WHEN THE STARS ALIGNED / A Mahabharat AU

3. Bitter, Butter, Better

Prakriti was mostly called Madhavi but Madhav seemed to prefer the name 'Prakriti' a lot more.

"Focus, Prakriti." Madhavi glared at her brother. "I am not helping you." She said. The nineteen year old girl huffed getting up from the well decorated swing but was pulled back again, her neck held in a chokehold as the dark skinned man smiled.

"We had a deal, choti." He warned.

"Doesn't matter, I am stressed." Madhavi frowned. She pried her brother's hand off of her before leaving the garden.

Krishna smiled happily, he knew the reason of her stress. Madhavi had been dreaming of things that confused her, her actual consciousness was trying to break out, Prakriti was starting to come in being, in form of Madhavi. He also knew Shivanya was slowly realising of her true self as Niyati aswell. She had Bhagwan Ved Vyas to help her through meanwhile Madhavi had him.

Madhavi sat infront of the Lakshmi-Narayan Idols in the castle's temple. A deep frown almost permanently edged on her face. The dreams were weird, as if not from this time, almost like a flashback. It was trying to tell her something but she didn't understand it quite really.

"Kumari Madhavi, Kumari Subhadra is back from Kanyashram." Informed a maid.

Most people wondered why Madhavi didn't go to Kanyashram like Subhadra but it was mostly on the insistence of Krishn that she stayed in the castle itself. Afterall, who is a better teacher than the almighty themselves?

Madhavi was well trained in combat and archery was her thing. She knew all the royal protocols and was a great help to Dwarka's political strategies. Most people saw great potential in her to uphold the throne as Yuvrani if not the queen. She was also a talented dancer and singer. People often compared her to the goddesses.

She was kind, empathetic yet strict. She was selfless but still a bit crazy. She was too good to be true if it was in our modern world.

Her feline steps neared the room where she knew her bestfriend was waiting after coming back from Kanyashram.

"Subhu." She smiled.

"Madhu!" Subhadra smiled widely, rushing forward to hug the girl who was just few months younger than her.

"I missed you so much, i really wish you could be there- Oh! Look at you....you've...you look like Devi Lakshmi herself...." Subhadra smiled in awe.

"Behena, don't say that." Krishna winced, "I'd rather say she looks like a mixture of ansh of every Devi there is." He smiled mischievously.

"Ahhh...you think flattery would gain you my help?" Madhavi smiled sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What....is going on?" Subhadra asked, being rather clueless about what was going on.

"Oh...you know, this man and his love for butter exceeds everything. Mamishree Devaki banned him from the kitchens or anyone bringing him butter at all, now he wants me to do it because he thinks Devaki mami wouldn't wouldn't scold me." Subhadra bursts out into a fit of laughter as Krishna huffed in annoyance.

"Please? My sweet sweet Prakriti, Kamalanayani whose eyes are heavenly, O' Shailaja, the daughter of water, the blessing of-" Krishna stopped as he saw the look she was giving him.

"No." Madhavi went away to talk to Subhadra about all the things they missed about each other.

---

"Putri Harshada....are you done with collecting the fruits?" Rishi Ved Vyas asked, nearing the forest's outerskirts.

"Yes Guruji." A melodious female voice replied. With a loud thump the girl landed on the grass floor of the forest from the tree above. Her hand held a basket full of fruits, a single leaf stuck in her elegant hair looking as undisturbed as a freshly combed one. Her safron saree worn in naovari style was a bit dusty yet still made her glow, although spectators might think it was her giving the simple clothing it's beauty.