Chapter 31

Prakriti P.O.V

"You are mine now" Apsara Urvashi said touching Prince Arjuna while he was sleeping, suddenly Prince Arjuna eyes opened and he looked at the celestial maiden, she was wearing revealing clothes as she stand in his room, her eyes focused on him.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered gulping, his eyes never leaving the woman in front of him. "I am here for you, tonight I am yours" she said seductively and sat on the edge of bed touching the arm of Arjuna, he smiled, his eyes shining with excitement and he slowly nodded his head.

"Then come here" he said in husky voice and pulled the maiden in his strong arms.

I woke up with a gasp, my heart beat fast, sweat dripping from my forehead, I looked around me, I was in our shelter, Arya was sleeping soundly beside me holding my hand even in his sleep, I sighed and pulled my hand away from Arya, wiping the sweat from my forehead taking deep breath to calm my erratic heart beat.

It was just a dream, Arya won't do such thing, I have full faith in him.

Suddenly Arya stirred in his sleep and turned his body, facing me, his hand searching for me unconsciously, quickly he opened his eyes when he didn't find me. His eyes fell on me and he took a long breath "What happened, why are you awake?" He said, his voice husky due to sleep, this remind me of my dream but I shook my head trying to erase those vivid memories. I gave him a soft smile and rake my hand in his hair. "Nothing Arya, I was just thinking about something" I responded, he moved himself in sitting position. "What were you thinking, beloved?" He asked taking my hand in his, "About the future" I said not telling him about the dream for now besides it was nothing.

"Everything will be fine because we are all together" he said, I nodded my head and we both lie down again, I put my head on his chest and he put his arms around me. "You know, you can tell me anything right!" he said all of a sudden which made me frown in confusion. "Yes Arya, I can tell anything to you as you were my best friend before you became my husband" I said, he heaved a sighed and pulled me little closer. I closed my eyes and after a while finally went into a dreamless sleep.

***

"This is starting of your test Prakriti, I hope you will pass in this" Mahadeva said sitting in Kailash with a soft smile on his face.

***

Next morning, I was outside of the shelter giving water to the plants, Brother Bheem was practicing alone on his skills, Elder brother was sitting with some rishis talking to them, Twins were sitting with Krishne and engaged in a conversation. I saw Arya sitting beside the lake staring at the water, consuming in his thoughts. I made my way towards him and sat beside him.

"Why are you sitting here alone, Arya?" I said, since he came back from his journey, he sat alone most of the time lost in his thoughts. "I am just thinking" he said without turning his gaze at me and throwing the pebble in water. My face fell a little, whenever we talk, he always look in my direction but today he is too consumed in his thinking to even glance at me.

"About what?" I asked in low voice.

"Apsara Urvashi" his response came quickly, I sat there frozen for a seconds staring at him.

Apsara Urvashi, why is he thinking about her all of a sudden?

"Why?" I said, there is this ugly feeling started to grow in the pit of my stomach. Finally he turned his eyes towards me, he looked confused "Celestial nymph was attracted to me and she even entertained many being there even our ancestors, When I rejected her, she couldn't believe it so in response she cursed me but I guess it wasn't uncommon to give a curse the thing I am not able to understand is why creator of the world herself came in heaven that day to punish her" He asked with raised eyebrows, I just stared at him dumbfounded, Is he saying that me coming there and doing justice is a puzzlement for him and he is still thinking about that nymph. My fist clenched in irritation and I stood up from my seat "I don't know the answer to your question Arya, I guess you should ask it when you meet Adi Sakti herself someday" I responded, he slowly nodded his head "Very well" he said and turned his head towards lake again, I huffed lowly "I am taking my leave now" with that said I walked away from him, controlling my jealousy. I walked further inside the forest, my anger growing as the dream from last night flashed before my eyes.

Brother Krishna, I need your help!

What happened Prakrite, you sound uncomfortable and not like your self.

I sighed and told him about my last night dream and today conversation with Arya, in the end he chuckled.

You trust Partha, right, so there is no issue here.

I do trust him with my life but there is this feeling in the pit of my stomach which is not going away.

Okay, to satisfy your self, if you want, you can test Partha and get rid of this feeling.

Test? How?

He gave a soft laugh again.

It is for you to do, how you want to do that, I can't help you in it.

I sighed and hummed in response.

Thank you for the suggestion, Brother Krishna.

