• Destiny is the storm you cannot outrun, the tide that always pulls you back in •

Magadha

"What is your name?" Subhadra asked, patiently to the young boy standing before her.

"Rudra."

"Rudra, I'm afraid to say that you don't address a field worker as 'Princess' in Magadha." She said firmly, though the slight quiver in her voice betrayed the calm she intended to maintain.

The young boy blinked in surprise, briefly looking outside the hut in confusion, before turning back to face Subhadra again. "I- I didn't know. I was told to address like that!"

Subhadra flashed a kind smile at Rudra before working her eyes down to study his demeanor, her mind brimming with various possibilities.

Bhargavi, unaware of the tension in the room, looked at Subhadra, an innocent curiosity sparkling in her eyes, "Ma, do we really look like Princesses?"

Subhadra met Bhargavi's question with a moment of silence, before her gaze shifted back to the boy. "And who told this to you?"

"A man near the marketplace." Rudra replied, pausing for some time before continuing, "I told him that I was new in this city and that we were planning to construct a house in this part of the city. He then warned me that I must address my neighbor as 'Princess' and nothing else."

Subhadra frowned as the Rudra completed his narration. The people of Magadha were prominently known for their pranks and mischief. As Subhadra wrestled with the possibility of this being a harmless joke or an indication that someone had truly seen through her disguise, Bhargavi's question interrupted her thoughts.

"How was he like?"

Rudra now looked at her, saying, "He was wearing a bright purple costume, tall and well built. He was fair, but I did not see his face. He had it mostly covered by a black cloak." His description sent a slight shiver down Subhadra's neck.

"Where are your parents?" Subhadra asked. Rudra smiled, "My parents are back in town. I have come here with my aunt. She's a potter and plans to set up her shop here in Magadha. I have accompanied to help her in this process."

"Pots? What kind of pots?" Bhargavi asked eagerly.

"All kind of pots." Rudra replied proudly. "Pottery is her speciality."

Bhargavi's eyes lit up with excitement as she asked, "Does your aunt make those glass embroidered pots? The ones that are painted with colors chosen by the buyer?" Rudra gave her a slight nod.

"As far as I know, she does. Would you like to buy one?" He asked, looking at Bhargavi with a hopeful expression. Bhargavi turned to Subhadra, silently asking for permission.

"Well.." Subhadra hesitated after she read the eagerness in both Bhargavi and Rudra's eyes; her initial intent to refuse softening. "Why not? Of course, we can have one." She replied, offering him a kind smile.

"Thank you. Bua will be very delighted." Rudra replied, folding his hands in gratitude. "Could you fetch me some water, please?" Rudra further added. Subhadra glanced at Bhargavi, who nodded and went toward the kitchen to get the water.

"Where is your aunt?" Subhadra asked.

"She had gone to the river bank to offer her prayers to the Sun."

"Prayers to the Sun?" Subhadra repeated, curiously. Rudra nodded in response. "Yes. After marriage, Bua worships Lord Surya."

Subhadra's smile faltered as she absorbed his words. Her gaze dropped to the ground, her mind racing to establish the strange familiarity she found in Rudra's words.

"How much time would this take?"

They both heard a voice and Rudra smiled, "My aunt has come back."

"Give me a second." Subhadra replied, as she walked out of the house. Her eyes rested on a woman, presumably a few years older than her, standing there, her back turned towards her.

And without thinking, she walked towards the woman, her movements slow and deliberate.
Subhadra's breath hitched for a second as she noticed how familiar the the woman's frame and posture were.

But before her mind could draw a reference, Rudra shouted from the threshold of her house, his voice loud and clear.

"VRUSHALI BUA!"

Subhadra froze in her tracks, her heart skipping a beat at the name.

* * *

Hastinapur

"What? You want to save me? I will not let you, Prince Shakuni. I won'Whatt give you the relief of fixing everything you have broken. Instead, I'll face the consequences of your actions. And you... you will carry the weight of this, for the rest of your life. You will regret every moment. And that, that will be my way of punishing you!"

Shakuni slowly opened his eyes, her unforgiving words echoing in his mind. Twelve years had passed, and as she predicted, each moment weighed heavier than the previous one.

And despite his reputation as one of the greatest masterminds in all kingdoms, Shakuni couldn't help but wonder how he had failed so completely this time.

As his gaze shifted to the small bowl of rice just beyond the gates of his cell, he let out an exasperated sigh. This bowl, served once in two days, had always been deliberately placed beyond his reach, as though it was a constant reminder of his imprisonment.

He leaned forward, but the heavy chains around his wrists and ankles tugged him back, forcing him to struggle against their weight. Determined, he gritted his teeth and crawled toward the bowl, inching closer with every effort.

But just as he was about to reach it, a pair of legs stepped beside him and pushed the plate a few inches ahead, just enough to be our of Shakuni's reach.

Shakuni glanced up at the man smiling ruthlessly at him, his eyes burning with fury.The man waited patiently as Shakuni struggled to sit up, finally meeting his gaze.

A chuckle escaped the man's lips, filled with mock pity, as he enjoyed Shakuni's discomfort. Shakuni steadied himself and asked, his voice low but sharp, "What brings you here?"

The man laughter subsided as he crouched down to Shakuni's level, his tone sarcastic. "I just thought to check in and ensure that you are enjoying your stay in one of the darkest and finest dungeons of Hastinapur. After all, it's my responsibility as the King, isn't it?"

Shakuni scoffed, "Then let me remind you that your duties go far beyond making me suffer. What have you really achieved without my assistance?" The man raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"A lot, to be precise." The man replied proudly.

