Chapter 40

I ran to the palace of Dwarka. What the hell is going on? What happened in the last three years? Why was I supposed to marry in three days? God, I wished I knew what had happened in Mahabharat. Why did I have to lose my memory?

I ran through the grand entrance. The rain hadn't stopped and my clothes were dripping water as I stepped on the stairs. Decorations were being put on by the staff and there were a lot of staff. I don't remember these many being there the last time I visited Dwarka.

I walked in through the doors of the palace and standing in front of me was Subhadra. I ran towards her and crushed her in a hug. Relief flooded in me. I had missed her. In my absence she had grown a lot but still was a head shorter than me. She was still decked jewellery, elegant as ever.

Breaking the hug, I smiled, "Oops even your clothes are wet now."

There was hint of tears in her eyes. Lightly wiping them with my hand I said, "Are you planning on making a ritual to welcome me with tears?"

She just whispered, "Jiji," and hugged me again.

I lightly caressed her hair. I chuckled, "Calm down. My marriage is fixed and it seems you are the one who's being sent off."

"Not just you jiji. Even I am being married. The only good thing about it is that we would be in the same family." Subhadra spoke between the hiccups.

I broke the hug and shouted, "What?"

She flinched at my tone. I shouldn't have shouted. "I will be married to Prince Dushasan on the same day." She explained.

I knew she liked Arjun. Was she not supposed to be with him then? What is happening here?

"Why didn't you say something? Or just reject the proposal?" I questioned. Why is Krishna letting this happen? But Subhadra could have stood up for herself.

"Bal dau sent the proposal to them. If I say no, then what about their honor? People already call us names because we killed our own family." She said telling me all the valid reasons why she should marry.

"Where are they?" I asked.

"In the throne room." She replied.

I stared walking forward. Subhadra asked, "Where are you going jiji?"

I answered, "To the throne room, at least someone has to stand for us."

"But the throne room is this way." I turned and saw her pointing towards the other gate.

On the way, she tried to explain it to me why she was happy with the proposal. The main reason being, we'd be together. But she didn't know that I wasn't going to marry Duryodhan. Hell no. So, her entire argument fell. And I could see it in her eyes. She was miserable. I wasn't going to let my sister be miserable.

I slammed the doors of the throne room. Bal dau and Krishna were standing in the middle of the room. Their faces turned towards me.

Krishna smiled cheerfully, "Look who's back, dau."

I didn't greet and directly came to the point, "I will never accept Duryodhan as my husband."

Bal dau smiled gently and said, "Thik hai Aarohi. Kisse shadi karna chahti ho?" (Okay Aarohi. Who do you wish to marry?)

Before I could utter 'Yudhisthir' Krishna said, "Soch ke behena, ek baar bol diya vapis nahi le paogi." (Careful Aarohi, once you say the name you won't be able to take it back.)

That stopped me. Was Krishna trying to warn me? Did something happen? Did Yudhisthir break his vow? He should be the king of Hastinapur by now. King Dritarashtra should have passed on the responsibility due to his disability. Anyways he wasn't an official king just a temporary replacement. Was that the reason Duryodhan was here? What if Yudhisthir had married?

"Behena kaha kho gayi?" Krishna snapped me back out of my thoughts. (Got lost in your thoughts, sister?)

"Can't we just leave the talks of my marriage?" I asked. I need time to figure out what the hell is going on here.

Bal dau answered, "Aarohi, as your brother I think it is the right time for you to marry. If you don't have anyone in your mind then Duryodhan is a good suiter."

What the fuck did Duryodhan do to get approval from Bal dau? I was shocked at the proposal itself and dau accepted it.

Krishna added, "Dhyan rakhna, swayam ka var jab dhundne jao. Agar kumar Duryodhan ko bura lag gaya toh Hastinapur ki sena aa jayegi Dwarka ke dwar." (Keep in mind when you're looking for your husband. If Duryodhan felt rejected then the army of Hastinapur will come to the gates of Dwarka)

At that Bal dau hit Krishna at the back of his head and then turned towards me, "Aarohi in sab baaton ki chinta mat karo. Tumhare bhrata abhi zinda hai." (Aarohi don't pay attention to such things. Yours brothers are still alive.)

I smiled at that. How could I even think my family would betray me? But I didn't want to create problem for them either. What could I do? Maybe the answer is hidden in Krishna's words or else he wouldn't have said those. Swayam ka var, Hastinapur ki sena, Dwarka ke dwar, wait a second, Swayam ka var.

"Swayamvar." I said out loud and everyone's attention snapped back to me.

"We can have a swayamvar. Then Duryodhan won't have the right to get angry if he participated and lost. It is well within the rights of a girl to ask for a swayamvar as well so even breaking the proposal won't cause that big of a scandal." I explained.

"Fir pratiyogita bhi hogi tumhare dhyan main." Krishna asked. (Then you might have thought of something as well.)

"I have thought of something." I replied with a smirk.

Then I turned towards Subhadra who was standing in a corner. I gestured her to make her case. She shook her head. Okay, if you don't want to, then I will.

I turned towards dau and spoke, "Dau about Subhadra, she- "

But before I could complete my sentence, Krishna interrupted, "Kisi aur ki ichaaye tumhe nahi pata ho sakti behena." He turned his head towards Subhadra and continued, "Joh chahta hai voh samne aake bole." (You cannot claim to know the wishes of others Aarohi. Who wants it will come forward and ask for it.)

Subhadra still didn't utter a word.

Then Krishna announced, "Then it is finalized. Aarohi's swayamvar will happen seven days from now. And as younger sister can't marry before the older one, Subhadra's wedding will happen on the eighth day."

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Firstly, sorry for the delay. I will try to give quicker updates from now.

Swayamvar – it was a contest in which kings and princes took part. Who so ever won the contest literally won the girl.

Can you guess which contest Aarohi has in her mind?

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Word count: 1193