Drisana woke up before sunrise and got ready for prayer. Her mother and sister-in-laws came to take her to the temple for Gauripujan. After the prayer, she was taken for the ceremonial bath.

First aroma oil was applied on her hair and later washed with a mixture of herbs. Then ubtan (organic scrub) consisting of sandalwood, turmeric, gram flour, milk, oil and some fragmented herbs, was applied on her face, hands, feet, arms and legs. Drisana was unusually quiet since waking up this morning.

"Are you nervous?" Anandini asked her when she was taken for 'solah shringar' after her ceremonial bath.

Drisana gave a slight shrug not knowing either it was a yes or no.

"And here Mata was tensed about how to turn her into a shying and blushing bride." Shubhaprada said chuckling.

"I'm not blushing." Drisana muttered slowly.

"Yes. But there's a red hue on your cheeks. That'll do." Shubhaprada replied with a smile as she handed her the bridal dress.

Here, on the outer Palace, Nakul followed a similar pattern with a prayer of Lord Ganesh and a ceremonial bath. Only his ceremonial bath consisted of his brothers scrubbing him raw. He was sure Bheem cracked a few bones on the way. He even got some ubtan on his mouth when Arjun massaged his face.

"Kis baat ka badla le rahe hai bhrata Bheem? (Which things punishment am I getting bhrata Bheem?)" Nakul asked helplessly.

"Ginwane bathunga toh vivha ka muhrat nikal jayega. Calega? (If I start counting, you'll miss the wedding. Shall I start?)" Bheem said with amusement.

"Nehi, rehne dijiye. (No. Let it be.)" Nakul said sulking as the rest laughed.

After the purifying bath, he started to get ready for his big day. He wore a golden coloured dhoti and red Angavastra. Nakul took a deep breath staring at himself in the mirror. Today he was going to marry Drisana.

The one he loved.

The one he waited for.

The one he longed for.

There was a restlessness inside. He had wanted this for so long. But now when the moment came, he felt afraid. Afraid of failing her. Afraid of disappointing her.

Nakul knew Drisana was not someone to meekly stay at home and handle the household. She wouldn't just be his wife or another princess of Indraprasth. She would act where no one expected or allowed her to be. Her mind and senses worked in a way even he was unable to fathom sometimes. He knew, there was a chance in future his duties and Dharma would clash with hers. Where he might need to choose one. And no matter what he chose either way he would be defeated and tainted.

But still there wasn't a single thing he would want to change about her.

That's what you do in love. You know the flows, you know the risks, you know the questions.

Still you embrace the flows, you take the risks and face the questions even when you have no answer to that.

"Nervous?" Sahdev asked from behind. Coming inside with the others.

"Maybe he wants to run. Should I get the horse ready? I promised you I would help escape from the seven." Arjun remarked jokingly.

"Don't even think about it. Don't know about the seven, but Drisana will hunt you down back to hell for sure." Bheem said making big round eyes while tying the amulets around his arms.

"Thank you so much bhrata Arjun. But keep your ideas to yourself. I've seen how much you helped me." Nakul said folding his hands.

"You dare not say anything after that fabulous feast of Rajkumari Priyala." Arjun warned him while tying the necklaces.

"There was a feast?????!!!!!!!!

Without me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Nakul slapped his own forehead hearing Bheem's cry. Arjun hardly managed to keep a straight face.

"Don't worry bhrata Bheem. We will arrange for one in your wedding too. I'm sure Rajkumari Priyala won't refuse her brother-in-law." Arjun said smiling slyly. Nakul only shook his head while Sahdev placed a golden coloured shawl on his shoulder.

"I'm not going to marry her sister for food." Bheem said with a frown which was an indication he was actually contemplating it. But shook his head hard in the next moment to get rid of the thought.

As the laughter died down, Yudhisthir came forward.

"Nakul?"

Nakul looked at him with a slight smile and curiosity.