"You are imprisoned. And so are the Queens. Mantri Vidur has been merely reduced to a puppet in the kingdom. The Pandavas are exiled and almost everyone across the kingdom knows that they will never come back again. And as for their wives-" The man paused and Shakuni glanced up at him.

"Everyone knows what we did to them. And despite that, none of the maternal kingdoms could ever wage a war against Hastinapur. Do you know why? Because I rule the kingdom and nobody can dare to go against me."

Shakuni's form wavered slightly, as he leaned closer, his voice softer than usual, "Yes, I admit I was harsh with you. But everything I did, all my plans and schemes were for your success and prosperity." The man smiled, a quiet laugh escaping his lips as his fingers traced the edges of the gate.

"You really think I'd fall for that? In that case, let me remind you. " He murmured, undeterred by whatever Shakuni had just uttered.

"You didn't make me strong. You made me insecure. Your constant comparisons destroyed my childhood. No matter what I did, you always told me that my cousins were much more capable and braver than me. You never saw my achievements, only how I fell short compared to them."

For a fleeting moment, Shakuni's expression softened, before his usual calculating brain took over.

"But think about it. If I hadn't been hard on you, you wouldn't have surpassed your cousins. The very ones I saw capable of the throne are now under your mercy, under your control. None of this would have been possible if I had not sown the seeds of ambition within you!"

The man smiled a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"You never change. Even when you've lost everything and prisoned in this dungeon, you are still trying to manipulate me with your words. Good try, but now I have to leave the kingdom for attending to some royal matters. I will see you when I come back, in case you manage to make it alive."

He said rudely, glancing at the rice bowl from the corner of his eyes. Shakuni watched the King walk out of the dungeons. His mind raced, the realization of his failure dawning upon him.

This was the end. The boy he had raised, the boy he had guided all through his life, had turned into a monster, no longer under his control.

* * *

Magadha

Vrushali turned around, startled to see Subhadra standing before her, her face a tangled web of emotions ranging from shock, disbelief, pain and anger. Without thinking, Vrushali instinctively stepped back, her mouth parting in surprise.

"Princess of Dwarka?" She asked, her voice laced with astonishment.

"Rochana. It's Rochana, Angrani!" Subhadra corrected her promptly, her tone low yet firm. Vrushali's expression hardened, as she curtly replied. "I never accepted that title, Rochana. I'm just Vrushali."

Subhadra nodded, acknowledging her words, her gaze drifting past Vrushali as she tried to process the unexpected encounter that had taken both of them by surprise. After a brief silence, Vrushali spoke again, her voice softer and more hesitant.

"I didn't expect to see you here, alive. The world believes you're dead."

Subhadra gave a bitter laugh.

"Your husband tried, Vrushali" She said coldly. "But he couldn't. I guess somewhere, nature still protects the right ones." Vrushali's frown deepened as she narrowed her eyes at Subhadra's remark.

"Right and wrong depend on perspectives, Rochana. Prince Karna was only following the orders of the King. He had no real authority to defy them."

Subhadra immediately shook her head, dismissing the justification even before it could settle in. "Some things can never be justified, Vrushali. Chasing and attempting to hunt down an unarmed woman can never be right, no matter what perspective you choose."

Vrushali fell silent. Subhadra's statement was undeniable, but the thought of defending Karna left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"You speak as if your husband was innocent in all of this. Prince Arjun at least had a choice unlike Karna who was forced into doing things for Prince Duryodhan." Vrushali said, the words spilling out before she could stop them.

Subhadra remained calm as usual, her gaze steady. "I don't intend to defend Prince Arjun, Vrushali. I've already renounced him."

"I know. But you're not the only one who's renounced her husband for what happened." Came Vrushali's reply, her eyes landing on the hut far behind Subhadra, where the two children stood, watching the two women.

Subhadra's eyes widened slightly as she caught the hidden meaning in Vrushali's words. "I- I am sorry to hear that." She said softly, her words empathetic. Vrushali smiled faintly.

"It's been over a decade since I last saw him. He doesn't seem to miss me either."

Subhadra sighed, but before she could respond, Vrushali asked, "Is she Princess Draupadi's daughter?" Subhadra followed her gaze to the threshold of the hut, where Bhargavi stood along with Rudra.

"No, she is my daughter." She replied, her tone neutral. Vrushali swiftly glanced at Subhadra in confusion, which soon transformed into something Subhadra couldn't place.

"Does she know?"

"No." Subhadra's response was immediate. Then, after a pause, she asked, "And Rudra, does he know anything about me? He just called me 'Princess' earlier."

Vrushali tossed her head confidently. "Rudra is the son of my distant cousin. We last saw each other when he was a baby. He doesn't even know that I was married to Prince Karna or had royal connections. So no, he doesn't know about you. Don't worry, I'll handle it."

Subhadra nodded and folded her hands respectfully at Vrushali. Vrushali smiled softly and returned the greeting. As Subhadra walked towards her hut, Vrushali turned her attention back to the construction workers.

Subhadra paused just before the threshold of her home, casting one final glance at Vrushali, who was now speaking with the workers. And despite the calm exterior, Subhadra could sense the same unease and discomfort in her.

Vrushali, who felt the gaze on her, turned and meet Subhadra's eyes. And as they stared at each other, their minds still grappling with the past, destiny watched from above, its gaze unblinking and all knowing.

No matter how desperately these two Kuru women tried, the curse would always find a way to pull them back in, into the inescapable storm that was written in their fate.

* * *

PS: Hey guys! Here's the next chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and guesses about the chapter. Who is the man Shakuni is talking to? (I guess it's already obvious though?

What curse is 'destiny' refering to in this case?

As Subhadra blames Karna, we have Vrushali calling out Arjun for his fault. What has gone wrong?

Stay tuned to know more!

Take care guys!