that why only couples could enter inside and this deity only hears the prayers of couples..and for that there's a story behind this temple" Arjun's attention averted to chaluka as he started to say...

" What story??.." arjun enquired ..now he's getting more and more curious about this place and temple...

" The deity inside the temple is not a god...but it's a Gandharva...and the story is about the Gandharva Prince.." chaluka said and Arjun's Hazels carried the curiousity of a small child,who is hearing a new story...

" The story of a Gandharva Prince and a human princess..." The sage continued and arjun looked at the sage in utter concentration..he has to ...he has to know the story behind this temple...

"Long years ago, a Gandharva Prince came to earth due to the curse given by indra dev...do you know who Gandharvas are?" Chaluka asked and arjun nodded in no..

" Gandharvas are celestial beings living in gandhara region in heavens ..who are excellent singers with unparalleled charm and beauty.." chaluka said as arjun nodded his head

Chaluka continued..
" So the Gandharva Prince reached at earth due to a curse.. but before leaving, indradev ordered him that he'll let him free from this curse ,only if he seduces a human girl and abandon her in earth,to which Gandharva prince reluctantly agreed...he knew that it was a trap by indradev as indra dev knows that the prince couldn't, but still he agreed.. he was confident about wooing a girl as no couldn't resist his charm...so the Gandharva prince reached here,at this maaya van...and as soon as he reached here...he waited for a good opportunity to come and trap any girls around...but soon that opportunity itself came into the maaya van in the form of a beautiful princess... princess of neighbouring country... Gandharva prince fell in love with the her at the very first sight and tired to win her heart..and within days , Gandharva prince got succeeded in his attempts to win her heart as the princess also reciprocated her love.." chaluka paused and looked at arjun,who was now more interested in knowing the rest...

"Then?" Arjun curiously asked as soon as chaluka paused and chaluka continued with a smirk..

" At first ,the main aim of the Gandharva prince was to seduce her and then abandon her here so that he could get free from his curse ..but, eventually when Gandharva prince got to know more about that princess,he really fell in love with her and his heart refused to leave her by betraying her...So, finally Gandharva prince changed his decision to betray her and he decided to marry her... princess too accepted his proposal wholeheartedly even though she knows that he is a Gandharva..and soon ,one day they got married here, infront of our chief sage , according to gandharvik rituals..but their happiness didn't last long...fate played it's cruel game against them.." Chaluka paused gazing at the temple sadly and sighed before continuing...

" Indradev got to know about this and got furious on Gandharva prince for disobeying him...just after their marriage, when Gandharva prince was about to sacrifice his special powers to transform himself into a normal human to lead a blissful marital life, indradev appeared infront him and cursed him that he'll remain as a stone idol for his whole life time....since Gandharvas are immortal, that Gandharva is still residing in this temple as a stone idol..." Chaluka finished and looked at arjun only to see him looking at them confused...

" What about that princess then?" Arjun asked still confused about the story..even though it sounded as a fantasy, he believed in chaluka,so he believed it too...

" hmm..That's makes this temple special...the Princess was distraughted when she heard about the curse and got totally shattered upon witnessing her love transforming into a stone...but what she did made each and every one baffled...the very next moment,when the gandharva prince got transformed into a stone,she took out the dagger that kept in her waist and slit her throat....thus,she too left her mortal body..but not before requesting to our chief sage that to conjure her soul and merge it in the stone idol of gandharva also to built a shelter for them to reside and only allow couples or lovers who deeply love each other to enter inside...and our chief sage ,who is standing infront of you ,done it...and thus the two of them was merged inside the idol of the deity in this temple...and you two were the first one who destined to enter inside inside other than us"
Arjun startled upon hearing the last statement of chaluka...what does that means? The sage who is standing before him conjured her soul.. that means?

" That means..this...you all" horror overcasted on tired face of arjun as he looked at them , biwildered...

" We are immortal lad..our chief sage has almost 1500 years now,the one who is standing here..." as Arjun heard chaluka's voice,he gazed in disbelief, from tip to toe of that old sage standing infront of him,all clad in his shabby saffron robs and with a small smile on his face

" So...I hope now you understood that why only couples were allowed to go inside.. remember,now only they can give her another life,as Gandharvas are immortals and elixir-consumers..think thoroughly,only you can help her.. Only you.." arjun heard chaluka saying him and looked again at draupadi...

" What if I enter the temple with her pretending as we are lovers..?" Arjun asked chaluka and saw him raising his brows..

" Do you really think that the deity inside, who can even give life , isn't powerful enough to understand your inner feelings...? can't find What lie and what truth is?"
Chaluka asked and arjun looked down in forlorn...

" Think about your decision prince..I think she is destined to be yours...." Arjun heard that old sage's shaky voice and looked up at him...

Arjun gazed at the mortal body of draupadi and closed his eyes...the each and every moment he spent with her , including their first meet, flashed into his mind...
No...she isn't a soul who have to die so soon...no..she has to live..she has to live..now he is her saviour as well as her elixir and only he can be....

Arjun deeply inhaled a sharp breathe and filled his lungs..he opened his eyes with determination twinkling inside...his Hazels again travelled to the direction where his destiny was lying ,with whom he was tied with....
He almost prepared his mind to accept this fortuitous incident as his fate....
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So what do you think? Will arjun accept her as his bride ?
So how's the chapter guys?
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