• Sometimes, life doesn't pan out the way you want them to but hold on and wait, some day, everything will make sense to you •

Long chapter ahead.

Magadha

"Why are you so quiet?" Subhadra couldn't resist asking Malini as they walked back from the fields. Malini shot her a surprised look, as if questioning her sanity for remaining calm after everything that had transpired.

"Did you not notice how Prince Keechak was eyeing you? It seemed like he wanted to tear you apart right there on the stage, if not for the crowd and protocol. Are you really not petrified?" She asked, her voice, a mixture of fear and frustration.

Subhadra averted her gaze, staring at distant field, avoiding Malini's gaze. "I'll be punished if we don't meet the production targets. As long as we manage to get the field workers to put in extra hours, and hit the quotas, there's nothing to worry about."

She responded, a staunch resolve burning in her eyes. A short, sharp sigh escaped Malini's lips, as she shook her head, her eyes resting on the group of workers gathered on the field ahead.

"Wait, do you honestly believe that, Rochana? Oh God, how can you be so blind? Can't you see that Prince Keechak has deliberately assigned all the older workers to our field?" She paused, as though she wanted to take a breath. And when Bhadra did not respond, she continued.

"Nearly all were exhausted long before the workday ended and on the top of that, our targets are twice as high as the others. The Prince is clearly setting a trap for you. But the real question is- what did you do to deserve this?" Malini snapped, her last line barely audible, as if she was asking herself.

Subhadra glanced at Malini, her expression unreadable, as she replied, with a shrug. "I haven't done anything wrong." Malini sighed heavily, stepping in front of Subhadra to block her path.

"You are underestimating Prince Keechak. His anger is like a storm, like a wildfire. It will destroy everything in its path. When a man fails to meet his expectations, the punishment is so severe that it's beyond our imagination." Malini paused, looking helplessly at Subhadra.

"But I am a woman." Subhadra filled in a light hearted tone, in an attempt to steer the topic away from her challenge. Malini sighed, "Do you really think that will save you?"

Subhadra dropped her gaze to the ground. If she were honest, she knew that being a woman was a disadvantage in kingdoms that were ruled by princes like Keechak. She had heard of many instances where Keechak had taken away the women from the families of people who had failed to comply with his regulations.

And with that history, she knew right when he lashed the whip on a fellow worker, that she will not find herself in that position if she failed in her duty. Instead, Keechak would declare her his slave and mistreat her afterwards.

"Your lack of seriousness is scaring me Rochana. I'm telling this to you by experience. We can not be overly optimistic about everything. Sometimes, life throws such a twist turning everything upside down."

Malini replied, the color draining from her face. And in a second, Subhadra found herself suddenly pulled into a tight embrace. "I'm genuinely scared for you, Rochana."

"Don't be." Subhadra whispered.

"With an unpredictable Prince who does not stop until he gets exactly what he wants, how can you say this? Think of Tarini. If something happens to you, what about her?"

Malini voiced her concerns but Subhadra stayed silent, her stomach twisting with unease. Something told her that her life was going to complicate in the most unexpected ways.

But there was one problem.

Subhadra couldn't tell what was speaking- was it the mother inside her, or the Princess whom she had long buried within?

* * *

Dwarka

"We have no news, Prince."

Satyaki's words echoed in Balram's mind as he stood on the palace balcony, staring at the lush gardens of Dwarka. The sun had set, casting a dim glow over the city, which usually thrived with color and life, now seemed oddly dull and lifeless.

His mother had once told him that Dwarka was an embodiment of the spirit of the three siblings. And that the city would reflect sorrow, whenever either of them suffered. The first time he truly understood that was twelve years ago, when the tides had risen so high, that they nearly threatened to engulf Dwarka.

It was a day Balram wished he could erase from all their lives. Krishna had mysteriously disappeared from Dwarka. His wives had no idea about his whereabouts.

Satyaki had seen three suns shining in the sky, a sign of the kingdom's impending destruction. His mothers were tormented by bad omens and ill dreams and wept before the idol, praying for peace and prosperity.