But don't do anything which will hurt you in the end.

I won't.

I walked back to the shelter and helped Krishne in the preparation of dinner thinking about how to get rid of this feeling and be like my old self.

***

Third Person P.O.V

Arjuna was deep inside the forest practicing on his archery. Suddenly he heard a scream from the west direction, he quickly ran in that direction. He saw a wolf growling at something looking towards the tree, he turned his gaze at a tree branch and saw a woman on the branch clutching it in her hands fearfully, she was the one who was screaming for help. In a swift motion, Arjuna string an arrow on his bow and shoot it near the wolf to divert his focus from the woman, Wolf growled one last time looking at Arjuna and ran deep in the forest away from them. Arjuna made his way towards the giant tree and looked upward to the woman. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about it but she looked scared for her life. "You can come down now, it is safe here" he said in calm voice, the woman looked down and saw the man standing there who saved her from the wild wolf. "I c-can't, I don't know how to" she uttered when she saw she was so high on the tree. To save herself from the wolf, she climbed the tree in fear and now she doesn't know how to move down.

Arjuna gave a low chuckle and moved forward extending both of his arms. "You can jump now" he said, the woman looked down once again closing her eyes in fear. "I am afraid" she murmured shaking her head. "I won't let you fall, trust me" Arjuna said earnestly and the woman nodded her head after mulling over the thought. She closed her eyes and jumped down, Arjuna quickly caught her in his arms and put her on the ground. "You can open your eyes, you are safe now" he said softly, woman opened her eyes, they were dark brown in color, she looked so innocent. "Thanks" she whispered, close proximity of this male is affecting her. She never met a man like him before in her life. "Who are you?" she asked curiously, she wanted to know the name of the person who helped in her need.

Arjuna gave a smile to her "My name is Arjuna".

Her smile widened as she stared at him with respect "Gandivadhari Arjuna" she said looking at the bow in his hand, he slowly nodded his head.

"What is your name, Devi?" he asked her.

"My name is Manha" she smiled, Arjuna furrowed his eye brow and looked at Manha "I am sure this name has a meaning behind it" he said, Manha chuckled and nodded her head.

"Yes, Gandivadhari Arjuna, it has a meaning, It means a direction, a path of life" she said telling the true meaning about her name. Arjuna smiled and they both starting walking together.

"Where do you live?" he asked.

"Just on the outskirts of forest" she responded and he walked with her to safely drop her at her home without encountering wild animals or demons on the way.

"Thank you, Gandivadhari Arjuna" she smiled one last time at the stranger who helped her a lot. "Helping people in need is the dharma of a kshatriya" he responded with a grin and after bidding a fare well to Manha, he walked back to his home in the forest.

***

Prakriti P.O.V

I was waiting for Arya to come back, he never been this late even if he is practicing. I was sitting on the steps looking at the front waiting for him.

"He will be back Prakriti, come inside" Brother Bheem said from inside, I shook my head "I am fine Brother Bheem, Arya will be here any minute" I responded.

At the same time, I saw Arya walking towards me, I stood up from the steps and wait for him to come closer "Where were you Arya, you have never been this late before" I asked him, he smiled and put his hand on my shoulder "I was helping a stranger today thats why I was so late" he responded and we both entered in home.

"Who were you helping Brother Arjuna?" Nakula asked smiling.

"Maybe he was helping some old sages" Brother Bheem said with a laugh.

"Actually Brother Bheem and Nakula, I helped a woman today, she was lost in the forest" Arya responded sitting among his brothers. "That's good Arya" I said going towards Krishne helping her in serving food to Pandavas. "What was her name?" Krishne asked in curiosity.

"It was such a unique name with intrigued meaning" he said, his eyes shining with happiness.

"What was it Arjuna?" Elder Brother asked.

"Manha, it means direction and path of life" Arya responded with a smile on his face and they started talking about that woman, I frowned as I listened to the conversation. He is talking about that woman like he is impressed with her so much and the jealously I was feeling today increasing again.

***

When everyone was sleeping, I walked out of the house and towards the lake, stars were shining brightly in the sky and the light was reflecting in the water, I moved closer to water and looked at my reflection in the water, It was showing the face of woman, Manha to whom Arya met early this noon.

A frown was itched on my face as I stared at the Maya created by me to test Arya and to stop this feeling that is gnawing me, I hope I am doing the right thing.