The Indraprastha palace was abuzz with the excitement for the event that was about to unfold on that day, with the royal family, the guests from other kingdoms, the palatial workers and the citizens anticipating the auspicious muhurta. Vrikodara had returned on the same day early in the morning along with the Kashi family including Balandhara and Sarvaga. In the ceremonial hall, the women of the Pandava and the Yadava families were checking upon the last-minute arrangements. Krishnaa brought the comb that she had purchased for the occasion and placed them among all the other articles of the ritual when something unexpected happened.
"Maharani!" The Princess of Sauvira quickly stepped forward, leaving the conversation with the other guests. "I'm extremely sorry for my behavior. It was all because of my misunderstanding that arose from whatever I heard about your and Princess Subhadra's equation from her handmaidens. I had assumed that you were jealous of her and her happiness. I'm really sorry..."
"I will not accept any apology from you, Rajakumari. Because whatever you had said, you had meant it and it wasn't a mistake to be forgiven. It was an offence against me. I know that you are not apologizing to me willingly either."
"Please try to understand my perspective too, Maharani..."
"Your perspective?" Krishnaa chuckled mirthlessly. "The truth is that you were trying to guilt-trip me into accepting that Subhadra's unborn child should inherit Indraprastha's throne. Nothing more, nothing less. Everything else is an excuse. Look, Rajakumari, as long as it was about me, I could have tolerated it. But your husband and Hardikya Kritavarma decided to involve my son Prativindhya into this. A queen might compromise on her own happiness for the sake of her kingdom's honor but a mother would never compromise on her child's welfare. I'm sorry but I can't forgive you and give you another chance to implement your intentions."
"I do not mean to be rude but don't you realize, Maharani, that you are behaving selfishly? Why do you want your child to inherit the throne and not Subhadra's child?"
"Prativindhya is the eldest heir of the Pandu Vamsha, Rajakumari! I'm not fighting for the throne, Rajakumari, I'm fighting for his esteem. From twelve years, everyone in Indraprastha knows that he is the future of this kingdom. He is being trained for that very same future. The post of the king is not a privilege but a sacred service! Anyway, this discussion with you is futile. Let us maintain respectful distance from each other and that will be better for all!"
Krishnaa walked away from the Sauvira Princess but before she could go too far, she came across her mother who was staring at her with wide eyes, having overheard the conversation.
"What's happening here, Krishnaa?" Prishati questioned. "Though I've heard about this, I couldn't believe it and thought these must be rumors!"
"Mata, don't ask me anything. I don't know anything about this. I just know that I won't let any unfairness take place in my kingdom, and definitely not to my son!" Krishnaa left the hall swiftly as she didn't want to disrupt the celebratory environment with her growing frustration but her mother followed her close behind.
"But who even started this?" The Queen of Panchala inquired concernedly as they both reached her daughter's chamber and the former closed the doors behind to maintain privacy.
"Yuyudhana Satyaki, the Mukhya Yoddha of Dvaraka. When he first spoke about it, Rama Dau, Madhava and Arjuna had disagreed with him it seems. But he didn't stop there. Along with the SenaNayaka Kritavarma of Dvaraka, he tried to convince Maharaja Yudhishthira to announce the unborn child as the heir. Their efforts didn't bear fruit as he too rejected their idea, and Arjuna had strongly admonished them for their attempt." Krishnaa sighed and shook her head. "But this is not the whole thing. The Princess of Sauvira, Satyaki's wife whom you had heard me talking to, was trying to pull me down from day one with her odd behavior. She thinks that I envy Subhadra and that's why I'm against her husband's suggestion. In their obsession with their clan, they are disregarding the integrity of my son. Of course, Princess Sauviri was taunting me because Subhadra apparently has something which I don't, but it never triggered me until it descended onto my child. Mata, can you believe that they thought of manipulating Vindhya too?"
"Satyaki and Kritavarma? Who are they? They aren't a part of the Vrishni family or the Andhaka-Bhoja family, leave alone the Pandava family to interfere in this!" Prishati was appalled.
"Mata, I have respect for the son of Satyaka. The Vrishnis, especially Vaasudeva, regard him as their own and he is Savyasachi's childhood friend. His opinion and his actions are not acceptable to me, but given his nobility, I would've let go of this issue without much resentment if Hardikya Kritavarma was not involved in this! That person is a murderer! He was involved in the conspiracy of Satyaa's father's murder. The Yadavas had relieved him without any punishment. After committing such a heinous sin, he's not only living freely but he's also trying to intrude into the affairs of Indraprastha!
"I never cared to consider what people thought about me, Mata. Sauviri assumed that I do not wish good for Subhadra. I was shattered with my own grief of losing the connection that I cherished for years and I didn't even have time for all these things. If she is countering my non-existent envy, what can I do except possibly laugh at their silliness? And that's what I would've done if I didn't realize that they were pulling Vindhya into this! That's where my anger rose!"
"Loss of connection? What does that mean?" Prishati narrowed her eyes, catching that one phrase from her daughter's speech, making the latter's lips part in realization of what she said. But it was too late. She knew that she couldn't conceal it from her mother.
"It's not the same anymore, Mata. The bond that was there between me and Arjuna twelve years ago, doesn't exist anymore." Krishnaa looked down, her tone subdued. "Mata, I hope you will not advise me that submitting is essential. If it is, it should be from both sides. Perhaps there is submission in our hearts, but our circumstances and the way we are supposed to act in these circumstances, are not suitable for that. And it is because of his doing that these circumstances are overshadowing our relationship. Nothing can be done now."
"I will not advise you anything because you aren't an inexperienced child anymore. You have seen enough of this world on your own, especially in the past two years. I will support you in any decision that you take. I only want to say that I'm absolutely proud of the way you are dealing with these challenges without letting down your self-respect for anyone or anything!" Prishati embraced her daughter tightly as Krishnaa laid her head on her mother's shoulder, a few drops of tears escaping the boundaries of her eyes.
"Mata, we need to be present at the ceremonial hall. The fixed time for Subhadra's Simantonayana is near!" The Queen of Indraprastha moved back and wiped her tears, a regal composure taking hold of her features instantly. The wife of Drupada nodded at her daughter slowly, her maternal heart heavy with sorrow about the new revelation about her daughter's life.