"You're going to step into a new phase of your life. I know for how long you've waited for this moment. Now that it has arrived, it's so special for all of us. Drisana is officially going to be a part of our family. It won't always be easy to walk in the path of life. But never leave the hand you're going to hold today. That is what matters the most. The rest will fall into place eventually." Yudhisthir said with a smile keeping a hand in Nakul's shoulder. A full genuine smile graced Nakul's lips as he nodded. Yudhisthir placed the crown on his head then.

Drisana was getting ready in her chambers slowly. She had worn the red bridal dress with embroidery of gold. Her hair had been dried and combed thoroughly. And now it was braided into a beautiful pattern after applying aromatic oil. Drisana sat silently as hair accessories were placed on her braid and fresh jasmine flowers were arranged as keshapasharachana.

Just then Maharani Mangalya came inside. Drisana was surprised by her presence. Her mother must had a lot of arrangements to look after and Drisana wasn't even ready halfway. She gave a questioning look while Maharani gave a slight smile. She told everyone to leave and coming beside Drisana placed the maang tika on her forehead. Then resting her hands on her shoulder, she met her eyes through the mirror.

"Your father wants to talk to you."

Drisana was so surprised she didn't even know how to respond. Just as her mother placed a shawl on her and took her in the large balcony adjacent to her study room, her father, Maharaj Drishadvat came inside. He stood a little far staring at his daughter with a sad smile.

"Pitashree? Is everything alright?" Drisana asked tentatively.

"Yes, Putri. I just wanted to visit you. You're going to get very busy in a short while. So thought to meet you before that." Maharaj Drishadvat said.

"Suddenly?" Drisana asked smiling at him.

"Who knows when will I again get the opportunity to meet you suddenly." Maharaj Drishadvat said caressing her head slightly. Drisana felt tears welling up in her eyes as she watched her father struggling with his emotions.

"You know putri, being a father of a daughter is both blissful and painful. Blissful, because daughters are father's heart. Painful, because they don't remain with us always. With a son, father's relation is of ambition. Since the day a son is born, father expect him to be one day enlighten his name with valour. But with a daughter, a father's relation is of pure adornment. It's not flesh and blood that forms the bond of a father and daughter. It's the heart. And one day someone comes and takes away our little bundle of joy. And the most annoying part is, a father has to welcome that snatcher with a smiling face."

A lone tear slipped past Drisana's eye. Her throat felt heavy with emotions.

"My every child is special to me. Dwijendra gave me the feeling of being a father for the first time. Dheemant taught me to take his blames and get scolded. I had to be the moral force for Dhritimat to quench his thirst for knowledge. Devyajot made me lose my sleep since the day he started crawling. Dhikshit taught me patience with his short temper. Dridhaksh made me realise that a father's neck can never be sore even after carrying his son for all day, but he can lose a few of his hairs. Daiwik let me know that sons can be adorable too. And you my daughter is the gift of love from God to me. " Maharaj Drishadvat said with a smile. Drisana smiled too hearing him.

Her father was truly amazing. Rarely a man could be as perfect as he was. He was the ideal for her brothers, the guiding light leading the way and a superhero for her. Drisana regretted greatly not knowing him throughout her childhood. Her smile turned into a sob and then full on crying as her heart ached for all the things she missed and the little time she got to be his Princess.

Maharaj Drishadvat held his daughter as she continued sobbing. It pained him to see her tears.

He was the King of one of the most powerful Kingdoms of Aryavart.

He was a valorous and fearsome warrior whose name was taken with respect.

He was the husband of the most powerful and influential woman of Aryavart.

He was the proud father of seven undefeated warriors.

His daughter's wisdom and courage reached no bounds.

But still he was the father of a daughter who was going to go away after marriage. There was nothing he could do to stop that. He had to hand her over to someone else and helplessly watch her go away.

The rule of the cruel world. A daughter enlightens her father's house with happiness and joy since the day she born. She is cherished and protected like a little soft heart of the household. And one day they have to hand over that soft little bundle to a gorilla.

"I don't want to leave, Pitashree. Why daughters become a outlander in her own home? Why are we considered someone else's pledge to our own father's house?" Drisana asked in between her sobs.