Various priests and sages came together, yet no body could explain the cause behind the strange occurrences. The uncertainty prevailed for almost two months, before Krishna finally returned.

And with his arrival, everything returned to its natural state- the tides withdrew, the extra suns vanished from the sky, and the ominous signs faded away. But just as Balram began to believe that everything was back to normal, he realized that Krishna had not come alone.

"Brata..." A voice broke the heavy silence and Balram's shoulder tensed.

That voice; it was hers. The voice that echoed in his mind whenever he thought of her. Balram stood motionless, his breaths shallow, his eyes wide with shock, unsure of how to react. He instinctively shut his eyes, desperately trying to convince himself that the voice was just a figment of his imagination.

"Brata..." The voice came again, closer this time. Balram hesitated before opening his eyes and glancing beside him.

There, standing untouched by time, was the five year old version of Subhadra, her bright eyes curiously watching the peepal tree outside the palace walls. The world around him blurred, and for a moment, Balram couldn't process what he was seeing.

Technically, Subhadra was older now. Much more older than the five year old standing before him. But every time anyone mentioned Subhadra, Balram always found himself imagining her as the same five year old girl he had sworn to protect; the one whose laughter had once filled his life with happiness.

"Brata, look! The peepal tree is still the same, after all these years!" Subhadra exclaimed, her voice light and cheerful, like nothing had changed, as though they had just played beneath that tree the day before.

Balram stood paralyzed, his chest tight. He couldn't even look away from her, let alone finding the energy to respond. He wanted to believe that this was real, that she was truly there. But deep down, he knew that it wasn't.

"Why are you so sad, Brata?" Subhadra asked gently. And when he didn't answer, she turned to face him fully, her eyes softening even more. "Did anyone scold you?" She asked, her voice laced with an innocent concern.

And with that, despite the flood of emotions crushing him, Balram couldn't help but let out a small, bittersweet chuckle.

"No, Bhadra..." He managed to say through his chuckle, but the lump in his throat quickly grew, making it harder to continue.

"I'm sad because I promised to protect you, and failed, Bhadra. Every time I imagine that, in your final moments, you must have hoped I would come and save you from that monstrous family, it feels like I'm dying a thousand times over."

The little girl beside him slowly locked her eyes with his. Balram clenched his fists in helplessness as he braced himself for a look of anger, resentment or even betrayal. But instead, what met him was something completely unexpected.

She smiled at him. Her smile as gentle as it had been when she was a child. But the eyes- the eyes that now stared back at him were no longer just those of the five year old girl he had sworn to protect.

Those eyes reflected someone who had seen pain, who had faced challenges, and who had been marked by life in ways he did not know. And the longer he looked at her, the more clear it became to him.

The little girl before him was slowly merging with the with the woman she had become. Her features, her expressions, the way she held herself- everything seemed to blur, shifting between the innocence of a child and the maturity of an adult. The woman she had grown into was now standing before him, somewhere still carrying the essence of the child he once knew.

"You didn't fail me, Brata." She said softly, her voice no longer the high, innocent pitch of a child, but a smooth and composed tone that belonged to someone whose heart was full of love and understanding.

"As Brata Krishna says, many times, things happen beyond our control. But no matter the circumstances, you have always been there for me Brata. You have always kept your promise." The words pierced him, but it was her gaze that made him falter.

The same eyes that were once bright with hope and light was now dim under the weight of pain. Though unintended, her older version amplified his guilt and sorrow.

"I couldn't save you... please forgive me.." The words were barely a whisper, choked by the sobs that wracked his body. His legs gave way beneath him, and before he even realized it, he sunk to his knees, the weight of his failure pulling him down to the floor.

Subhadra paused, watching him and without a word, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, offering the only support she could- a warm comforting embrace.

"Don't be guilty Brata, it is not your fault." He heard a bare whisper. And just as the warmth of her hug seeped into him, it slowly disappeared. When Balram opened his eyes, his heart raced when he saw her form fading in his arms.

