The sun rays burned her face as she covered it with her hands. She was wide awake not being able to sleep once again, afraid to witness that scene again.

She sat up and decided to get ready for the day.

.

"Durshala,where are we going?MahaRaja Dhritarashtra is going to announce the successor of the throne." Arshia frowned as she was pulled by Durshala and Subhadra to the same river where she went just a few hours ago.

"Sit. Let the three of us spend some time together!All these tensions are not something we should care about." The three of them at down,their gaze on the strong currents of the river(which had slowed down according to Arshia)

"Arshia,tell us more about yourself. Do have a brother? Sister?" Durshala asked excitedly.

"Yes,I have an older brother and sister,a younger sister,a father and a deceased mother. I remember when I first came to Dwarka,my mother had just passed away and Vasudev wanted to bring me to Dwarka. My mother and father didn't live together—"

"How is that possible?" Subhadra asked shocked. Arshia softly gazed at her and shrugged.

"They had disagreements and it only required one event to split them apart,even a small one would work. But one big event occurred which successfully split them apart. The death of my eldest sister. She loved a guy,another Rajkumar who failed to win her and some other guy did. Not being able to handle the separation,she took her own life, disagreeing to stay with a man who she didn't choose herself. My father blamed my mother because she was the one who choosed the other man. " Arshia couldn't say the whole truth but she said the half and didn't really find herself guilty.

Subhadra and Durshala stared at the girl in pity. The both of them stood up and hugged the girl.

"I didn't recite my story to gain sympathy, Rajkumari(s)." Arshia softly rubbed their back with her hands. The two pulled away and nodded at her to make her believe that they were with her.

"Are you going back to your home?" Subhadra asked. Arshia froze,not having an answer for her.

"I believe Vasudev. The world dances on his instructions and so shall I. " Arshia softly said. Durshala and Subhadra's gaze changed on her.

"Are you...in love with bhrata Krishna?" Subhadra wiggled her eyebrows.

Arshia widened her eyes and suddenly she became attentive.

"No,I am not in love with him. He is a good friend of mine" However she managed to get comfortable and answer Subhadra. Durshala sat back dissapointed as Subhadra laughed at her reaction.

The talking(s) went on within the three until the announcement of the successor was finally over and they were called by the soilders.

.

"That's so unfair!Bhrata Yudhishthir was supposed to be the crown prince" Durshala whined.

The three(or two,Arshia already knew)were infromed that Guru Drona had demanded his fees in the form of war against Panchal and whoever shall win the war will be announced the crown prince.

"Let's wait until the war is over and Hastinapur shall get it's worthy crown prince, Rajkumari Durshala. Maybe this war is for the best." Arshia comforted.

"I know."

"Oh wait." Subhadra stopped causing the two to look back. Durshala asked her what the matter was and she replied

"Uh. Bhrata Krishna told me to give something to Rajkumar Arjun but I forgot. I better give it to him or bhrata is going to taunt me for having a weak memory" Subhadra rolled her eyes.

"Well you do that. Rajkumari Durshala is going to show me Hastinapur. Yes,the public. So take your sweet time—"

"Oh God Arshia! What's wrong with you?" A deep red colour filled Subhadra's face. Arshia and Danika laughed and ran away before Subhadra actually might choke the two.

.

"Don't tell me you are not having dinner!?" Subhadra and Durshala, without notice,bust into her room. Arshia almost jumped up from her seat and sightly glared at the two. She turned her attention back to the mirror and put on her earrings.

"A knock could have been less-heart taking" Arshia joked.

"Knock?" Durshala frowned at the sudden use of Arshia's words. She nervously smiled at her and shrugged saying it was nothing.

Durshala stood in the middle and enterlocked her arms with the two, taking them to the grand dinner.

.

"Why are we having a grand dinner again?" Arshia complained.

She had almost forgot that,here,men ate before women and the women had to wait until the men were over. Currently the men were,in her opinion, taking too long to eat because they were discussing about the policies and about the war.

"Arshia" Bhishma called out.

"Yes Mahamahim Bhishma?"

"Do you take any interest in politics?"

Before Arshia could reply,Shakuni said mockingly

"A woman?in politics?What are saying Mahamahim Bhishma?I am sure she is not interested. I am correct, right Rajkumari Arshia?" Shakuni wickedly laughed.

"Even If I did,I wouldn't want to enlighten you with my thoughts. Might be too pure for you—" Arshia closed her eyes and bit her lips in pain when Subhadra elbowed her in her stomach to make her stop talking and possibly offending Shakuni. Arshia opened her eyes and glared at Subhadra. She obviously wasn't going to stay quiet,she grew up learning to defend not stay quite and let assumptions have an influence over her reputation.