"Who said that to you? Daughters can never be an outsider. They are their father's heart with feet that walks away one day. But no matter the distance the heart is always remembered with love, affection and fondness. And as for being someone else's pledge, only idiots think that. Daughters are our most valuable treasure, our self-respect. How can that be someone else's?" Maharaj Drishadvat replied caressing her back to console her. Then he held her from shoulders and wiping her tears said,

"Now don't be a crybaby. My daughter is brilliant and strong. More than anyone else. Just look at Rajkumar Nakul. He has come with his whole family and army of thousands to take you. But you are going to go alone. Then who is more braver?" Maharaj Drishadvat remarked jokingly. Drisana chuckled at that.

"Now go. I have already made you late. Get ready to shine. And I also have to go to welcome a certain someone." Maharaj Drishadvat said and left Drisana baffled on the last part.

"Kya baat hai! Aap to pura tayyar ho gaye hai Rajkumar Nakul. (Wow! You're fully ready Rajkumar Nakul.)" Daiwik said coming inside. Earlier Kunti, Devika and Draupadi finished the rituals with Nakul and left for the Principal Palace. Nakul and his brothers would go together on the wedding venue (mandap). Daiwik had come to fetch him actually.

"Waise aagar yeh vivha bina kisi aarchan ke ho jaye, toh mujhe to bohot khusi hogi. (If this marriage gets done without any trouble, I will be very happy.)" Daiwik said again smiling innocently.

Nakul's smile gradually disappeared like gas leaking from a balloon. He looked helplessly at Arjun. Arjun covered his laugh with a cough. Yudhisthir and Bheem was confused while Sahdev only looked curious.

"Trouble?" Bheem asked confusingly.

"Haa. Yoh kya hai na, hamare bangsh mein aaj tak koi vivha sidhi tarike se nehi huyi hai. (Yes. We didn't have a normal marriage in our family till now.)

Mere dada ji. Yudh jit kar laye the dadima ko. (My grandfather fought a war to get my grandmother.)

Pitashree ne to aapharan kar liya tha mata ka vivha se purb. (Father kidnapped mother before marriage.)

Jyesth to aapne mitra ke vivha mein gaye the. Khud dulhan se vivha kar ke aa gaye. (Jyesth Dwijendra went to attend his friends wedding. But he got married to the bride.)

Bhrata Dheemant to gaye the aak dulhan ko lane. Do do mil gaye bechare ko. (Bhrata Dheemant went to bring one bride, but got two.)

Aur Bhrata Dhritimat ko to pata bhi nehi cala, ki jis rath ke piche baith kar yoh kitab parne mein magna the, Subhaprada bhabhishree yohi rath leke bhagi thi. Piche dekha to baad mei mile Bhrata Dhritimat. Iss cakkar mein shadi karni pari dono ko. (And Bhrata Dhritimat didn't even know that the chariot he was sitting onto and reading his book, got carried away by sister-in-law Shubhaprada. They had to marry later in this mess.)

Rahi baat Bhrata Devyajot ki to unka aur Rajkumar Dussasan ka etihas to pata hai aap ko. (As for Bhrata Devyajot, you know his history with Rajkumar Dussasan.)"

Nakul looked alarmed while his brothers were wide-eyed and dumbfounded. Daiwik continued with a sad sigh.

"Aab pata nehi, tayyar to aap ho gaye par vivha ke baad mere jijaji aap hi honge yah..... ( now don't know. You've gotten ready, but after marriage my brother-in-law will be you or.....)"

Nakul looked ready to cry. Yudhisthir gave an amused smile. Bheem gave a worried look. Sahdev looked sympathetic but amused too and Arjun was looking anywhere but at Nakul. When Nakul finally caught his eye, he encouraged with a fake smile.

"Hogi hogi. Jarur ho ke rahega yeh vivha. Drisana kisi aur se vivha thori na karegi.

Sayyed.

Cintit mat ho tum anuj. (Yes. Yes. This marriage will happen for sure. Drisana won't marry anyone else. Probably. Don't worry.)"