"No.. Bhadra.. don't go.." He shouted, his voice tinged with a desperate anguish. But before he could do something to hold onto her, she slipped away, like mist dissolving in the morning sun.

Subhadra's voice echoed faintly in his mind, and he could almost hear her whisper, "I'm still here, Brata. I have always been."

* * *

Magadha

"Think of Tarini. If something happens to you, what about her?"

Malini's words rang in Subhadra's ears as she paused just outside the door, her hand resting on the frame. Her mind returned to Keechak's challenge, to the violence she had seen in his eyes and his growing eagerness to destroy her.

Taking a breath, she pushed open the door stepping into the hut. Her eyes immediately sought out for Bhargavi, who was sitting by the window, drawing in the dirt with a stick.

"Ma!" Bhargavi's face lit up, and she ran toward her, her small arms outstretched for an embrace. Subhadra's lips curled into a gentle smile as she lifted Bhargavi in her arms. "How was your day, Tara?" she asked, her voice warm and affectionate.

"It was boring, Ma! Brata's toy didn't keep me entertained at all." Bhargavi complained, a pout on her face. Subhadra chuckled softly, before her thoughts strayed back to Malini's warning.

She gazed down at her daughter and suddenly, the words tumbled out. "Shall we make it interesting then? I'll tell you a few stories about my childhood."

"Yes that sounds interesting, Ma!" Bhargavi responded eagerly. Subhadra smiled, dropping her back to the ground. She stood up, her gaze drifting to the peacock feather placed behind the Shiva idol.

"I'm afraid Bratashri. If something happens to me, who will be there for Bhargavi?" She thought, closing her eyes as she reached out, searching for him. But her brother gave her no answer.

Just then, a knock echoed through the hut. Bhargavi, who had been standing by the door, swung it open quickly. A young boy stood outside with curly hair, relatively fair skin, and calm, steady eyes.

And the moment their gazes met, Bhargavi felt a strange flutter in her chest, in contrast to the overall calmness exuded by the boy.

He took a moment to look at her, his gaze lingering for a second longer than expected, before turning to look at Subhadra, his hands folded in a respectful gesture.

"Pranipat, Princess." He said, his voice warm and light.

"Princess? Who?" Bhargavi asked in surprise as she looked at Subhadra and then at the boy standing at their threshold.

Subhadra's heart skipped a beat, a sudden rush of unease freezing her in place.

* * *

PS: Hey everybody. So, another long update, I guess. Anyways, I know many of you must be wondering why none of the other characters have entered yet. Trust me, I am asking myself the same question.

My initial plan was to bring in 4-5 characters in the last 2 chapters but however, the story panned out in an entirely different manner. But that's fine, one has come in today and the others will follow.

I'll give a spoiler- We will have a juicy confrontation scene in the next chapter between Subhadra and someone else. And that'll bring some more revelations about the past. Any guesses?

And I wanted to say that the story revolves around multiple characters and stories, and I may not able to give a hint or a flashback in every chapter. I'll be moving the present story as well, hints will be given here and there to connect the past in such a way that when the revelation comes out, you guys will make better sense of it.

And how did you like the vision of Balram? We all know him as a stoic character, so I wanted to explore his emotional side as well and bring out the bond between Dau and Bhadra as well.

And I must say, that vision was pretty hard and confusing to write. I started with something and ended completely elsewhere <3

So, we have a boy entering and Bhargavi has already developed a soft corner for him? I'm sure you all know who it is. But why does he use the word Princess?

Krishna has been missing for sometime now but I'll bring him inside soon:)

Uttara will be entering soon and so will Shakuni. I know many are waiting for Abhi as well, he'll come after the above two characters. (Basically, he'll come when the right time comes lol)

Also, I noticed few readers voting on alternate chapters. Some voting on the preface and then on the latest chapter. I am unable to understand the pattern. Some readers are really consistent and I must thank you guys for your love and support.

But to the ones who are skipping chapters, I want to ask if there's something you want to read? Are the chapters boring in between or some thing?

Target: 30 votes and 60 comments.

Take care guys!
I'll see you soon:)