A Love Story - Arjuna and Subhadra

Part One

Swing.

Something warm fell on my closed eyes and it was a while before I realised it was sunlight. I groggily opened my lids and the first sight I saw was of the rising sun, red orange as it ascended.

My maid had opened the curtains.

'Good morning, your highness,' she said, bowing and leaving the room.

I sat up, trying to clear my head from the aftermath of the dream I had last night.

I shouldn't exactly be surprised by the events that happened in it. I was there, obviously, and so was another person - a beautiful man, someone who was the same age as my second elder brother, Krishna. This man really exists. He wasn't some fantasy.

Okay, he kind of is, but he really lives in this planet. Bhoomidevi supports him too, the same Devi who supports me. He breathes in the same air.

He lives.

In some other part of the world, where he doesn't know some girl like me exists.

His name was a legend in Dwaraka and I had heard wonderful stories of him ever since I could remember. Every time I go out into the city for a stroll, I would hear kids saying they would grow up to be like him. Mothers would yearn for a son like him and it was no secret every single virgin fantasised about him.

My obsession with a man I've never met before grew steadily unhealthy with each passing day.

Well, I can't blame myself.

Leave it to Krishna and Balarama to praise him, right when I was there in the same room.

Blame Krishna even more. Why does he have to simply love mentioning his name at least once during conversations? He would drop by his name casually, not knowing what it does to me every time I hear it. It would create a string of bubbles that make my stomach flutter.

It was quite frightening to see I was always thinking about him and conjuring forbidden images, which always consisted of him whisking me away to a flower garden or a secret place to confess his undying love for me.

I've never looked at the face in my dreams though.

Why?

Because you've never even set eyes on him before, you silly, immature, obsessed girl!

I can bet all my jewels Krishna knows about the stupid phase I'm going through. As far as I know, he isn't what people call "normal human being". He was something more than that. Those shrewd, calculative eyes miss nothing.

Ever.

Which gives me enough reason to go to this amazing and compassionate brother of mine and pour my heart out, seeking help.

But I never do that.

Nervousness, inhibition and fear backtrack me.

Which makes me even more desperate for the man whose bloody fault all of this is.

Him.

Arjuna.

He was the son of Indra, the excellent student of Drona, blessed son of my aunt Kunti and the best archer in the world. The fame of his charm and handsomeness has reached far and wide, painting the picture of being a knight in shining armour.

Oh, Arjuna ...

Is this some kind of payback? Some revenge for a crime I committed against you in our previous births? Did I refuse you or spurn you? Why in the name of Yama are you doing this? Do you know that I've never even seen you before, never ever talked to you before, never found any rational reason other than your fame and valour to love you?