She turned her gaze back to Shakuni.

"As I was saying,but this time without interruptions(she glared at Subhadra),my thoughts might offend you and is a lot more different than yours. Yes,I do have interest in politics but judging by the.....men here,I can't talk freely. So,Mahamahim Bhishma,I do have the interest but I choose not to lay my opinions forward here" She fakely smiled.

"So my opinions and thoughts are too...impure for you?" Shakuni gritted his teeth.

"Ye—"

"I think we should continue eating" Bhishma awkwardly cleared his throat.

"I will like my dinner to be delivered to my chamber, please. Subh ratri" She joined her hands walking,or storming out of the room.

Bhishma and Gandhari both had dissapointed expressions.

"She has a ego females shouldn't have and the disrespect she was showing me was unbelievable. So it's not my fault" Shakuni gritted his teeth angrily as the two shaked their head disapproveingly.

.

Feeling the anger rise up,Arshia threw away her dupatta and threw a vase away causing the floor to be all wet with flowers scattered on the floor. She was not a tolerant one.

"Rajkumari,you food" She could feel the fear from the dasis tone as they set the plate on the table.

"Should we clean the floor Rajk—"

"No,thank you. You all are dismissed" The dasis hesitantly walked away. She simply stared at the food, deciding that she had no appetite to eat. She fell on her bed letting her anger wash away. She closed her eyes—

"Oh come on,Arshia. You have to wake up. You have not taken your life like Anjali didi did,right?I am sure you didn't. You know,I can't live without you. I need you with me,to handle dad and Amiya. I can't do it alone,Arshia!You have to wake up" Rudra grabbed her hand and cried.

Arshia hurriedly opened her eyes and sat up, wiping away the sweat.

"Rajkumari. Rajkumar Arjun is asking for permission to enter your chamber" The dasi informed in her shaking tone.

Arshia stood up,grabbed her dupatta and nodded at the dasi.

"Rajkumari Arsh—" He came to an halt when he saw the scattered vase on the floor. He looked up to see Arshia,who had lost her colour.

"Oh. Don't tell me you did all this because of mamashri Shakuni. I know you don't know how he is but you can never take his words to heart. He does that on purpose" Arjun reassured trying to walk to her.

"Don't. You might injure your foot while coming here and you have a war coming up. I will come" Arshia said walking over to Arjun.

"Why did you come here?Is it something important?" Arshia asked. "No nothing important. But why did you break this vase?"

"Maybe because where I came from, people don't look down on women. They are equal. Women take part in politics as much as men do. I am used to this treatment, that's all" Arshia fake smiled.

Arjun nodded. His eyes went to the untouched food resulting a frown on his face.

"Why haven't you eaten it yet?come on,eat the food infront of me" Arjun said walking over to the table and seating on one of the chairs. Seeing no movement from Arshia,he stood up and almost grabbed her hand.

He looked up for permission and Arshia, absent-mindedly,nodded. He softly grabbed her hand and made her sit infront of him. He,then,himself sat infront of her and watched her waiting for her to eat.

"Rajkumar Arjun,I appreciate the concern but I have no appetite to eat" Arshia tried to reason.

"Rajkumari Arshia,I appreciate that you know how concern I am. So I would like you to eat" Arjun mocked bringing a smile on Arshia's face.

Arjun took a laddu and lift it up to her mouth.

"Eat it. Start your dinner from my hands" Arjun teased. Arshia shaked her head at his teasings but ate it whatsoever.

Arjun was going to put the laddu back on the plate but Arshia streched her hand, asking for the laddu. Upon receiving it she put the opposite side of the laddu(the untouched part) infront of his mouth.

"Consider it as a good luck for the war" Arjun laughed at her excuse and bit the laddu. "I will eat it you complete the whole plate. No faces" Arjun said taking the laddu and watching her eat.

.

"Make sure you eat while I am gone. Don't skip meals, don't —"

"I should be the one showering you with all these concerns. You are one who is going to the war,not me. Come back safe and in one piece" Arhsia joked.

"I will assure that. Make sure you come to see us off. Subh ratri" Arjun said walking out.

Arhsia cupped her cheeks with her own hands feeling the heat rush into her face

"God Arshia!What are you thinking?"

She walked absent-mindedly, accidentally stepping on a broken vase peice. She stepped back a bit, landing on her couch. Hitting her head because of her carelessness,she called the people to bring things to treat her wound.

. . .

Not proud of this chapter but couldn't think of anything else. Forgive me for this chapter. Double update coming up! Hope you enjoyed reading. I don't mean to hurt anyone's religious beliefs. Stay tuned for updates! Vote! Enjoy!